Experience long has shown that indiscriminately throwing money at needy situations … even seemingly legitimate situations … can result in unsatisfactory results at best, or “disasters” at worst. To keep our focus and increase the likelihood of meaningful change we rely on a clearly articulated statement of principles to guide our work.
We are inspired by the words of Lao Tzu:
- Learn from the people
- Plan with the people
- Begin with what they know
- Build on what they are doing
- Of the best leaders, when the task is accomplished the people will say “We have done it ourselves”
Accordingly, we:
- Emphasize Education for Girls
- Provide hands-on Coaching for Sustainability
- Ensure Religious Inclusion
- Comply with the Istanbul Principles
