"Make a habit of two things; to help, or at least to do no harm." - Hippocrates
Our Mission
The Village Net partners with existing women’s groups in African villages to empower poor, economically active women in their efforts to achieve personal, family and village sustainability. We work in the areas of finance, education, health and basic human needs (food, water, power, sanitation) as prioritized by the village women.
We are mindful of the quote at the top of this page. "Good" work can result in misuse of environmental resources, negative impact on existing businesses in the name of better businesses, and irreversible change to a local culture in an effort to promote growth. The village challenges we address are identified by village residents. The villagers work on solutions. We merely connect our villages with the resources they need -- financial, material or technical -- to achieve their goals. These resources are brought to bear as part of a learning process about personal resourcefulness, and the identification of local or country resources instead of reliance on outsiders.
Our mode of operation is collaborative. Recipients of our support invest in the project in whatever ways are possible for them. It is our intent to "exit" a village at the point that the projects and solutions are ongoing and sustainable, preferably without reliance on outside aid.
Our guiding principles will support us in:
- Creating a community of mutual respect and acceptance
- Enabling individuals to achieve their goals by offering choices and providing support
- Fostering independence, self-confidence and integration into village life
- Collaborating with
- Initiating and developing a culture of inter-organizational cooperation and resource sharing
- Respecting the environment and promoting sound environmental practices and policies
- Expanding the understanding of personal well-being into a desire to move the entire community forward
- Ensuring the ongoing viability of programs with sustainable economic activities