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1. Investing in Opportunities vs. Hand outs When people are empowered, they find creative ways to resolve their own problems and better contribute to society and the world. Empowerment is based on respect of human dignity. This occurs when others value what you have to contribute, not when you are pitied. Therefore, rather than focusing only on deficiencies, EW builds upon local assets and enhances what is inherently good in the communities we serve. Each community we work with has unique gifts, talents, and other resources, that when valued, and invested in, can create economic opportunities, and empower people to resolve many issues at once. To this end, every social program EW develops is done so in concert with at least one pre-identified economic opportunity. In applying Poverty Eradication Partnership Tools, EW leverages local assets to foster self reliance and resolve critical issues from the ground up. 2. Mutually Supportive Collaboration vs. Competition Rather than acting alone or in competition, EW acts as a uniting force, and strategically engages expertise, experience, and implementing capacity of complimentary local and global partners in strategic collaborations for optimum impact. Through EW's method of collaborative program development, the missions of all participants are advanced. EW further leverages the power of like-minded groups in synergistic public awareness and action campaigns that address AIDS, Global Warming, and Global policy issues at the heart of many organizations. 3. Fostering Positive Alternatives vs. Protesting We applaud the awareness raising protests against unjust economic policies of WTO, etc. In fact, these actions provide the foundation for EW to take corporate social responsibility to the next level. EW engages businesses in private/public partnerships that actually reverse the effects of economic globalization in our program areas through the creation of livelihoods that protect indigenous heritage and promote cultural diversity. Our diverse network of Partners in Empowerment provide the critical mass to make this viable. EW also helps communities become energy independent via transfer of bio-diesel and other green technologies. 4. Comprehensive Solutions vs. Single Issue (Band-Aid) For some problems you only need a band-aid, however in the places we work, and the global challenges we face, there are much deeper systemic wounds that require comprehensive, interdisciplinary strategies. While it may be easier to fundraise based on a single issue, our volunteer staff is driven by what we know truly works. By staying focused on the big picture we are able to mobilize integrative social, economic & health efforts to address the root causes of unique local issues. While this may not be as simple to understand or to raise funds for as a single issue approach, we are here to make a difference, not to make a buck. So, just as we continue to educate ourselves and advance our approach, we seek to educate the public on the benefits on what works best and why. 5. Local Empowerment vs. Top Down Planning Over 50 years of lessons learned from international aid research prove that long-term success comes from comprehensive, locally-owned efforts. Unique from top-down, remote control models of international development, EW empowers those most affected by critical challenges (AIDS, Economic Poverty, Drought/ Hunger caused by Climate Change), as primary agents of change in their communities. Their local knowledge and experience is essential to create lasting solutions. Therefore, rather than exporting one issue based program for all, EW facilitates "7 Stages of Building Local Assets" empowering diverse communities to co-create and sustain locally-appropriate solutions. Local citizens are accountable to the communities they live in for the long-term and have a deeper investment in project success. |
5 Key
Tenets of Our Approach
