CARE (relief)

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Ying Sin Leung CARE Village in Cheung Chau, a small island southwest of Hong Kong.

CARE is one of the largest international relief and humanitarian organizations in the world, with programs in nearly 70 countries. Worldwide staffing exceeds 12,000, most of whom come from the nation in which they work.

CARE (originally "Cooperative for American Remittances to Europe", and later "Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere"), was founded in 1945 by Wallace Campbell to provide relief to survivors of World War II. The relief came in "CARE Packages", [1] which were U.S. Army surplus 10-in-1 food parcels left over from the planned U.S. invasion of Japan. The service let Americans send the packages to friends and families in Europe. Each CARE Package cost $10 and was guaranteed to reach its addressee within four months.

CARE's mission has evolved over the decades. CARE continues to provide emergency relief during and after disasters, but the organization today focuses on addressing underlying causes of poverty. In areas such as health, education and economic development, CARE works to empower women, because experience has shown that women's gains yield dramatic benefits for families and communities. CARE also advocates for policies that defend human rights and promote the eradication of poverty.

1 Official mission
2 Countries of operation
3 Campaigns
4 See also
5 External links
6 Notes

[edit] Official mission

To serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. Drawing strength from our global diversity, resources and experience, to promote innovative solutions and advocate for global responsibility. Facilitate lasting change by:

Strengthening capacity for self-help
Providing economic opportunity
Delivering relief in emergencies (Non-US)
Influencing policy decisions at all levels
Addressing discrimination in all its forms

Guided by the aspirations of local communities, CARE pursues its mission with both excellence and compassion because the people who are served deserve nothing less.

[edit] Countries of operation

As of 2007, CARE operates programs in the following countries:

Africa
- Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, DRC, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Niger, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Asia
- Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, East Timor, India, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, Vietnam.

Latin America
- Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru.

Middle East and Eastern Europe
- Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Egypt, Georgia, Jordan, Kosovo, Montenegro, Romania, Russian Federation (Ingushetia and Chechnya), Serbia, West Bank/Gaza, Yemen.

[edit] Campaigns

CARE's campaigns in the fight against global poverty include^[1]:

The World Hunger Campaign - Donations to CARE sponsor feeding programs, education, microcredit loans, sustainable agriculture and other projects designed to reduce world hunger and poverty.
Education – CARE partners with governments, communities and organizations to improve the quality and accessibility of basic education.
HIV/AIDS – CARE provides educational programs and supports grassroots efforts to reduce the spread of the disease and to aid those affected by HIV/AIDS.
Victories Over Poverty - CARE works with communities to provide emergency relief, and long-term solutions to poverty.
CARE for the Child - Supporters may automatically contribute funds via the CARE for the Child monthly giving program.

In 2003, CARE delivered supplies and equipment, including food, water, repair water systems and sanitation kits to pediatric hospitals, health centers, and vulnerable families in southern Iraq. ^[2] In 2004, the organization suspended its operations in Iraq in response to the kidnapping and apparent death of Margaret Hassan, CARE's director of operations in Iraq. ^[3] ^[4] The last CARE project Hassan completed was one for children with spinal injuries.

In December 2007, CARE announced its sponsorship of the Covance-CARE Early Childhood Development (ECD) Initiative for Orphans and Vulnerable Children in Rwanda. The program supports the renovation of two existing nursery schools, the remodeling of three existing buildings into community day care centers, and funds the continued operations of the childcare centers. "The long-term impact of deprivation in early childhood has been well documented," said Elie Nduwayesu, CARE International Orphans and Vulnerable Children Program Manager in Rwanda. "The majority of children who are not in school in Africa are girls and are more likely to experience abuse, neglect, and child domestic labor. The ECD program will protect these children from all types of abuse and contribute significantly to their healthy development." ^[5]

CARE’s response to Avian Influenza in Asia is in keeping with its overall strategy of building communities’ capacity to prepare for, respond to and reduce risk from disaster. The spread of this virus has in part been accelerated because of poor living conditions, unsafe hygiene practices, unhygienic markets, poor sanitation systems and lack of early warning systems. CARE is working with communities in these vulnerable environments to raise awareness and design programs that reduce unsafe conditions. They are also working to prevent the potential loss of lives and livelihoods, with particular emphasis on those most vulnerable, including women, children and the elderly. ^[6]

CARE is a partner with the CORE Group’s work on Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Project (PIP) . The goal of CORE PIP is to create a generic training program for community level response during a pandemic which would target local leaders from multiple sectors who would need to implement non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to reduce person-to-person disease transmission, community- and home-based care of the ill, and other interventions during a pandemic. ^[7]