How It Works
When FH Canada begins working in a new community, instead of focusing on poverty and problems; we focus on local assets and initiatives. Rather than bring in foreign ideas or resources, we apply local knowledge and resources
to promote sustainable community driven development programs. FH Canada empowers communities with the basic building blocks to make their plans for change a reality, so they can continue to develop long after FH Canada moves on to help another area.
We also recognize that even the poorest communities are diverse and dynamic. So our development initiatives have to be integrated and adaptable. That’s why we focus on providing hope for the whole person. This means we strive to help communities meet the physical, spiritual, social and educational needs of each child, woman and man.
At FH Canada we gauge success, both in Canada and internationally, by the following results: a community and its people are advancing towards their God given potential; are equipped to progress beyond meeting their basic needs; and have a growing group of Christians among them, who are loving God and one another, living compassionately, and reaching out to serve others.
Projects FAQ
How does FH Canada choose a new community to work in?
- The community is very poor and there are urgent needs.
- There is primary school education opportunity or plans for providing such.
- The community is relatively stable. Families and children do not move out unexpectedly and often.
- No other organization is doing similar work in the community or nearby.
- Families, churches (if there are any), and community leaders understand FH strategy and are receptive and committed to work with FH.
- The community development plan is feasible and FH strategy and program requirements can be carried out in this location. Most importantly, appropriate people are available to staff the program.
Once a community decides what kind of a future they want to build, how is it decided what projects to undertake first?
- This depends on the capability of the community leadership to find resources needed for certain projects. Community leaders and FH staff, working together, will try their best to address the most critical needs of the community in a priority sequence but sometimes resources (human, physical, or financial) may not be available in the communities or in FH program or the timing (political situation, environment, infrastructures surrounding the community, accessibility) may not be appropriate at a particular time. Together community leaders and FH staff will re-prioritize which critical needs they can start to work on.
Does FH fund all of a community's projects at the same time or stagger them over their time in that community?
- Depending on the maturity and capability of the community, projects are either started at the same time or staggered over a period of time. Community members have their own work for survival (farming, day labour, small business, etc) and as many of the community projects depend on volunteers from the community, the availability of community member’s availability is a key factor to determine the project schedule.
