International development charity Progressio has announced it is to close next year, following a period of consultation with its staff, partners, supporters and funders.
The decision was made by the organisation’s trustees on the basis that it will not be possible to secure sufficient levels of income to ensure a viable future post March 2017. Staff, partners, funders, volunteers and other stakeholders have been informed.
Progressio will as far as possible complete all project and partner commitments through to the end of March 2017. Its sub-contract to deliver the International Citizen Service (ICS) programme will pass back to the ICS contract holder VSO. A number of other projects for which funding continues beyond April 2017 may be taken on by other organisations.
Progressio’s Chair Martin McEnery said:
“The decision to close comes despite intensive fundraising efforts and many years of investing to diversify income. Unfortunately, the funding landscape has become increasingly competitive and we have been unable to replace the £2million unrestricted grant from DFID which comes to an end in December 2016.
“We have reached this decision with great sadness. We are hugely proud of all that has been achieved since the charity was formed in 1940.
“In particular we appreciate and thank all of our staff, Development Workers and volunteers, as well as all our supporters both in the UK and in-country. Their hard work and dedication have helped our partners and some of the world’s most marginalised communities achieve incredible things, empower themselves and challenge unfair power structures.
“Our uppermost thoughts now are for the people we work alongside, such as the Yemeni, Somali and Southern African women struggling to have a voice and to counter deeply entrenched abuse of their rights and violence against them. The subsistence farmers across all our country programmes in Central America, Africa and Yemen striving for sustainable livelihoods and to have a voice in decisions that affect their lives. We will do our utmost to ensure their voices continue to be heard and their struggles supported.
We leave a proud legacy and the foundations for a huge amount of good work that will now be continued by others across many countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Middle East, Asia and Africa. We will seek to ensure that as much of our legacy as possible is captured and that some of our history, achievements and learning are made available to others.”
For media enquiries please contact Fabiana Harrington, communications officer, on fabiana@progressio.org.uk or 020 7326 2001.
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