About Mercy Corps
Registered Charity No. SC030289 · www.mercycorps.org.uk
Mercy Corps exists to alleviate suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities. Powered by the belief that a better world is possible, Mercy Corps partners to put bold solutions into action, helping people triumph over adversity and build stronger communities from within.
In 2007, Mercy Corps was working in more than 35 countries, with active programmes supporting communities in Darfur, northern Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon, alongside food security and livelihoods work across the Sahel following the 2005 Niger food crisis.
About Hope and Homes for Children
Registered Charity No. 1089490 · www.hopeandhomes.org
Hope and Homes for Children works to end the institutionalisation of children. Millions of children live in orphanages around the world, many of them with families they could live with if the right support were available. Hope and Homes for Children partners with governments and communities to close orphanages and replace them with family-based care, so that every child has the chance to grow up in a loving home.
In 2007, the charity was active across central and eastern Europe and parts of Africa, working with governments in Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Bosnia, Rwanda and Sudan to reform their care systems and support children into family-based care.
Why two charities
The Mongol Rally 2007 was our very first charity rally. We wanted to support organisations tackling two very different but equally important kinds of hardship: one focused on humanitarian response and community resilience around the world, and one focused specifically on giving children a chance to grow up in a family. Between them, Mercy Corps and Hope and Homes for Children gave us two complementary causes to fundraise for as we drove east.
The rally
In July 2007 we set off from Hyde Park in London with around 200 other teams bound for Ulaanbaatar. Over 26 days we drove Red, our 1964 Land Rover, across Western Europe, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, a corner of Russia and the length of Mongolia — much of the latter half on tracks rather than roads. Thanks to 68 generous supporters in total, we raised £1,532 across both charities, passing both of our targets.
Thank you
To everyone who donated and supported the Mongol Rally 2007: thank you. Every penny went directly to Mercy Corps and Hope and Homes for Children. You can still see our original fundraising pages:
To learn more about the charities and the work they do, visit www.mercycorps.org.uk and www.hopeandhomes.org.