Work

Amar International Charitable Foundation

The AMAR International Charitable Foundation was set up in 1991 to provide emergency aid for refugees in southern Iran and the Iraqi marshlands in response to the acute humanitarian crisis.

The AMAR Appeal was set up in 1992 after the war for the liberation of Kuwait and in response to the plight of the Sh’ia of the southern Marshlands of Iraq. The founder was Emma Nicholson, then a Conservative Member of the British Parliament. AMAR was established as a charity registered under English law. In the next few years it built up a support structure for Marsh Arabs who had fled to Iran .

The work has concentrated on providing basic health care, clean water and essential educational services for up to 95,000 refugees in and around camps in Iran . Administrative costs are kept to a minimum. Wherever possible Iranians and Iraqis themselves have been recruited to provide services. Management is restricted to a small number of dedicated Iranians in Tehran and a staff of three in London . AMAR has received funding from the British and other governments, from international agencies and from corporate and private donations.

Throughout its relief work it has received generous cooperation at all levels from the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran. In addition to the work of the relief of suffering AMAR has also worked to raise the awareness of the plight of the Marsh Dwellers of southern Iraq , within the context of the travails of the people of Iraq as a whole. It has documented and monitored what has been happening in southern Iraq both to the people and to the environment.

The organization has expanded its activities to emergency relief and medical training in Lebanon and after the US-led war in Afghanistan to providing primary health care and sanitation projects for Afghan refugees in Iran .