The ACT Alliance is the world’s largest network of protestant and orthodox churches and agencies working on humanitarian, sustainable development and advocacy issues. ACT Alliance is a coalition of 145 churches and church-related organisations working together in over 125 countries to create positive and sustainable change in the lives of poor and marginalised people regardless of their religion, politics, gender, sexual orientation, race or nationality in keeping with the highest international codes and standards. 73% of its member organisations are based in the global south.

ACT Alliance is deeply rooted in the communities it serves. Earning the trust and respect of local people long before large international interventions scale up, and remains steadfast in its grassroots commitments for many years after world attention has shifted elsewhere

Faith Affiliation: Christian

ACT’s core beliefs and values of all ACT members are grounded in its Christian faith and guide its humanitarian, development and advocacy work. These values include:

  • All people are created in the image of God;
  • God, as known through Jesus Christ, is the God of love who stands beside the poor and oppressed;
  • The Church is called to manifest God’s love for all people;
  • The earth and all it contains are God’s gifts, to be protected and restored; and
  • The resources available to us are a gift from God, and we must steward them wiselyFrom these values come ACT’s working methodologies including:
  • respecting the rights and dignity of every woman, man, boy and girl;
  • responding to human suffering based on need rather than race, gender, belief, nationality, ethnicity, or political persuasion; • working with communities to determine priorities, approaches and mechanisms for response;
  • standing alongside those suffering from oppression;
  • building relationships to strengthen effectiveness and avoid duplication through its members’ cooperation

Mission:

As churches and church-related organisations, ACT Alliance works together for positive and sustainable change in the lives of people affected by poverty and injustice through coordinated and effective humanitarian, development and advocacy work.

Vision: United in common task of all Christians to manifest God’s unconditional love for all people, the ACT Alliance works towards a world community where all God’s creation lives with dignity, justice, peace and full respect for human rights and the environment.

Humanitarian Standards: Adheres to the SPHERE guidelines as well as people and system-centered advocacy

Key SDGs addressed: ACT Alliance and its members are committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs. ACT programs contribute to:

  • SDG 1 – No Poverty
  • SDG 2 – Zero Hunger
  • SDG 4 – Education
  • SDG 5 – Gender Equality
  • SDG 8 – Decent Work
  • SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities
  • SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • SDG 13 – Climate Action
  • SDG 16 – Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  •  SDG 17 – Global Partnerships

Irene Botha farms corn in Chigumba, a village in northern Malawi which has been hit hard by drought and hunger. The ACT Alliance is helping residents of this community discover new ways to grow more food. Thus achieving food security for their families.

 

Photo credit: Valter Muniz/ACT
Church leaders and activists gathered at COP22 in Marrakech, Morocco, declaring that they were “Hungry for Action” on climate change as part of the ACT’s ACT Now for Climate Justice campaign.

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