Imc-jam Release Final 7 27 09

**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE** Contact: Margaret Aguirre (310) 826-7800 [email protected]

Combating Persistent Poverty in Africa, International Medical Corps and Joint Aid Management Launch Strategic Partnership July 27, 2009, Los Angeles, Calif. – In an effort to find sustainable solutions to persistent poverty on the African continent, International Medical Corps and Joint Aid Management have launched a strategic partnership that will enable the organizations to better meet the immediate and long-term needs of vulnerable populations and improve living conditions through sound investment and business development. “We are thrilled to join forces with Joint Aid Management, which shares our commitment to delivering humanitarian assistance quickly and efficiently, while strengthening the long-term health care and economic capacity of local communities,” said Rabih Torbay, Vice President of International Operations for International Medical Corps. “International Medical Corps’ proven global track record of rebuilding devastated health systems through training programs, coupled with our 25 years of meeting the nutrition and education needs of children across Southern Africa, will help us multiply our operational capacities many times over,” said Jim Lutzweiler, Vice President of Strategic Development for Joint Aid Management. “As we expand across Africa, this collaboration will help us identify other strategic partnerships and connect African communities to global markets.” International Medical Corps has a worldwide network of more than 3,500 doctors, nurses and other health care professionals working in more than 20 countries throughout Africa, Asia and the Middle East. Its programs focus on: primary health care, maternal-child health care, mental health and psychosocial services, sexual and gender-based violence, health education, water and sanitation, and HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases. Consistent with its mission of building capacity and transferring skills to local populations, International Medical Corps ensures its efforts are sustainable by mobilizing and training community members. Joint Aid Management programs are focused on the belief that without education there can be no development. Effective education is only attained through the quality of schooling and through adequate nutrition, which allows children to focus, retain and apply what is being learned. These are the building blocks of life. It is upon this fundamental capacity that markets and growth are built.

INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL CORPS is a global, humanitarian, non-profit organization dedicated to saving lives and relieving suffering through health care trained and relief and development programs leading to self- reliance. Established in 1984 by volunteer doctors and nurses, International Medical Corps is a private, voluntary, nonpolitical, nonsectarian organization. Its mission is to improve the quality of life through health interventions and related activities that build local capacity in areas worldwide. By offering training and health care to local populations and medical assistance to people at high risk, and with the flexibility to respond rapidly to emergency situations, International Medical Corps rehabilitates devastated healthcare systems and helps bring them back to self-reliance. For more information visit: www.imcworldwide.org. Joint Aid Management is a South African-founded, non-profit humanitarian relief and development organization with 25 years of experience in sustainable development. JAM’s programs focus on nutritional feeding, school feeding, assistance to orphans and vulnerable children, the provision of water and sanitation, as well as skills development, community training on agricultural development, income generation projects and HIV/AIDS programming. JAM currently assists nearly 500,000 children through nutritional feeding programs, health and social welfare programs. For more information visit: www.jamint.com

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