GOAL (organization)

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GOAL is an international non-governmental organization headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, that engages in humanitarian and development activities. It is non-denominational and aims to work with the poorest of the poor. GOAL is comprised of three charities that raise funds to support GOAL's activities worldwide. These are GOAL Ireland, GOAL UK and GOAL USA Fund, with GOAL Ireland taking the lead co-ordination role from its headquarters in Dublin. It was founded in 1977 by its current CEO and former sports journalist, John O'Shea.

GOAL implements humanitarian and development programmes in a number of countries, including Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Sierra Leone in Africa, India and Sri Lanka in Asia and Honduras in Latin America. It has responded to almost every major natural and man-made disaster and catastrophe in the since it was established. It has done all this while maintaining possibly the lowest cost base of any established charity, which can be verified by its annually audited accounts. Volunteers (numbering in excess of 1000) and local staff (in excess of 2000) bring food, water, shelter, medicine and education to those affected by humanitarian crises, including man-made and natural disasters.

By putting pressure on world governments and other international institutions, GOAL has kept the issue of poverty in the developing world on the agenda for decades.

Long-term development activities also feature in the work of GOAL. These are seen as essential follow-ups to emergency responses. Activities include provision of long-term health-care, nutrition, education and support for compatible indigenous humanitarian organisations.

Support for GOAL comes from the Governments of Ireland, the UK, the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain and Sweden, as well as from the European Union, the United Nations, charitable trusts and foundations in many countries, and from many individuals. Sporting celebrities are major supporters of GOAL, due to ties with its founder, with some being prominent patrons of GOAL in several countries.