World Neighbors

World Neighbors is a non-profit international development organization that works with people who are struggling to overcome the consequences of underdevelopment in some of the poorest places in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Instead of providing short-term aid, World Neighbors creates permanent change by working alongside villagers, helping them to identify and solve their own problems, such as hunger, poverty, disease and other challenges that undermine their livelihoods. Currently, World Neighbors reaches approximately 500,000 people in 13 countries including Guatemala, Burkina Faso, Mali, Haiti, Peru, Bolivia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, India, Nepal, Indonesia and Timor-Leste. Since 1951, World Neighbors has helped 26 million people in 45 countries.[1]

World Neighbors

World Neighbors was founded by Dr. John L. Peters in 1951, who was the organization's executive director until 1977. The organization is headquartered in Oklahoma City, OK. Peters launched the first World Neighbors programs in India.

Programs

World Neighbors works with partner organizations in approximately 45 programs in 13 countries: Haiti, Guatemala, Bolivia, Peru, Burkina Faso, Mali, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, India, Nepal, Indonesia, and Timor Leste.

World Neighbors works in areas where there is greatest need for its programs and capacity building. Partnering with local affiliates who know the people, culture and landscape, World Neighbors gauges community interest in its approach by talking with rural villagers before beginning its work. The organization emphasizes experimental solutions, meaning that they do not prescribe one-size-fits-all solutions, but works with the members of the community to find solutions that best fit unique conditions.

Specifically, World Neighbors works in remote rural communities where there are few roads, little or no access to clean water or electricity, limited health services and few schools. Infant and maternal death rates and illiteracy rates are among the highest in the world. Often the land and forests are degraded, and most of the citizens are excluded from mainstream economic development and decision making.

World Neighbors stays in a program area until communities and local organizations become strong enough to continue their programs on their own. This process takes an average of 8 to 10 years. World Neighbors goal is to achieve long-lasting improvements and independence in people’s lives and their communities, not quick fixes that depend on external assistance.

Method of operation

World Neighbors works to help people develop, manage and sustain their own programs. Most programs begin using locally available resources and simple, low-cost technologies. As people gain skills and confidence, local leaders and organizations emerge to carry on the work, multiply results and participate in coalitions advocating for wider change. The role of World Neighbors is to strengthen these basic human and organizational resources for long-term development.

World Neighbors does not give away food or material aid. Instead, it provides training so that people gain the skills and leadership to work together for change. The result is self-reliance, rather than dependence on external aid. World Neighbors does not determine the focus of the program, but asks people to set their own agenda. Programs include: food security, farming, literacy, health, family planning, water and sanitation, environmental conservation, savings and credit, non-formal education and income generation activities. The organization lists its top four initiatives as Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods, Community Based Natural Resource Management, Community and Reproductive Health and Gender Equality. These initiatives coincide with aspects of human and economic development because proper management of resources and sustainable agriculture foster economic growth and reproductive health and gender equality increase the quality of human life on a social level.

Process

A seven step process for the World Neighbors programs, according to its website:

1. Select the areas where we work on the basis of need and opportunity.

2. Listen to what they have to say and what limits their success and establish a relationship of trust.

3. Help strengthen their capacity to identify, analyze and solve their own problems using locally available resources and the simplest tools to do the job.

4. Try new ideas on a small scale. Stay practical to generate early enthusiasm and success.

5. Help document the results and apply lessons learned to improve programs.

6. Reinforce their capacity to maintain and multiply results and ongoing problem-solving processes by forming new partnerships and by coordinating with additional villages and local organizations.

7. Widen program impact by documenting and sharing the results and processes with larger-scale organizations, villages, networks, coalitions and governments to influence policies and actions.[2]

Revenue and Spending

World Neighbors invests funds in training and support programs for the people in our program areas. These programs promote self-reliance and more effective use of local resources. World Neighbors does not employ external consultants or buy imported goods, warehouses or material aid.

Private donations have been the primary mode of support since World Neighbors was founded in 1951. Gifts from individuals and charitable foundations are World Neighbors largest sources of income, representing 46.72% of the total revenue as of 2016.[3] World Neighbors also receives income from endowments, as well as donations from civic organizations, congregations, corporations and grants from development assistance organizations.

Approximately 82% of the money spent by World Neighbors goes directly to programs and projects while 10.8% is lost to fundraising expenses.[4] World Neighbors receives a good rating for the category of fundraising considering it spends $0.11 to generate $1 of funds, placing it in the second category of fundraising efficiency for the $0.11-0.20 range, based on ratings from Charity Navigator. High fundraising efficiency means that the organization is able to spend less money to generate revenue for its cause.

Administration and staff

A team of 4 staff members based in the United States supports 50 field staff members, more than 45 local partner organizations and hundreds of rural community-level volunteers in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Relying on volunteers and local affiliates helps World Neighbors to keep costs low and ensure that

Most international staff members are citizens of the countries where they work. World Neighbors works with existing local organizations already working in the area and supports their promoters to train community-level volunteers and leaders.

A volunteer board of trustees, whose members come from throughout the United States, governs World Neighbors. Kate Schecter, President and CEO, leads the organization's operations, and is assisted by a coordinating team composed of senior staff members.

Following a brief period with Feed the Children, in 2016, World Neighbors president and CEO Kate Schecter and the board approved a budget that restored World Neighbor's independence.[5]

Charity Ratings

Charity Navigator and GiveWell.org are two independent charity rating organizations that analyze various aspects of a charity in order to give it a holistic rating based on transparency and accountability. As of December 2017, Charity Navigator gave World Neighbors four out of four stars and the second highest rating for spending to raise additional funds.[6] The rating is based on compliance with the following accountability and transparency performance metrics:

  • Independent voting board members
  • No material diversion of assets
  • Audited financials prepared by independent accountant
  • Does not provide loan(s) to or receive loan(s) from related parties
  • Documents board meeting minutes
  • Provided copy of Form 990 to organization's governing body in advance of filing
  • Conflict of interest policy
  • Whistleblower policy
  • Records retention and destruction policy
  • CEO listed with salary
  • Process for determining CEO compensation
  • Board listed/Board members not compensated

References
  1. "Home - World Neighbors". World Neighbors. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
  2. World Neighbors - How We Work & Where We Work
  3. "Charity Navigator - Rating for World Neighbors". Charity Navigator. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  4. "Charity Navigator - Rating for World Neighbors". Charity Navigator. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  5. Children, Feed the. "World Neighbors Becomes Independent Nonprofit Once More". Feed the Children. Retrieved 2017-12-07.
  6. "Charity Navigator - Rating for World Neighbors". Charity Navigator. Retrieved 2017-12-06.
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