Austcare's initial goal was to raise awareness among the Australian community and government of the needs of the growing number of displaced people around the world.
Growth and expansion
In the 1980s, Austcare began to select, fund and administer its own projects through a global network of partner agencies in the field.
Following the deadly legacy of war in Cambodia, Austcare broadened its focus to landmine action. It was also in Cambodia that Austcare established its first permanent overseas office in 2001.
By 2008, Austcare had established offices in Timor-Leste, Indonesia and the Middle-East.
Our work had also broadened in scope to initiatives such as income generation for rural communities, agricultural support as well as education and health programs.
Transition to ActionAid
Austcare first started working with global anti poverty agency ActionAid in 2005, responding to the South Asian earthquake in Pakistan and the Boxing Day Tsunami in Sri Lanka and Indonesia.
Austcare also partnered with ActionAid to provide emergency relief in response to Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, floods in Pakistan, Uganda and Nepal and Cyclone Sidr in Bangladesh.
After four years of working together around the world, in April 2009 Austcare formalised its relationship with ActionAid by becoming a full affiliate of the global network.
Finally, on 1 June 2009 Austcare changed its name to ActionAid Australia, thus completing the transition.
For more information see: Austcare history 1967 - 2009 [PDF]
History of ActionAid Internationally
ActionAid has been fighting poverty worldwide for over 30 years.
ActionAid started life in 1972 as British charity Action in Distress, which based its activities on educating children.
By 1984, ActionAid was reaching over 40,000 children in Asia and Africa and had set up fundraising affiliates in Ireland, Italy, France and Spain under the ActionAid name.
In the late 1990s ActionAid expanded its work to include peace building and conflict resolution and started to take a more active role lobbying financial institutions such as the World Trade Organisation.
ActionAid International, headquartered in Johannesburg, was launched in 2003, with all fundraising affiliates and country programs given voting rights on the ActionAid International board.
Today, ActionAid reaches 25 million people in over 40 countries worldwide.
