All people regardless of race, gender or social status have intrinsic value and inherent dignity.
ACC International Relief Inc.
ABN: 26 077 365 434
Address: Suite 525, 44 Lakeview Dr
Scoresby VIC 3179 Australia
ACCI Relief is the aid and development arm of the Australian Christian Churches movement.
Our vision is for a world where Christian principles of justice and equality are actualised. Where individuals, families and communities are empowered to influence decisions affecting their own lives, advocate for their own rights as human beings with equal voice and equal value under the premise that all life has intrinsic value before God who created life. Where every child’s right to a family is upheld and defended.
Our Mission is to see whole life transformation in individuals, families and communities by empowering our people to love well and develop holistic and sustainable solutions to combat injustice, reverse the effects of human poverty and to engage communities as active participants in their own development.
I’m excited about leading ACCI because I believe God has graced our movement to influence the world. Our culture, leadership, structures and approach, combined with our peculiar mix of both pragmatism and idealism, is unique. And we uncompromisingly get the job done.
While the effects of the COVID restrictions has had an impact on donation revenue this year, the generosity of our church and individual donors to our Australian National Bushfire Appeal was overwhelming. Over $600,000 was received through the height of the fires in January through March 2020, with another $400,000 received though our sister organisation, ACCI Missions.
2020 was a difficult year for all our field workers, especially those working in already impoverished communities. In Vietnam, the AOG World Relief team not only helped partner communities navigate the impacts of COVID-19 but supported them through one of the worst typhoon seasons in memory. Through it all, the team kept true to its community development model – listening to those whose lives were impacted and providing a response that truly met their needs.
Removing impossible choices
Sharing a border with China meant it wasn’t long before COVID-19 cases started appearing in Vietnam. By late January 2020, Vietnam was in lockdown and daily life had dramatically changed for most people. One of the government’s earliest messages was for people to use hand sanitiser regularly and to wash their hands with soap and water, especially after they’d been in public places. Unfortunately, these items are out of reach for many Vietnamese.
In 2020, countless individuals and churches around Australia (and the world) chose to give up a day’s income to support ACCI’s 1Day campaign. In all, they gave $80,948 to relief, which was shared across work in 12 countries – including Vietnam’s typhoon response.
2020 was a year like no other for Josh and Belinda Groves, who are the founders of Sepheo, an organisation supporting marginalised young people in Lesotho. While ‘stranded’ in Australia due to COVID, they led their team through an unprecedented year, not only supporting those associated with their programs but feeding their entire village as they faced starvation due to lockdown.
Here, they share how the events of last year grew their faith, shaped their team’s leadership ability and showed them what happens when you allow God to do what only God can do…
In 2018, ACCI launched the Kinnected program in Nepal, based on the successful Kinnected Myanmar model. Initial Kinnected workshops, held by ACCI, led to the formation of an advocacy group made up of local, mostly faith-based, organisations. Called Keeping Families Together (KFT), the group has proven to be very strategic and active – meeting regularly and outworking a range of activities.
In 2011, ACCIR established the Kinnected program, becoming one of only a handful of organisations worldwide to holistically tackle orphanage deinstitutionalisation and transition children back into families. In the years since, we’ve observed many key trends in the motivations and dynamics of both institution directors and donors.
These lessons, along with many others, mean we can often anticipate just how a transition might unfold. Our work, especially in Myanmar, has also taught us how to develop the safest and most effective strategy possible for carrying out this work.
As COVID-19 tore through the globe last year, one thing quickly became apparent: many of the world’s most vulnerable countries were ill equipped to fight it.
“People living in the world’s most overcrowded slums and refugee camps couldn’t socially distance or ‘stay home’ to stop the spread,” ACCI Director Ps Alun Davies says. “Families who couldn’t afford to buy food certainly weren’t able to buy soap; many don’t even have running water. Poorly equipped health systems that were already barely coping didn’t have the capacity to respond to a pandemic…”
As COVID-19 tore through the globe last year, one thing quickly became apparent: many of the world’s most vulnerable countries were ill equipped to fight it.
“People living in the world’s most overcrowded slums and refugee camps couldn’t socially distance or ‘stay home’ to stop the spread,” ACCI Director Ps Alun Davies says. “Families who couldn’t afford to buy food certainly weren’t able to buy soap; many don’t even have running water. Poorly equipped health systems that were already barely coping didn’t have the capacity to respond to a pandemic…”
Give one day’s salary to change the lives of children, families and communities around the world. In 2019, our supporters – made up of churches, individuals and businesses – gave a total of $111, 932 through 1Day for ACCI relief projects. Thank you to everyone who gave so generously in 2019.
1Day funds were distributed to ACCIR projects across 10 countries. Some of the ways these funds helped include:
As we reflect on the past year, we are so grateful for the huge generosity of the ACC movement and the incredible hard work of churches and chaplains who have worked with us to implement initiatives. During the emergency we were able to respond immediately to needs in so many communities. After visiting affected areas, ACCI staff were able to put strategic plans in place to meet assessed needs. By outworking these plans through key projects, we have helped thousands of Australians as they rebuild and recover. Thank you to everyone who gave to this appeal!
Key Projects:
ACCI works with field workers, project teams and in-country national partners on a range of different community development activities throughout the world. In 2020, many had to pivot to respond to the needs that emerged through the COVID-19 crisis. Here are just a few ways they assisted their communities last year:
Dip (Bib), BA, GradDip (Couns),
ACCI Missions & Relief
Director, ACC Vice President,
Ordained Pastor.
BA, BA (Bib, Theo), MA, PhD
Ordained Pastor.
GradDip (Social Science), M (Com Dev and
Emerg Mgt), Ordained Pastor.
BA, DipEd, M (International Studies),
Horizon Church Ministry Director,
Ordained Pastor.
PhD and MA (International Relations),
BA (Hons) (International Affairs and Politics).
Appointed in February, 2020.
State President, ACC QLD & NT.
Appointed December, 2020
Member of ACC Victorian State Executive,
Ordained Pastor.
ACCI Relief is an ACFID member and complies with the ACFID Code of Conduct, which defines minimum standards of governance, management and accountability for non-governmental development organisations…
ACCI Relief is a signatory to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Code of Conduct for Disaster Relief. ACCI Relief aims to meet the standards for Disaster Response as set out by the Sphere Humanitarian Charter.
All ACCI Relief projects are monitored and evaluated through ACCI Relief led and partner led monitoring processes and reporting frameworks. ACCI Relief has three distinct program frameworks that correlate to the three dominant types of social change processes…
ACCI Relief recognises that listening to and responding to feedback, concerns and complaints is integral to our commitment to achieving the high standards and ensures accountability to all stakeholders. Anyone wishing to provide feedback or lodge a complaint regarding the conduct of ACCI Relief, please contact the General Manager at complaints@acci.org.au or the Director at info@accir.org.au
If you have a complaint regarding a breach of the ACFID Code of Conduct, please contact the ACFID Code of Conduct Committee at code@acfid.asn.au or on 02 6285 1816.
All ACCI Relief projects are monitored and evaluated through ACCI Relief led and partner led monitoring processes and reporting frameworks. ACCI Relief has three distinct program frameworks that correlate to the three dominant types of social change processes…
A copy of the full audited General Purpose Financial Statements for ACC International Relief Inc is available for download here.
ACCI Relief endeavours to make information about our activities readily available to donors and stakeholders.