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Christian Aid

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Christian Aid
Founded1945
TypeNGO
Registration no.UK (1105851)
Location
  • Interchurch House, 35 Lower Marsh, London, SE1 7RL, UK
OriginsLondon, England (UK)
Area served
Worldwide
Chief Executive
Patrick Watt.
Websitewww.christianaid.org.uk
Activists from Christian Aid lobbying for trade justice

Christian Aid is a relief and development charity of 41 Christian (Protestant and Orthodox) churches in Great Britain and Ireland,[1][2] and works to support sustainable development, eradicate poverty, support civil society and provide disaster relief in South America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia.[3]

It works with hundreds of local partner organisations in some of the world's most vulnerable communities in 24 countries.[4] It is a founder member of the Disasters Emergency Committee,[5] and a major member of The Climate Coalition, The Fairtrade Foundation and Trade Justice Movement campaigns. Christian Aid's headquarters are in London and it has regional teams across the UK and Ireland, plus country offices elsewhere around the world.[6] Christian Aid also organises the UK's largest door-to-door collection, Christian Aid Week, which takes place in May each year.

Its director was Loretta Minghella who was appointed in 2010 but resigned in 2017 to work for the Church Commissioners. Amanda Khozi Mukwashi was Chief Executive in from 2018–2021.[7] She was succeeded by the current Chief Executive Patrick Watt.[8] The 2012–2013 income of Christian Aid was £95.4 million.[9]

Reconstruction after various wars in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia were major projects, alongside the aid given after the overthrow of dictators Idi Amin in Uganda, Somoza family in Nicaragua, and Pol Pot in Cambodia.[10] Yanomami Indians in Brazil were also supported, in a commitment to marginalized peoples.[11]

Fundraising

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A Christian Aid volunteer soliciting donations, using a bucket, in May 2016

Christian Aid raises income from a wide number of sources, such as institutional grants, regular gifts, the Christian Aid Week appeal, general donations, legacies, and emergency appeals. In 2013, the institutional income, part of which comes from the Department for International Development and the European Commission, constituted 41% of the total income.[12] A significant percentage of the remaining income comes from thousands of individuals in churches and communities. The main fundraising moments include Christmas, Harvest, and Christian Aid Week.[13] In 2013, £12.6 million (or 13% of the total income) was raised during this week.[9] 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).

Criticism

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The development economist Paul Collier in his book The Bottom Billion suggests that Christian Aid "deeply misinformed" the UK electorate in 2004 and 2005 with a campaign against reducing trade barriers in Africa. He says the campaign was based on a "deeply misleading" study conducted by an economist without the requisite expertise and whose purported review "by a panel of academic experts" was by two people whom the economist had himself chosen and who were also "not noted for their expertise on international trade". He quotes an unnamed official at the British Department of Trade and Industry as saying "they know it's bad, but it sells the T-shirts".[14]

Several of the Britain's leading foreign aid charities, including Christian Aid, British Red Cross, Save the Children, and Oxfam, have been criticized for paying what some alleged to be excessive salaries to some of their managers.[15][16][17] In 2013, Christian Aid's CEO was paid £126,206 and four other staff members were paid between £80,000 and £90,000.[9] Christian Aid's response to this was: "We want to reassure you that we make every effort to avoid paying higher salaries than are necessary. We pay our staff salaries the same as, or below, the median of other church-based and/or international development agencies."[18]

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In March 2023 Christian Aid commented on a legal action taken against the organisation by the Zionist Advocacy Center. The legal action was commenced in 2017. The legal action alleged that Christian Aid was "virulently anti-Israel" and had fraudulently obtained funding from the US government. Patrick Watt, the chief executive for Christian Aid, said: "I don’t believe … this case was brought against us in the belief that it had legs. I think it was brought against us in an effort to throw sand in the wheels of our advocacy and to make working on IOPT [Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory] very expensive."[19] The case was dismissed in a US court in June 2021 "for lack of personal jurisdiction," without reaching the merits of the case. Christian Aid said it was an act of "lawfare" against organizations that help Palestinians, while the director of the plaintiff said “Only when it appears to me that organisations have crossed the line into actionable conduct do I start legal proceedings. Moreover, on two occasions so far [including against Norwegian People’s Aid], the United States government has agreed with me, resulting in millions of dollars in recoveries."[20][21]

Sponsoring churches

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The charity is acts as the "official relief, development and advocacy agency" of its 41 Sponsoring Churches in Britain and Ireland.[1] These are:[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Our people, partners and sponsors". Christian Aid. London. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  2. ^ "Sponsoring churches". Christian Aid. London. Archived from the original on 8 July 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
  3. ^ "Poverty Over - Christian Aid". Archived from the original on 24 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Countries". Christian Aid.
  5. ^ "DEC site". Disasters Emergency Committee.
  6. ^ "Christian Aid Offices". Christian Aid. Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  7. ^ "Our Directors". Christian Aid. Archived from the original on 19 July 2010. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  8. ^ "Directorate team - Christian Aid". www.christianaid.org.uk. Retrieved 12 August 2024.
  9. ^ a b c "Accountability and transparency". Christian Aid.
  10. ^ "Our History". Christian Aid.
  11. ^ "Brazil - Roraima fires and drought - Brazil". ReliefWeb.
  12. ^ "Institutional Funding - About Us". Christian Aid. Archived from the original on 24 May 2014. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  13. ^ "Annual Review - Christian Aid Scotland". Christian Aid. Archived from the original on 6 October 2017. Retrieved 18 May 2014.
  14. ^ Paul Collier, The Bottom Billion, pp. 157–159
  15. ^ Hope, Christopher (6 August 2013). "30 charity bosses paid more than £100,000". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Charity Commission chairman issues charity pay warning". BBC News. 6 August 2013.
  17. ^ Slack, Becky (28 October 2013). "Justifying the value of your chief executive". The Guardian. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  18. ^ "CEO salary debate". Christian Aid. Archived from the original on 3 July 2016. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  19. ^ Davies, Lizzy (2 March 2023). "Christian Aid claims it was subject to act of 'lawfare' by pro-Israel group". theguardian.com. Guardian. Retrieved 2 March 2023.
  20. ^ "Judgment," US District Court SDNY.
  21. ^ Davies, Lizzy (2 March 2023). "Christian Aid claims it was subject to act of 'lawfare' by pro-Israel group". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on 25 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
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