CARE International

CARE International

CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. Non-political and non-sectarian, we operate each year in more than 65 countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe, reaching more than 50 million people in poor communities.

CARE helps tackle underlying causes of poverty so that people can become self-sufficient. CARE is often one of the first to deliver emergency aid to survivors of natural disasters and war and, once the immediate crisis is over, we help people rebuild their lives. While CARE is a large international organisation with more than 14,500 employees worldwide, we have a strong local presence: more than 90 % of our staff are nationals of the countries where our programmes are run.


Vision
All of CARE International’s member organizations share a common vision to fight against worldwide poverty and to protect and enhance human dignity:
"We seek a world of hope, tolerance and social justice, where poverty has been overcome and people live in dignity and security. CARE will be a global force and partner of choice within a worldwide movement dedicated to ending poverty. We will be known everywhere for our unshakeable commitment to the dignity of people."

In this context, emergency relief is an important part of CARE’s mandate since natural and manmade disasters can drive otherwise self-sustaining populations into poverty and can often eradicate years of development work. CARE pays particular attention to the marginalized members of society and those least able to defend themselves, especially women and children.


Mission
CARE’s mission is to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world. Drawing strength from our global diversity, resources and experience, we promote innovative solutions and are advocates for global responsibility. We promote lasting change by:
1. Strengthening capacity for self-help
2. Providing economic opportunity
3. Delivering relief in emergencies
4. Influencing policy decisions at all levels
5. Addressing discrimination in all its forms
Guided by the aspirations of local communities, we pursue our mission with both excellence and compassion because the people whom we serve deserve nothing less.


HIV/AIDS
We believe that our HIV/AIDS programs must provide information and services to vulnerable groups while addressing the underlying factors that lead people to make choices that put them at risk of infection. CARE's HIV/AIDS programmes link with our other sectors, including health, education and economic development. Through our HIV/AIDS programmes, we help communities care for children who have become orphaned and vulnerable by HIV/AIDS, develop peer education and outreach in communities, and increase access to services such as condoms, voluntary counselling and testing, anti-retroviral treatment, and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) prevention and treatment. Advocacy on behalf of vulnerable and marginalized parts of the population is also an important part of our work.

Education
CARE is dedicated to promoting basic education for all. Experience shows that educated people have healthier families and greater earning potential. Our projects promote and facilitate discussion between parents, teachers and other members of the community to overcome barriers to education that help keep families mired in poverty. CARE also provides economic incentives to help parents cover the cost of keeping their children in school.