CHF International
Encyclopedia
CHF International is an international development
and humanitarian aid
organization that operates in approximately thirty countries per year. The non-profit organization was founded in 1952 as the Cooperative
Housing Foundation and provided affordable housing for low-income families in rural and urban America. CHF began working abroad in the 60s, and today, the organization implements a variety of programs in the areas of global health, economic development
, housing and infrastructure, emergency response, and democracy & governance.
CHF International's mission is to "To be a catalyst for long-lasting positive change in low- and moderate-income communities around the world, helping them improve their social, economic and environmental conditions. We actively seek out the needs of the communities with whom we work, and undertake our work on the basis of those needs, employing local labor, using local materials and creating solutions that are appropriate to the region where they are implemented."
Development means improving the economic, social and environmental conditions of communities in developing and unstable countries. In practical terms development means, for example: increasing the prosperity of a country from the individual, family and community levels up; empowering people to participate in their own governance, and building the resilience of people against health challenges. Ultimately, the people best suited to decide what a community needs are the people of the community itself. This type of long-term, sustainable development leads to stability and security, reduces incentives to violence, reduces vulnerability to natural disasters, and decreases the amount of time it takes to recover from natural and man-made emergencies. These changes benefit not only the people of the community, but the whole world.
, infrastructure rehabilitation, economic development
, civil society development, and post conflict response.
Where populations have been deprived of traditional and familiar income strategies, food security practices, and employment opportunities, CHF International is a leader in designing and implementing community livelihood restoration strategies in such situations. CHF International provide help in market rehabilitation and reconstruction, and aid in agricultural inputs, and increased productivity through skills training and targeted subsidies—all of which help individuals to get back on their feet following the stress of destruction or displacement.
The organization understands the urgency of immediate needs in the aftermath of destruction or conflict. For that reason, CHF partners with organizations to provide emergency goods, such as clean water, blankets, food, toiletries and medicine to affected communities.
In order provide both post-disaster relief and to promote long-term reconstruction and development, CHF International designs and implements shelter programs in the aftermath of emergencies. CHF works with communities to provide immediate aid, while simultaneously building their capacity to prepare against future emergencies. Not only does this provide immediate relief in the short term, but also provides labor to the locals and helps the economy in the long term.
in India and Ghana., CHF is currently implementing the Slum Communities Achieving Livable Environments with Urban Partners (SCALE-UP) Program.
On January 12th 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti causing the loss of more than 230,000 lives and massive destruction. With funding from USAID, CHF was able to launch a major recovery program that focused on large-scale rubble removal and recycling, cash-for-work and the construction of transitional shelters in affected communities. The organization has implemented the USAID-funded KATYE urban reconstruction program in the neighborhood of Ravine Pintade, in Port-au-Prince.
International development
International development or global development is a concept that lacks a universally accepted definition, but it is most used in a holistic and multi-disciplinary context of human development — the development of greater quality of life for humans...
and humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
organization that operates in approximately thirty countries per year. The non-profit organization was founded in 1952 as the Cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
Housing Foundation and provided affordable housing for low-income families in rural and urban America. CHF began working abroad in the 60s, and today, the organization implements a variety of programs in the areas of global health, economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
, housing and infrastructure, emergency response, and democracy & governance.
CHF International's mission is to "To be a catalyst for long-lasting positive change in low- and moderate-income communities around the world, helping them improve their social, economic and environmental conditions. We actively seek out the needs of the communities with whom we work, and undertake our work on the basis of those needs, employing local labor, using local materials and creating solutions that are appropriate to the region where they are implemented."
Development means improving the economic, social and environmental conditions of communities in developing and unstable countries. In practical terms development means, for example: increasing the prosperity of a country from the individual, family and community levels up; empowering people to participate in their own governance, and building the resilience of people against health challenges. Ultimately, the people best suited to decide what a community needs are the people of the community itself. This type of long-term, sustainable development leads to stability and security, reduces incentives to violence, reduces vulnerability to natural disasters, and decreases the amount of time it takes to recover from natural and man-made emergencies. These changes benefit not only the people of the community, but the whole world.
History
Originally CHF International was established as the Foundation for Cooperative Housing (FCH) in 1952, as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation seeking to help low- and moderate- income families in America and low-income urban neighborhoods to achieve improved economic standing and quality of life through the construction of affordable housing. Following their inception, they sponsored over 60,000 units of cooperative housing in 35 states across the US. After realizing that focusing on one area of development was limiting the companies growth, CHF International decided to expand globally during the 1960s. The organization has expanded to deal with disaster relief, environmental managementEnvironmental management
Environmental resource management is “a purposeful activity with the goal to maintain and improve the state of an environmental resource affected by human activities” . It is not, as the phrase suggests, the management of the environment as such, but rather the management of the interaction and...
, infrastructure rehabilitation, economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
, civil society development, and post conflict response.
Countries of Operation
As of 2008, CHF International is operating in:- Africa:
- Asia:
- Latin America & Caribbean:
- Europe & the Caucasus:
- Middle East:
Emergency Response & Transition
- Income Restoration
Where populations have been deprived of traditional and familiar income strategies, food security practices, and employment opportunities, CHF International is a leader in designing and implementing community livelihood restoration strategies in such situations. CHF International provide help in market rehabilitation and reconstruction, and aid in agricultural inputs, and increased productivity through skills training and targeted subsidies—all of which help individuals to get back on their feet following the stress of destruction or displacement.
- Relief Supplies
The organization understands the urgency of immediate needs in the aftermath of destruction or conflict. For that reason, CHF partners with organizations to provide emergency goods, such as clean water, blankets, food, toiletries and medicine to affected communities.
- Shelter
In order provide both post-disaster relief and to promote long-term reconstruction and development, CHF International designs and implements shelter programs in the aftermath of emergencies. CHF works with communities to provide immediate aid, while simultaneously building their capacity to prepare against future emergencies. Not only does this provide immediate relief in the short term, but also provides labor to the locals and helps the economy in the long term.
Urban Development
With funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates FoundationBill & Melinda Gates Foundation
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is the largest transparently operated private foundation in the world, founded by Bill and Melinda Gates. It is "driven by the interests and passions of the Gates family"...
in India and Ghana., CHF is currently implementing the Slum Communities Achieving Livable Environments with Urban Partners (SCALE-UP) Program.
- Haiti
On January 12th 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Haiti causing the loss of more than 230,000 lives and massive destruction. With funding from USAID, CHF was able to launch a major recovery program that focused on large-scale rubble removal and recycling, cash-for-work and the construction of transitional shelters in affected communities. The organization has implemented the USAID-funded KATYE urban reconstruction program in the neighborhood of Ravine Pintade, in Port-au-Prince.