My work in Southeast Asia is built on four generations of experience in the field. My family has a rich history in Southeast Asia that spans several generations and several countries. Building on this legacy, I have been able to recognize what might be the most important key to transformation and sustainability in a region: finding the right people.
When we met Oscar we could see his heart to help his community, to educate, to keep children out of militant groups and to improve the quality of life in their remote village. We could see it so clearly because he was already doing it—and without pay. Oscar began teaching children in his community without a classroom, without pencils, without paper and without a salary. Although this story is just a snippet of the difficulties and danger Oscar has faced in this journey, I love it because it shows his heart and the purity of his intentions.
Connecting with the right people people has become one of the most important aspects for our work at Inheritance Fire when pioneering or even considering new projects. In fact, in some regards, it has an even higher priority than project design. Finding the right people means a project can long outlast your organization’s presence.
At Inheritance Fire, we capacitate local leaders who work to identify vulnerable children in their communities and develop programs to prevent them from becoming victims of injustice in the first place. We provide resources, training, and support to build human resources on the ground. This approach can take much deeper root than sending in outsiders to implement temporary projects. To learn more about our approach you can visit www.in-fire.org. If your organization needs consulting on how to tap into and build the human resources of your organization, please reach out and we (or someone in our Justice Allies network) may be able to assist you.
To stay updated and get more of these strategies in your inbox, sign up for blog updates in the footer of this email.