Relief and International Development

Working with vulnerable people across three continents, we help to break the vicious cycle of poverty by resourcing local communities to create lasting change.

Churches of Christ Overseas Aid (COCOA) is the humanitarian relief and international development program of Global Mission Partners, operating in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. We’re an international aid organisation working with local communities and organisations on the ground to provide everything from education and healthcare to hygiene and livelihood initiatives, we strive to make sure our local partners are equipped to be incredible agents of change in their communities.

The goal of our global development projects is to support disadvantaged communities as they work towards their international development aspirations, whether that be:

  • clean water,
  • education,
  • disaster risk reduction,
  • productive livelihoods,
  • healthcare, or
  • another objective.

We partner with local civil society organisations to direct support towards the most vulnerable—those who have been marginalised, economically disadvantaged, or disempowered politically.

Through COCOA, we want to empower and enable people to change their own situations with dignity and respect. All of our projects through this program are designed to help people living in poverty take ownership of the international development work and create lasting change in their communities.

COCOA has tax deductibility as a Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) registered charity with the ATO. Gifts to COCOA greater than $2 are tax deductible.

COCOA is a member of the ACT Alliance, a global alliance of church-based agencies working in advocacy, international development and humanitarian aid work for a fairer world for all. In situations where COCOA does not have a partner that can respond to a humanitarian crisis, we will often work through ACT Alliance.

Global Mission Partners is also accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Australian Government, giving us access to funding streams like the Australian Non-Government Organisation Cooperation Program.

Relief and Development News

A Mother of Many

Lilian stood in line with many other women at Khayelihle Children’s Village (KCV), Zimbabwe. They were all applying to be a Housemother. As the last one interviewed that day, Lillian didn’t have high hopes of getting the job. When selected for…

A Safer World For All

Australia is one of the safest, healthiest, and historically one of the most generous countries in the world.  Yet, our aid contribution is only 0.65% of the federal budget. International aid is now almost half what it was under Prime…