Church agencies form one of the world's largest humanitarian organizations

EUROPE/SWITZERLAND - Over 100 Church development organizations unite in an important humanitarian alliance
Geneva (Agenzia Fides) – The ACT Alliance, which unites more than 100 organizations supported by the Church for assistance in worldwide development, was formally launched on March 24 with celebrations in Geneva and around the world. The new ACT Alliance is one of the world's largest humanitarian organizations, engaged in 125 countries with a budget of 1.5 billion U.S. dollars. It deals with the ability to provide emergency food, housing, water, and sanitation services, as well as programs to reduce poverty in poorer countries. This new institution is the merger of ACT International, a network of assistance for natural disasters, and its sister organization, ACT Development. Through ACT, the followers of the churches around the world have been at the forefront in Haiti since January 12, the day of the earthquake that destroyed the island. Six weeks later, it assisted the survivors of the earthquake that hit Chile. The organization is committed to the poorest of the world, fighting for humanitarian causes, against suffering and injustice. ACT members are organizations involved in the community for some time. At the inauguration in Geneva, the Secretary General of the ACT Alliance said that the establishment of this organization provides an opportunity to better connect emergency humanitarian assistance and sustainable development. "When the emergency has passed and the funds are gone, the churches continue to be present," said the Secretary-General. (AP) (Agenzia Fides 25/3/2010)