ABOUT GOAL

GOAL is an international humanitarian agency dedicated to the alleviation of suffering amongst the poorest of the poor. Having started life in the Monkstown kitchen of former sports reporter and current Chief Executive John O’Shea with a commitment to raise £10,000 for a feeding programme in Calcutta in 1977, GOAL has spread its operations around the globe and grown into one of the most effective humanitarian agencies working in the sector today.

GOAL works towards ensuring that the poorest and most vulnerable in our world and those affected by humanitarian crises have access to the fundamental needs and rights of life, i.e. food, water, shelter, medical attention and primary education. It is non-denominational, non-governmental and non-political.

Apart from offering practical assistance to the poor GOAL also advocates on their behalf. It tries to convince the international community to honour its obligations to the poorest of the poor and endeavour to exert as much pressure as possible on governments and other institutions with the capacity to bring about real change. This form of advocacy is a major part of the GOAL philosophy and has kept the issue of poverty in the developing world very much on the agenda for the Irish Government at national, European and international levels.

Some of the topics that GOAL has campaigned on include: Third World corruption; the international arms trade; the need for an international standing army to protect civilians in time of war; the importance of transparency and accountability in the handling of overseas aid; child trafficking; street children and the impact of HIV/AIDS. Our ultimate aim is to convince the Irish Government to become the “champions of the poor”. One notable success was that in 2003 the Irish Government diverted €10 million which had been destined for the Government of Uganda, to poverty alleviation programmes run by civil society and NGOs.

Since being established GOAL has responded to almost every major natural and man-made disaster. GOAL is currently operational in 10 countries across the developing world; Sudan, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Kenya, Niger, India and Honduras, While GOAL's priority is to bring life-saving assistance to people affected by emergencies, by providing food, healthcare and other basic requirements, it also implements rehabilitation and long term development programmes. GOAL works with local partner organisations and missionary groups that have similar objectives

Once emergency situations have been resolved, GOAL implements a wide range of rehabilitation programmes including primary healthcare, repair of homes and infrastructure, clinics, schools etc., and water and sanitation. Long term development programmes are implemented in such areas as health, nutrition, education and capacity building of indigenous humanitarian organisations.

Since its inception GOAL has sent 1,400 volunteers (GOALies) to work in the developing world and spent over $497 million on the delivery of aid to the poor. GOAL currently has 100 GOALies working in the field alongside 2,500 local staff members.

It has managed all of this on as low an administration cost base as possible and pursues a policy of total transparency and accountability and publishes annual audited accounts.

In its efforts to assist the poor, GOAL has received support from, among others, the Governments of Ireland, the UK, the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Holland, Italy, Spain and Sweden, as well as from the European Union and the United Nations. GOAL is also supported by a variety of charitable trusts and foundations in Ireland, the UK and USA, and the general public, through donations, wills and legacies and various fundraising events. GOAL has its headquarters in Dublin, Ireland, with GOAL offices also in Galway, London and New York.

GOAL receives substantial support from sports stars, many of whom are patrons of the organisation. Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash is President of GOAL UK while the former world number one tennis player, Mats Wilander, is President of GOAL USA.