The Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland has granted Fida 20.8 million euros for development cooperation and 3.5 million euros for humanitarian assistance for the years 2026–2029.
Fida’s development cooperation programme, Towards a Brighter Future, strengthens the rights of children and young people in vulnerable situations. The programme aims to improve learning outcomes, increase wellbeing and support the economic stability of families.
It also seeks to strengthen civil society actors – such as churches and NGOs – so they can promote the rights of children and young people more effectively.
– Thanks to this funding, our long-term work for children and young people can continue at its current level in nine countries and in fragile contexts, says Fida’s Executive Director, Harri Hakola.
According to the Ministry’s assessment, the added value of Fida’s programme is particularly evident in strengthening the rights of girls, women, people with disabilities and other vulnerable groups.
The programme focuses on the least developed countries and supports, among other things, women’s and young people’s small-scale entrepreneurship. Fida also promotes digital learning.
Humanitarian funding decision a disappointment
In crisis areas, Fida’s humanitarian assistance supports food security, livelihoods and psychosocial wellbeing, and helps save lives.
Although development cooperation remains strong, humanitarian assistance funding was not granted for Ukraine, Yemen or Myanmar. Fida may, however, continue its humanitarian work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it is the only Finnish organisation receiving programme support.
– This decision was a heavy blow for us. The needs in all these countries are enormous, and we are now forced to scale back our humanitarian work significantly, Hakola says.
The work does not stop.
– We will continue, for example, to support Ukraine with private donations. Our partner, Edobro, the relief organisation of the Pentecostal Church of Ukraine, carries out vital work for people in Zaporizhzhia, close to the frontline. Every individual donation and every church that supports Ukraine is now more important than ever.
Fida has carried out development cooperation with the support of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs since 1974, and has provided humanitarian aid in crisis and disaster areas with state funding since 1984.
