I volunteered locally for several years with a home-building nonprofit before volunteering with them internationally. I had chosen them after reviewing several nonprofits and know I made the right choice. I asked lots of questions while volunteering and met several homeowners who we worked alongside to build theirs or others homes. These weren't handouts but required "sweat equity" from the home owners. I could see the pride and empowerment they felt in building their own homes. I learned the nonprofit also mentored on budgeting and home maintenance to help homeowners keep their homes afterwards.
Internationally they had partnerships with local organizations that led each build. It was very fulfilling to meet and work alongside homeowners in different countries. It just felt like the old fashioned "barn raising' Id read about.
No nonprofit is perfect and I saw that in their international disaster relief efforts in a particular country where they didn't have local partnerships and were just working with other NGOs. It was definitely a situation of not listening. Natural disaster relief is exceptionally complex; urgent as well as long term solutions are needed but the long term is often overlooked.
ORIGINAL COMMENT
Internationally they had partnerships with local organizations that led each build. It was very fulfilling to meet and work alongside homeowners in different countries. It just felt like the old fashioned "barn raising' Id read about.
No nonprofit is perfect and I saw that in their international disaster relief efforts in a particular country where they didn't have local partnerships and were just working with other NGOs. It was definitely a situation of not listening. Natural disaster relief is exceptionally complex; urgent as well as long term solutions are needed but the long term is often overlooked.