Latin America

Most of the work AmeriCares does in the Latin American and Caribbean regions has been through our longest-standing partner, the Order of Malta. The countries are the largest recipients of AmeriCares aid, as they support a vast number of primary, secondary and tertiary-level health care programs to benefit a broad population. Their geographic location renders these countries prone to natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes and mudslides. After Hurricane Stan swept through much of Central America in October 2005, AmeriCares acted quickly with air shipments of emergency supplies to Guatemala, El Salvador, Mexico and Honduras.

AmeriCares supports the work of hospitals, clinics, orphanages, schools, elderly homes, and homes for the disabled in Colombia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama and Peru. These countries receive regular shipments of medicines and medical supplies.

In 2003, AmeriCares opened its first international primary health care clinic, Clínica Integral de Atención Familiar, in Santiago de Maria, El Salvador. This clinic administers care to a population of 120,000 Salvadorans. In January 2006, AmeriCares staff conducted a Holiday Airlift event to the clinic, where AmeriCares staff worked with local community members to undertake community service-based activities. These activities included painting the exterior façade of St. Francis of Assisi home for the elderly, preparing and cooking a meal for the residents and helping the Salvadoran clinic staff run their first health fair.