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. 

2023

ACDI/VOCA Turns 60!

2023 marks the 60th anniversary of ACDI/VOCA’s founding on July 12, 1963. Decades later, we and our affiliates, including Tanager, AV Ventures, and Fundación …

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2022

ACDI/VOCA Commits to UN Global Compact

ACDI/VOCA steps up its active commitment to the UN Global Compact corporate responsibility initiative and its principles in the areas …

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Sylvia-Megret-new-headshot
2022

Sylvia Megret Becomes ACDI/VOCA President & CEO

Sylvia Megret became ACDI/VOCA’s President and CEO in April 2022, transitioning from her previous role as ACDI/VOCA President & COO. …

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Burma stock image
2022

Feed the Future Burma Agriculture and Food Systems Development Activity Wins Humentum’s OpEx Honorable Mention Award

The Feed the Future Burma Agriculture and Food Systems Development Activity team won the 2022 Humentum Operational Excellence Honorable Mention …

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2022

ACDI/VOCA Human Resources Team Wins 2022 Humentum OpEx Award

In March 2022, ACDI/VOCA’s Human Resources team was a recipient of Humentum’s OpEx Award for their hard work on pay …

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2022

ACDI/VOCA Signs Pledge for Racial & Ethnic Equity in Development

ACDI/VOCA leadership signed the Pledge for Racial & Ethnic Equity in Development in early 2022, joining the Coalition for Racial …

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Volunteer Programs 50th anniversary
2021

Volunteer Program Celebrates 50 Years

Since 1971, we’ve mobilized over 12,000 volunteers to more than 130 countries in the developing world. VOCA’s first volunteers, W. Gordon Leith and …

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2021

NAFAKA Kilimo Partners with Tanager

In June 2021, Tanzanian NGO NAFAKA Kilimo, founded by Feed the Future NAFAKA II staff, joined Tanager’s IGNITE project as …

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Ghana ADVANCE mother and son at maize harvest
2021

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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2020

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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2020

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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2020

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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2020

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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2019

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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2019

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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2018

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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2018

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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2018

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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2017

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 affiliate AV Ventures
2016

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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2016

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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2015

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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2015

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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2015
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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2014
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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2014
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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2014
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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2013
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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2013
Global

ACDI/VOCA celebrates 50 years of empowering people to succeed in the global economy

2013
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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2013
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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2012
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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2012
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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2011

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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2011
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 …

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2010
HAITI

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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2010
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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2010
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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2009

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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2009
GLOBAL

ACDI/VOCA celebrates its 45th anniversary

2009
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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2008

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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2008

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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2007

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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2006
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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2005
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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2005

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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2004
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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2004
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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2003
Global

Premier agricultural development NGO

USAID Administrator Andrew Natsios calls ACDI/VOCA “the premier agricultural development NGO in the world.”

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2000
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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2000
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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2000
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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2000
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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1998
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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1998
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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1997
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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1997
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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1996
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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1995

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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1994

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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1994
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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1994
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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1993
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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1992
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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1992
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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1989
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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1989
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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1988
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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1986
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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1983
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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1983
United States

Microcomputers on every desk

ACDI computerizes HQ. Each desk has a microcomputer connected to a local area network.

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1981
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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1975
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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1972
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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1971
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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1970
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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1968

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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1967
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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1963
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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1961
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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