1. What we do
2. Where does ActionAid work?
3. What makes us different
4. Where our funds come from

5. Is ActionAid a political organisation?
6. Can you volunteer overseas?
7. How much does ActionAid spend on administration?
8. How does child sponsorship work?

We work with and support the poorest and most vulnerable people to fight for and gain their rights to food, shelter, work, basic healthcare and a voice in the decisions that affect their lives.

Among them are widows, orphans, the homeless and disabled, people with HIV & AIDS, tribal peoples and religious minorities.

We also champion poor people’s rights through international campaigns on food rights, HIV & AIDS and education.

Working with more than 2,000 partners worldwide, ActionAid's fight against poverty has reached over 19 million people in Africa, Asia and the Americas.

We currently work in over 50 countries worldwide, making a real, long-term difference. In many countries we also run child sponsorship.

Wherever we work, we always make sure that our programs are created in collaboration with local people, often working very closely with partner organisations, to ensure that we are addressing the real root causes of poverty, rather than just alleviating the symptoms.

We see poverty as an injustice and poor people as partners in tackling the causes of poverty - ActionAid is the only international aid agency with its headquarters in the developing world.

We never try to impose solutions, but work with communities over many years to strengthen their own efforts to throw off poverty. We constantly ask ourselves how we can make the greatest impact with our resources.

Other things that make us different from other development agencies are:

• our long-term grassroots development approach
• our innovative ways of working on basic education and HIV & AIDS
• our rights-based approach to emergencies
• our peace building and reconciliation work in Africa
• our close partnerships with local organisations in developing countries
• our international leadership from developing countries
• our committed, long-term supporter base
• our lack of religious or political affiliations.

Our funds come from a variety of sources, including:

• child sponsorship in UK, Italy, Greece and Sweden
• contributions from ActionAid Ireland and our sister organisations in Spain, France, Denmark and Australia
  
• appeals, fundraising, and other forms of regular giving
• legacies
• official bodies and international agencies (includes EU, UK government and UN)
• companies, trusts and NGOs

Full breakdown of income and expenditure for 2009

ActionAid has no political or religious affiliations, but we're not afraid to challenge injustice. We work with poor and marginalised people all over the world, making governments and international institutions tackle the real causes of poverty.

Campaigning works - it’s as effective as giving a financial gift.

Over the last few years campaigning has resulted in real breakthroughs: billions of pounds for developing countries, millions more children in school and more people receiving life-saving medical treatment. 

Governments are responsible for building the frameworks needed to give people their basic rights, so we encourage poor people to hold their national and local governments to account.

We also work with governments, locally and nationally, to help them build their knowledge and skills so that they can fight poverty effectively in their own countries and international arenas.

Find out more about campaigning with ActionAid

ActionAid does not send volunteers overseas, preferring to employ local people wherever possible. We work with local partner organisations at grassroots level.

We do, however, occasionally have opportunities for volunteers in the UK, usually in London or Chard (Somerset). Volunteers can help us maximise our efficiency, achieve our aims and bring new skills, experience and perspectives to our work. At the same time we believe that volunteering can offer valuable training and work experience, as well as a chance to directly contribute to our work.

Accountability – to poor people, especially women and children – is central to our work, as is accountability  to our donors. How we spend their money is something we take very seriously.

In 2009 our support costs for work in the UK accounted for just 5% of our income and 19% of our expenditure.

When appealing for funds we make every effort to be very clear about the purpose for which they are being raised. Through rigorous monitoring and auditing systems we ensure that money is being spent effectively and efficiently and for the purpose intended.

When you sponsor a child with ActionAid, your contributions go straight to projects in that childs's community. It's a fantastic way to gain an insight into the difference that your donation can make, and build up a personal relationship with a child on the other side of the world.

Some of our sponsors are also involved in a proramme called The Next Step, which allows us to use sponsors' money wherever the need is greatest in each country, helping us support difficult-to-reach groups such as migrant workers and orphans.

You can find out everything you need to know in our dedicated Child sponsorship FAQ