FSD achieves community-driven goals through asset-based development and international exchange in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
VISION
FSD envisions a world where all people have the opportunity and capacity to direct economic, social, and environmental resources toward sustainable outcomes that improve lives and communities.
CORE VALUES
Start With Assets, Not Problems: They take an asset-based approach to development work. They begin by listening to the priorities set by our community-based partners at our international program sites. They then identify and utilize existing assets and capacity to address those priorities.
Motivate Community Ownership: They partner with leaders, organizations, and stakeholders committed to change, action, and social justice. They stress community ownership and participation before launching initiatives, especially in their volunteer and student programs.
Generate Enduring Results and Impact: Their ensure the outcomes of our support have long-lasting benefits for their partners. They think hard on how to participate appropriately and effectively in development, and on how to become redundant so that their initiatives outlast their involvement.
Focus On The Site Teams: Their are headquartered in San Francisco, but their 10 Site Teams direct their programs across Africa, Asia, and Latin America on the ground, 365 days a year. These teams build partnerships based on trust, respect, efficacy, and alignment with asset-based approaches.
Build Capacity: They strengthen the skills, competencies, and abilities of the leaders at their community-based partners and of their student and professional volunteers. They educate and train, facilitating the sharing of best practices across all of their stakeholders to support their partners’ priorities.
Be A Bridge: They relentlessly build a network of students, professionals, and passionate advocates for our community-based partners to access. They connect this network of assets and volunteers with the work of our partners through our international exchange and grantmaking programs.
Change Perspectives: They share ther experiences and learnings about the complexities of development with friends, family, and colleagues. They promote cultural exchange and sensitivity, encouraging a reflective approach to navigating cross-cultural issues, confusions, and tensions.
Promote Reciprocity: They operate on their founding principle that producing strong community outcomes must be the priority. Their base all partnerships, strategies, and decisions on the Fair Trade Learning concept that they must be ethical and reciprocal in their planning, implementation, and outcomes.
