LUENA FOUNDATION

Mission Statement

We believe that the people most affected by poverty and social injustice are the ones who should have both the power and resources to lead the decision-making processes that impact their communities. Many charities go to poor areas and give them water/food and hope that solves it. The truth lies in the fact that poverty exists for different reasons. At Luena Foundation, we recognize that and we go to each community and we understand why poverty exists there, and together with the community, we find solutions. We empower local communities and give them a say on what they need. So we search for the local leaders... the individuals and organizations that have the indigenous knowledge and local capacity to elicit sustainable development from the inside out. By seeking out and strengthening these community-based local actors, we are changing the paradigm of poverty reduction to one of localized humanitarianism.