Christian Aid
Encyclopedia
Trade justice
Trade justice is a campaign by non-governmental organisations lobbying for changes to the rules and practices of world trade so that poor people and the environment benefit...
, climate change
Climate change
Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions or the distribution of events around that average...
, and Third World debt. Christian Aid has fought poverty for more than 65 years.
Christian Aid's essential belief is summed up in the statement "We believe in life before death", often used alongside the Christian Aid logo. Christian Aid states it works where the need is greatest, regardless of religion, nationality or race. One of its other messages is Poverty Over, represented by the word Over highlighted within the word Poverty. It works with 570 local partner organisations in 45 countries around the world to help the world's poorest communities. It is a major member of the Stop Climate Chaos, Fairtrade Foundation and Trade Justice Movement
Trade Justice Movement
The Trade Justice Movement is a British coalition, founded in 2000, of more than 80 organizations campaigning for trade justice.The coalition has a particular focus on UK and EU trade policies...
campaigns. Its headquarters is in London and has regional teams across the UK and Ireland. Christian Aid also organises the UK's largest door-to-door collection, Christian Aid Week
Christian Aid Week
Christian Aid Week is an annual door-to-door fundraising drive by the charity Christian Aid. The drive is held each year in Britain during the second week of May, when thousands of volunteers post red collection envelopes to households around the country...
, which takes place in May each year.
Its director is Loretta Minghella who was appointed in 2010. The 2009–2010 income was £104.6 million.
Post-war reconstruction
Christian Aid was originally known as Christian Reconstruction in Europe, as it was initially concerned with issues of post-World War II welfare, and to help resettle refugees. It became part of British Council of Churches (now Churches Together in Britain and Ireland) in 1949, and changed its name to Christian Aid in 1964. The income of the agency in 1949 was £29,000.Development projects
The 1970s found Christian Aid funding over 100 long-term development projects in over 40 countries. Reconstruction after various wars in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were major projects, alongside the aid given after the overthrow of dictators Idi AminIdi Amin
Idi Amin Dada was a military leader and President of Uganda from 1971 to 1979. Amin joined the British colonial regiment, the King's African Rifles in 1946. Eventually he held the rank of Major General in the post-colonial Ugandan Army and became its Commander before seizing power in the military...
in Uganda and Somoza in Nicaragua. Yanomami Indians in Brazil were also supported, in a commitment to marginalized indigenous peoples.
Role of banks
The 1980s saw Christian Aid highlight the role of banks in demanding high interest payments for loans during the global economic recession. The media was by now picking up far more on development issues, and the Ethiopian famine and the destruction of the rainforests brought a new focus onto global development and poverty issues.Trade Justice Movement
Christian Aid has also worked with the Trade Justice Movement to again highlight unjust trade rules.Fundraising
Christian Aid raises income from a number of sources and in a number of ways.A significant percentage of the income comes from the thousands of individuals in churches and communities who care passionately about tackling poverty.
The main fundraising moments include:
1. Lent Appeal
2. Christian Aid Week
3. Harvest Appeal
4. Christmas Appeal
Throughout the year supporters give regularly using direct debit, cash donations and Will Aid. Churches and community groups also take part in the annual calendar of events (e.g. walks, soup lunches and quizzes) raising thousands of pounds.
Criticism
Peter HallwardPeter Hallward
Peter Hallward is a Canadian political philosopher, best known for his work on Alain Badiou and Gilles Deleuze. He has also published works on post-colonialism and contemporary Haiti...
, in his book 'Damming the Flood', accused Christian Aid of supporting US led violent regime change in Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
in 2004.
The development economist Paul Collier
Paul Collier
Paul Collier, CBE is a Professor of Economics, Director for the Centre for the Study of African Economies at The University of Oxford and Fellow of St Antony's College. From 1998 – 2003 he was the director of the Development Research Group of the World Bank.-Life:Collier is a specialist in...
in his book The Bottom Billion
The Bottom Billion
The Bottom Billion: Why the Poorest Countries are Failing and What Can Be Done About It is a 2007 book by Paul Collier, Professor of Economics at Oxford University, exploring the reasons why impoverished countries fail to progress despite international aid and support...
suggests that Christian Aid "deeply misinformed" the UK electorate in 2004 and 2005 with a campaign against reducing trade barriers in Africa based on a "deeply misleading" study conducted by an economist without the requisite expertise and whose purported review "by a panel of academic experts" who were two gentlemen chosen by said economist who were also not noted for their expertise on international trade. He quotes an unnamed Chief Economist at the British Department of Trade and Industry as saying "they know it's crap, but it sells the T-shirts".
The NGO Monitor
NGO Monitor
NGO Monitor is a non-governmental organization based in Jerusalem, Israel whose stated aim is to generate and distribute critical analysis and reports on the output of the international NGO community for the benefit of government policy makers, journalists, philanthropic organizations and the...
, an Israeli based organisation, claims Christian Aid is biased towards Palestinian interests
A report about Palestinian refugees published by Christian Aid in June 2011 was criticized for inaccurate information, including details about Palestinian Abed Rabin complaining that he can't work because of attacks by Israelis. When questioned, the author of the study said that there was no proof of it and instead, it "referred to the situation" in general and not anything specific. In addition, Professor Gerald Steinberg, president of NGO Monitor and a professor of political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
at Bar Ilan University, said "the images it uses are emotional manipulation without getting to the core of the issue."
Christian Aid's websites
- Christian Aid Web site
- Learn Christian Aid's teaching resources website
- Surefish Christian community and ethical living
- Present Aid Ethical gifts
- Ctrl+Alt+Shift Social networking site
- Platform 2 Global volunteering scheme for 18-25 year
Christian Aid's Corporate Sponsors
- AquAid AquAid have donated over £2 million to Christian Aid since 1998