4.1.4 Christian Aid UK
4.1.4.1 Background
Like many of the Relief Organisations, Christian Aid was founded
in the aftermath of the Second World War with the purpose of alleviating
people's suffering regardless of their religious faith in Europe. In the 1950s,
the organisation's work expanded beyond Europe to support development work in
Africa and Asia. In 1957, the first Christian Aid Week was organised with the
aim of making the general public aware of the continuing problems in the world.
In 1964, the organisation officially adopted the name Christian Aid and begun
to look more deeply into the root causes of poverty and not just its symptoms.
By the end of the 70s, the organisation was working in 40 countries and funding
more than 100 long-term development projects worldwide. In the 90s, Christian
Aid became one of the first aid agencies to highlight
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global economic issues and today works with more than 650
partners in around 50 countries worldwide (Christian Aid, 2012).
4.1.4.2 Goals and Strategy
Three main goals have been identified by Christian Aid for the
empowerment of people around the world (Christian Aid, 2012):
- Resilient and Thriving societies: by giving men, women, and
children the right to thrive, live decently and safely, to grow their resources
and capabilities
- Equity and sustainability: by supporting local, regional and
global solutions that will help communities reach their full potential through
equal access to markets, infrastructure, knowledge, skills, technology and
investment.
- Just power relations: by fighting for a fairer allocation of
resources and encouraging the participation of women in decision-making
4.1.4.3 Sector of Activity
Christian Aid's worldwide work focuses on the following sectors:
HIV/Aids, Gender Equality, Human Rights, Climate change and Conflict
Resolution
4.1.4.4 Project Selection and Management
Christian Aid programme management systems and processes put
emphasis on assessing, monitoring and reviewing performance, results and value
for money throughout the lifecycle of projects. Any concerns raised during the
implementation of a project trigger an automatic review which can lead to the
suspension of the project until the concern is resolved. Christian Aid's
projects follow a well-defined Funding and Reporting Agreement which highlights
the expected results of a project along with its budget. Programme staffs
assess and monitor project activities to ensure that they represent good value
for money. Project proposals and reports are assed by programme staff with a
focus on effectiveness and equity together with a member of the finance team.
The main focus point is value for money. Project proposals and reports are
uploaded to PROMISE which is Christian Aid's Programme Information and
Management System (Christian Aid, 2012). The project selection and management
process of Christian Aid uses cost-benefit ratios, scoring models and
participatory methods.
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