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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SCIAF is the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund. The Glasgow-based organisation is the official aid and international development charity of the Catholic Church in Scotland and works in over 20 countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America, to help people living in poverty in the developing world, regardless of religion.

SCIAF was set up in 1965 by the Catholic Bishops of Scotland to give practical help to the people living in poverty and to raise awareness of the causes of their poverty. In its first 40 years SCIAF raised over £65 million.

Today SCIAF supports over 90 long term aid and development projects helping people affected by conflict, hunger, HIV/AIDS, lack of healthcare and disability. SCIAF also responds to humanitarian disasters and emergencies like the south east Asian tsunami and the long running conflict in Darfur. The organisation also campaigns to address the underlying causes of global poverty and injustice such as unfair trade and debt by lobbying governments, businesses, and international organisations to bring about long term and positive change.

SCIAF is a member of Caritas Internationalis, the worldwide network of 163 Catholic aid agencies which is one of the biggest humanitarian organisations in the world. SCIAF is also a member of CIDSE (International Co-operation for Development and Solidarity) which is an alliance of 15 Catholic development organisations from Europe and North America. CIDSE members work together to tackle the root causes of poverty and injustice.

SCIAF Mission Statement

" Inspired by the Gospel call to build a just world, SCIAF challenges injustice by strengthening poor and oppressed people and by stimulating the Scottish public to share in our common struggle for human dignity."

SCIAF's vision is of a world in which all people especially the poor and oppressed have the opportunity and the means to live life, and live it to the full.

www.sciaf.org.uk

(Source: SCIAF annual report & www.sciaf.org.uk)