How is each £1 of Christian Aid’s income used?

  • Eighty-five pence in every £1 is used for direct charitable purposes.
  • Of this, 32p supports our long-term development projects, 45p is spent on humanitarian and emergencies and 8p on campaigning, advocacy and education.
  • The remaining 15p is invested in fundraising. For every £1 we invest, we secure more than £6 in return.

Is Christian Aid political?

Poverty is political – there’s no way round that. When people go hungry, yet there is food enough to feed them, then something is wrong. When people are poor at a time when there has never been more wealth, we must ask why and who is responsible, and campaign for leaders to change their policies.

We are never party political. We are interested only in pressing for policies that can best help the poor – not who in makes them. All we care about is eradicating poverty and injustice and the causes of these.

To make this happen, we will talk to, and challenge, whoever we need to.

How does Christian Aid ensure that funds spent overseas aren't wasted as a result of corruption?

Our money goes directly to our local partners – the people working on the ground – and not to governments. That way, corrupt governments can't misuse our funds.

To ensure our partners aren’t corrupt and that our money is spent effectively, we have a detailed process for evaluating partners and projects that is as robust as any system implemented by financial institutions around the world.

Whenever we are alerted to a misuse of funds – which is extremely rare – we investigate immediately. If the root causes of the partner’s corruption are not addressed, we stop funding it.

If the root causes are resolved, funding may continue subject to satisfactory future assessments.

Can I volunteer overseas?

The projects that we support are managed by organisations and groups local to the area in need. For this reason, we don’t place volunteers overseas.

Volunteer opportunities in Britain and Ireland, as well as all paid posts, are advertised on our jobs site.

Why do you use paid staff?

We need the skills and commitment of both staff and volunteers to ensure the quality of the work that needs to be done. A volunteer can leave at any time because, unlike paid staff, they are not contracted for a fixed or open term.

An effective charity needs paid staff. To attract the calibre of full-time staff needed to run a charity such as Christian Aid it is necessary to recruit paid staff.

We require professionals to ensure we provide the best possible service to our beneficiaries and supporters.

How can I work for Christian Aid?

Any roles at Christian Aid, whether paid or voluntary, are advertised on our jobs website.

Each role will need to be applied for separately, and we are unable to assess suitability for roles from a CV.

Can I donate goods in kind (such as clothes and blankets)?

Christian Aid is unable to accept goods in kind. We find that the cost of storing and transporting items is usually more expensive than sourcing them locally.

Consequently, our partners source the items they require as close to the area of need as possible. This also has the added benefit of helping, in a small way, to stimulate the local economy.

Can I choose to donate money to a particular project or country?

It can be possible to donate money to a particular project. Some churches and groups are raising larger amounts to support our Community Partnerships, which can attract matched funding meaning your efforts go even further.

How do I update the personal details you hold for me?

If you need to update your personal details, or to pass on any other queries or comments, please contact us.

How can I get updates on Christian Aid’s work?

At the bottom of each page on our website is a sign-up form to receive our email updates. We’ll be pleased to send you our latest news

I have raised money for Christian Aid. Where should I send the cheque?

Thank you for the money you have raised. Cheques can be sent to our Income Processing Team, Christian Aid, PO Box 100, London, SE1 7RT. Should you prefer, you can also pay in funds here.

Does Christian Aid favour women?

We appreciate that gender issues are often contested, especially in a polarised political climate such as the one in which we live. However, we have always been clear that every human being, regardless of race, gender, or sexuality, is made in the image and likeness of God and that as such, they should always be treated with dignity and love.

It’s on that basis that we have programmes that promote equality between women and men, and programmes to tackle discrimination and violence against LGBT people.

Inequality between women and men is a key driver of poverty. The COVID-19 pandemic has widened many existing inequalities (more girls than boys have dropped out of school, and more women than men lost work in the countries in which we work).

Conflicts in countries in which we work expose women and girls to high levels of sexual violence. We know that many of our supporters care very much about these issues of gender justice, and we believe it’s right that they are an important dimension of our work.

It is worth saying that our work reaches and benefits men and boys as well as women and girls and is designed to help families and communities to thrive and stay together, not least by creating conditions in which they can secure a livelihood in the areas where they currently live.

Does Christian Aid support LGBTQ+ people?

At Christian Aid we believe that everyone is equal in the sight of God, and we work to ensure that one day all people will live a life of dignity, equality and justice, free from poverty. 

Our Christian beliefs inform our work and our position as fully supportive of LGBTQ+, minority and excluded communities.  

We understand that people in poverty often face several, intersecting inequalities based on their identities. With this knowledge we strive for a more inclusive world where identity – gender, ethnicity, caste, religion, class, sexual orientation, disability, age – is no longer a barrier to equal treatment.  

Our work in El Salvador and Bangladesh

Our work in El Salvador has included supporting Fundación de Estudios para la Aplicación del Derecho (FESPAD), an organisation that defends the human rights of women, youth and LGBTI people, whilst promoting dialogue in communities affected by violence.

In Bangladesh, we're working with our partners to deliver a project empowering left behind communities. This seeks to get minority communities more involved in civil society and tackle the discrimination they face. It involves work with the gender-diverse population of the country (commonly known as Hijra), who face discrimination in their access to health care, justice, work, land and recognition.

Read more about our approach to gender justice