Founded in December 2006 by Ruth Markus, in memory of her only child Alex, AMECA is committed to healthcare delivery, and supporting the training of healthcare professionals through sustainable initiatives. For many years, our work has been focused on Malawi.
Malawi suffers from a paucity of effectively managed healthcare facilities, healthcare professionals, equipment, and drugs. Transport to the nearest urban health facility is often non-existent or unaffordable; patients routinely face severe levels of overcrowding and under-resourcing.
AMECA’s UK Board is composed of 5 Directors who give their time voluntarily. Working from home in the UK and in Malawi, administrative costs are kept to an absolute minimum.
Board of Directors: Ruth Markus (CEO & Founder), Hugh Freedberg (Chairman), Paul Thomas (Medical Director), Lorraine Freedberg and Anthony Redshaw.
In the UK, AMECA is registered with The Charity Commission. To view charity information: Click to view (opens in a new window and type in 1121240 in the search box).
To view the charity’s latest accounts, click on these links:
In Malawi, we are incorporated under The Malawi Government Companies Act as AMECA Healthcare Africa Limited. Company No. 12853 Certificate of Incorporation.
Board of Directors: Krishna Savjani OBE SC (Chairman), Ruth Markus (Company Secretary & CEO), Paul Thomas (Medical Director), Reena Purshotum and Orpa Barlucchi.
Major Levison Wood
Levison Wood is a writer and photographer who has covered conflicts, events, and stories around the world for over ten years. His work has been featured in international publications around the world including the BBC, National Geographic, Forbes Magazine and CNN. Levison spent a number of years as an Officer in the British Parachute Regiment. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. He is a director of Secret Compass, with whom he has led pioneering journeys into undiscovered regions including the first-ever successful walk across Madagascar.
In October 2015, Lev has become the first person to attempt to walk the entire length of the River Nile. Lev set off in December 2013 on a journey down the Nile through Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, North Sudan and Egypt. In August 2014, Lev reached the Mediterranean Sea, nine months and 3750 miles after beginning his epic challenge. (Filmed by Channel 4).
https://www.facebook.com/WalkingTheNile?fref=ts
AMECA will continue liaison with the Blantyre District Health Office to support the AMECA Health Centre where deemed appropriate.
AMECA is continuing to expand the number of scholarships to Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, KUHES, (formally College of Medicine) and to the College of Health Sciences to fund educational training for medical and clinical officer studies.
We are also researching the feasibility of financing a student accommodation hostel for AMECA’s scholarship students in collaboration with KUHES.
We believe in sustainable and achievable ventures. Healthcare initiatives should be sustainable over the long term, striving to solve issues at their root cause, rather than be a well-intentioned, but short-term “fix”.
We believe in working in partnership with others. AMECA works with established medical schools, hospitals, doctors, local health departments and other organisations in Malawi. Such partnerships are vital to the long-term sustainability of any venture.
We believe in local community involvement and ownership. Only through local community input and ownership will projects survive, flourish and gain local respect and be valued.
We believe in keeping administration costs to a minimum. AMECA strives to make every penny count by minimising all costs where possible. We work from our homes and reduce all expenditure to only the absolute essentials.
We believe in donated funds being correctly applied. AMECA gives its assurance that all funds will be paid directly to only recognised contractors and partners with a proven track record of integrity.