Where money is spent internationally
Concern operates in 28 countries. Within all areas, Concern focuses on its five key organisational programmes.
Emergency Response and Preparedness
Concern maintained its response to the food crises in Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, and South Sudan.
In Zimbabwe, Concern is an implementing partner for the UN World Food Programme, and its operations concentrated on the establishment and supervision of distribution plans for approximately 40,000 metric tonnes of emergency food.
In Ethiopia, the programme focused on general distributions, supplementary feeding, and community therapeutic care (CTC).
Livelihood Approach
The livelihood security programme is the largest area of intervention overseas in Concern. Approximately 45% of our overseas expenditure is devoted to this programme, and includes interventions on food security, micro-finance, and support to local development organisations.
In order to achieve wider impact, Concern formulated and officially adopted a policy on livelihoods in 2003. The policy has been disseminated throughout Concern, and guidelines have been developed.
Basic Education
In June 2003, Council approved the Education Policy, which aims to improve the livelihoods of extremely poor women, men, and children by stimulating their demand for, and increasing access to, quality Basic Education.
The education programme works with the already existing government system and helps to build capacity at all levels.
Health Care
Primary Health Care (PHC), nutrition, water and sanitation have traditionally been strong areas of intervention for Concern. Child survival programmes continued in 2003 in Bangladesh and Rwanda, while other countries with PHC included Ethiopia, Angola, Sierra Leone, Haiti and Burundi.
Concern assisted in dealing with a cholera outbreak in Malawi, and in Honduras community health volunteers were trained.
HIV&AIDS
Following Council approval of the organisational policy on HIV&AIDS, staff was recruited in a number of countries, focusing on developing areas of intervention.
By the end of 2003, a number of countries had completed staff training, including Tanzania, Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi.
In Uganda, further specialists were recruited and a national focus group was established, with guidelines completed for intervention programmes.
In Haiti, Concern commenced an urban HIV&AIDS partnership project, while in Malawi Concern engaged with a number of potential AIDS support organisations.
Concern continues to initiate and monitor new strategies and projects to implement its HIV&AIDS policy.
