Cordaid
Encyclopedia
Cordaid is the Catholic
Organisation for Relief and Development Aid (acronym: CORDAID). It is one of the biggest international development
organizations, with a network of around a thousand partner organisations in 36 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and has a disposable annual budget of around 170 million euros (2006). Cordaid directly employs 400 people, amongst them 300 are based in the Netherlands and the rest are stationed all over the world (2010).
Cordaid is also known under the names of the funds it manages: Cordaid Memisa, Cordaid Mensen in Nood (People in Need), Cordaid Vastenaktie, Cordaid Bond Zonder Naam (Association Without Name), Cordaid Kinderstem (Children's Voice).
, with the aim of helping people in distress and fighting structural poverty. It is a merge of three Dutch Catholic development organisations: Memisa Medicus Mundi (created in 1925), Mensen in Nood (People in Need, created in 1914) and Vastenaktie/Bilance. The history of these organisations goes back to the beginning of the 20th century when the organisations were active in the area of shelter and (missionary) care for refugees, providing direct aid in the event of disasters, medical care and direct improvement of social and economic position of poor people.
The merge allowed the newly created NGO to benefit from broader resources, rationalised management and organisation and aimed at coordinating actions and projects. Each organisation became a fund with Kinderstem (Children's voice) being part of Mensen in Nood, until October 2004, when Cordaid's General Assembly voted the creation of a separate fund focusing on aid to children living in slums. Cordaid Microcredit was formed in October 2006, following the tenth anniversary of the microfinance activities. On 1 January 2007, the Dutch NGO Bond Zonder Naam (founded in 1938) joined Cordaid.
Partner organisation supported by Cordaid in developing countries work on various themes, including participation, emergency aid and reconstruction, health and well-being and entrepreneurship. Each year, around 170 million euros is spent on initiatives in the South, of which over 30 million euros is available for emergency aid. A small part is spent in the Netherlands on lobby, public support and consciousness-raising.
. Cordaid is working closely with national and international NGOs, such as Darfur Emergency Response, Faith Based Network, Pax Christi
, STOP AIDS NOW!, Impunity Watch
and United Civilians for Peace.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Organisation for Relief and Development Aid (acronym: CORDAID). It is one of the biggest international development
International development
International development or global development is a concept that lacks a universally accepted definition, but it is most used in a holistic and multi-disciplinary context of human development — the development of greater quality of life for humans...
organizations, with a network of around a thousand partner organisations in 36 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and has a disposable annual budget of around 170 million euros (2006). Cordaid directly employs 400 people, amongst them 300 are based in the Netherlands and the rest are stationed all over the world (2010).
Cordaid is also known under the names of the funds it manages: Cordaid Memisa, Cordaid Mensen in Nood (People in Need), Cordaid Vastenaktie, Cordaid Bond Zonder Naam (Association Without Name), Cordaid Kinderstem (Children's Voice).
History
Cordaid was founded in 1999 in The HagueThe Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, with the aim of helping people in distress and fighting structural poverty. It is a merge of three Dutch Catholic development organisations: Memisa Medicus Mundi (created in 1925), Mensen in Nood (People in Need, created in 1914) and Vastenaktie/Bilance. The history of these organisations goes back to the beginning of the 20th century when the organisations were active in the area of shelter and (missionary) care for refugees, providing direct aid in the event of disasters, medical care and direct improvement of social and economic position of poor people.
The merge allowed the newly created NGO to benefit from broader resources, rationalised management and organisation and aimed at coordinating actions and projects. Each organisation became a fund with Kinderstem (Children's voice) being part of Mensen in Nood, until October 2004, when Cordaid's General Assembly voted the creation of a separate fund focusing on aid to children living in slums. Cordaid Microcredit was formed in October 2006, following the tenth anniversary of the microfinance activities. On 1 January 2007, the Dutch NGO Bond Zonder Naam (founded in 1938) joined Cordaid.
Funds and activities
Cordaid consists of six funds. Each fund has its own themes, which focus on the impact (result-based approach):- Cordaid Memisa focuses on structural health.
- Cordaid Mensen focuses on relief and reconstruction.
- Cordaid Kinderstem offers help to children in slums.
- Cordaid Bond Zonder Naam supports underprivileged in the Dutch society.
- Cordaid Microkrediet provides small loans to micro entrepreneurs in developing countries .
- Vastenaktie annually supports development projects.
Partner organisation supported by Cordaid in developing countries work on various themes, including participation, emergency aid and reconstruction, health and well-being and entrepreneurship. Each year, around 170 million euros is spent on initiatives in the South, of which over 30 million euros is available for emergency aid. A small part is spent in the Netherlands on lobby, public support and consciousness-raising.
Programmes
Cordaid runs programmes for the following issues:- Minorities which focus on people who are not considered full citizens and have to deal with discrimination , exclusion and poverty.
- SlumSlumA slum, as defined by United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, is a run-down area of a city characterized by substandard housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security. According to the United Nations, the percentage of urban dwellers living in slums decreased from 47 percent to 37 percent in the...
dwellers. - Women and ViolenceViolenceViolence is the use of physical force to apply a state to others contrary to their wishes. violence, while often a stand-alone issue, is often the culmination of other kinds of conflict, e.g...
, including rape and other forms of abuse. - Disaster Prevention and Relief. In areas with a high risk residents, should be prepared to limit damage and suffering. Cordaid helps developing emergency procedures (call for disaster, then a rapid response and local knowledge are the key requirements).
- ReconciliationReconciliationReconciliation may variously refer to:* Bank reconciliation* Truth and reconciliation commission-Religion:* Sacrament of Penance , also known as Reconciliation...
and ReconstructionReconstructionIn the history of the United States, the term "Reconstruction Era" has two senses: the first covers the entire nation in the period 1865–1877 following the Civil War; the second one, used in this article, covers the transformation of the Southern United States from 1863 to 1877, with the...
in post-conflit countries, social connections and infrastructures have to be rebuilt. - Access to healthcare.
- Care of VulnerableVulnerabilityVulnerability refer to the susceptibility of a person, group, society, sex or system to physical or emotional injury or attack. The term can also refer to a person who lets their guard down, leaving themselves open to censure or criticism...
groups of people, those groups include children, chronically poor, people with disabilities and elderly people whose often lack access to health care and education . - HIV/Aids.
- Small producers who need land, equipment and cheap loans, but also knowledge and expertise.
- MicrofinanceMicrofinanceMicrofinance is the provision of financial services to low-income clients or solidarity lending groups including consumers and the self-employed, who traditionally lack access to banking and related services....
.
Collaboration
Cordaid is represented in three international Catholic networks: CIDSE, Caritas International, and Medicus Mundi InternationalMedicus Mundi International
Medicus Mundi International is the Network of private not-for-profit organisations working in the field of international health cooperation and advocacy. The Network members fight global poverty by promoting access to health and health care as a fundamental human right...
. Cordaid is working closely with national and international NGOs, such as Darfur Emergency Response, Faith Based Network, Pax Christi
Pax Christi
-History:Pax Christi was established in France in 1945 as a reconciliation work between the French and the Germans after the Second World War. In 2007, it existed in more than 60 countries...
, STOP AIDS NOW!, Impunity Watch
Impunity Watch
Impunity Watch is an online publication dedicated to informing the world about the numerous state violations of citizens' rights. Impunity Watch is an interactive website that operates as a law review, message board, and blog; it was created with the objective of giving a voice to people who are...
and United Civilians for Peace.