Foreign aid is money, supplies or services given or lent to a developing country by a developed country. It is the assistance provided during conflict (military aid), an economic crisis (economic aid) or after a natural disaster (humanitarian aid). Some types of foreign aid include supplies like food and military equipment, as well as services such as humanitarian aid, military assistance, training and assistance with infrastructure.

Mainly, foreign aid assists in times of need. It has multiple benefits for both the receiving country and the country assisting. A key benefit can stimulate economic growth and help fight poverty in the developing country through the support of education and health care, as well as the funding of infrastructure, which can create jobs and improve living standards. Another benefit is that the country providing foreign aid improves its security, as it helps cultivate relationships between the countries – this can lead to the possibilities of investment and trade.

Foreign aid is a key way countries are helping to fight poverty in developing countries. Malta is one of those countries helping. Malta’s foreign aid exhibits its commitment to international solidarity and humanitarianism.

Malta’s Foreign Aid

The Order of Malta uses the Foreign Aid Service (FAS) to raise funds for those in need abroad. It focuses on humanitarian aid and missions run around the world. It raises money to support the disadvantaged, such as the elderly and disabled people, the homeless and refugees. Also, it helps countries that have gone through disasters and emergencies.

Some types of foreign aid Malta provides include:

• Food 
• Clean water
• Shelter 
• Protection
• Sanitation 
• Hygiene 
• Medical and mental health support

A subsection of the Order of Malta called Malteser International is a humanitarian aid organization dedicated to working on the frontlines, providing relief and rehabilitation for those who need it after disasters. Its mission is to “serve the poor and the sick.”

Example of Malta’s Foreign Aid

Most recently, the Order of Malta has raised funds for the earthquake in Syria and Turkey, one of the region’s worst earthquakes in years. More than 15 million people were impacted by the quake, with around 130,000 people injured and 55,000 people dead. In response, Malteser International provided immediate aid, as a team was already working on a regional project. An emergency relief team was organized to bring supplies to the people affected by the earthquake.

Malteser International and How It Helps

Most of Malta’s foreign aid consists of services Malteser International carries out. The organization provides support on many continents, including Africa and Asia. One of Malteser International’s African initiatives involves fighting AIDS and tuberculosis in Kenya. Since 2001, Malteser International has been working in the health field to educate the residents of the slums in Nairobi about diseases, improving diagnosis, treatment and prevention. More than 60% of the population of Nairobi lives in the slums, with low and irregular incomes from day labor.

Due to AIDS being a common disease in the slums of Nairobi, many of the residents have weakened immune systems. They are very vulnerable to diseases like tuberculosis, which spread quickly in the overcrowded slums. Some measures Malteser International is undertaking to help residents include creating awareness by educating the residents about tuberculosis and giving health and nutrition advice to tuberculosis patients.

In Asia, Malteser International has been providing support to people in the Thar Desert since 2010. The nonprofit partnered with UNNATI, an Indian organization for Development Education, to improve food security in 50 villages.

Many women and children in areas with poor hygiene conditions are malnourished. Not only is there a water scarcity in the Thar Desert due to low rainfall and high temperatures, but the lack of access to clean water, which is often contaminated and the unsanitary conditions lead to an increased risk of malnourishment.

Malteser International and UNNATI are working to improve healthy nutrition and hygiene, especially for women and younger girls, to prevent malnourishment. They also work with farmers to improve cultivation methods to adapt to climate change.

Final Remark

Foreign aid is essential for addressing global challenges, like reducing poverty and promoting sustainable/economic development. Malta’s foreign aid contribution provides vital assistance in countries’ times of crisis. It supports long-term development projects that help countries reduce their poverty levels and allow them to develop economically. Malta’s foreign aid efforts are a reminder of the importance of international solidarity and humanitarianism in the fight to provide a more sustainable future for all.

– Isabella Green
Photo: Flickr