Merlin delivers medical expertise to the toughest places. And, unlike other organisations, they stay to help build long term health care. In fact, every minute of the day, somewhere in the world, 12 people are treated by a Merlin health worker. That’s a remarkable achievement for an organisation that was founded in 1993 by three young friends in a spare bedroom in London. In just 20 years, Merlin has indeed grown into the UK’s leading international health charity, with a reputation for acting fast to save lives when a crisis comes. To date, Merlin has worked in over 50 countries and responded to some of the most serious humanitarian emergencies in recent history. These include the Rwandan genocide, the Asian tsunami, Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar (Burma), the Haiti earthquake, Pakistan floods and 2011’s devastating food crisis in east Africa. Merlin now has over 4.500 staff members, 98% of whom are based in the field – and reaches the lives of 15 million people on average each year. Their mission is to end the needless loss of life in the poorest countries caused by a lack of effective health care. They help communities set up medical services for the long term including hospitals, clinics, surgeries and training for nurses and other health workers.