What We Do

CARE tackles underlying causes of poverty so that people can become self-sufficient. Recognizing that women and children suffer disproportionately from poverty, CARE places special emphasis on working with women to create permanent social change. Women are at the heart of CARE's community-based efforts to improve basic education, increase access to quality health care and expand economic opportunity for all. CARE also delivers emergency aid to survivors of war and natural disasters, and helps people rebuild their lives in the aftermath.

CARE takes an integrated, holistic approach to our humanitarian efforts, so many of our projects in the 84 developing countries where we work encompass a number of the focus areas listed below. Please click on the program titles for more complete information on our work in each sector:

Responding to Emergencies
The fight against poverty is never more difficult than in times of crisis. Our projects and services are designed to both address immediate survival needs directly following an emergency, and to help individuals, families and communities rebuild their lives in the weeks, months and years to come.

Helping Children Get Their Education
Experience shows that learning attacks poverty at its roots. Educated people can make thoughtful and informed decisions that will positively affect their lives, their families, their communities and their world. CARE helps children go to – and stay in – school, and helps improve educate for all. We pay special attention to girls, who make up the majority of children out of school.

Safeguarding Health for Mothers and Families
A family cannot be economically healthy if it is not physically healthy. CARE has made reducing maternal mortality one of our top priorities. We work directly with women and communities, empowering them with resources and information while affecting policies to ensure that safe pregnancy and birth are a basic human right. We also train community health workers, equip local clinics, carry out education campaigns, respond to disease outbreaks – and more.

Expanding Economic Opportunity
CARE helps women and families improve their household income through increased access to financial and non-financial services, participation in village savings and loan associations, market linkages and diversified livelihoods.   

Ending Gender-Based Violence
Gender-based violence is one of the most pervasive and, yet, least-recognized human rights abuses in the world. By including gender equity in all CARE's programming, our approach addresses underlying causes of gender-based violence. We also improve legal, health and support services for survivors and advocate for laws and policies to better protect and empower women.

Helping Communities Adapt to Climate Change
CARE helps the world's most vulnerable people adapt to the effects of a changing climate with a number of programs that include sustainable farming, income diversification and resilience building.  We place special emphasis on gender equality and women's empowerment in our climate change work since women often suffer disproportionally from climate shocks.

Enhancing Water Access, Use and Management
Water is a basic human right. CARE helps communities build and maintain clean water systems and latrines. The goal of our program is to reduce the health risks of water-related diseases and to increase the earning potential of households by saving time otherwise spent gathering water. Projects also include educating people about good hygiene habits to reduce the risk of illnesses.