How CHOICE leaders are making change happen in their communities.

CHOICE Humanitarian’s mission is to end extreme poverty. That mission couldn’t be accomplished without the volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to making the world a better place—one village at a time. At every level of the organization—from our home office to the villages around the world—there are leaders and volunteers hard at work combating poverty.

One of those leaders is Pascal Karisa, a CHOICE Humanitarian native leader who’s making a big difference in his community in the Samburu District in Kenya.

CHOICE is helping communities all over the world to become independent of charity through leadership programs and economic development. CHOICE has officially incorporated The Institute of Self Reliant Agriculture into our program to become one united front. After two years of vetting and thoughtful deliberation we are all thrilled with our decision.

The Institute of Self Reliant Agriculture is a small NGO out of Washington with a great agriculture program that targets mostly the family level. Family gardens, nutrition and food security are critical components of their program.

While watching a televised report on the Nepal Earthquake, CHOICE’s attention was drawn to a story on the Whistle Man from Luvu, Lalitpur. Luvu is a very ancient (about 3300 years old) Newari settlement that was severely damaged by the 7.8 earthquake on April 25th and the numerous aftershocks that followed.

Clean water saves lives. Women and children spend up to 4 hours a day collecting water. The journey, which could include encounters with dangerous animals or men, can be as dangerous as the quality of the water. And this taken away from education and economic development.

CHOICE has been working for 33 years with people who live on less than $1.25 a day helping them create their own path out of poverty. CHOICE has been working in remote villages in Nepal for over 15 years. Currently, we are working on a program called Nepal LIFE that will help Nepal to become the first developing country in the world to end extreme poverty. We are based in the Lamjung District, the epicenter of the deadly quake, where we work in 180 villages. Many of these rural areas have not been accessed for any earthquake relief. Those that have, paint a desperate picture.

According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), education that is both relevant and purposeful has the power to transform lives.

Nepal can be divided into two primary groups of people in need, those living in the Kathmandu Valley and those living in the remote mountainous regions that are inaccessible by any means other than by foot or helicopter.

On February 1st CHOICE Humanitarian was awarded a coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator for sound fiscal management and a proven commitment to accountability and transparency. This is our third consecutive 4-star rating. Read the full report here on Charity Navigator.

One of the things that sets CHOICE apart from other NGOs is the emphasis on developing leadership within the community before all else – then taking a support role to that leadership. Rincon is a small traditional Otomi village in Mexico. The road connecting it to the main road is practically impassable, even for 4×4 vehicles. In assessing the priorities to their economic development, the village leaders felt that a useable road was critical.