Annual report

The past few years have been marked by significant global challenges, the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle-East, the escalating impacts of the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic. These events have underscored the fragility of our global community. We are all at risk but
some are much more vulnerable than others.

VSO’s purpose is to create a fair world for everyone. This means every person has an equal opportunity to realise their rights to a safe, healthy and purposeful life. Our commitment is to ensure that no-one is left behind.

Download the 2023-24 annual report (PDF, 2.5 MB)

Income

Expenditure

Find out more about how we're funded

Our strategy in numbers*

11,459

11,459 people volunteered with VSO, working with communities in 36 countries.

Our volunteering for development approach

24.8 million

24.8 million people were reached, including nearly 20.6 million indirectly and over 4.2 million directly.

Our work

*Numbers represent impact achieved in the first two years of VSO’s current strategic plan.

All of us at VSO are grateful to all those individuals, institutions and companies who've worked with us over the last year. Together we’ve shown how we can work alongside the most vulnerable to change our world for the better. With your help, we can be confident about fulfilling our plans by working to create a fair world for everyone."

Philip Goodwin
Former Chief Executive Officer

Support us with a donation

Girl in yellow dress holding a young child.

VSO/Paul Wambugu

£25 a month could give girls who are at risk from child marriage and pregnancy a safe space where they can learn about their rights and feel empowered 

Volunteer Peter and teacher Jackline help some girls who are working together at a large table

VSO/Paul Wambugu

£10 a month could give vulnerable students the support of a VSO teacher and equal learning opportunities

VSO volunteer giving Hygenic Kit to a girl in Nepal.

VSO

£5 could help vulnerable girls stay in school, by providing hygiene packs of essential items.

£25

£10

£5

Hospital worker Ngisti helps to keep the wards clean in the neonatal worker

£100 could help women and children escaping conflict, by training a local health worker to provide emergency care for them

VSO/Obscura Media

£50 could help a mother recover from the effects of climate change by running a small business to support her family

VSO/Paul Wambugu

£25 could help pay for a learning kit that’ll help a girl get a second chance at school

£100

£50

£25

Stories from our year

Two women from different ethnic backgrounds embrace.

Video: What does peace mean to you?

Watch our video which spotlights the story of Galgalo and his family who are bearing the brunt of conflict and climate change and discover how you're helping them feel no longer powerless.

Keeping our commitments to communities, including women waste pickers

VSO’s funding has been reducing for a number of years, but now we are facing unprecedented pressures. In solidarity and with hope, your support means VSO can be there for more women waste pickers like Beth.

Using play to inspire learning in Rwanda

Learn how volunteers like Celestin are supporting children in Rwanda to learn through play. Children are taught problem solving, strategic thinking and inter-personal skills, all while enjoying the learning process.

Download previous years' reports:

View our VSO Ireland Annual Report and Accounts

Find out more

How we are funded

Our work would not be possible without funding and donations from agencies, trusts, private companies and the general public.

VSO Strategy 2022-28

Our ambition remains to bring lasting and positive change in the lives of our primary actors and make a significant contribution towards achieving the SDGs using the transformational power of volunteering.

Structure and governance

Our International Board and Executive Board set the strategic direction of VSO in accordance with legal and regulatory guidelines.