Project Concern International

PCI (Project Concern International)

Official Site:	www.pciglobal.org
Classification:	International NGO
Rating:	84% of spending goes directly to program services.[1]

PCI (Project Concern International), (Project Concern), a non-profit, humanitarian NGO based in San Diego, California, is dedicated to preventing disease, improving community health, and promoting sustainable development. PCI reaches nearly 6 million people a year through programs in Asia, Africa, and the Americas.^[2]

History

In 1961, a young doctor from San Diego, James Wesley Turpin, had an ambition to live a meaningful life of helping people and learned of a clinic in Tijuana that needed help and there he saved the lives of two small children who were dying of pneumonia.^[3] This experience led Turpin to found Project Concern when he realized it took more than one caring doctor in one place. From there he learned of the challenges in Hong Kong and from there he learned of the challenges in Vietnam. He published two books detailing and expanding the commentary on the work.^[4] Along the way he was assisted in fundraising for the project^[5] and other doctors working in the clinics.^[3][4] Project Concern began to provide services in more and more places - Hong Kong, Vietnam, Appalachia, Navajo lands - with an internationally diverse personnel.^[6] And Turpin's work would come to be recognized in later years.^[7][8] In 1974 Turpin gave up being general director of PCI though he's continued to work the same kinds of care in his other endeavors^{[9][10][11][12]} and some of the work, for example in Vietnam,^[13][14][11] has survived. Turpin continues to help with fundraising for PCI.^[15]

Since then, the focus of the organization has remained true to its founder: PCI works in vulnerable communities to improve health and create long-term change by helping people help themselves. For fifty years, thousands of dedicated individuals and groups have worked to make this vision a reality.

Today, PCI employs over 600 staff and has thousands of volunteers in countries all over the world, including the United States.^[16]

Women Empowered (WE) Initiative

Women Empowered is a PCI initiative dedicated to promoting the economic and social empowerment of women through the formation of self-managed and self-sustaining savings groups.

A key aspect of PCI work is providing training for self-empowerment rather than outside work deciding local priorities. In this case it provides training to savings group participants in keep records, financial practices of savings and lendings, and overall entrepreneurship. Regular group meetings also provide a platform for social support and individual leadership development, enabling women to become agents of economic and societal transformation within their communities.

As of May 2014, the program engages one hundred and ninety-five thousand participants across 12 countries, with the goal of reaching 1 million women through the initiative by 2016.^[17]

World water crisis

PCI has an initiatives for cost-effective and sustainable water and sanitation services because it is essential to helping children and communities prevent disease. The impact of clean water and proper sanitation is profound; not only does it bring about better health, but it also has positive economic, environmental, and social impacts. By working together with its beneficiaries, the program provides access to sufficiently clean drinking water for cooking, bathing, washing, and irrigation – water that is desperately needed by communities in remote and impoverished regions.

Some of the projects are in Tanzania,^[18] Haiti,^[19] and the United States.^[20] Indeed, there are many projects in many countries.^[21]

Recognition

• Charity Navigator has given it high rating combining financial accountability and transparency while keeping administrative costs low.^[22] The 2013 budget of expenses was just over $46 million with administrative expenses of 11% and fundraising of 2% - over 86% of funds are spent on program expenses.

References

1. |"Charity Navigator Rating - Project Concern International". 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2007-01-25.
2. "Financial Information". 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2007-01-25.
3. James Wesley Turpin (16 March 1967). "Lenten Guideposts - The only way to belong to life". Ironwood Daily Globe (Ironwood, Michigan). p. 6. Retrieved Feb 22, 2015.
4. • James W. Turpin; Albert Hirshberg (1966). Vietnam doctor: the story of Project Concern. McGraw-Hill.
   • James W. Turpin; Albert Hirshberg (1970). A Faraway Country: The Continuing Story of Project Concern. World Publishing Company.
5. • "Jim Beatty of L. A. Youngest of 10 'Outstanding Young Men of 1962'". Independent Press-Telegram (Long Beach, California). 30 Dec 1962. p. 6. Retrieved Feb 22, 2015.
   • "Jaycees pick top 10 prominent young men". The La Crosse Tribune (La Crosse, Wisconsin). 30 Dec 1962. p. 1. Retrieved Feb 22, 2015.
   • "10 outstanding young men get Jaycee awards". Northwest Arkansas Times (Fayetteville, Arkansas). 21 Jan 1963. p. 2. Retrieved Feb 22, 2015.
   • "Jaycee 'Honor-Men' press for stiff civil rights plan" (PDF). Utica Daily Observer (Utica, New York). June 26, 1963. p. 11. Retrieved Feb 22, 2015.
   • "Jaycees seek rights stand" (PDF). Niagara Falls Gazette (Niagara Falls, New York). June 26, 1963. p. 41. Retrieved Feb 22, 2015.
6. "Doctor helps refugees". The Amarillo Globe-Times (Amarillo, Texas). 5 Aug 1965. p. 9. Retrieved Feb 22, 2015.
7. "Honorary Membership presented to ARCOA International Humanity Service award winners". American Red Cross Overseas Association. Retrieved Feb 23, 2014.
8. • Maria Lameiras (Spring 2011). "From Rural Roots, Reaching around the World". Emory University. Retrieved Feb 20, 2015.
   • Maria Lameiras (Winter 2012). "Advocates for the Disadvantaged - 2011 Emory Medalists improve lives through law, medicine". Emory University. Retrieved Feb 20, 2015.
9. Noel Osment (March 10, 1986). "The doctor still shows his heartfelt concern". The San Diego Union (San Diego, California). p. D1.
10. "Doctor invited back to Vietnam after sixteen years". Star-News (Wilmington, North Carolina). Nov 28, 1988. p. 11(4C). Retrieved Feb 23, 2015.
11. Bruce Henderson (Dec 6, 1993). "Asheville doctor's mission in Vietnam still a part of his life". Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, South Carolina). p. 7(B3). Retrieved Feb 23, 2015.
12. "Doctor brightens the lives of many". North Carolina Department of Correction News. October 1999. Archived from the original on Feb 21, 2001. Retrieved Feb 23, 2015.
13. "Ardmore man raises memorial to dead US soldiers". The Daily Intelligencer (Doylestown, Pennsylvania). 20 Feb 1969. p. 5. Retrieved Feb 22, 2015.
14. "Post built hospital in Vietnam". The American Legion (American Legion. National Headquarters) 137 (6): 43. December 1994. ISSN 0886-1234. Retrieved Feb 23, 2015.
15. "Generous Hands Aid Project Concern’s Annual Fundraising Efforts". La Prensa-SanDiego (San Diego, California). December 13, 2002. Retrieved Feb 23, 2015.
16. "PCI's History". 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2007-01-25.
17. "Women Empowered (WE) Initiative". 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2007-01-25.
18. "PCI in Tanzania". 2012. Retrieved Feb 24, 2015.
19. "PCI in Haiti". 2012. Retrieved Feb 24, 2015.
20. "PCI in United States". 2012. Retrieved Feb 24, 2015.
21. "Countries where PCI promotes sustainable change". 2012. Retrieved Feb 24, 2015.
22. "Project Concern International". International Development and Relief Services. Charity Navigator. 2013. Retrieved Feb 24, 2015.

External links

• Project Concern International - official website