CARE International’s history in the Netherlands
In December 1993, Dutch development organizations came together to create the Disaster Relief Agency (DRA). The organization focused on helping communities across the world facing humanitarian crises and poverty.
Nearly 20 years later, in 2001, the DRA wanted to expand its work and impact through international cooperation. It merged with the CARE International Confederation, who already had decades of experience fighting poverty and inequality globally.
The merger marked the founding of CARE Netherlands. Until this day, it continues to support communities facing crises across the world.
CARE Netherlands and partners’ work today
Today, CARE Netherlands works with partners globally to fight poverty and inequality, as part of the CARE International Confederation, with a focus on women and girls.
It concentrates on four key areas:
- Making the economy work for women, and advancing their voices and leadership
Climate justice, including disaster preparedness and adaptation to climate change
Strengthening food systems and nutrition security
- Humanitarian aid
Notably, CARE Netherlands hosts the CARE Climate Justice Center (CJC) – the global team that leads the Confederation’s climate and resilience work. CARE Nederland became CJC’s coordination hub because of its successful experience with programs on adaptation and resilience to climate change impacts.
Across more than 100 CARE offices, the Climate Justice Center shares tools and technical knowledge. The CJC also advances climate justice advocacy at global, regional and national levels, and facilitates training through the CARE Climate and Resilience Academy.
What does this look like in practice?
The PRIME initiative is a key example of how CARE Netherlands helps fight poverty, with a focus on women and girls – even in highly challenging contexts.
PRIME focused on helping rural communities in Sudan improve agricultural productivity, connect to markets, and secure sustainable incomes. When the country’s civil war broke out in 2023, CARE and our partners quickly adapted the program to ensure farmers could continue producing food despite mass displacement, destroyed land, and disrupted supply chains. Through community farmer field schools, market access initiatives, and Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLA), we ensure families keep their livelihoods in the face of uncertainty.
At the heart of this programme is gender equality: more than 70% of participants are women farmers, traders, and entrepreneurs who receive training in financial management and ecological farming practices. By linking women to markets and supporting income-generating activities, CARE works closely with participants to ensure they can both feed their families and play a leading role in rebuilding their communities.
As in all of CARE’s work, partners are key to PRIME’s success. We co-designed and currently implement the program with two Sudanese organisations – Addition for Disasters assistance and Development in South Kordofan and Almanar in East Darfur. This close collaboration ensure the PRIME is rooted in local knowledge and community priorities.
Learn more about CARE Netherlands’ work here.
