Our bottom up participatory development strategy requires people to form small groups called Torches. These small groups of people work towards starting a humanitarian project and an income generating business to finance that humanitarian project, with goal of achieving sustainability (self-sufficiency) as soon as possible but not later than 10 years.

Key to our motivation is love of people as an indication of our love of God. This love compels our Humanitarian Entrepreneurs to help people to continually improve quality in themselves, quality in the products they make, quality the services they render, and to become Humanitarian Entrepreneurs active in holistic community development, establishing networks of integrated, self-sustaining projects designed to encourage the spirit of freedom, free-enterprise, life-long education and the love among the young and old, male and female, rich and poor at the grassroots.

 

 What constitutes grassroots Participatory Model of Development?

 

• Grassroots Participation in Decision-Making: Local Torchbearers come up with humanitarian project ideas and business ideas. They draft the initial plans for self-sustainability and request input from Torchbearer leaders. Any ideas, programs and projects from our leaders are implemented only after the local people have “bought into” them.

• Grassroots Participation in Implementation: Local people participate in the implementation of our self-sustaining and integrated projects. They do so as individuals or as a community group (called a Torch) or a group of Torches. Non-locals may be brought in only where local talent isn’t available.

• Grassroots Participation in Evaluation: Local people are encouraged to give feedback and evaluation during and after the implementation of our self-sustaining and integrated projects and programs.

• Grassroots Participation in Benefit: Our self-sustaining and integrated projects and programs are intended for the benefit of all in need in our local community and beyond.

 

We see our grassroots movement of Humanitarian Entrepreneurs becoming the premier instrument for demonstrating the power of freedom, free-enterprise, education and the gospel of Jesus Christ to transform individuals from the inside out and to build nations from the bottom up.