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Testimonials

Testimonials

Here are testimonials from the many friends and supporters of Concern Worldwide across the globe.

President Michael D. Higgins during his visit to the Concern office in Gambella, Ethiopia.  Photo: Fennells Photography
President Michael D. Higgins with Concern's team in Gambella, Ethiopia. Photo: Fennells Photography.
Mary Robinson with healthworker Nadhifa Ibrahim Mohamed. She has worked in Dollow Health Centre  for 3 years and is a certified midwife, Dollow, Somalia. The Somali district of Dollow is situated on the Somali / Ethiopian border.  Dollow town, the district capital, is the border crossing point and is contiguous with Dollow Ado on the Ethiopian side. Dollow is a key transit point between Somalia and Ethiopia in the current crisis with over 1,700  crossing between the two countries on a daily basis. To date 7
Mary Robinson with Nadhifa Ibrahim Mohamed in Ethiopia. Photo: Jennifer Nolan / Concern Worldwide.
President McAleese acknowledges Concern's 40 years service to the poor....President McAleese, welcomed almost 200 staff members-past and present, fundraisers and supporters from all over Ireland this Wednesday to mark Concern's 40th anniversary.  Included in our picture above with President McAleese are Fr Aengus Finucane and Tom Arnold, Chief Executive, Concern. Photo: Liam Burke / Concern Worldwide.
President McAleese with Fr Aengus Finucane and Tom Arnold. Photo: Liam Burke / Concern Worldwide.
Toni Collette, Concern Worldwide's global ambassador, during a visit to a temporary displacement camp in Cité Cabrit, Port au Prince, Haiti. Concern Worldwide is helping familes to find new homes and new income generating activities. Photo: Concern Worldwide.
Toni Collette with Concern in Haiti. Photo: Concern Worldwide.
Smiling Apple Farmers, Father and son, Ebrie and Mohammed Ali Demsie with Rob Kearney showing their crops in Dessie Zuria, Ethiopia. Photo: Jennifer Nolan / Concern Worldwide
Ebrie and Mohammed Ali Demsie with Rob Kearney in Ethiopia. Photo: Jennifer Nolan / Concern Worldwide.
Keynote Speaker, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed. Resurge Conference, Dublin Castle. Photo: Photocall Ireland / Concern Worldwide
Amina Mohammed addresses the Resurge Conference. Photo: Photocall Ireland / Concern Worldwide.
Michael D Higgins addressing Concern's 'Resurge' conference in Dublin Castle, September 2018. Photo: Photocall Ireland / Concern Worldwide
I just want to say how proud I am of...Concern and other NGOs that have stepped into the breach… The staff is doing work that I would only describe as heroic.
Michael D Higgins - President of Ireland
President McAleese acknowledges Concern's 40 years service to the poor....President McAleese, welcomed almost 200 staff members-past and present, fundraisers and supporters from all over Ireland this Wednesday to mark Concern's 40th anniversary. Photo: Liam Burke / Concern Worldwide.
To the people at the receiving end of your help, you have been a welcome, even a miraculous friend on the ground as well as a formidable champion in high places where policies and plans are made that impact directly and indirectly on the everyday lives of the poorest.
Mary McAleese - Former President of Ireland
Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson in Ethiopia with Concern, Goal and Trocaire.  Photo: Liam Burke
It’s remarkable that Concern…[has] been here for 20 years [and has] been doing very good work, at quite a bit of risk for themselves…Concern has great trust here in Somalia.
Mary Robinson - Former President of Ireland, and former UN High Commissioner of Human Rights
Keynote Speaker, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed. Resurge Conference, Dublin Castle. Photo: Photocall Ireland / Concern Worldwide
Since your founding, you have taken your mission around the world, helping the poorest and making real improvements to people’s lives…I thank everyone who has worked with you to alleviate hunger, to reduce poverty and to bring hope and dignity to some of the poorest people in the world.
Amina J Mohammed - Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations
Bono addressing the Chicago Council on Global Affairs at the 2012 G8 Summit. Photo: Concern Worldwide.
It was a trip … to Ethiopia to see what Concern was doing … where I learnt what it takes to really get into the trenches, and understand the people you're trying to serve. I thought that [Concern] served the principle that where you live should not decide whether you live or whether you die... [Concern] makes me very proud as an Irishman of what we're doing as a country.
Bono - U2
Bill Clinton addressing Concern's 'Resurge 2018' conference in Dublin Castle, September 2018. Photo: Photocall Ireland / Concern Worldwide.
I love this NGO. I have been so grateful for the work that you have done that has personally touched the work that our foundation has done in Haiti and in various places in Africa.
Bill Clinton - Former President of the U.S.A
Toni Collette, Concern Worldwide's global ambassador, during a visit to a temporary displacement camp in Cité Cabrit, Port au Prince, Haiti. Concern Worldwide is helping familes to find new homes and new income generating activities. Photo: Concern Worldwide.
To be [in Haiti], to go into these places where people have literally nothing and then watch how Concern transforms those lives completely – gives people hope and a sense of empowerment – is completely moving and so important. I'm so happy that I've been here to witness it. I feel very lucky.
Toni Collette - Emmy and Golden Globe Winner and Concern Global Ambassador
Seamus Heaney
'Who is my neighbour?' Concern teaches us: 'My neighbour is all mankind.' There is heroic virtue in the work it does, [and by] helping Concern we can fulfil some of the great human obligations.
Seamus Heaney - Poet and Nobel Laureate (1939–2013)
Kofi Annan.
[Concern has] a capacity or ability to identify those humanitarian needs, not necessarily something that is in the press, something that is sexy.
Kofi Annan - Former Secretary General of the United Nations (1965–1983)
Food writer, photographer and TV presenter Donal Skehan holding a rabbit which has been given to a family as a Concern Gift. Rabbits have a habit of multiplying, and that makes them a great resource. Three rabbits like these will soon become thirty-three, and the income they bring will help a family feed, clothe and educate their own little ones. Location: Nakumba District, Lilongwe, Malawi. Photo: Jennifer Nolan
The work Concern does here [in Malawi] to improve the livelihoods of people in local communities is life-changing.
Donal Skehan - Food writer, photographer, TV presenter and Concern ambassador
Smiling Apple Farmers, Father and son, Ebrie and Mohammed Ali Demsie with Rob Kearney showing their crops in Dessie Zuria, Ethiopia. Photo: Jennifer Nolan / Concern Worldwide
I think everyone should take a few moments every day to remove themselves from the world that they live in – the lucky world they live in – I can assure them that there are millions of people across the world in worse places. I’ve seen first-hand how donations to Concern are genuinely put to work and they do make a difference.
Rob Kearney - Ireland and Leinster Rugby player and Concern ambassador
Michael Darragh Macauley at the site of Dandora Dump, Nairobi, Kenya Photo: Steve De Neef/Concern Worldwide.
The work that [Concern] are doing here [Kenya] is amazing. The teachers have done Concern’s literacy programme and they’re implementing it unbelievably effectively. The kids are being taught at a really high standard. They’re really getting that building block to go forward and do something with their lives.
Michael Darragh Macauley - All-Ireland winning Dublin GAA player and Concern ambassador
Food writer, photographer and TV presenter Donal Skehan with 'lead mothers' who are trained by Concern Wolrdwide on nutrition and teach women in the Kachere Care Group about how to make a nutritious meal for their families with five major food groups. Location: Kaigwanga Village, Mchinji, Malawi. Photo: Jennifer Nolan / Concern Worldwide.
Donal Skehan in Malawi with Concern. Photo: Jennifer Nolan / Concern Worldwide.
Bill Clinton addressing Concern's 'Resurge 2018' conference in Dublin Castle, September 2018. Photo: Photocall Ireland / Concern Worldwide.
Bill Clinton addressing Concern's 'Resurge 2018' conference. Photo: Photocall Ireland / Concern Worldwide.
Dublin GAA Player, Michael Darragh Macauley working with students during a lesson in M.M Chandaria school in Nairobi, Kenya.  Picture: Steve De Neef / Concern Worldwide.
Michael Darragh Macauley working with students in Kenya. Picture: Steve De Neef / Concern Worldwide.

I applaud Concern Worldwide’s efforts to bring senior policy makers and activists together in the fight against hunger.

Ban Ki-Moon - Former Secretary General of the United Nations

Concern’s body of humanitarian work describes a unique and seamless continuum, from life-saving emergency response to life-building development work. Whether it is food distribution, building of houses, reuniting separated children, or feeding prisoners, Concern has one overriding goal: to address basic needs, and to restore to marginalised populations their fundamental human rights.

John Hume - Nobel Laureate

I have been familiar with the work of Concern for many years, and have been extremely impressed by the organisation’s commitment and ability in addressing humanitarian needs across the globe…What makes Concern exceptional, however, is that the organisation’s commitment to humanitarian rights remains in place long after the original crises have faded from news reports.

Edward M. Kennedy - Former US Senator for Massachusetts (1932–2009)

Concern not only does heroic deeds on the ground all over the poorest parts of the world, but it also is an innovator, and an important voice and a leader.

Dr Jeffrey Sachs - Economist and former Director of Earth Institute, Columbia University

There’s no reason any child should have to face a lifetime of poverty. For over 32 years, Concern has worked to give children a chance, an education, a future. They have built schools, trained teachers and educated thousands of children around the world. If we don’t help the world’s poorest children, who will? Be assured, whatever you give to Concern to support vulnerable children will be used efficiently and effectively. Please join me and show your concern.

Frank McCourt - Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author (1930–2009)

I salute Concern Worldwide as a hands-on humanitarian organisation. When I visited my home country Somalia in 1992, it was in the throes of a severe famine. There I met Concern volunteers, working in the midst of suffering people, with a commitment to caring where help is most needed.

Iman - Model, actress and entrepreneur

Videos of our friends and supporters

Donal Skehan in Malawi with Concern: Part one

Donal Skehan in Malawi with Concern: Part two

Michael Darragh Mcauley in Kenya with Concern.

Toni Collette in Haiti with Concern.

President Michael D. Higgins, Amina J Mohammed, and Bill Clinton addressing Concern's Resurge 2018 conference.

Seamus Heaney and Kofi Annan speaking on the occasion of Concern's 40 year anniversary.

Our impact in 2023

15.5 M icon
15.5 M

people reached through our emergency response

9 M icon
9 M

people reached through our health interventions

2.3 M icon
2.3 M

people reached through our livelihoods programmes

Hamila* (27) at refugee camp in Eastern Chad

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