Over 200,000 Lives Saved In 10 Years: MOAS Celebrates A Decade Of Alleviating Suffering
Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS) has rescued over 200,000 lives around the world since setting sail in August 2014 as the first privately funded Search and Rescue operation in the Mediterranean.
Over the years, MOAS expanded to different parts of the world, providing critical support in the Aegean Sea, Bangladesh and Ukraine, where it currently conducts medical evacuations for severely wounded patients from the war’s frontline.
MOAS today marks its 10th year anniversary, celebrating a decade of impactful humanitarian work across some of the world’s most challenging crisis zones.
“Ten years since MOAS’ inception I look back with admiration at all we have achieved, but I also know that we still have much to do, and we need to continue to forge ahead if we are to have the greatest impact possible in the field,” said founder Christopher Catrambone.
“On this our 10th birthday, I wish everyone in the MOAS community well, and encourage everyone to continue to look for ways in which you can help make a difference in the lives of others, whether that happens through partnership with MOAS, or independently”.
The launch of MOAS’s flagship vessel, the Phoenix, on August 25, 2014, signaled the beginning of a new era in humanitarian aid, combining disruptive thinking, cutting-edge drone technology and a dedicated team of rescuers on a mission to save the lives of people who many were willing to let drown.
Over the course of three years, MOAS rescued over 40,000 people from perilous situations at sea, setting a precedent for civil society’s involvement in SAR operations and changing the rescue landscape and the discourse surrounding it.
In 2017, as the Rohingya crisis unfolded in Myanmar, MOAS shifted its focus to Bangladesh, where it established field clinics in refugee camps, delivering 40 tons of essential food aid and providing medical care to over 90,000 people. The organisation’s agile response to emerging crises ensured it provided timely and effective humanitarian assistance wherever’s most needed.
Today, MOAS is providing tailored training in water safety and fire response in refugee camps, to equip communities with life-saving skills. Since 2019, over 12.000 volunteers have been trained in Bangladesh to respond to weather emergencies and fire hazards.
Over 400 tonnes of nutritional aid has been delivered in Yemen, Somalia and Sudan to combat malnutrition in children and lactating women, as well as hundreds of thousands worth of critical medical supplies to support communities cut off from healthcare due to conflicts and internal crises.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, MOAS repurposed its programming and launched several humanitarian responses, producing and distributing 883.514 reusable cotton masks in Bangladesh and over 10.000 in Malta, to help reduce the spread of the virus.
MOAS also operates in Malta with several initiatives aimed at assisting migrant communities through educational and integration projects, such as the Information and Learning Centre in Hal Far, English language lessons and hospital visits.
Since the outbreak of conflict in Ukraine in 2022, MOAS has been at the forefront of emergency medical relief efforts. With a team of 150 medical professionals and a fleet of 50 ambulances, MOAS has saved 45,000 lives and treated over 30,000 patients through its Mobile Medical Unit, offering critical care to communities cut off from healthcare services.
MOAS has outlined its work in Ukraine in a book, “Sirens of Hope”, as part of a series of activities to commemorate its 10th year in operation.
As MOAS enters its second decade, the organisation remains dedicated to its core values of innovation, solidarity, and excellence. However, it requires financial donations to make its operations sustainable.
If you wish to contribute, visit moas.eu.
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