Our Approach: Community at the Center

CORE takes a holistic, bottom-up approach in its assistance of the vulnerable populations in Ongutoi. We believe that communities possess knowledge, strengths, and resources that are essential to their own development. External support is most effective when it strengthens these existing capacities rather than replacing them. Thus, the organization is rooted in the community and it’s members (parents, grandparents, caretakers, relatives, and neighbors of the vulnerable children) are central to the community’s development.

Our approach is built around four principles:

• Local Ownership

  Community members are active leaders and participants in Ongutoi’s development. Solutions are developed with community members and reflect local priorities, knowledge, and circumstances.

• Holistic Support

  We recognize that education, food security, clean water, psychosocial well-being, life skills, and economic opportunity are interconnected. Sustainable progress requires attention to the whole person and the wider community.

• Sustainability

  We seek to create opportunities that enable people to strengthen their own capacity to meet their own needs over time and move toward greater independence and self-reliance.

• Partnership

  We recognize the importance of building trust, continuity, and local ownership and believe lasting progress is achieved through collaboration among community members, local organizations, donors, and other partners.