OVER 30 YEARS OF RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT

Fida is a Finnish Development Cooperation Organisation and one of the biggest and most experienced non-governmental development organisations in Finland. Fida’s development cooperation activities together with the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland started in 1974 and nowadays Fida carries out almost 100 development cooperation, humanitarian assistance and child sponsorship programs in about 30 countries. Fida is a partnership organisation in development of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland and has Framework Partnership Agreement with the the European Union Directorate-General for Humanitarian Aid (ECHO).

Success factors to the Fida work approach is capable and well motivated personnel, sound knowledge of local culture and language, effective cooperation unit and dynamic control of changes and functional leadership.

The main emphasis of Fida's actions is the capacity building of it's partners, enabling them to become positive influencers in their communities, living with dignity and as holistically healthy sustainable communities.

Fida's integrated community cooperation programmes in areas such as; education, literacy, orphan care, aged, HIV/aids, gender equality, water and sanitation, health, disabled, environmental, relief assistance, and the like, work towards improving community self sustainability, so those who where once disadvantaged have now moved onwards helping themselves and others.

FIDA COMMITMENTS

Fida International programmes support the development policy of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, the goals of the United Nation’s Millennium declaration, and the Poverty Reduction Strategies of the cooperation countries.

Fida is a signatory to “The Code of Conduct” - Principles of Conduct for The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Response Programmes, which states that, aid priorities are calculated on the basis of need alone and aid is given regardless of the race, creed or nationality of the recipients and without adverse distinction of any kind.

We are committed to meeting needs of the physically and mentally challenged, through community education, changed attitudes, and their equal acceptance in society.

All Fida's development cooperation functions and methods are in harmony with the official principles governing the Finnish development cooperation. Its general objectives are: reduction of wide-spread poverty, prevention of global environmental problems and promotion of social equality, democracy and human rights.

Focus on people and their capacity

Fida's general strategy for development is to help people in need all over the world by creating, with local partner organisations, sustainable development and improving living conditions in a comprehensive way. Sustainable results can be achieved by strengthening the capacity of the local partners and empowering them to become positive influence in their own communities.

Accordingly, Fida's development projects are mainly based on training and capacity building of the poor rural communities or vulnerable sub-groups in cities. Special emphasis is put on comprehensive welfare of children, women and youth.

Targeting indigenous development

Besides the community-based approach, equally important principles are to abide by the laws of the recipient countries and respect their cultures and traditions. Fida is working from the basis of motivation to love one’s neighbour and not to make any discrimination according to age, sex, religion or culture.

We believe that together with our network of partnerships, Fida can fulfil its vision; to empower its partners to become positive and powerful influences in their communities; thus, creating a way towards sustainable development.