PURSUING SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH LOCALLY-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS
Traditional non-profits have a paternalistic attitude – “let me tell you what you need and help you do it.” As a result, when a traditional non-profit exits a community, the project itself typically dies. We have found that the world is filled with incredibly capable, resourceful, passionate people who know what their communities need and how to achieve success. They just lack resources to flourish. Sustainable development requires letting locals take the lead from the beginning, and that is what we’re all about!
Check out a video of how we engage students in Honduras
HARNESSING THE POWER OF HOPE
The more we work in poor communities around the world, the more we appreciate the incredible power that comes from hope and the debilitating weakness that comes when there is none. We therefore combine practical support with plenty of intangible support to foster love, trust, and a sense of family. This takes many forms – laughter and games with program participants, extra help when calamity strikes, time spent just listening when someone needs a shoulder to lean on. One of the greatest forces for overcoming hopelessness is the belief that we are no longer alone in our struggles.
Read an example from our mining children in Guatemala
Meet some of our Guatemala program participants in this video
MAXIMIZING THE IMPACT OF YOUR DONATIONS
100% of every dollar donated goes to programs helping the poorest of the poor. Administrative and fundraising costs (which are only 1%-2% of our budget) are covered by the board. Travel expenses are covered by those traveling. But we go even further. Our team is not only 100% volunteer, we also collectively donate several hundred thousand dollars each year towards the projects. We want our donations, and yours, to be impactful, so we are always innovating and striving to maximize results. We have an entrepreneurial culture, so we experiment, measure, modify, and experiment again until we feel good about the results. We are excited about what we see, and we are committed to ensuring that every project thrives.
MAKING IT PERSONAL AND REWARDING FOR OUR SUPPORTERS
We love financial donations, but we love it even more when our supporters connect with a project in a more personal way. Sometimes supporters want to visit a project personally. That is not only rewarding for our supporters, it is very encouraging to our friends in the local communities who receive the important unspoken message, “You are not alone in your struggles.”
Read a letter from a college intern
Others get involved without leaving home. About 100 supporters helped put on a Christmas celebration for street children in Guatemala – their first ever. From schizophrenic hospital patients, to school children, to church groups, … we received homemade cards and ornaments, presents wrapped in pretty paper, and everything we needed to turn sorrow and fear into joy and peace.
See for yourself in this short video
Whether in person or at a distance, we want to help forge cross-cultural experiences and connections. We want to bring the world closer to you, and you closer to the world.
STRIVING FOR OUTSTANDING MANAGEMENT
Our leadership team comes from various Fortune 500 companies and successful entrepreneurial ventures. We know, and are committed to, good management practices. But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what Chartity Navigator thinks of us:
