National and international cooperation has become a key concept in providing relief and development assistance worldwide. The capacity of individual organizations to adequately support relief and development programs is limited. This is partly due to the magnitude and complexity of catastrophes and disasters and the limited individual strength and capabilities of one organization. In order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of rendering international (financial and technical) support, increased cooperation between implementing agencies is required in the field at the grassroots level. The above however does mean that the individual organization needs to be adequately equipped to involve itself in humanitarian assistance. Every agency operating in humanitarian relief work is seen to carry a significant responsibility and must be able to carry this through. Dorcas has targeted cooperation between agencies as an important objective. This could be seen at the project level in the field, as well as at the level of donor agencies. For example, during the floods in southern Africa, the Dorcas teams have held inter-agency consultation as an utmost priority for enabling relief supplies to reach the victims. At the same time this cooperation has allowed Dorcas to establish new contacts and seen the achievements of earlier assistance, obtain funds for further relief assistance in the region.
Partnerships with international agencies like AMAA (USA) - Jubilee Action (UK) have been intensified during the last years. Dorcas Aid is negotiating and filing applications for membership of several international agencies. This will give practical input to the call for increased cooperation and consultation. European funds are available for development programs and so are funds from many other agencies. With the ever-increasing need to provide assistance in the many hotspots of the world, Dorcas Aid sees a need for continuing and even extending her mission as a Christian agency for relief and development assistance worldwide.
Cooperation with UN bodies, various European donor agencies and other partners for international assistance makes it possible to increase joint-operations and improve the impact of the Dorcas work worldwide.
Viva Network is a global movement of Christians with 81 network initiatives in 48 countries, helping 1.2 million children. It consists of organisations, church bodies and individuals committed to every child having the opportunity to become all that God intends. Viva Network helps Christians caring for children to work together in networks in order to increase their impact.
Baptist Union South Africa& Dorcas Aid have a signed MOU to work together in the field of emergency relief aid in South Africa.
Habitat For Humanity, the AFM in Lesothoand Dorcas Aid have an agreement in place to provide care for OVC in Lesotho. Habitat build the homes; through the AFM child care programme the AFM are able to provide homes for orphans & Dorcas Aid offer funding and management expertise to the programme.
