O U R   C R E E D

As an independent envoy of Austrian Development Cooperation, SONNE – Support Organisation for Non-formal Needed Education – contributes to the international development process and in this capacity we feel obliged to accept humane as well as political responsibility with regard to the economically weaker countries in the south.

For SONNE-International development cooperation means conducting a respectful and transparent dialogue with our local partner organisations on the one hand, while at the same time pursuing a long-term, holistic and sustainable approach in all our projects. Even before the project planning process commences we ask ourselves, which measures are necessary in order to provide the people affected with the opportunity to achieve independent development. Frequently, a single project intervention is not enough, and what is required is a multi-layered approach. This often starts with securing the basics required for living by providing adequate access to water, food, healthcare and shelter, followed by basic and school education, health and sex education, manual skills training, income generation through micro-credits and the nurturing of the cultural identity.

The interventions carried out by SONNE-International have the primary aim to enable the disadvantaged poor people of the south to increasingly take charge of defining their own lives in accordance with their situations, and thus allow them to live their lives independently and with dignity. The overall objective is to stimulate sustainable economic development in the project regions.

In relation to the cooperation with local partner organisations, SONNE-International is convinced that most of the required knowledge is available locally, which is why we do not deploy aid workers to spend long periods of time in the project regions. The aim is to strengthen and extend the local structures, so that once the external engagement has come to an end, the project identity remains strong enough to sustain the ongoing commitment.

In accordance with their personal possibilities and interests, all full-time and voluntary team members of SONNE-International pursue a common goal: We want to make an active contribution to improving the lives of the poor people of the southern countries.