Our History
Our story began in Queensland, Australia, in 1989, when Cliff and Helen Beard established the International Gospel Centre. Grounded in Christian faith, its work centred on local outreach and gospel missions, including practical support for children and families through child sponsorship, including education, medical care and food provision.
As the vision grew, the organisation's reach expanded internationally. In 2018, One Foundation International emerged as a new identity, reflecting a broader commitment to bringing people, partners and communities together to address poverty and disadvantage through education, healthcare, vocational training, clean water, agricultural development and emergency relief, alongside continued support for children, families and local communities.
One Foundation continued to evolve through partnerships with trusted and accountable local organisations, increasingly recognising the importance of local leadership, existing strengths and sustainable opportunities. Rather than delivering programs directly, we have worked alongside trusted partners who understand their local context and are best placed to lead the work. Our role has been to connect Australian donors with these organisations, steward their support and help resources reach locally led initiatives where they can have meaningful impact.
PARACLE.
Today, we are
Our name is drawn from 'paraclete', a Greek word carrying the idea of one who comes alongside –
to encourage, support, strengthen and advocate.
It captures something at the heart of who we are: we don't come to lead someone else's story.
We come alongside them.
We bring relationships, experience, resources and opportunity, while making space for local people to lead, shape and own the future they are building.
While our name and approach have evolved, our purpose remains steadfast: to relieve poverty and suffering, strengthen individuals and communities, and help people build independent, resilient and purposeful lives.
Our vision is to invest in 1,000 Voices – local leaders, entrepreneurs and individuals whose gifts, ideas and influence can create positive change that reaches far beyond themselves.
We believe sustainable change grows through relationships. When people come alongside one another, sharing knowledge, experience, encouragement, resources and opportunity, each Voice has greater capacity to pursue their vision and create opportunities for others. This is the heart of our Voices Ecosystem – connected relationships that help local leadership grow and change ripple outward.
Our role is not to lead someone else's story, but to come alongside them – creating the connections and environment where local people can lead, shape and own the future they are building.
More than three decades on, our heart remains the same. We are still built on faith, driven by love and committed to making a lasting difference. The name is new, but the purpose continues.