Christian Aid
About Company
This is Christian Aid
We are a global movement of people, churches and local organisations. We are the changemakers, the peacemakers, the mighty of heart.
Eradicating poverty
Everyone is equal in the sight of God
For over 75 years, this truth has inspired us to stand together in solidarity with our most marginalised global neighbours, of all faiths and none.
Poverty is an outrage against humanity. It robs people of their dignity and lets injustice thrive.
We seek to eradicate extreme poverty by tackling its root causes. Together with people living in poverty, we amplify our voices to speak truth to power and create lasting change.
Our history
With the help of our incredible supporters and partners, we’ve achieved so much in 75 years.
Our groundbreaking work began in 1945, when we were founded by British and Irish churches to help refugees following the Second World War.
For more than 75 years, we have provided humanitarian relief and long-term development support for poor communities worldwide, while highlighting suffering, tackling injustice and championing people’s rights.
1940s
We helped refugees in need at the end of the Second World War. We raised more than £80,000 (£3 million plus in today’s money) for emergency supplies in mainland Europe. We supported, equipped and enabled partner churches there to meet the needs of their people.
1950s
We launched Christian Aid Week to raise extra funds. We continued helping refugees in mainland Europe as well as those from Palestine, Korea and China. We supported the establishment of the Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) to enable young people to make a difference, and offered help to churches in countries moving from colonialism to independence to meet the needs of poor people.
1960s
We made a difference in crises affecting Nigeria/Biafra, Kenya and India. We created the Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) so that development agencies were seen to work together in times of humanitarian crisis. We helped set the World Development Movement to encourage political campaigning. We addressed racism and poverty in the United States as well as advising Martin Luther King while he was in the UK.
1970s
We drew a link between educating supporters at home about the root causes of poverty and work with partners overseas to eradicate it. We popularised world development issues by providing seed money to establish the New Internationalist magazine. We explained the connection between our consumer culture at home and the global food crisis by launching a campaign to live simply.
1980s
We fed hungry people during the Ethiopian famine and those experiencing drought in Mozambique. We led a mass lobby of parliament to call for more official development aid. We created the Southern African Coalition to demand an end to apartheid.
1990s
We linked work in 50 poor countries to campaigns on developing world debt, fair trade and the policies of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. We challenged the stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. We stood up for and provided food for refugees in Kosovo.
2000s
We campaigned to make poverty history during a war against terror. We reached more than 500,000 people with food, shelter and healthcare after the Asian Tsunami. We publicised the fact that developing countries lose more money through the tax evasion practices of large corporations than they receive through official aid.
2010s
We inform about and campaign against climate change. We champion tax justice. We continue to work with local partners on the ground to make a practical difference to the lives of new waves of refugees locally while campaigning and advocating for change globally.
Equality
Everyone is equal in the sight of God. Yet we live in a world where poverty and inequality still persist.
We tackle the power imbalances that cause poverty by working together with those who have been left behind. We seek to create a world in which everyone has an equal voice, equal power, and an equal opportunity to make the most of their lives.
Dignity
We believe that all people are created in God’s image and have inherent value and worth.
People living in poverty should be able to make their own decisions about the future. We fight for their dignity and support them to change their own lives.
Justice
Poverty is an outrage against humanity. It robs people of their dignity and lets injustice thrive. We are passionate about justice and we stand together with the most vulnerable and excluded to build a fairer world.
Together with people living in poverty, we amplify our voices to boldly speak truth to power, and to challenge systems and structures that oppress people.
Love
Love is the core of who we are. God’s love transforms us; it gives us the strength to choose to love people living in poverty who we’ve never met, and the empathy to create change for good.
Love is our motivation. It drives us to stand in solidarity with our global neighbours against poverty and injustice. It moves us to strive for a world where everyone has fullness of life. It sustains us with energy and passion as we commit to working alongside our brothers and sisters worldwide.
