Tearfund is a Christian charity which partners with churches in more than 50 of the world’s poorest countries. They tackle poverty and injustice through sustainable development, by responding to disasters and challenging injustice.  

So why work do they work through the local church?

We believe poverty is not God’s plan and the church has a key role to play in ending extreme poverty and injustice. For more than 50 years, Tearfund has seen how local churches can bring effective and lasting transformation to whole communities.
Churches are often best placed to respond to disasters, they understand the needs and strengths of their communities, and are able to reach some of the most vulnerable groups. And they can continue to support their communities for years to come.

Here are three examples of their current work.

Recovery from disaster – earthquake in Syria:
As part of the Disasters Emergency Committee – a group of humanitarian agencies – Tearfund has launched an emergency appeal. Tearfund, working through their church partner in Syria, is providing vital supplies such as warm clothing, nourishing food and hygiene essentials. 

 Responding to the droughts in East Africa:
More than 36 million people have been affected by the worst droughts East Africa has seen in forty years. Tearfund is working through local church partners in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda to tackle the crisis in these ways.

• Providing emergency food relief and cash grants to communities suffering from hunger.
• Building wells and solar-powered water pumps in drought-affected areas.
• Supporting people through self-help groups
• Supporting communities to understand climate change and adapting by investing in drought-resistant crops and finding new and sustainable forms of income.
• Training farmers with new techniques so that they can adapt to the changing weather patterns.

Rubbish campaign
We’re facing mountains of plastic pollution. 2 billion people have no safe way to dispose of rubbish, and it’s people in poverty who are suffering the worst impacts of this rubbish problem. They are forced to live and work among piles of waste, which is making them sick, releasing toxic fumes, flooding communities and causing up to a million deaths each year.

But Jesus told his followers that even the smallest amount of faith can move mountains.

Tearfund are asking us to put our faith into action and join them in demanding an end to plastic pollution. And we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to do just that.

During 2023 and 2024, nearly 200 governments are meeting to develop the first-ever global treaty on plastic pollution. But it’s not a done deal. Please add your voice to demand an end to plastic pollution and its harmful impact on people living in poverty  www.tearfund.org/forms/rubbish-campaign-petition