World Neighbors
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article or section is written like an advertisement. Please help rewrite this article from a neutral point of view per Wikipedia policy. Mark blatant advertising for speedy deletion with {{db-spam}}. (help, talk) |
 |
This article or section may need a complete rewrite. Please discuss this issue on the talk page. |
[edit] What is World Neighbors?
World Neighbors is an IRS-approved 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization based out of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma that, like other aid agencies, works to stimulate economic growth in underdeveloped countries around the world. They have been working since 1951. Issues such as hunger, poverty, disease and other problems often found in underdeveloped nations are among the main topics that World Neighbors is attempting to change.
[edit] How World Neighbors Works
World Neighbors helps people develop, manage and sustain their own programs. Most programs begin using locally available resources and simple, low-cost technologies. As people gain skills and confidence, local leaders and organizations emerge to carry on the work, multiply results and participate in coalitions advocating for wider change. World Neighbors role is to strengthen these basic human and organizational resources for long-term development.
[edit] What Makes World Neighbors Unique
World Neighbors does not give away food or material aid. Instead, it provides training so that people gain the skills and leadership to work together for change. The result is sel-reliance, rahter than dependence on external aid. World Neighbors does not determine the focus of the program, but asks people to set their own agenda. Programs include: food security, farming, literacy, health, family planning, water and sanitation, environmental conservation, savings and credit, non-formal education and income generation activities.
[edit] Where does World Neighbors Work?
Since 1951, World Neighbors has helped more than 25 million people in 45 nations. Today, World Neighbors works with partner organizations in approximately 64 programs in 16 countries: Haiti, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Bolivia, Peru, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, Kenya, Tanzania, India, Nepal, Indonesia, The Philippines, and Timor Leste.
[edit] How World Neighbors Decides Where to Work
World Neighbors works where there is great need and opportunities exist to make a big impact with modest support. World Neighbors works with rural communities in remote areas, often with minority or lower-caste people who are excluded from the mainstream of economic development and decision making. Often in such areas the land and forests are degraded, there are few roads, little or no access to clean water or electricity and limited services, such as health care and schools. Infant and maternal death rates in some program areas are among the highest in the world.
[edit] How World Neighbors Begins to Work in an Area
The people in the area define their most urgent priorities and set their own agenda. Planning methods are used to ensure that all concerned groups in a community have a voice. World Neighbors program leaders help communities recognize the root causes of their proglems and develop appropriate plans of action. The task of World Neighbors is to encourage and empower people to succeed by acting together to solve their problems.
[edit] How long World Neighbors Stays in a Program Area
World Neighbors stays in a program area until communities and local organizations become strong enough to maintain their self-help activities. The average time is about eight to 10 years. The goal is to achieve lasting improvements in peoples' lives, not quick fixes that depend on outside assistance.
[edit] How much do World Neighbors programs cost?
World Neighbors annual budget is $7.5 million. Funds are invested in people, training and support to promote self-reliance and more effective use of local resources, not things like external consultants, transportation of imported goods, warehouses or material aid. Each dollar, wisely spent, makes a significant difference. Annually, more than 76 cents of every dollar spent is in support of World Neighbors overseas programs and its U.S. public education initiatives. Less than 24 cents per dollar is used for fundraising or administrative costs.
[edit] Where World Neighbors gets its Funds
Since 1951, World Neighbors has been supported primarily through private donations. Gifts from individuals and charitable foundations represent the largest sources of income. The remainder is provided by income from endowments, donations from churches and civic organizations and grants from development assistance organizations.
[edit] Is World Neighbors affiliated with any church or denomination?
No. World Neighbors was founded as a non-secretarian organizations, rooted in the universal value of neighbor helping neighbor. World Neighbors respects and affirms the dignity of all people many religious denominations and individuals of different faiths support World Neighbors programs.
[edit] How is World Neighbors staffed?
A team of 41 staff members based in the United States provides support to 140 field staff members, more than 50 local partner organizations and hundreds of rural community-level volunteers throughout Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Most members of World Neighbors international program staff are citizens of the countries in which they work, and they work directly with rural people living int he most remote, ecologically fragile areas of our program areas. World Neighbors partners with existing local organizations already working int he area and supports their promoters to train community-level volunteers and leaders.
[edit] Is World Neighbors a charity?
Yes. World Neighbors is approved by the IRS as a 501 (c)(3) not-for-profit organization and is registered in all states that require charity registration. In addition, World Neighbors meets the stringent standards of all significant charity watchdog agencies.
[edit] How is World Neighbors governed?
A volunteer board of trustees whose members come from throughout the United States contribute their time and expertise to govern World Neighbors. Melanie Macdonald, president and chief executive officer, leads the organization's operations, and is ably assisted by a coordinating team composed of senior staff members.
[edit] The World Neighbors Method
1. Select the communities where they work on the basis of need and opportunity. 2. Establish a relationship of trust by listening to what people say and learning what limites their success. 3. Help strengthen the capacity of communities to identify, analyze and solve their own problems using local resources and the simplest tools to do the job. 4. Try new ideas on a small scale. Stay practical to generate early enthusiasm and success. 5. Strengthen the community's ability to evaluate and document the results, applying lessons learned to improve their programs. 6. Reinforce the community's capacity to multiply their results and maintain the problem-solving process by coordinating with other villages and local organizations and forming partnerships. 7. Widen program impact by sharing the results and process with larger-scale organizations, villages, networks, coalitions and governments to influence policies and actions.
[edit] Contact Information
t: 800.242.6387
p: 405.752.9700
f: 405.752.9393
address: 4127 NW 122nd Street | Oklahoma City, OK | 73120 USA |
