Concern Worldwide is Ireland's largest aid and humanitarian agency. Since its foundation 50 years ago it has worked in 50 countries and currently employs 3,200 staff in 26 countries around the world. Concern aims to help those living in the world's poorest countries. Concern is engaged in long-term development work, in addition to emergency relief in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Concern's core work focuses on health, hunger and humanitarian response in emergencies. The charity works in partnership with small community groups as well as governments and large global organisations. Concern is one of fourteen fully certified members of Humanitarian Accountability Partnership. Concern Worldwide US is an affiliate of Concern Worldwide. It has offices in New York City and Chicago. Concern Worldwide is a partner of One Campaign.
History
Concern Worldwide was set up by a small group of people including John and Kay O’Loughlin Kennedy in their home in Dublin in 1968, following an appeal for aid by missionaries for the starving population of war-torn Biafra. In June 1968, Africa Concern, as it was originally called, launched their famine appeal “Send One Ship”. The ship, the Colmcille landed off the coast of Biafra in September 1968 with supplies of powdered food and medicine. In 1970, the public were asked to respond to the cyclone in East Pakistan and Africa Concern became Concern.
Work
Concern has worked in 50 countries and as of 2018 was employing over 3,500 staff in 25 countries around the world delivering programmes benefiting 8.5 million people annually. Concern's work is centered on 5 main programmes, Education, Emergencies, HIV and AIDS, Health and Livelihoods. Concern launched an appeal to tackle the drought in East Africa in June 2011. They also responded to the earthquake in Haiti and the floods in Pakistan. The Chief Executive Officer is Dominic MacSorley. Concern is a member of the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership.
Governance
Concern is controlled and regulated by its members who have responsibility for the Articles of Association, election of the Council, appointment of the auditors and approval of accounts. The Council of Concern is elected from membership at each AGM. The maximum number on the Council is 24 and one third must step down every year. They meet at least four times per year. The Council is accountable to the relevant government Minister to ensure that the Companies Act is adhered to. They are also accountable to the general public to ensure that donations are put to an appropriate use. Concern is the first Irish charity to receive certification from the Geneva-based organisation Humanitarian Accountability Partnership, which works to make humanitarian work more accountable and transparent through self-regulation, compliance verification, and quality assurance certification. Concern is a member of the Irish Charities and Tax Research Reform Group. Concern Worldwide's annual report and accounts won the charity and not-for-profit category in the annual Chartered Accountants Leinster Society awards for published accounts for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012.
Funding
Concern raises money from individuals, communities, sponsored events and companies as well as receiving financial support from the Irish government, the European Union, the United Nations, the British government and other government agencies, private donors, and major trusts. In 2007, the Irish Government announced a 5-year strategic funding programme with Concern which would see funding double from €60 million to €148 million over the 5-year period from 2007 to 2011. Subsequent to the announcement, Irish Aid announced a series of cutbacks to Ireland's official development aid, including the programme under which Concern was funded.
Campaigns and initiatives
Campaigns and initiatives run by the organisation include the Concern Fast, which is a sponsored 24-hour fast and programme of events to raise money to fight child malnutrition. Other initiatives focusing on nutrition have included a "1,000 days" project. Since 2008 Concern has also run a creative writing competition in a number of age categories. Concern also runs a number of different physical challenges for additional fundraising opportunities.
