CHOICE Humanitarian (choice​humanitarian.org) tackles rural poverty in developing countries by enlisting entire communities to reach a consensus on the projects most important to them, whether it’s building a school, digging a well, or acquiring livestock to support a farming economy. It then helps community members realize the project, which the members themselves manage and execute. Putting the community in charge of projects ensures that development harmonizes with local political structures, cultural norms, and traditions. It also guards against the well-meaning paternalism and cultural blind spots that can turn good intentions into failures. Leadership emerges organically, building the confidence, self-reliance, and group identity that can lift entire villages out of poverty.
Each charity we feature has earned a four-star overall rating from Charity Navigator. Charity Navigator ranks not-for-profit organizations on the effectiveness of their programs, their control of administrative and fund-raising expenses, and the transparency of their operations. Four stars is the group’s highest ranking
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