Our History
Mano a Mano Relief was founded in the fall of 2007 by Dr. Pedro Cordero, whose life-changing experience on a medical mission to the Philippines inspired him to take action. Deeply moved by the conditions he witnessed, Dr. Cordero envisioned an organization that would respond to the urgent medical and educational needs of disadvantaged and impoverished communities around the world.
From its beginnings, Mano a Mano Relief has focused on soliciting, salvaging, and transporting donated or gently used medical and educational equipment and supplies from the United States to underserved communities in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and Latin America.
The organization also works in collaboration with international and local partners to develop sustainable healthcare and educational initiatives for communities most in need. In addition, Mano a Mano Relief organizes medical humanitarian missions, deploying teams of surgeons, nurses, and other healthcare professionals to provide free, direct medical services to individuals and families who would otherwise have no access to care.
Since its inception, Mano a Mano Relief has conducted multiple medical missions to the Philippines and Haiti, and has sent vital donations to Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Ivory Coast, Grenada, Guyana, and the Philippines.
Our Projects and Activities
Mano a Mano Relief dedicates 100% of its donated materials and funds directly to its humanitarian programs, ensuring that all contributions make an immediate and tangible impact. Under Dr. Cordero’s leadership, the organization operates with a small but diverse group of volunteers — including healthcare providers, educators, and community advocates — who freely give their time, expertise, and resources to support its mission.
In 2010, Mano a Mano Relief hosted a successful fundraising event that brought together leaders and members of the Haitian, Caribbean, and North American communities to celebrate its accomplishments in Haiti. That same year, the organization received a major commitment from a local transportation company to remodel a bus into a mobile medical unit — the first of its kind in Haiti. This unit allows medical teams to reach remote refugee communities and perform surgical procedures in a fully equipped, mobile surgical facility. The project represents the first step toward establishing a fleet of mobile medical units for deployment in Haiti and beyond.
Mano a Mano Relief’s medical teams continue to return to Haiti to address critical health issues stemming from the 2010 earthquake. Their missions include assessing prosthetic needs, vaccinating children and adults against life-threatening diseases such as diphtheria, and distributing educational materials and sports equipment to local communities.
The organization has also initiated efforts to acquire prosthetic equipment and collaborate with major rehabilitation institutes to help train physical therapists in Haiti. Mano a Mano Relief’s humanitarian outreach now spans multiple continents — reaching communities in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the Pacific — with plans underway to expand medical missions to additional regions in the near future.
Our Mission
To save lives through humanitarian assistance by providing essential surplus medical, surgical, therapeutic, and educational supplies to underserved communities and those affected by natural disasters across the globe.
Current and Ongoing Projects
Soliciting and shipping donated medical and educational supplies to underserved regions.
Coordinating medical missions to provide direct care and training.
Developing international partnerships to sustain long-term health and education programs.
Initiating collaborative work with non-governmental organizations in Sudan to establish sustainable healthcare outreach and rehabilitation programs.