Tearfund is a Christian aid organisation formed in 1968 by George Hoffman of The Evangelical Alliance Relief (TEAR) Fund and arose in response to the terrible famine in Biafra. The organisation received early support from the singer Cliff Richard who performed two fund raising concerts at the Royal Albert Hall in 1969. He later became vice president and president helping to raise the profile of this vital work. Tearfund is a relief and development agency that works in over 50 countries and is part of the Micah network and disasters emergency committee. Tearfund first sent staff overseas when nurses went to flood stricken Bangladesh working in hospitals clinics and feeding camps.
In the early 1970’s regular monthly giving of £5 was developed to enable supporters to sponsor an individual child to provide each with food, healthcare and education. Later in the decade a youth and student programme was launched to inspire young people into discipleship and Tearcraft was set up to help provide employment for many skilled workers, the goods were then sold in the U.K. In the 1980’s Tearfund set up its own medical team to work in the refugee camps in Somalia and to provide help to the 10 million people who were starving in Ethiopia, the famine which inspired the Live aid concerts across the western world in 1985. It was felt that a change of approach was needed, aimed at longer term support to enable those countries to support themselves in areas such as agriculture to help prevent famine and so a giving programme for long term support and development was initiated. The phrase "hand up rather than hand out" was coined to reflect this change of emphasis toward prevention of disaster and encouraging greater independence.
In the 1990’s Tearfund worked in areas of civil unrest in the Balkans Rwanda, and Sierra Leone and in 1993 celebrated its 25th anniversary with an award winning edition of Songs of praise. In 1994 Tearfund launched a massive appeal and relief response following the Rwandan genocide. Tearfund have always been active in political advocacy and were at the forefront of bringing to the attention of government the problems created by third world debt through being a founder member of the jubilee 2000 movement. In 1998 Hurricane Mitch devastates Central America and Tearfund joins the disaster emergency committee of relief agencies to appeal for funds. In the 2000’s severe floods were seen in many African countries including South Africa as War interrupts the drought in Afghanistan and brutal conflict erupts in Darfur. Tsunamis strike 13 countries in Asia whilst a devastating earthquake in Haiti reflect the increasing effects of climate change. Tearfund worked in each of these areas
Tearfund became leading members of the 'Make poverty history' coalition and work to see the UK Church mobilised as never before to speak against injustice whether it is a food crisis, civil war or political oppression. Tearfund are well respected as having a wealth of experience and Professional expertise in development and disaster response advising on risk reduction and giving practical advice. They are signatories to the Red Cross code of conduct and humanitarian accountability partnership. The central ethos of Tearfund states that Gods love is for everybody and seeks to promote kingdom values of love, hope and transformation through practical action.