Tear Fund: Who They are and What They Do

Tear Fund are a worldwide organisation who deal with poverty and the suffering that is associated with it. They work with churches around the world, using their position in the village to help everyone, even non- Christians.

They deal with poverty and poverty related suffering, such as drought, famine, disease, injustice, natural disasters and basic services, using the church as their base and showing it as a place where people can go for help.

They deal with climate change and the environment. The farmers rely on their land, not only as their source of income, but also to feed their family. Tear Fund help stop their suffering by supplying them with more appropriate, drought resistant crops, as they often die from the intense heat and lack of water, by teaching the farmers effective farming techniques and by encouraging governments around the world to cut down on their emissions.

They also deal with disease, for example HIV and AIDS. In Malawi, 14 percent of the population are HIV positive, and almost all of them die. Tear Fund help stop their suffering by raising awareness of the disease in church sermons, and by training people to help care for people who are living with AIDS.

Unjust trading prices are just another of the problems that Tear Fund confronts. One woman in Malawi, Esther, struggles to support her family on her low income. She can sell one basket of cotton for the equivalent to 37 pence. It would help her travel to the market if she had a bicycle, but it would take her 3 years to make enough money to pay for one. Tear Fund are helping ease her suffering by campaigning for the poorer communities.

Basic services such as clean water are often taken for granted in more well off countries, but in third world countries it can be scarce, and even that can be too filthy to drink. Tear Fund help by setting up wells and water sources, and teaching about the importance of clean water, a clothes line, a toilet, and a safe place to prepare food.