The African Medical and Research Foundation (AMREF) is Africa's largest indigenous international non-governmental health organisation (NGO). AMREF's mission is to empower disadvantaged people in Africa to enjoy better health by helping them establish their own self-sustaining health systems. To achieve this, AMREF works in partnership with the government ministries of health, United Nations agencies, the World Health Organisation, local communities, other NGOs, trusts and corporates as well as much valued individual donors who form the backbone of AMREF's future.

To achieve its mission, AMREF has identified three core strategies:

1. Capacity building
   Providing communities with tools they need to help themselves.
2. Operational Research
   Ensuring that the development lessons are learnt from the work we do and replicated
3. Advocacy
   Giving people a voice

The three themes are integrated into all programmes interventions to effectively achieve the mission.

AMREF has a set of defined priority intervention areas (PIAs). These are:

1. HIV/AIDS/TB
2. Malaria
3. Family health
4. Training and development of health learning materials
5. Water and basic sanitation
6. Clinical services, disaster management and emergency response

AMREF places emphasis on developing, testing and evaluating methodologies and systems that are appropriate, relevant, affordable and effective. The foundation works with communities, district authorities, governments and other partners, to ensure that maximum service is provided at a minimum cost. This knowledge is shared with governments and others in Africa and with those whose policies and practices have an effect on disadvantaged people in Africa.