Our Philosophy

The John Paul II Foundation for the Sahel finances, regardless of religion, projects submitted by grass roots community organizations (farmers’ associations, groupings, associations), by NGOs, institutions, local communities and the State. The projects must be in line with the areas of intervention of the foundation which, in general, are the management of natural resources, sustainable rural development and poverty control. We favour training in project selection as well as participatory approach. This means that we do not subtitute for the populations. We do not bring development to them.

But together in partnership, we try to build essentially on small project activities that will bring more dignity to the men and women of the Sahel, knowledge and know-how that will help reduce their suffering.

We have a Project Committee composed of specialists who are natives of the Sahel countries and are quite familiar with development issues. The Committee meets twice a year to select projects to be financed.

Selected projects are implemented by their promoters, under the supervision of our diocesan units in charge of project monitoring. To us, a project is a school of living where we learn to think about our problems, to find our own way out and to experiment our ideas with the help of the solidarity of an institution.

For all these reasons, we do not present as achievements millions of reforested hectares to stop the desert but just a few groups of men and women who have regained confidence in themselves and do no longer despair thanks to a helping hand offered at a time when they needed it most.