The Edmund Rice Foundation (Australia) is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing access to quality education and lifelong learning opportunities globally and within Australia. Established as the successor to the Christian Brothers’ Foundation for Charitable Works, the Foundation operates with a vision to empower marginalized and disadvantaged communities through sustainable, community-based education programs.

Mission and Vision

The Foundation’s core mission is to address systemic barriers to education and equality, recognizing education as a pivotal tool for alleviating poverty and enabling communities to shape their own futures. It emphasizes relationships built on integrity, transparency, and trust, standing in solidarity with those living in poverty to promote human development and human rights.

Programs and Geographic Focus

The Edmund Rice Foundation supports a range of education-related initiatives both internationally and domestically. Internationally, it works in countries including Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines. These programs often go beyond traditional schooling to include adult education and skills development in areas such as financial literacy, farming, trades, health, and human rights.

Within Australia, the Foundation supports programs targeting socially and financially disadvantaged children, youth, and families, with a particular focus on Indigenous Australians, refugees, and asylum seekers.

Example Initiatives

• Timor Leste: The Foundation supports education projects such as the Timor Leste Education Project and the Vanilla Growing Project in Railaco. These initiatives aim to develop teacher training, literacy, and digital literacy, exemplified by partnerships that provide facilities like computer labs for local communities.

Approach and Governance

The Edmund Rice Foundation employs best-practice development frameworks and comprehensive policies to ensure ethical and effective aid delivery. Its governance is characterized by transparency and accountability, with established complaint and incident reporting mechanisms and partner engagement tools to uphold standards.

Overall, the Edmund Rice Foundation (Australia) operates as a trusted partner in international development, leveraging education to foster sustainable change, reduce poverty, and promote equality worldwide and at home.

[1] https://erf.org.au [2] https://erf.org.au/about/ [3] https://www.acnc.gov.au/charity/charities/439dd295-38af-e811-a961-000d3ad24182/documents/356552bc-4c02-ed11-82e6-000d3ad1769c [4] https://www.gg.org.au/charity/28153110055/edmund-rice-foundation-australia/grants-and-donations-made-for-use-in-australia/revenue-from-investments/total-current-assets/revenue-from-investments/revenue-from-donations-and-bequests/ [5] https://www.edmundrice.org/erf