Our Vision
Our vision is bold yet achievable:
Prosperous and equitable African communities enjoying sustainable development, peace, and equity.
Our Mission
At Maendeleo, our mission is clear, not easy:
To foster prosperity, equity, and peace in Africa by dismantling the key barriers through tailored service and partnership.
We believe in the power of collective action, innovation, and collaboration to drive meaningful change across the continent.
On one hand, we destroy the bad things (i.e. the barriers) that prevent many people in Africa from enjoying sustainable development, peace and prosperity. These include barriers to poverty, broken education and healthcare systems, environmental pollution, and lack of access to safe water and food among other basic development human rights. Generally, these barriers are sustained by lack of financial resources and technical capacities; deficits in information, knowledge and skills; poor leadership and governance; and oppressive, outdated cultural practices and systems. We identify and work collaborative to destroy specific barriers in the communities we serve.
On the other hand, we seek to build amazingly good things in terms of peace, prosperity, and sustainable development in disadvantaged communities. We believe that destroying the barriers alone is not enough to lift communities and ecosystems to the desired levels of development. One key reason for this is the fact that such communities would have lived in unfair, oppressive systems and squalid, violent conditions for too long that it is difficult for them to step out of them and be alright when the barriers are dismantled.
They need to be supported until their conditions, beliefs and capacities are transformed to sustain the ‘newfound’ fair, supportive, peaceful and progressive systems and conditions.
Our approach to undertaking our mission and delivering results fundamentally involves three simple yet effective, time-tested steps: connect, empower, and transform.
Our Core Values — Guiding Principles for Impactful Change
We are connectors, weaving a tapestry of hope across the continent.
By fostering connections between diverse stakeholders, we build bridges that span across communities, governments, businesses, and beyond. These connections are the threads that bind us together in a shared journey towards positive change.
At Maendeleo, our core values serve as the foundation upon which we build our work and drive our mission forward. Each value embodies our commitment to creating meaningful and sustainable change across Africa.
Ubuntu : Embracing Interconnectedness and Humanity
Ubuntu, an African philosophy that emphasises the interconnectedness of humanity, is woven into the fabric of our organisation. We recognise that we are all bound together in a web of mutual support and responsibility. Through acts of kindness, compassion, and solidarity, we strive to uplift each other and build a more compassionate and empathetic world.
Our resolve to serve people in need with respect, empathy and dignity regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion or education level, and
Fairness: Promoting Equity and Justice
Fairness is the cornerstone of our work. We are committed to promoting equity and justice, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of background or circumstance, have equal access to opportunities and resources. By championing fairness, we strive to create a more inclusive and just society where everyone can thrive.
Integrity: Upholding Honesty and Transparency
Integrity guides our actions and decisions. We hold ourselves to the highest ethical standards, conducting our work with honesty, transparency, and accountability. We believe that integrity is non-negotiable and that trust is earned through consistent and principled behaviour.
Sustainability: Minding Present and Future Generations
Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do. We recognise the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and economic factors, and we strive to promote practices that ensure the long-term health and vitality of communities and ecosystems. Our goal is to create a world where prosperity and progress are not achieved at the expense of future generations.
Collaboration: Strength in Unity
Collaboration is key to achieving our mission. We believe in the power of partnerships and collective action to address complex challenges.
By working together with governments, NGOs, businesses, and local communities, we leverage diverse perspectives and resources to create innovative solutions and drive meaningful change.
We partner with a wide range of stakeholders to serve deprived communities. We also seek to connect development partners keen on making and amplifying their impact wherever we work. Thus, we are always looking for opportunities to build partnerships which connect demand (needs, challenges) with supply (solutions, resources).
Creativity: Inspiring Innovation
Creativity fuels our approach to problem-solving. We encourage fresh thinking, experimentation, and out-of-the-box ideas to address persistent issues and unlock new opportunities for growth and development to think creatively and find novel solutions to the most pressing challenges facing African communities.
Living Our Values: Inspiring Innovation
At Maendeleo, our core values are not just words on paper; they are lived principles that guide our every action. By embracing stewardship, sustainability, collaboration, creativity, fairness, integrity, and Ubuntu, we are empowered to make a meaningful and lasting impact on the lives of people across Africa. Join us in embodying these values and creating a brighter future for all.
Maendeleo — Guided by Values, Driven by Impact.