Born from radical compassion, Tearfund NZ emerged in the 1970s as part of a global Christian response to poverty and crisis. For 50 years and counting, the unwavering generosity of our supporters has fuelled life-changing and innovative work. Kiwis are making an impact by supporting children living in poverty, responding to people caught in disaster and conflict, combatting modern slavery, and creating sustainable futures. Together we’re offering vulnerable people hope and empowering them to live with dignity.
For 50 years, Tearfund has put faith into action, serving the most vulnerable people when they need it most.
A movement of radical compassion
Tearfund NZ was born out of a movement of radical compassion. In the 1960s, war and disaster displaced nearly 40 million people, creating a global humanitarian crisis. In the UK, Christians saw the suffering and refused to look away. Stirred by powerful images and heartbreaking stories, they responded—not just with words, but with action—giving generously to the Evangelical Alliance. This marked a shift in the Christian response, expanding the focus beyond salvation to meeting urgent, practical needs. Their outpouring of love became a lifeline, as funds were distributed to evangelical agencies providing critical care to those in crisis.
In 1967, Tearfund UK launched with They Can’t Eat Prayer” campaign. Photo: Tearfund UK
Determined to turn faith into action, the Evangelical Alliance launched Tearfund UK, using bold imagery and provocative messaging—like They can’t eat prayer—to challenge believers to rethink what it truly meant to bring good news to the poor. It wasn’t just about sharing faith; it was about restoring people’s dignity by addressing their physical and spiritual needs. On March 6, 1973, Tearfund UK was officially registered as a charity.
The birth of Tearfund NZ
The movement continued to grow, as New Zealand churches embraced the vision and rallied to respond to poverty and injustice, led by the Evangelical Fellowship of New Zealand. Two years later, with a $10,000 grant from Tearfund UK and the generous support of local churches, Tearfund NZ was born. The first project—funded by $2,000 from a handful of our first supporters—was the construction of a village well in Africa’s Guinea-Bissau, a small but powerful symbol of what was to come.
From these humble beginnings, Tearfund has grown into New Zealand’s leading Christian aid and development agency, now raising over $15 million annually to bring hope, dignity, and restoration to vulnerable communities in some of the world’s toughest situations. None of this would have been possible without the unwavering generosity of New Zealanders who have partnered with us every step of the way.
A united response—the Church in Action
Rather than individual churches responding to needs in isolation, Tearfund’s mission was to become the development arm of the church, allowing Christians to respond in a professional, coordinated, and impactful way. From the beginning, our approach has been to work in partnership with local church networks and Christian NGOs because we believe those closest to the need are best equipped to bring lasting solutions. This model remains at the heart of Tearfund’s work today.
In the early days, supporters helped fund small-scale community development projects and disaster responses. But in 1986, a partnership with Compassion International opened new opportunities for New Zealanders to sponsor children living in poverty. The response was overwhelming, with churches across the country eager to host sponsorship events.
Sri Lankan children are left destitute following the Asian Tsunami in 2004. Photo: Tearfund
A defining moment—the 2004 Asian Tsunami
One of the most significant turning points in Tearfund’s history came in the wake of the devastating 2004 Asian tsunami. Tearfund was the first New Zealand organisation to launch an appeal, and thanks to the outpouring of compassion from Kiwis, it became one of the largest fundraising appeals in Tearfund’s history. While then, CEO Steve Tollestrup was rallying support back home, Tearfund’s current CEO, Ian McInnes, was on the ground in Sri Lanka responding to the crisis with another NGO.
This tragic event not only mobilised an unprecedented level of generosity but also cemented Tearfund in the hearts of New Zealanders as a trusted organisation responding to global disasters. It also laid the foundation for the Integral Alliance, a global network of 21 Christian aid organisations—including Tearfund NZ—committed to working together to coordinate responses to disasters and the human cost of conflict more effectively.
Expanding impact—Modern Slavery and Farming and Enterprise
With the growing support of generous Kiwis, Tearfund expanded its work into new areas, tackling modern slavery and pioneering innovative farming and enterprise initiatives.
In 2008, Tearfund partnered with Share and Care Nepal to help stop human trafficking. Photo: Tearfund
Tackling human trafficking
Tearfund first stepped up to tackle human trafficking in the early 2000s, partnering with International Justice Mission (IJM). In 2008, we deepened our grassroots efforts by partnering with Share and Care in Nepal. At the time, thousands of women and children were being trafficked across the border into India, but in the communities where our partner rolled out its modern slavery prevention strategy, trafficking rates dropped dramatically.
Then, an opportunity arose to support Nvader (now LIFT International), a New Zealand-based organisation founded in 2009 by a former detective working with IJM. LIFT has pioneered an intelligence-led approach to human trafficking, supporting law enforcement to dismantle trafficking networks at their source, secure convictions, and advocate for stronger legal protections.
More recently, Tearfund has expanded its anti-trafficking efforts into the Pacific, tackling the root causes of exploitation. By supporting farming and enterprise initiatives in our SAFE Programme, we are also helping families build sustainable livelihoods, which reduces their vulnerability to trafficking.
Following the prolonged civil war, Tearfund and our supporters helped war-affected farmers to build a thriving dairy industry in Sri Lanka. Photo: Tearfund
Transforming lives through farming and enterprise
For many struggling communities, farming is the most effective way to earn a living. But smallholder farmers often lack access to the resources needed to succeed. With support from Kiwis, Tearfund has pioneered innovative solutions that have helped families move from subsistence to prosperity.
One of the most transformational farming projects has been our dairy initiative in Sri Lanka. After the country’s brutal 26-year civil war ended in 2009, many farmers returned to find their land destroyed and their livestock gone. With expertise from New Zealand’s dairy industry, Tearfund worked alongside Sri Lankan smallholder farmers to rebuild—providing training, improving livestock genetics, and establishing a cool-chain system to preserve milk quality. Thanks to this support, dairy farmers have seen their incomes and milk production grow exponentially, transforming not just their families, but entire communities.
Tearfund has also been a champion of microfinance, using an approach pioneered by well-known Kiwi entrepreneur, David Bussau. Thanks to the generosity of New Zealanders, countless entrepreneurs in marginalised communities have started small businesses through fair-interest loans. Over time, Tearfund adopted the Self-Help Groups model, where communities work together to save and lend money, empowering individuals to build sustainable futures. Self-Help Groups are also part of many of our farming programmes to help farmers develop their agricultural businesses.
Looking to the future
For 50 years, Tearfund’s journey has been shaped by a deep reliance on God, the mission of justice, and the unwavering generosity of our supporters. Every child sponsored, every time our partners have been there for those in need, and every life restored, has been made possible by churches and individuals across New Zealand, who have chosen to take action against poverty and injustice.
As we look ahead to the next 50 years, we want to say a heartfelt thank you to every supporter who has stood with us. Your generosity has impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Together, we will continue to bring hope, dignity, and transformation to vulnerable communities.
The work isn’t finished—but with your support, we can go further.