TEARFUND

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.   

And their work makes an impact – this is from their website:
We want to see a world restored to how God intended by empowering people to lift themselves out of poverty. We want to equip Christians and churches to take action so that all people can fulfil their God-given potential and live life to the full.

In more than 50 years, we’ve helped vast numbers of communities to be transformed. Between 2006 and 2016, we calculated that Tearfund reached 32 million people through our community development projects, and 13 million people benefitted from our disaster response work.

We’ve supported people on the brink of disaster to become resilient to shocks, self-sufficient and empowered, boldly speaking up for their rights. We know our approach works. We want to take it to the next level and we invite you to join us.

Last year…

• 6 million people reached through our emergency response
• 3 million people reached through community development work
• 23,300 local churches mobilised

Tearfund works in lots of different ways – this year I have highlighted their WASH programme.
From the website:
Breaking free from poverty is impossible without sustainable access to clean water, secure sanitation services and improved hygiene practices.

Wherever we work, Tearfund takes an integrated approach to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). This means that by coordinating our work on these three areas, we can have a bigger impact on improving community health and well-being. 

Working with communities
We are committed to working in full participation with communities, empowering them to own and manage sustainable, safely managed water and sanitation services and transformed hygiene practices whenever possible, yet at the same time realising that communities require ongoing guidance. In our support we explicitly consider environmental impact, the differing role and need of genders and vulnerable groups, and solutions which are conflict-sensitive. 

Working with local governments and building partnerships
Tearfund works with local governments through influencing, advocating and supporting local policy development for better access to WASH. Through this work we help build a more supportive environment, particularly in conflict-affected and fragile states. 

Through partnerships with community groups, NGOs, government bodies and the private sector, we build capacity to manage water resources and mainstream environmental and economic sustainability.