Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), formerly the UK Department for International Development (DFID), leads the UK government’s effort to fight global poverty. It works with governments of developing countries as well as charities, businesses and international bodies, including the World Bank, UN agencies and the European Commission.
Our relationship with the Department (we are a recipient of its Programme Partnership Arrangement) goes beyond funding – we liaise with its staff from desk officer to ministerial level on a range of issues of mutual interest. These include development issues such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), neglected tropical diseases, data, universal health coverage, health systems and policy, social inclusion, education and multilateral engagement.
We’ve also benefited from the Department’s UK Aid Match fund, which matches public donations to appeals for development activities focused on poverty reduction in developing countries. Most recently, the Department for International Development matched donations to our Million Miracles fundraising appeal in the three months after it launched in 2014 and 2015, resulting in Aid Match doubling the £8.5 million raised by Sightsavers supporters.
More about the FCDO
Health programme exceeds several first-year targets
A Sightsavers-led programme in Africa has surpassed several of its first-year targets as it delivers more than 127 million drug treatments for five debilitating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
Working together to tackle NTDs in Liberia
In the first year of the programme, the Ascend West and Central Africa partners have supported health workers and volunteers to deliver mass treatment campaigns that will help tackle high rates of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) in Liberia.
Reducing stigma in communities while fighting NTDs
Mr Alabi, the neglected tropical disease (NTD) coordinator for Kogi State, Nigeria, and his team provide NTD interventions to more than four million people annually.
Sani Muhammad's Story
Alhaji Sani Muhammad Dan'lya is the acting chairman of Sokoto State's chapter of the Joint Association of Persons with Disabilities. He helps to highlight the importance of disability inclusion within the Ascend West and Central Africa programme.
How participatory research can change the lives of people affected by NTDs
Martins Imhansoloeva, research coordinator, shares how participatory research is helping to capture the experiences of people with NTDs and can lead to better programme design.
UK aid's flagship neglected tropical disease programme is supporting countries during COVID-19
COVID-19 meant pausing neglected tropical disease (NTD) treatments worldwide. Ron Bannerman, director of Ascend West and Central Africa, explains how Sightsavers and partners found a way of using their expertise to help countries combat the pandemic while preserving the gains made in their fight against NTDs.
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