Global Programs
Strengthening Communities Through Partnership
About Our Global Programs
Wings of Hope’s Global Programs connects aviation-based non-profit organizations across the world to deliver medical and humanitarian aid to remote communities. With partners in eight countries, the Wings of Hope Global Programs build sustainable air service programs tailored to local needs—always with respect for community autonomy.
We partner with organizations that use aviation to deliver aid to rural communities, including medical brigades and emergency medical evacuations. Wings of Hope supports each partner with aircraft sourcing, pilot recruitment, maintenance, strategic planning, and impact evaluation.
Wings of Hope provides a platform for partners to share resources, participate in webinars, and collaborate. By strengthening this global partnership, we expand access to care and help more people live healthy, dignified lives.
Wings of Hope supports partner organizations in 9 countries
Belize Emergency Response Team (BERT)
Belize
John Givonetti Giving
Cambodia
Patrulla Aérea Civil Colombiana (PAC)
Colombia
Samaritan Aviation
Papua New Guinea
Iglesia Centro Cristiano Siloh
Paraguay
Mercy Air South Africa
South Africa
Flying Medical Service
Tanzania
FlySpec (Flying Specialists)
Zambia
Serving Humanity Worldwide
Served Since Founding
Served Since Founding
Strengthening Communities Through Partnership
Since the first Wings of Hope airplane was dispatched to support medical and humanitarian missions in Kenya more than 60 years ago, the organization has remained true to two fundamental principles. First, the mission is achieved through aviation. Airplanes are used as a tool to achieve Wings of Hope’s mission of changing and saving lives worldwide. Second, this mission cannot be achieved alone. In over 50 countries, partnerships have been essential in building trust and understanding with the people served. This model provides sustainable and community-focused development solutions that respect people’s rights to make decisions about their own lives. It is an approach and philosophy that strengthens communities with the confidence and abilities they need to tackle their own priorities.
Wings of Hope provides humanitarian services by establishing formal partnerships with NGOs in under-resourced countries. The organization believes that helping a local NGO build its capacity to serve its country’s citizens has a far greater and lasting impact on community building.
Partnerships are formed based on need. Organizations request assistance from Wings of Hope to increase program impact through aviation. Sometimes, the organization has an existing aviation operation and needs assistance building its sustainability and maintaining its aircraft. Sustainability building can involve sourcing aircraft parts, fundraising, strategic planning, providing aircraft inspections, and a variety of other things based on the partner’s needs.
At other times, there is a need to help the NGO establish an air service. In these cases, Wings of Hope assists the NGO in acquiring aircraft, recruiting bush pilots, maintaining the aircraft and program planning to use the aircraft to provide humanitarian services.
Humanitarian services can be divided loosely into two models: medical evacuation (medevac) services or brigade services. To provide medevac, or emergency transport services, a communications platform is established that allows the remote village to communicate with the NGO’s home base that a member of the village needs lifesaving treatment. The NGO dispatches a plane to the village and either provides emergency treatment onsite or transports the patient to a hospital where adequate care can be provided.
Brigade service delivery typically does not involve emergency transport. Rather, the NGO works with the local community and health workers to schedule a visit — sometimes weeks in advance. Medical equipment and health care providers are transported by plane to the village and provide services based on local needs.