Originally summarized on Twitter.
One In An ARMY is extremely proud to announce the results of our first campaign, #OneForSyria_April, benefiting Medical Teams International work in Syria!
Founded in 1979, Medical Teams International provide life-saving medical care for people in crisis, including survivors of the Rwandan genocide, the South Asia tsunami in 2004, Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
The support One In An ARMY received for the inaugural campaign is nothing short of amazing. Donations were received from 37 countries and a total of 149 donations to the BTS ARMY page (from both individuals and groups) which raised $2673.00, with an additional $114.00 added from donations made directly to Medical Teams International.
What can be done with those funds? $2600 is enough to get $193K worth of medical supplies to the clinics in high-need areas. Supplies are donated but Medical Teams International relies on charitable donations to get them across the borders and out to the clinics that desperately need them.
Alternatively, $2600 is enough to keep a clinic in northern Syria open and functioning for three months with water, electricity, and functioning equipment.
Medical Teams International was thrilled at the response our campaign generated, not only because of the funds raised but also the impact ARMY had at raising their social media presence. Thanks to ARMY visiting Medical Teams International's social media pages, mentioning them in tweets, and sharing links to their page, the organization has become more visible online and now has the tools fine tune their social media strategies – meaning the good work ARMY did in April will continue to have lasting results!
One In An ARMY would like to sincerely thank the wonderful people at Medical Teams International for partnering with us on our inaugural campaign and letting us channel our collective ARMY power into helping the people of Syria. We encourage everyone to follow their accounts (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and continue to support them; they are wonderful people who are saving lives, and they are now good friends of the BTS ARMY! From Medical Teams International:
"Right now, there are 14.8 million Syrians who urgently need medical care. Our shipments to northern Syria, through partner International Blue Crescent Relief and Developmental Foundation, keep critically important health facilities open and stocked with life-saving equipment. We financially support these health facilities, too, even as they become targets of attacks. There are 50 percent fewer health facilities now than before the war. And that keeps shrinking.
'The needs are going up, but the funds are going low,' said Hani Taleb, who oversees our response in Syria. 'More facilities have actually gone out of service because of the attacks.'"
Medical Teams International has informed us that they will keep the BTS ARMY landing page open for donations until July 2018. We will no longer be tracking donations through that page, but ARMY who are motivated by the organization and have the means to keep giving are encouraged to do so.
ARMY's impact should not be underestimated. One In An ARMY is merely the compass that helps organize campaigns; the real impact comes from ARMY itself. Everyone who donated, shared our posts, tagged a friend, translated on of our posters, or ran a collection pool can proudly say they made the campaign a success and made a real difference in the lives of people in need.
Medical Teams International mailed a letter and certificate (pictured below) telling BTS and Big Hit Entertainment what YOU did, and thanking them for inspiring you all to be One In An ARMY. We encourage everyone who played a part in our April campaign to print out a copy of the certificate and hang it proudly on their wall. The title of One In An ARMY belongs to everyone.
