DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES
Douleurs Sans Frontières is a French humanitarian NGO founded in 1996 that delivers pain management, palliative care, mental health, and women's health services in seven countries, primarily funded by donations and institutional grants from French and European development agencies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersPARIS, Île de France, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES does
Douleurs Sans Frontières (DSF) is a French humanitarian NGO founded in 1996 by physicians to extend pain management expertise to underserved populations. Headquartered at Hôpital Lariboisière in Paris and recognized as a public utility since 2003, the organization operates field missions in seven countries — France, Armenia (2001), Cambodia (1996), Haiti (2010), Madagascar (2008), Mozambique (1996), and Ukraine (2026) — delivering integrated pain management, palliative care, mental health and psychosocial support, and women's health services. Its core technology is a multidisciplinary clinical model that combines standardized pain assessment tools (visual analog scales, behavioral scales for non-communicative patients), pharmacological treatment (including morphine), complementary therapies (acupuncture, TENS, music and art therapy), and psychosocial accompaniment. Services are delivered through direct consultations, home visits, mobile clinics, hospital pain units (e.g., HUEH and HUP in Haiti, HCM in Mozambique, Calmette and Kossamac in Cambodia), and competency-transfer training programs targeting national healthcare professionals.
DSF's business model is donation-dependent rather than commercial. Revenue is generated through five streams: individual public donations (eligible for 75% French tax deduction up to €1,000 and 66% above), bequests and life insurance designations (exempt from inheritance tax), annual membership fees, institutional grants from French and European public agencies (Agence Française de Développement, European Commission, Expertise France, regional and departmental governments, and Belgian/Italian development cooperation), and corporate patronage ("mécénat"). The organization does not sell products or services. Go-to-market operates through three coordinated motions: direct field delivery to patients and ministries of health, community-led capacity building via training and university curriculum integration, and event-driven awareness in France via Forum Theater performances with Compagnie Tenfor and media advocacy (e.g., the "Arrêtons la Douleur" UN-level petition).
Operationally, DSF runs a lean headquarters of roughly 10 permanent staff coordinating a network of about 50+ national employees across country programs and 30–50 annual expatriate volunteer missions. The governance structure is a member-elected board of directors composed primarily of physicians and healthcare professionals, currently led by President Olivier Weber (elected October 2022) with founder Pr. Alain Serrie as honorary president. Strategic direction has emphasized sustainability over emergency relief, building autonomous local capacity through partnerships with health ministries, teaching hospitals, and universities rather than creating dependency.
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES
- Legal name
- Douleurs Sans Frontières
- Website
- https://douleurs.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Douleurs Sans Frontières is a French humanitarian NGO founded in 1996 that delivers pain management, palliative care, mental health, and women's health services in seven countries, primarily funded by donations and institutional grants from French and European development agencies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Healthcare Services
- NAICS
- Social Assistance (624), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs (HLAJAKAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH), Migration, Refugees & Forced Displacement Assistance (BPADABAL)
Keywords
Where DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- PARIS, Île de France
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Public Donations: Individual donations received through online platform, bank transfer, or check. Tax deductible at 75% for individuals (up to 1000€) and 66% above that limit, and 60% for companies.
- Legs and Inheritance: Bequests, donations, and life insurance designations that allow supporters to transmit assets to DSF beyond their lifetime, with full exemption from inheritance taxes as a recognized public utility organization.
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from supporters who join as members of the association, contributing to the organization's mission and governance.
- Institutional Funding: Funding from public institutions including European Commission, international cooperation agencies, regions, departments, and French Development Agency (AFD).
- Corporate Mecenat: Corporate philanthropy and sponsorship from companies supporting DSF's humanitarian missions.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Douleurs Sans Frontières provides direct humanitarian healthcare services to vulnerable populations, centered on four intervention pillars: pain management and treatment, palliative care, mental health and psychosocial support, and women's health. Services are delivered through field missions via individual consultations, hospital-based pain units, mobile clinics, and integrated home care, alongside training programs that build sustainable local healthcare capacity in Armenia, Cambodia, Haiti, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Ukraine.
Product overview
Douleurs Sans Frontières (DSF) is a French international solidarity NGO, recognized as a public utility since 2003, operating since 1996 to universalize pain management and strengthen healthcare capacities in underserved regions. The organization offers an integrated portfolio of humanitarian health services centered on four core intervention axes: pain management and treatment, palliative care, mental health/psychosocial support, and women's health. These services are delivered through multiple channels including direct patient care (individual consultations, hospital support units, home visits), mobile clinic deployments, training programs for healthcare professionals, and community awareness initiatives such as Forum Theater. DSF operates field missions in seven countries (Armenia, Cambodia, France, Haiti, Madagascar, Mozambique, Ukraine) with a structure combining a Paris headquarters with local national offices, medical experts, and national staff.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Pain Management and Treatment Services Direct patient care including individual consultations, home visits, mobile teams, hospital support units, and comprehensive physical, psychological, and social pain management for vulnerable populations in DSF's countries of operation.
- Palliative Care Services End-of-life care integrating physical symptom management, psychological support, social assistance, and spiritual care, delivered in hospitals and at patients' homes across DSF's country programs.
- Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Individual and group psychological consultations, support groups, therapeutic mediation (art, writing, movement, photolangage), and community-based mental health services for patients and displaced populations.
- Women's Health Services Cancer screening (cervical and breast), prevention of gynecological and obstetric violence, maternal health support, and sexual and reproductive health programs for women in underserved communities.
- Healthcare Professional Training Competency strengthening for medical staff through training-action programs, mentorship, university courses, and workshops covering pain management, palliative care, and psychosocial support.
- Integrated Home Care Services Soins à Domicile Intégrés (SDI): regular home visits by multidisciplinary teams providing medical, psychological, and social care for patients with chronic diseases and palliative needs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 664 beneficiaries reached in Armenia in 2024
- +7 more outcomes
Companies that use DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Cambodia Catholic Community Association (CCCA)coreLocal partner since 2012 providing free consultations and treatments to indigent patients. DSF and CCCA have a mutual patient referral system based on geographic zone and family/financial situation.
- Hôpital CalmettecoreLargest national hospital in Cambodia, partner since 2011. DSF provides weekly technical support, training, and systematic referral of palliative patients for home follow-up.
- Université des Sciences de la Santé (UHS)corePartnership to establish pain management and palliative care training at university level and develop medical curricula for integration into initial medical training.
- Centre Hospitalier Le VinatiercorePublic mental health institution near Lyon conducting international hospital cooperation. Supports DSF Armenia through accompaniment missions, training, and networking.
- Hôpital de l'Université d'État d'Haïti (HUEH)coreFirst Pain Unit established by DSF in Haiti, continuing ongoing partnership for algology training and palliative care services.
- Hôpital Universitaire de la Paix (HUP)coreSecond Pain Unit established by DSF in Haiti, providing pain management services and training.
- Hôpital Central de Maputo (HCM) - Unité Douleur et Soins PalliatifscoreNational reference unit for pain management in Mozambique, led by DSF. Responsible for developing the Mozambican pain network and organizing palliative care awareness.
- Chaîne de l'EspoirmajorFrench NGO supporting Ukraine medical training and rehabilitation programs.
- Visao global para a vida (VGV)majorCommunity association in Matola Gare implementing 'Mothers for Mothers' groups for gender-based violence support and integrated home care.
- Lambda (Mozambique)majorMental health organization receiving DSF support since 2021 for psychosocial training, awareness, and therapy services.
- Compagnie TenforcoreTheater company collaborating with DSF since 2011 for Forum Theater performances to raise public awareness about pain and palliative care.
- Hôpital KossamacmajorNational hospital partner since 2022 providing pain management training and patient referral services.
- Université Royale de Phnom Penh (RUPP)minorPsychology student internships and collaborative breast cancer awareness video project.
- Handicap International / Humanité et InclusionminorInternational disability organization partnering on Haiti healthcare programs.
- Ministères de la Santé (various countries)coreHealth ministries in Armenia, Cambodia, Haiti, Madagascar, and Mozambique providing institutional backing and policy integration for DSF programs.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Médecins du Monde: French medical humanitarian NGO operating in France and internationally with a focus on healthcare access for vulnerable populations, including palliative care programs. Highly comparable to DSF in mission, French institutional base, and donor-funded operating model.
- Chaîne de l'Espoir: French NGO specializing in pediatric surgery, medical training, and healthcare system strengthening in developing countries; listed as a DSF partner for Ukraine. Comparable on medical training, hospital partnerships, and French institutional donor base.
- Action contre la Faim: French humanitarian organization focused on nutrition, health, and mental health in conflict and disaster settings. Comparable operating model with French institutional funding, field-based health service delivery, and a similar headquarters size and country footprint.
- Handicap International / Humanité et Inclusion: International NGO working in disability, rehabilitation, and healthcare in conflict and low-resource settings; explicitly listed as a DSF partner in Haiti. Overlaps directly with DSF on healthcare service delivery, psychosocial support, and humanitarian funding sources.
- Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): The most direct peer: a French-founded international medical humanitarian NGO delivering emergency medical care in conflict zones and developing countries. MSF shares DSF's field-based medical service model, French institutional base, and donor-funded structure, though at vastly larger scale and broader scope.
Emerging players
- World Hospice and Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA): Global alliance focused exclusively on advancing hospice and palliative care worldwide, directly aligned with DSF's core pain management and palliative care mission. Comparable as a thematic peer, though structured as an advocacy alliance rather than a service-delivery NGO.
- ALIMA: Alliance for International Medical Action, a medical humanitarian NGO headquartered in Dakar and Paris focused on maternal and child health, emergency response, and clinical research in Africa. Comparable medical-service delivery model with overlapping French institutional funding and a similar 'nimble NGO' positioning.
Others
- Expertise France: French international technical cooperation agency that funds DSF's Ukraine operations. Adjacent enabling partner rather than direct competitor: a French public institutional actor channeling capacity-building projects to NGOs like DSF in health and social sectors.
Broad incumbents
- Caritas Internationalis: Global Catholic humanitarian confederation of which Caritas Italie is a DSF funding partner. Comparable on humanitarian health, refugee/displaced population support, palliative and psychosocial services, and institutional Catholic donor networks, though at vastly larger scale.
- Croix-Rouge française: The French Red Cross, a much larger established humanitarian organization delivering health, social, and emergency response services. Comparable on humanitarian health and psychosocial programming, French institutional standing, and donor mobilization, though operating at significantly greater scale and broader scope.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES social profiles
Digital presenceDOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles18 records
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
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Frequently asked questions about DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES
What does DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES do?
Douleurs Sans Frontières provides direct humanitarian healthcare services to vulnerable populations, centered on four intervention pillars: pain management and treatment, palliative care, mental health and psychosocial support, and women's health. Services are delivered through field missions via individual consultations, hospital-based pain units, mobile clinics, and integrated home care, alongside training programs that build sustainable local healthcare capacity in Armenia, Cambodia, Haiti, Madagascar, Mozambique, and Ukraine.
Is DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES a public or private company?
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES founded?
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES was founded in 1996. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES based?
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES is headquartered in PARIS, Île de France, France, in the Europe region.
How does DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Public Donations are the primary driver. The others are legs and Inheritance, membership Fees, institutional Funding and corporate Mecenat.
Who are DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Médecins du Monde, Chaîne de l'Espoir, Action contre la Faim, Handicap International / Humanité et Inclusion and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). Emerging players are World Hospice and Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA) and ALIMA. Expertise France is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are Caritas Internationalis and Croix-Rouge française.
Does DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES have an API?
No public API is recorded for DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES.
What industry is DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES in?
DOULEURS SANS FRONTIERES's product category is Humanitarian Healthcare Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAJAKAE, Humanitarian Health & Emergency Medical Relief NGOs, with a secondary code of BPAGAAAH, Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance. Its NAICS code is 624 and its SIC code is 8300.