Founded in 1982, Tearfund / World Relief Canada is a Christian international aid organization that works to end poverty. The charity is a member of the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, working to deliver food and emergency supplies to people in crisis. Through partnerships with local churches, Tearfund provides training on sustainable farming and operating savings groups. The charity worked in 10 countries last year, helping over 450,000 people. Tearfund Canada was known as World Relief Canada until January 2018. Tearfund Canada is one branch of the ‘TEAR Family’ with international Tearfund branches that work in more than 50 countries.

In F2017, Tearfund Canada allocated 85% of program spending to disaster relief. The largest relief effort was in South Sudan which has been damaged by famine and war. Tearfund Canada worked with Tearfund South Sudan to help 193,702 people through projects supplying food, water, and sanitation. Over 1 million packages of highly nutritious Plumpy’Nut were distributed to feed malnourished children. Tearfund Canada also responded to disasters in Bangladesh, Lebanon, India, and Sierra Leone.

Tearfund Canada’s economic empowerment program received 7% of total program funding in F2017. The charity empowers poor people to use the resources they have and escape poverty. Teaching farming techniques increases harvests and organized savings groups allow community members to pool resources and make larger purchases. Agriculture training was run in six countries last year, and savings groups were started in four.

Tearfund Canada used the remaining 8% of funding to involve Canadian churches in its work and on other unspecified programs.

Results and Impact: Tearfund / World Relief Canada reports impact of the economic empowerment programs extending beyond the individuals trained. Kenyan savings groups have been successful: with profits made on early investments, the groups have 66% of funds circulating through multiple projects and generating interest. Over 89% of the savings groups started 5 years ago are still operating because the communities have benefited.

Approximately 4,200 people in DR Congo, 1,367 in Liberia, and 25,530 in Ethiopia have benefited from better nutrition and increased income after improvements to farming. In areas of Tanzania, crop yields have increased by 700%.

Tearfund / World Relief Canada is a medium-sized charity with donations of $2.1m in F2017. The charity received $5.0m from the government, representing 69% of total revenue. Administrative costs are 7% of revenues and fundraising costs are 31% of donations. For every $1 donated, 62 cents go to the cause, falling just below Ci’s reasonable range. Tearfund has funding reserves of $2.5m which could run programs for 5 months. This indicates a need for funding.

This charity report is an update that has been sent to Tearfund / World Relief Canada for review. Changes and edits may be forthcoming.

Updated on June 21, 2018 by Madison Kerr.