What We Do

We work in over 20 countries across Asia, Africa and Latin America, to help some of the poorest people in the world, regardless of religion, to work their way out of poverty.

Today SCIAF supports over 80 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 like the south east Asian tsunami and the long running conflict in Darfur with emergency provisions and long term support.

At home SCIAF 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. We work closely with schools and young people across Scotland to educate the ‘decision makers of the future’ and give them opportunities to get involved.

SCIAF was set up in 1965 by the Catholic Bishops of Scotland to give practical help to the world’s poorest people and to raise awareness of the causes of their poverty. In its first 40 years SCIAF raised over £65 million thanks to the generosity of many thousands of Scottish supporters.

On SCIAF’s 40th anniversary in October 2005, Prime Minister Gordon Brown paid this tribute:

“From small beginnings in 1965 in a small school classroom in Rutherglen… with funds of just £8,000…SCIAF has grown into Scotland's leading international aid charity.”

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. It includes SCIAF, CAFOD and Trocaire in the UK and Ireland.

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.