Press action medeor

In 2003, the actress visited the “emergency pharmacy of the world”, as action medeor is also known, for the first time to find out about aid measures and projects around the world. Since then, she has been working as an ambassador for the aid organization - in public appearances, interviews and press events, she talks about the humanitarian work of action medeor and how important help for people in need can be achieved even with small donations. Anke Engelke herself sets a good example: together with the Düsseldorf Symphony Orchestra, she gives benefit concerts for action medeor, and she has also donated her winnings from quiz shows such as “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?” and the comedy format “LOL Last One Laughing” to the aid organization. Over the last 20 years, more than 2 million euros have been raised in this way for the aid projects of the “Emergency Pharmacy of the World”.

Anke Engelke not only appears publicly as an ambassador for action medeor, she also makes time to visit the aid projects in person. Over the past 20 years, she has visited health centers, hospitals, orphanages and schools in Benin, Tanzania, Togo, Malawi and most recently in Sierra Leone, talking to local people and addressing many different issues, including the fight against HIV/AIDS and malaria, the development of sustainable health structures, mother-child health and the rights of women and girls.

"20 years? What a wonderful anniversary,” Anke Engelke says happily when she visits action medeor again these days. "I am grateful and totally delighted, because both in Tönisvorst with the action medeor team and on our trips to Africa, I always meet people who take each other seriously and have hope. I always feel this surge of optimism and joy because I can see that helping is worthwhile, that donating is worthwhile. Still, it's silly that I've never won the million on 'Who wants to be a millionaire'. So the same applies to both guessing and helping: Giving up is not an option!"

action medeor also looks back gratefully on the last 20 years with Anke Engelke. Christoph Bonsmann, Director of action medeor, remembers the first meeting well. "It was in our laboratory at the time, when I was the head pharmacist responsible for quality assurance. We were doing a blood analysis and Anke Engelke was interested in every detail - so much so that I had trouble answering all her questions correctly,” Bonsmann recalls with a laugh. "This keen interest in contexts and people still characterizes Anke Engelke today. At the time, I could not have foreseen that this would be the start of a 20-year commitment as an ambassador for action medeor. And it is by no means a matter of course. We are very happy and grateful to have such a credible and reliable ambassador at our side in Anke Engelke."

And this is set to remain the case for a while, as the next joint activities are already planned. Over the next few years, Anke Engelke is scheduled to visit the recently opened action medeor reagent production facility in Tanzania. "Reagents are chemicals that are needed for blood analysis in order to reliably diagnose diseases. Our production facility is the first of its kind in East Africa,” Bonsmann explains. "Anke Engelke will probably want to know everything about that too. So I'll have to be well prepared for her visit,” says Bonsmann with a grin.

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