CAFOD's origins can be traced back to the launch of a Family Fast Day organised by a group of Catholic women in 1960, who used the money saved through fasting to support a project in Dominica. The Bishops' Conference of England and Wales registered the charity in 1962.[3] Its current governing document dates from 2015.[4]
CAFOD's Director Christine Allen was appointed in March 2019.
In 2020, CAFOD launched a new strategy, Our Common Home, based on Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si', which calls for a new definition of progress rooted in integral ecology, recognising that everything is connected and hearing both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor, calling on all people to dialogue in society about how best to tackle the global issue.[7][8]
Work
The stated aim of CAFOD is to tackle poverty globally. Through local Catholic Church and secular partners, its aims to help people directly in their own communities and campaigns for global justice
International Programmes
In 2023, CAFOD implemented programmes in 42 countries located in Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Latin America & Caribbean. CAFOD is not a direct implementer but works according to the localisation principle, i.e. through local partner organisations. That same year, CAFOD supported local partners organisations with 594 grants and programme payments worth £41.8 million, reaching one million vulnerable and excluded people directly.[1]
Campaigns
CAFOD has had many campaigns over the years and participated in joint campaigns with other charities. These campaigns tackled a series of topics, for example the impact of debt crises in the poorest nations ("Jubilee 2000", "Cancel the Debt", "Stop Cowboy Lenders", "The New Debt Crisis"),[9] or the right of small-scale farmer around the world to use their seeds and the negative impact of powerful agribusiness companies ("Fix the Food System"). Other campaigns demanded climate action ("The Time is Now"; "One Climate, One World"),[10] renewable energy for the world's poorest people ("Power to Be"), or raised awareness against the UK Illegal Migration Act 2023 ("Build Bridges not Walls").
CAFOD supports and administers the process whereby Catholic communities (churches, schools, religious orders and chaplaincies) can apply for the Livesimply award, through which communities can record, celebrate and develop their approach to living simply, in solidarity with people in poverty and sustainably with creation.[11][12][13] Participation in CAFOD's LiveSimply programme has been commended by the Catholic Bishops of England and Wales.[14]
Structure and funding
In 2023, CAFOD employed 391 staff and in addition worked with more than 3,000 volunteers carrying out a range of roles such as campaigning, fundraising, media, office support and youth work.[1]
In 2019/20 CAFOD's income was £45million. A few years later, in 2022/2023, the total revenue had increased to £67,916,000, £37 million of which were raised by 1,856 parishes in England and over 78,000 individuals, 1,043 schools and over 1,000 organisations. In addition, the organisation received over £11 million from legacies, raised around £5.5 million to respond to humanitarian emergencies in East Africa, Ukraine, Pakistan, Turkey and Syria, and obtained £16 million from the Disasters Emergency Committee.[1]
