For more than 80 years, ChildFund has been working to end poverty for children in the world’s most vulnerable communities.
For more than 80 years, ChildFund has been working to end poverty for children in the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Moved by the devastation of the Sino-Japanese War of 1937 – which displaced millions of families – Dr Clarke decided to act.
From their home in Virginia USA, Dr Clarke and his wife Helen launched a nationwide fundraising appeal for displaced children.
Despite the pressure of the Great Depression, Dr Clarke found enough willing supporters to enable him to establish China’s Children Fund (CCF). The Clarkes used their own money for stationery and postage.
Soon the organisation sent their first contribution of US$2,000 to support local initiatives in China – US$43,000 in today’s money.
Dr Clarke continued to write and appeal for assistance. By the end of 1939, CCF had sent a total of US$13,000 (US$295,000 today). The funds supported the KuKong orphanage and a school in China.
Eight decades later, CCF has evolved into the ChildFund Alliance. This global network of child-focused development organisations works with children and families in 70 countries.
Starting in 1938, ChildFund is one of the world’s oldest child-focused development organisations.
First known as China’s Children Fund, the charity was founded by humanitarian Dr J Cavitt Clarke.
China Children’s Fund (CCF) is established to help children devastated by the Sino-Japanese war. Donations are used to support a school and the KuKong orphanage.
CCF implements a child sponsorship program, which enables sponsors to donate funds to support an individual child.
CCF’s work grows to include the Philippines, Burma, Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and India. After World War II, CCF expands its work to Europe, focusing on providing education, food and shelter for children, particularly those children displaced and orphaned by war.
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To recognise the global nature of the organisation, the CCF acronym is changed to represent Christian Children’s Fund. Work commences in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine and South Korea.
A change in philosophy begins, with CCF focusing on providing assistance to children through family support, replacing assistance for children in orphanages as the main program approach. Work expands to Taiwan and Brazil. CCF Canada is established.
CCF makes another shift in its work to ensure that local programs are led by local leaders, whenever possible.
CCF ends its work in Europe and the Middle-East to concentrate on programs in Africa, starting in Kenya. New CCF members are established in Denmark Germany and elsewhere.
CCF Australia is established by a group of eminent Australians including Dr Adrian Johnson, Sir Roden Cutler VC, Bob Stevenson and Bill Joris. It focuses on raising sponsorship funds to support the programs delivered by CCF around the world.
CCF begins to play a greater role in delivering humanitarian support during disasters, including food, water and emergency shelter and the establishment of Child Centred-Spaces which provide a safe place for displaced children.
CCF Australia establishes its first community development programs in Papua New Guinea, partnering with the Salvation Army.
CCF Australia begins work in Vietnam, working with ethnic minority communities in remote areas in the north of the country.
The CCF Child Poverty study is undertaken, which finds that children experience poverty through three dimensions: deprivation, exclusion and vulnerability. This research gives added emphasis to CCF’s community development program approach.
CCF Australia changes its name to ChildFund Australia, to clearly reflect its values and vision: to assist children in need regardless of their gender, religion or ethnicity. ChildFund Australia becomes one of 12 global members of the newly formed ChildFund Alliance.
ChildFund Australia begins work in Cambodia, supporting rural communities still recovering from the aftermath of three decades of civil war under the Khmer Rouge. ChildFund Cambodia helps to establish the country’s first ever child helpline.
ChildFund Australia begin work in Laos, implementing programs in Xieng Khouang Province; one of the poorest regions of the country with significantly high unexploded ordnance contamination.
ChildFund Australia begin work in Myanmar (formerly known as Burma) as the country emerges from decades of military rule, implementing child-focused development programs in partnership with local civil society organisations.
ChildFund Australia takes over the management of the ChildFund Timor-Leste office, and iCARE becomes a wholly owned subsidiary.
