Our Partnership

The following values guide us in how we work together.

We are learning as a team - including field partners and board of directors - how to shift from traditional models of philanthropy. Our goal is to reflect a new model that does not perpetuate the challenges the global community has faced with short-lived and unsustainable solutions. We are committed to tapping into the wisdom and building on the strengths of local communities to solve the issues that are most important to them. We are also collectively learning from each other —starting with keeping the following values at heart and using these values to inform our approaches. We use these as a guide in all of our decisions. We invite you into learning with us.

Pamoja
Togetherness. Pamoja is the foundation for teaming together--working together and learning from each other in an organic and dynamic process. We are committed to teaming together in a way that the co-creation of ideas offer possibilities for change in all of us. We are hoping that we can change people’s lives and our lives together, we are in partnership together. Pamoja is a team spirit reflecting teamwork and togetherness. It is not a single-minded perspective but bringing our thoughts and experiences together to build a dream.

Ubuntu
I am because you are. Ubuntu literally means a person is a person through other people. It’s an African philosophy that places emphasis on being self through others. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that we can’t exist as human beings in isolation.

Umoja
Oneness. Umoja reflects one spirit, one team, one thought, one process.

The following approaches help us to stay true to our values.

Building communities in action

Communities in action bring together the strengths of local and global communities to engage in collective action. We embrace a sense of relational responsibility in which community is built with everyone involved — including field partners, community members, the board of directors, and friends. We focus on the process of relating, being responsive to the moment, embracing what is offered and being accountable for what is being created. Deep authentic relationships leads to more impactful and sustainable investments.

Community-designed solutions
Team Together invests in local leadership and programs co-designed with the communities that field partners work to serve. This leadership includes field partner teams, older persons, youth, stakeholder organizations, and policy makers. Together, teams are supported to co-design solutions based upon local knowledge of the issues that people face and the wisdom of communities to solve them.

Sustainable investments
Field teams, in partnership with communities, make decisions about what to invest in that will have the greatest impact on the issues that are most important to them. Friends engage in projects offering their expertise and support. 100% of money raised goes to projects developed and supported by our field partners. We are guided by a concept we call “Heart Rate of Return” that demonstrates the value of an investment in terms of lives impacted (social impact) , the global partnerships developed through teaming together (relational impact), and the strengthening of community collective capacity (sustainability impact).

Collaborative learning
We are all committed to learning together how we can live out our principles in practice. We will build our skills in teaming in order to expand knowledge and expertise and increase impact. We recognize that we all have much to learn and we must start with deep listening to each other and the communities we work with.