Tearfund

Tearfund

The Tearfund Story

1960's – World Refugee year (1960) inspires compassionate Christians to send financial gifts to the Evangelical Alliance. The famine in Biafra in 1968 prompts the launch of Tear Fund (The Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund - TEAR). Annual income reaches £55,000.

1970's – Tearfund expands. Supporters can give £5 a month to sponsor a child in Bangladesh. A youth and student programme is launched to inspire young people into discipleship. Tearcraft begins, providing employment for thousands of skilled workers, selling crafts in the UK. Annual income reaches £3.29m.

1980's – War in Ethiopa, turmoil in Eastern Europe. Tearfund sends its own medical team to work in a refugee camp in Somalia. Tearfund starts a regular giving programme for long-term support for development programmes. Annual income reaches £14.4m.

1990's - Civil unrest in the Balkans, Rwanda and Sierra Leone. Tearfund celebrates its 25th anniversary. 1994, Tearfund launches a massive appeal and relief response following the genocide in Rawanda. Tearfund becomes the founder member of the Jubilee 2000 movement to focus on world debt. Hurricane Mitch devastates Central America and Tearfund joins the Disasters Emergency Committee of relief agencies to appeal for funds.

2000's – The new millennium sees floods in Africa and South Asia. As a leading member of 'Make Poverty History' Tearfund sees the UK church mobilised to speak out about injustice. Food crisis in Africa dominates the headlines and Tearfund launches emergency appeals, as well as working in long-term development, helping communities adapt to climate change.

Present Day – Global recession hits poor communities hardest. Tearfund remains committed to their ten year vision: to release 50 million people from material and spiritual poverty through a worldwide network of 100,000 local churches.

For more information on Tearfund's work please see: www.tearfund.org