Mercy Corps
Encyclopedia
Mercy Corps is a global aid
agency engaged in transitional environments that have experienced some sort of shock: natural disaster
, economic collapse
, or conflict
. People working for it move as quickly as possible from bringing in food and supplies to enabling people to rebuild their economy with community-driven and market-led programs. To lay the groundwork for longer-term recovery, Mercy Corps focuses on connecting to both government and business for the changes they would like to see. "We actually focus on access to financial services as the critical element for helping to move people out of poverty", Nancy Lindborg, Mercy Corps President.
Mercy Corps serves an area for extended periods of time to foster local entrepreneurship, rebuild social capital, and stimulate markets through "cash for work" programs and a variety of lending models. Mercy Corps, in the last 14 years, has founded 12 different finance institutions. Since 1979, Mercy Corps has provided more than US$1.95 billion in assistance to people in 107 nations. Supported by headquarters offices in North America
and Europe
, the agency's unified global programs employ 3,700 staff worldwide and reach nearly 16.7 million people in more than 40 countries.
n refugees fleeing the famine
, war
and genocide
of the Killing Fields. By 1982, the organization had expanded its work to other countries, was joined by Ellsworth Culver (Mercy Corps co-founder), and was renamed Mercy Corps International to reflect its broader mission. After a shift from simply providing relief assistance to focusing on long-term solutions to hunger and poverty, Mercy Corps' first development project began in Honduras
in 1982.
, Mercy Corps' global headquarters are now located in the Old Town neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, at 45 SW Ankeny St. 97204. Opened October 9, 2009, the building houses the agency's headquarters offices, The Mercy Corps Action Center (a companion center to The Action Center to End World Hunger opened, October 2009 in Manhattan), Mercy Corps Northwest and The Lemelson Foundation.
Mercy Corps also has a European Headquarters at 40 Sciennes, Edinburgh, Scotland EH9 1NJ. In 1996 Mercy Corps merged with Scottish European Aid and formed an organisation registered as Mercy Corps Scotland in 2000.
, or unfortunate circumstances. The loan program provides financing to entrepreneurs with solid business proposals and assists them to craft business plans and establish a matched savings account. Mercy Corps Northwest acts as a small business incubator and mentors new business owners through the start-up phase. MCNW also lends to existing businesses that create jobs for low-income people.
around the world.
Mercy Corps bank affiliates and area of operation:
, Alta Verapaz
, with three sub-offices in Tucurú
, Alta Verapaz, Nebaj
, Quiche, and Guatemala City
.
basin forest, Mercy Corps introduced a fuel-efficient stove that requires less firewood. The stoves made from local clay, sand, and brick consume less than half the wood of traditional cooking fires. Mercy Corps teaches women how to make briquettes from manure
and refuse which burn cleaner than charcoal. Local production of stoves and briquettes provides a way for women to make additional income and reduces the number of trips outside of the relative safety of the village. Reduction of carbon emissions through the use of the high-efficiency stoves has generated $160,000 worth of credits in the carbon market. Mercy Corps reinvests the proceeds in the education of Congolese women.
, and in Chagang and North Pyongan provinces to visit families, monitor distribution and assess impact.
in 2008, Mercy Corps arranged the shipment of emergency aid with the help of donations from DHL
and Chevron Corporation
. Government resistance to foreign aid kept supplies and relief workers confined to Rangoon. Mercy Corps affiliated itself with Merlin, a British medical aid group which had a memorandum of understanding
with the government. Global aid agencies in the region rely on Burmese staff who are more able to move around obstacles created by the authoritarian regime. Mercy Corps implemented "cash for work" programs paying residents to clean up flood-damaged villages and replant rice paddies.
's "Four-Star" charity rating (out of four possible stars).
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, Mercy Corps' income was US$205 million. US$81 million (40%) was from government grants. US$63 million (31%) was from in-kind donations ("material aid") in the form of food, medical, linens, and other supplies and services. Mercy Corps' expenses were US$191 million, which was spent primarily on the program but includes salaries and other compensation for 3,200 paid staff. Mercy Corps' total assets in 2006 were over US$98 million.
(NGO). Neal Keny-Guyer is the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Mercy Corps incorporated the Conflict Management Group founded by Roger Fisher in 2004. In 2007, Mercy Corps incorporated NetAid
to expand its ongoing efforts to engage youth.
Mercy Corps was also one of the first members of the IT nonprofit NetHope
.
Aid
In international relations, aid is a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another, given at least partly with the objective of benefiting the recipient country....
agency engaged in transitional environments that have experienced some sort of shock: natural disaster
Natural disaster
A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard . It leads to financial, environmental or human losses...
, economic collapse
Economic collapse
There is no precise definition of an economic collapse. While some might consider a a severe, prolonged depression with high bankruptcy rates and high unemployment an economic collapse, others would additionally look for a breakdown in normal commerce, such as hyperinfalation, or even a sharp...
, or conflict
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
. People working for it move as quickly as possible from bringing in food and supplies to enabling people to rebuild their economy with community-driven and market-led programs. To lay the groundwork for longer-term recovery, Mercy Corps focuses on connecting to both government and business for the changes they would like to see. "We actually focus on access to financial services as the critical element for helping to move people out of poverty", Nancy Lindborg, Mercy Corps President.
Mercy Corps serves an area for extended periods of time to foster local entrepreneurship, rebuild social capital, and stimulate markets through "cash for work" programs and a variety of lending models. Mercy Corps, in the last 14 years, has founded 12 different finance institutions. Since 1979, Mercy Corps has provided more than US$1.95 billion in assistance to people in 107 nations. Supported by headquarters offices in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, the agency's unified global programs employ 3,700 staff worldwide and reach nearly 16.7 million people in more than 40 countries.
History
The organization was founded in 1979 as Save the Refugees Fund, a task-force organized by Dan O'Neill in response to the plight of CambodiaCambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n refugees fleeing the famine
Famine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
, war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
and genocide
Genocide
Genocide is defined as "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group", though what constitutes enough of a "part" to qualify as genocide has been subject to much debate by legal scholars...
of the Killing Fields. By 1982, the organization had expanded its work to other countries, was joined by Ellsworth Culver (Mercy Corps co-founder), and was renamed Mercy Corps International to reflect its broader mission. After a shift from simply providing relief assistance to focusing on long-term solutions to hunger and poverty, Mercy Corps' first development project began in Honduras
Honduras
Honduras is a republic in Central America. It was previously known as Spanish Honduras to differentiate it from British Honduras, which became the modern-day state of Belize...
in 1982.
, Mercy Corps' global headquarters are now located in the Old Town neighborhood of Portland, Oregon, at 45 SW Ankeny St. 97204. Opened October 9, 2009, the building houses the agency's headquarters offices, The Mercy Corps Action Center (a companion center to The Action Center to End World Hunger opened, October 2009 in Manhattan), Mercy Corps Northwest and The Lemelson Foundation.
Mercy Corps also has a European Headquarters at 40 Sciennes, Edinburgh, Scotland EH9 1NJ. In 1996 Mercy Corps merged with Scottish European Aid and formed an organisation registered as Mercy Corps Scotland in 2000.
Activities
Mercy Corps Northwest
The U.S. economic development office of Mercy Corps assists low-income individuals in Oregon and Washington who have difficulty receiving loans due to credit history, lack of collateralCollateral (finance)
In lending agreements, collateral is a borrower's pledge of specific property to a lender, to secure repayment of a loan.The collateral serves as protection for a lender against a borrower's default - that is, any borrower failing to pay the principal and interest under the terms of a loan obligation...
, or unfortunate circumstances. The loan program provides financing to entrepreneurs with solid business proposals and assists them to craft business plans and establish a matched savings account. Mercy Corps Northwest acts as a small business incubator and mentors new business owners through the start-up phase. MCNW also lends to existing businesses that create jobs for low-income people.
Fostering microfinance
Partnering with banks and founding banking institutions, Mercy Corps facilitates microfinanceMicrofinance
Microfinance is the provision of financial services to low-income clients or solidarity lending groups including consumers and the self-employed, who traditionally lack access to banking and related services....
around the world.
Mercy Corps bank affiliates and area of operation:
- XacBank, MongoliaMongoliaMongolia is a landlocked country in East and Central Asia. It is bordered by Russia to the north and China to the south, east and west. Although Mongolia does not share a border with Kazakhstan, its western-most point is only from Kazakhstan's eastern tip. Ulan Bator, the capital and largest...
- Partner (Partner Microcredit Organization), Bosnia and HerzegovinaHerzegovinaHerzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
- IMON International, TajikistanTajikistanTajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
- Kompanion Financial Group LLC, KyrgyzstanKyrgyzstanKyrgyzstan , officially the Kyrgyz Republic is one of the world's six independent Turkic states . Located in Central Asia, landlocked and mountainous, Kyrgyzstan is bordered by Kazakhstan to the north, Uzbekistan to the west, Tajikistan to the southwest and China to the east...
- ACF (Asian Credit Fund), KazakhstanKazakhstanKazakhstan , officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country in Central Asia and Eastern Europe. Ranked as the ninth largest country in the world, it is also the world's largest landlocked country; its territory of is greater than Western Europe...
- AFS (Ariana Financial Services Group), KabulKabulKabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
- AfK (Agency for Finance), KosovoKosovoKosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
- CFPA (Chinese Foundation for Poverty Alleviation), ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
- MICRA (Microfinance Innovation Centre for Resources and Alternatives), IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
- MAXIS (Maximizing Financial Access and Innovation at Scale) IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
and the PhilippinesPhilippinesThe Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam... - Bank Andara, IndonesiaIndonesiaIndonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
- PATRA (Poverty Alleviation in the Tumen River Area), ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
- Borshud, TajikistanTajikistanTajikistan , officially the Republic of Tajikistan , is a mountainous landlocked country in Central Asia. Afghanistan borders it to the south, Uzbekistan to the west, Kyrgyzstan to the north, and China to the east....
- CHAM (Community Health and Microcredit), GuatemalaGuatemalaGuatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
Guatemala
Operations began in 2001 with a mother and child program at a health center. Mercy Corps expanded its work to mediating land conflicts. Nuevo Amanacer is one of several communities where Mercy Corps works to resolve disagreements over land and connect small-scale farmers to retail markets. The Inclusive Market Alliance for Rural Entrepreneurs was established by Mercy Corps, USAID, Walmart and Fundacion AGIL. The Alliance assists farmers to enlarge from subsistence farming to demand-driven production to supply major retailers like Walmart in Central America. The Guatemala program operates out of CobánCobán
The city of Cobán is the capital of the department of Alta Verapaz in central Guatemala. It also serves as the administrative center for the surrounding Cobán municipality. It is located 219 km from Guatemala City....
, Alta Verapaz
Alta Verapaz
Alta Verapaz is a department in the north central part of Guatemala. The capital and chief city of the department is Cobán. Verapaz is bordered to the north by El Petén, to the east by Izabal, to the south by Zacapa, El Progreso, and Baja Verapaz, and to the west by El Quiché.Also in Alta Verapaz...
, with three sub-offices in Tucurú
Tucurú
Tucurú is a municipality in the Guatemalan department of Alta Verapaz....
, Alta Verapaz, Nebaj
Nebaj
Nebaj is an archaeological site of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization, located in the western Guatemala highlands....
, Quiche, and Guatemala City
Guatemala City
Guatemala City , is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Guatemala and Central America...
.
Democratic Republic of Congo
To reduce violence against Congolese women vulnerable to abuse and rape when they go out collecting firewood and to alleviate deforestation of the Congo RiverCongo River
The Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
basin forest, Mercy Corps introduced a fuel-efficient stove that requires less firewood. The stoves made from local clay, sand, and brick consume less than half the wood of traditional cooking fires. Mercy Corps teaches women how to make briquettes from manure
Manure
Manure is organic matter used as organic fertilizer in agriculture. Manures contribute to the fertility of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients, such as nitrogen, that are trapped by bacteria in the soil...
and refuse which burn cleaner than charcoal. Local production of stoves and briquettes provides a way for women to make additional income and reduces the number of trips outside of the relative safety of the village. Reduction of carbon emissions through the use of the high-efficiency stoves has generated $160,000 worth of credits in the carbon market. Mercy Corps reinvests the proceeds in the education of Congolese women.
North Korea
In response to the food crisis of the mid-nineties and at the request of the North Koreans, Mercy Corps began work in 1996. Mercy Corps has moved from food assistance to working on long-term agricultural and economic solutions: apple trees and fish farms and cross-cultural exchange. The effort involves aid workers living in PyongyangPyongyang
Pyongyang is the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the largest city in the country. Pyongyang is located on the Taedong River and, according to preliminary results from the 2008 population census, has a population of 3,255,388. The city was...
, and in Chagang and North Pyongan provinces to visit families, monitor distribution and assess impact.
Burma
After Cyclone NargisCyclone Nargis
Cyclone Nargis , was a strong tropical cyclone that caused the worst natural disaster in the recorded history of Burma. The cyclone made landfall in Burma on Friday, May 2, 2008, causing catastrophic destruction and at least 138,000 fatalities...
in 2008, Mercy Corps arranged the shipment of emergency aid with the help of donations from DHL
DHL
DHL Express is a division of the German logistics company Deutsche Post providing international express mail services. DHL is a world market leader in sea and air mail....
and Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
. Government resistance to foreign aid kept supplies and relief workers confined to Rangoon. Mercy Corps affiliated itself with Merlin, a British medical aid group which had a memorandum of understanding
Memorandum of understanding
A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
with the government. Global aid agencies in the region rely on Burmese staff who are more able to move around obstacles created by the authoritarian regime. Mercy Corps implemented "cash for work" programs paying residents to clean up flood-damaged villages and replant rice paddies.
Finances
The agency's efficiency has helped Mercy Corps to achieve Charity NavigatorCharity Navigator
Charity Navigator is an independent, non-profit organization that evaluates American charities. Its stated goal is "to advance a more efficient and responsive philanthropic marketplace by evaluating the financial health of America's largest charities."-About:...
's "Four-Star" charity rating (out of four possible stars).
For the fiscal year ending June 30, 2006, Mercy Corps' income was US$205 million. US$81 million (40%) was from government grants. US$63 million (31%) was from in-kind donations ("material aid") in the form of food, medical, linens, and other supplies and services. Mercy Corps' expenses were US$191 million, which was spent primarily on the program but includes salaries and other compensation for 3,200 paid staff. Mercy Corps' total assets in 2006 were over US$98 million.
Organization, mergers
Mercy Corps is a non-governmental organizationNon-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
(NGO). Neal Keny-Guyer is the current Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
Mercy Corps incorporated the Conflict Management Group founded by Roger Fisher in 2004. In 2007, Mercy Corps incorporated NetAid
NetAid
NetAid is an anti-poverty initiative. It started as a joint venture between the United Nations Development Programme and Cisco Systems. It became an independent nonprofit organization in 2001. In 2007, NetAid became a part of Mercy Corps...
to expand its ongoing efforts to engage youth.
Mercy Corps was also one of the first members of the IT nonprofit NetHope
NetHope
NetHope, Inc., founded in 2001, is a consortium of 32 international non-governmental organizations that specializes inimproving IT connectivity among humanitarian organizations in developing countries and areas affected by disaster. The organization has partnerships with Microsoft, Cisco Systems,...
.
Awards and distinctions
Awards and distinctions include:- The Sitara-i-Eisaar (Star of Sacrifice) award, presented by the President of Pakistan, General Pervez MusharrafPervez MusharrafPervez Musharraf , is a retired four-star general who served as the 13th Chief of Army Staff and tenth President of Pakistan as well as tenth Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee. Musharraf headed and led an administrative military government from October 1999 till August 2007. He ruled...
, in recognition of Mercy Corps' relief efforts following the 2005 Kashmir earthquake2005 Kashmir earthquakeThe 2005 Kashmir earthquake was a major earthquake centered in Pakistan-administered Kashmir known as Azad Kashmir, near the city of Muzaffarabad, affecting Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. It occurred at 08:52:37 Pakistan Standard Time on 8 October 2005...
.; - The Friendship Medal, presented posthumously to Mercy Corps co-founder Ellsworth Culver, by North KoreaNorth KoreaThe Democratic People’s Republic of Korea , , is a country in East Asia, occupying the northern half of the Korean Peninsula. Its capital and largest city is Pyongyang. The Korean Demilitarized Zone serves as the buffer zone between North Korea and South Korea...
n Ambassador Han Song Ryol - the first time that medal was presented to an American.; - The 2003 Kahlil Gibran Spirit of Humanity Award, presented by the Arab American InstituteArab American InstituteFounded in 1985, the Arab American Institute is a non-profit membership organization based in Washington D.C. that focuses on the issues and interests of Arab-Americans nationwide. James Zogby, brother of pollster John Zogby, is founder and president of the AAI....
Foundation for long-term efforts to help families living in the Arab world. - In 2008 Mercy Corps got "Appreciating A Global Partnership in Rebuilding Aceh-Nias" and "Sharing the Lesson" from President of the Republic of Indonesia Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono