Outreach International is an international non-governmental organization

Non-governmental organization

A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...

 (NGO) based in Independence, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1979, the organization's purpose is to help the poor overcome the effects of poverty and develop the capacity to create a new future for themselves and their communities. Outreach International Facilitators in the field work with those affected by issues of poverty

Poverty

Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...

through a strategic participatory approach that promotes self-reliance and responsibility among the local population and gives them the tools needed for improving their lives in a sustainable manner.

Outreach International's Mission is twofold: to "help the poor help themselves," and "provide responsible ways for people with charitable hearts to help the poor to a better life."

Outreach International supports programs that help the poor in 15 countries: Bolivia, Brazil, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dominican Republic, Haiti, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Malawi, Nicaragua, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Uganda, the United States and Zambia.

Outreach International is a humanitarian organization. They assist thousands and thousands of impoverished children, men, and women in overcoming their situation. Their mission is to make long-term investments that will bring long-lasting changes. Currently, they are working in 13 countries dealing with severe poverty. The approach this organization takes is essential to the communities they work in. They believe that creating self-sufficient communities is the number one way to go. Being able to share ideas with others in their community is a skill that most of these people don't have. The women aren't used to speaking in public, the men aren't used to organizing projects, Disease, famine, and other factors have held these people back from reaching their society's full potential, and they've lost their dignity and ability to believe in themselves. Outreach International's approach helps these people regain a sense of worth and creates a confidence that radiates throughout the community. They employ local native staff, who teach the villagers how to run their community on their own with everybody working together. The staff is from the same culture, therefore, they can teach change within the set boundaries. They make the most serious problems recognized, and uses group participation to initiate collaboration on methods to address current and future problems that arise. The skills learned from this participation are those that can and will be passed down to future generations, and bring faith back into the community. Outside concepts and thinking is introduced and configured to benefit and respect the villages' culture. The Participatory Human Development Process (PHDP) plays a huge part in helping construct a constant cycle of problem solving, listening, evaluation, and other skills every community needs to thrive. All the work done is entirely anonymous, this is done to ensure that everything accomplished is due to the knowledge and work acquired by the villagers, creating a self-sustainable society. The PDHP can be described in nine steps, there is no particular order, and one step can be accomplished without the completion of another, multiple steps can be worked on simultaneously. For Outreach International, the PDHP has proven to be "the most effective method for engaging people in their own process of empowerment." Integration: the continuing process of establishing understanding between people with the members of the community, to create respect, trust, and open communication among the people. Being immersed into the lifestyle and the lives of these people is the most head-on way to accomplish this, by living with the people, talking to them, and participation in community activities. Having a strong assessment of where the society is, plays a large role in being able to take the next step and preparing to make some changes. The process usually takes around eight months or longer, before the people have become accustomed with the openness and are willing and able to take the next step. Social Investigation: gathering data and analysis about the community and the problems its facing serves as the basis for organizing and planning the 'reconstruction' of the society. Surveys and interviews are just a couple ways to obtain the needed information. Problem Identification and Prioritization: this is something that must be done by the community as a whole. Having the people speak out about problems they find most important is going to develop confidence in the people and the problem-solving skills needed to further themselves later on. Groundworking: preparing the people physically and psychologically to be able to participate in group activities. This helps instill hard work and commitment into the people, and create a large working system of people who will be able to work later on. Public Meeting: people coming together to assess problems, plan solutions, and this becomes the start of organization. Individual perceptions and aspirations become collective goals among the community. They start to open up, communicate, trust, respect, and have confidence in one another, and leaders begin to emerge and take their place. Role Playing: working out all the kinks in possible solutions, coming up with worst case scenarios, and discussing to make sure everyone is on board. Mobilization/Action: making the solution come to life. It's putting the people in charge of taking care of their problem(s) and having them do something about it. This is usually where the people finally or totally recognize their poverty, and acting on fixing the issue, gives them self-worth, and confidence, as well as in their community. Evaluation: looking back and seeing the strengths and weaknesses of the solution, and see where it can be tweaked to ensure its effectiveness. The feeling of achievement will motivate them to be able to do what they set their minds to. Reflection: should happen right after the completion of a project or activity, before it's just a memory. This will help with recognizing lessons learned, skills acquired, and the confidence in the community as a whole.

The organization was created in 1979, and was all because of the values instituted in Charles Neff and others within the Community of Christ. "Outreach International is an international humanitarian organization that proudly serves people without regard to religion, race, nationality, ethnicity, or gender." Outreach International also works with a few other organizations which include; Community of Christ, Plan International, USAID, InterAction, Foods Resource Bank, Counterpart International, and American Humanics. The organization's values are;

1. We Value People: this is taken from a religious point of view, and that a human's worth is inherent and cannot be taken away. They work in ways as not to disrespect the dignity, culture, and uniqueness of the country. They are committed to the person's physical, spiritual, emotional, and social wholeness.
2. We are Partners: they work in sync with the people, to become a partnership. They involve the people in the entire planning and application of human development programs. They collaborate with other organizations/institutions to help the people they work with to help themselves.
3. We are Stewards: they don't use their own resources, they use those from donors. They do all their work for the donors and the people living in poverty.
4. We are Ethical: all the work they put in, is done with total honesty, and in a professional manner. Their mission is to reach the point of definitive change, and that takes serious commitment. The input of other's opinions on their work is highly welcomed, because the more feedback, the better they can get.
5. We are Diverse: innovation, creativity, reflection, and evaluation are all encouraged highly from people's diversity and ideas. They "celebrate the tapestry of diversity of God's creation reflected in all aspects of the human family."
6. We Value the Environment: they work with the knowledge that all creation is interdependent, and as the Earth starts to wear down, the people there suffer from it. They work in ways to support the environment and look for innovations to further the environmentally sustainability of the effort they put in.

The board of directors is a group of fifteen chosen volunteers, and the rest of the institution is run on donations from donors, and help from partner organizations that volunteer and work together. Donors are given high recognition based on how much they given, and how many times they give. A legacy circle was created to recognize the friends, family, and donors who have put their heart and soul in this organization, and without them, this institution would not be anywhere near where it is today. Their corporate partners consist of over twenty foundations, businesses, and corporations that have helped make the work of this organization possible, by demonstrating their support and commitment to the people in poverty through their programs. There are affiliate partners that also add to the number of people who are giving their all into making this organization happen.