The alliance brings together ACT International, which has been working in emergency relief since 1995, and ACT Development, a grouping of agencies formed in 2007 to work on long-term development.
ACT Alliance General Secretary John Nduna said: “The membership of the ACT Alliance is wide, in every part of the world. Almost everywhere we have churches, we have ACT.
“We are big and we make an impact on the lives of the poorest in societies around the world.”
The alliance was announced in Australia by its Australian members: Act for Peace, the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia; AngliCORD, an overseas relief and development agency of the Anglican Church of Australia; and Australian Lutheran World Service, the overseas aid agency of the Lutheran Church of Australia.
Alistair Gee, Executive Director of Act for Peace, said: “This unique alliance will allow us as Australian aid agencies to make a more focused and efficient response to emergencies when they occur. This launch heralds a new era of collaboration, partnership and dedicated action in support of the world’s most marginalised and poor people.”
AngliCORD CEO Misha Coleman said: “Through this alliance we will respond to emergencies more quickly, at lower cost, and in a more coordinated way than ever before. As Australian agencies we are proud to be at the heart of one of the world’s largest aid alliances.”
Australian Lutheran World Service Executive Secretary, Peter Schirmer, added: “The ACT Alliance represents a commitment by churches and church-based agencies to ‘get their act together’ in responding to disasters and fighting against the scourge of global poverty. The Australian and NZ ACT partners will play an active role in the alliance, as well as being able to benefit from their participation in it.”
Supported by its Australian members, ACT Alliance has been at the forefront of life-restoring work in Haiti since the massive earthquake hit Port-au-Prince on 12 January this year.
On that day, nine ACT organisations were operating in Haiti and were able to swing into relief efforts immediately. Act for Peace, AngliCORD and Australian Lutheran World Service have all provided financial support for the work of their ACT partners in Haiti.
Act for Peace, AngliCORD and Australian Lutheran World Service already support vital life-saving and life changing work in numerous countries around the world and with the creation of the ACT Alliance, can achieve even more by working with other ACT members.
Media contacts:
Edwyn Shiell, Act for Peace Campaigns & Communication Coordinator (NCCA). Tel: (02) 8259 0828. Mobile: 0458 303 515. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Leigh Arnold, AngliCORD Communications Manager. Tel: (03) 9495 6100. Mobile: 0421 035 611. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Jonathan Krause, ALWS Communications Manager. Tel: 1300 763 407. Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
