Aid cuts worry Christian charities

Christian charities that provide international aid are facing up to further cuts to the UK’s foreign aid budget planned for 2027.

After being reduced from 0.7% to 0.5% of Gross National Income (GNI) in 2021, spending will further decrease to 0.3% of GNI in 2027 to fund increased defence spending. As such, foreign aid spending will be the lowest it has been since 1999.

Sam Perriman, Public Policy Lead for Tearfund, explained that while the Christian charity doesn’t receive a large portion of income from the UK Government, global aid cuts are affecting Tearfund’s income more broadly. He said: “Recently, more than 3,000 Tearfund supporters wrote to their MPs to stand against aid cuts, in solidarity with communities living in extreme poverty. We are also working alongside other Christian organisations to leverage influence within government and keep this area on the agenda.”

World Vision UK CEO Fola Komolafe said that the charity has been hit by both the reduction of the foreign aid budget and the recent 15% cut to the Global Fund, which she described as “a huge dent” in the UK’s contribution to ending AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.

“These cuts come at a time when World Vision is acutely aware of the growing humanitarian needs around the world – over 239 million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance (emergency food, water, shelter) and protection – and half of these are children, the most vulnerable in our communities,” Komolafe said.

The World Vision UK CEO also referenced the growing need in Sudan, where more than 5,000 children arrived at refugee camps in East and South Darfur just last month, due to the atrocities playing out in El Fasher.

Komolafe said: “We are driven by the prayer of our founder, Bob Pierce, to ‘Let my heart be broken by the things that break the heart of God,’ and are determined to stay true to our mission to continue showing up for children living in the most difficult circumstances whenever they need us the most,”