Since 1963, we’ve expanded economic opportunities in nearly 150 nations by collaborating with governments, civil society, private companies, and financial institutions to enhance the economic prosperity of families and communities. Explore highlights from our history in this timeline.
Celebrating Decades of Impact in Ethiopia & Ghana
ACDI/VOCA celebrates 50 years of activity in Ethiopia with the conclusion of the USDA-funded Feed Enhancement for Ethiopian Development (FEED) …
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AV Ventures Launches Fund in Northern Kenya
In December 2020, AV Ventures announced the launch of the Impact for Northern Kenya Fund financed by USAID Kuza. The …
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USAID Honduras TMS Team Wins Humentum OpEx 2020 Award
Humentum, a global nonprofit membership organization, awarded ACDI/VOCA staff of the USAID Honduras Transforming Market Systems Activity an Operational Excellence …
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ACDI/VOCA Responds to COVID-19 Crisis
The impact of COVID-19 on the economies and well-being of people throughout the world has been profound. Our projects have …
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Central Asian Impact Fund Launched
In March 2020, ACDI/VOCA launched the Central Asian Impact Fund to support small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food, …
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ACDI/VOCA Awarded USAID Activity in Myanmar
We were awarded the five-year, USAID-funded Agriculture and Food Systems Activity in Myanmar in November 2019, marking our return to …
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AV Ventures Invests in Ghana Poultry Industry
AV Ventures, ACDI/VOCA’s impact investor subsidiary that provides catalytic financing to SMEs in West Africa and Central Asia, partnered with …
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Fundación ACDI/VOCA LA Launched
December 2018 saw the launch of Fundación ACDI/VOCA LA in Bogotá, Colombia. ACDI/VOCA’s new nonprofit regional entity will strengthen inclusive …
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ASI Becomes Tanager
ACDI/VOCA’s affiliate, Tanager, launched a new name and refreshed brand. Since 1993, Tanager (formerly ASI) has allowed ACDI/VOCA to expand the reach …
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Charles “C.J.” Hall named President and CEO
ACDI/VOCA’s Board of Directors appointed Charles “CJ” Hall President and Chief Executive Officer. “CJ possesses the full range of technical …
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USAID Ghana ADVANCE Wins Digital Development Award for Smartcard Use
The Feed the Future Ghana Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement (ADVANCE) project, implemented by ACDI/VOCA in Ghana, was one …
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ACDI/VOCA Launches New Subsidiary AV Ventures
ACDI/VOCA launched AV Ventures to serve as a global investment management and advisory company. AV Ventures provides innovative, catalytic financing …
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ACDI/VOCA Featured in INGO Impact Investing Report
The INGO Impact Investing Network released a report about the critical role international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) play in impact investing. …
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ACIP Program Recognized by Colombian Congress’s Afro-Colombian Caucus
The ACIP program was honored with the Orden de la Democracia Simon Bolivar en el grado Cruz Comendador for institutional …
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Kenya and Bangladesh Projects Win USAID Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting Case Competition
FOUR ACDI/VOCA STAFF PRESENT CLA APPROACHES AT LEARNING EVENT Case studies from USAID/Bangladesh and ACDI/VOCA’s AflaSTOP project in Kenya were …
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Ethiopia
Obama Visits ACDI/VOCA Project Participant on July State Visit
FEMALE FARMER MEETS U.S. PRESIDENT ON ETHIOPIA VISIT During his recent two-day visit to Ethiopia late last month, the first …
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AFRICA DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO
First-ever Farmer-to-Farmer volunteer helps smallholders in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Early November marked a milestone for the USAID Farmer-to-Farmer (F2F) program: the first-ever volunteer assignment in the Democratic Republic of …
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Colombia
Grammy Award-winning musician promotes Colombia’s ethnic diversity
Renowned Colombian singer-songwriter Carlos Vives has long promoted the richness of Colombia’s cultural heritage and its ethnic minority groups. Now …
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GLOBAL
Bill Polidoro succeeds Carl Leonard as President and CEO of ACDI/VOCA
On Monday, January 13, ACDI/VOCA’s board of directors expressed their gratitude to Carl Leonard for his leadership as president and …
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GLOBAL
Leveraging Economic Opportunities (LEO)
USAID selects ACDI/VOCA to implement Leveraging Economic Opportunities (LEO), a milestone project to support programming that fosters inclusive growth through …
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Global
ACDI/VOCA’s 11,000th volunteer assignment completed
In April, ACDI/VOCA marked its 11,000th volunteer assignment. Our volunteers have traveled to 130 countries bringing specialized talent in areas …
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Global
Worldwide switch from cash to electronic payments
ACDI/VOCA joins the Better Than Cash Alliance and commits to transition its worldwide operational and programmatic payments from cash to …
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UNITED STATES
ACDI/VOCA wins Best Practices and Innovations Award
ACDI/VOCA receives a Best Practices and Innovations Award from InterAction and IFAD for Sell More For More™. Sam Worthington, president …
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Colombia
Obama praises ACDI/VOCA’s land-title work in Colombia
President Obama praises ACDI/VOCA’s work with Afro-Colombians as part of a USAID project. Obama and Colombian President Santos handed over …
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ACDI/VOCA Leadership and Local Governance Youth Camp participant, Diyala province, Iraq
“I truly believe the only way forward is to change people’s ideas of how to work together.”
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United States
A great place to work
ACDI/VOCA is one of the top 15 nonprofits nationwide to work for, according to Opportunity Knocks’ 4th annual People’s Choice …
READ MOREHAITI
Ayiti leve! Haiti rise!
Special Thanks: This video was filmed and edited by Bayard Jean Bernard of Jacmel’s Ciné Institute, Haiti’s only professional film …
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AFRICA
ACDI/VOCA leads key food security program
USAID selects ACDI/VOCA to implement its Support for Food Security Activities (SFSA) indefinite quantity contract (IQC), a pillar of the …
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HAITI
Major earthquake devastates Haiti
After rallying to emergency response, ACDI/VOCA redoubles agricultural development work in Haiti’s Southeast Department, one of the least food-secure regions …
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Member of association of women cocoa farmers
“At the beginning, my husband did not want me to work in the [cocoa] nursery; he thought it was a …
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RWANDA, SOMALIA
Pirates hijack ship carrying food aid
The MV Maersk Alabama, carrying ACDI/VOCA food aid meant for a USAID project in Rwanda, is hijacked by Somali pirates. …
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Member and former president of cocoa producers’ association in Naranjito County, Guayas province
“We were not used to selling directly to exporters, and the exporters did not have much experience working with small …
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Congressman Christopher Shays (R-Conn.), speaking about USAID’s Community Action Program, which ACDI/VOCA implemented from 2003 to 2012
“This is the one program that is in fact working in Iraq. No one disputes it. We can dispute everything …
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Dairy farmer, beneficiary of AERI program, implemented by ACDI/VOCA
“I’ve been raising animals for 10 years now, but I have never before experienced the amount of milk, cheese and …
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SERBIA
Radio ad wins award in Serbia
The Serbian Association of Media Advertisers awarded “best radio spot” to an ACDI/VOCA radio campaign funded by USAID that focused …
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ETHIOPIA
Ethiopian coffee wins Starbucks award
After three years of development, Shirkina dry-processed gourmet coffee, produced by ACDI/VOCA’s client Ferro Cooperative in Sidama, Ethiopia, was designated …
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Kay Rockwell, ACDI/VOCA volunteer and professor emerita at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln
“Uganda was never on my radar, but when ACDI/VOCA called about this volunteer opportunity, I felt it was a good …
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INDONESIA
Tsunami wreaks havoc in Southeast Asia
A tsunami devastates Indonesia. UNDP selects ACDI/VOCA to manage recovery efforts for micro, small and medium-sized businesses. ACDI/VOCA hosts an …
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GLOBAL
Value chain approach pioneered
Through a series of USAID contracts, ACDI/VOCA helps develop the value chain approach to creating wealth and promoting growth by …
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Global
Premier agricultural development NGO
USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios calls ACDI/VOCA “the premier agricultural development NGO in the world.”
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Global
Public-private SUCCESS Alliance supports cocoa farmers
ACDI/VOCA, the World Cocoa Foundation and Mars, Inc., team up to form the Sustainable Cocoa Enterprise Solutions for Smallholders (SUCCESS) …
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KYRGYZSTAN
Bai-Tushum created to increase access to credit in Kyrgyzstan
ACDI/VOCA leads the push to establish the Bai-Tushum Financial Foundation with the support of USAID, USDA and the Swiss development …
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Africa
A boost for coffee growers
ACDI/VOCA helps found the African Fine Coffees Association to improve quality and boost returns to coffee growers in Africa. As …
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RUSSIA
Expanded credit for rural Russian farmers
First private rural credit system serves farmers in Russia. We helped create a network of member-owned financial institutions and improve …
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EGYPT
ACDI/VOCA produces Egypt’s most popular TV program
ACDI/VOCA produced a TV series named Serr El Ard (Secrets of the Land), which was named most popular program by …
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BULGARIA
New grain laws multiply opportunities for Bulgarian farmers and traders
ACDI/VOCA helps the government of Bulgaria draft and pass new grain storage and trade laws and regulations, leading to a …
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MALAWI
ACDI/VOCA helps form largest farmer association in Malawi
National Smallholder Farmers’ Association of Malawi (NASFAM) is formed with the help of ACDI/VOCA. Today, NASFAM represents over 100,000 farmers …
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United States
ACDI and VOCA join forces
ACDI and VOCA come together to capitalize on each organization’s best qualities—ACDI’s business-oriented approach to sustainable development and VOCA’s people-to-people …
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ETHIOPIA
Milestone for Ethiopian co-ops
As a result of ACDI/VOCA’s work with Ethiopian cooperatives, the first patronage dividends in the country’s history are paid to …
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USAID Administrator J. Brian Atwood speaking about VOCA
“Your volunteers work at the grassroots. They are the backbone of sustainable development.”
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Armenian farmer, beneficiary of Farmer-to-Farmer program
“I never thought a huge country like the United States would care about me. In the face of a VOCA …
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HUNGARY
ACDI/VOCA helps introduce popcorn to Europe
Under a USAID-funded project supporting privatization, popcorn was introduced to Hungary in a joint venture between a U.S. company and …
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BELARUS
Future Agriculture Secretary volunteers in Belarus
Future Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman serves as VOCA volunteer in Belarus, conducting seminars on the appropriate role of government …
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GLOBAL
ACDI establishes ASI
ACDI establishes Agribusiness Systems International (ASI), a flexible, entrepreneurial nonprofit subsidiary, to support its mission through innovative projects with non-U.S. …
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POLAND
Over 1,600 rural banks privatized in Poland
ACDI and VOCA launch a program to privatize Poland’s 1,665 rural cooperative banks. It helps Poland establish regional banks in …
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ARMENIA, KAZAKHSTAN, RUSSIA, UKRAINE
First agricultural program in the former Soviet Union
VOCA launches a quick-start Farmer-to-Farmer program and becomes the first USAID grantee to work in the agricultural sectors of the …
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EASTERN EUROPE, FORMER SOVIET UNION
Berlin Wall comes down
With the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent dissolution of the USSR, new economic development initiatives are launched …
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UNITED STATES
President George H.W. Bush recognizes VOCA in fight against hunger
VOCA receives the Presidential End Hunger Award from President George H. W. Bush for “vision, initiative and leadership in the …
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United States
Peace Corps honors VOCA
Peace Corps Director Loret Ruppe presents VOCA President Don Cohen with the Leadership for Peace Award.
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Global
VOCA launches USAID’s first Farmer-to-Farmer program
VOCA is selected to implement the pilot USAID Farmer-to-Farmer program, assigning 30 volunteers to advise farmers’ associations, farmer cooperatives and …
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UGANDA
First Women in Development project
ACDI launches its first Women in Development project. It provided training to develop women’s cooperatives in Uganda for income generation …
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United States
Microcomputers on every desk
ACDI computerizes HQ. Each desk has a microcomputer connected to a local area network.
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Global
Threat of HIV/AIDS looms
AIDS emerges as a global health threat. In subsequent years ACDI/VOCA helps those living with HIV/AIDS improve their health and …
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United States
An early focus on small farmers’ role in warding off food shortages
Homer Darby, ACDI chairman, forecasts the company’s role addressing food security. He tells board members that food shortages are the …
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GUATEMALA
Board’s first site visit
Fifteen members of ACDI’s board of directors visit a cooperative project in Guatemala’s Indian Highlands, the first board visit to …
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Chile, Jamaica
First VOCA volunteers
VOCA’s first volunteers, W. Gordon Leith and Ruth M. Senior, carry out assignments in Jamaica and Chile, respectively.
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United States
A strong base for free societies
U.S. cooperative leaders found the Volunteer Development Corps, VOCA’s predecessor. “A strong, stable economic base for free societies in developing …
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Vice President Hubert Humphrey’s letter expressing regret that he was unable to attend ACDI’s annual meeting.
“It is not just that you have so nobly carried out the intent of the Humphrey Amendment. You know how …
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India
New Indian cooperative transforms the subcontinent’s agricultural efficiency
ICDA plays an instrumental role in establishing Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO). IFFCO’s role in preventing food shortages was a …
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UNITED STATES
U.S. farm cooperatives launch ACDI to spread the co-op model abroad
Inspired by the Humphrey Amendment, major U.S. farm cooperatives form the International Cooperative Development Association (ACDI’s parent organization) and register …
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United States
A central role for cooperatives in foreign assistance
The Humphrey Amendment to the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 emphasizes cooperatives— “to encourage the development and use of cooperatives, …
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