Villages in Partnership Mission Statement
OUR VISION is a world in which communities from across the globe work together in partnership to transform each other’s lives, so that people are relieved from suffering and can begin to achieve their full potential.
OUR BELIEF is that we can empower people to raise themselves from extreme poverty by coming alongside them as partners to share each other’s burdens, resources and solutions.
OUR MISSION is to build partnerships between villages in the developed world and villages in Malawi to bring about life-changing development for all.
OUR METHOD is to work with local development experts in Malawi to implement programs designed to simultaneously address the inter-connected web of root causes of extreme poverty: lack of access to clean water, food insecurity, poor health care, inadequate education, insufficient infrastructure, and lack of economic opportunities.
OUR MOTIVATION is to respond to the call of Jesus Christ to love and serve the poor, the hungry, the widowed and the orphaned.
We chose our name, Villages in Partnership, because we think it embodies the core of who we are and what we stand for. We don’t view the work we do as “charity” or a hand-out, nor do we see it as a one-way street. Rather, it’s about building an enduring partnership. As with any truly worthwhile partnership, it is mutually beneficial, with shared burdens and a unified vision. It’s also not about any one individual or any single church or group; it’s about villages—communities, both here and in Malawi—working together for a common purpose. Although initially envisioned by the Heinzel-Nelsons and begun by the Allentown Presbyterian Church, Villages in Partnership has grown so much bigger. VIP is made up of people and groups from all walks of life who recognize that when Christ taught us that one of the greatest commandments is to love our neighbors as ourselves, he didn’t mean just those who live down the street or around the corner.
Our friends in Malawi are our neighbors, and because we love them, we cannot sit idly by as they suffer in extreme poverty, when we know that there are things we can do to help. As we seek to come along side of them, and work together to help empower them to lift themselves out of poverty, we know that our lives will be changed as well. That is the essence of a partnership.
Our Values
- LOVE – All of our actions are motivated by our love for God and for all of His children, no matter where they may live. We love our neighbors all over the globe, as we love ourselves.
- SUSTAINABILITY – The goal of every VIP project is to empower our partner villages to become self-sustaining communities. We want to equip our communities to thrive without the need for on-going assistance from VIP or others.
- RELATIONSHIP– We strive to know and value all of our partners, including our staff, the chiefs and village elders, grassroots leaders, government agents, donors, and members of our partner communities. We honor the existing village leadership structures and systems already established in our partner communities. We listen to the voices of our partners.
- INTEGRITY – We will live our word. We shall act at all times with the highest degree of ethics and accountability which builds trust. We will use the resources entrusted to VIP wisely, in ways that will have a significant impact on the lives of our partners.
- HOLISTIC CARE – We are concerned not only about the physical well-being of our partners, but also about their emotional, spiritual, and educational needs.
- FAITHFULNESS – We understand that making transformational changes in the lives of those living in extreme poverty requires patience, persistence, trust, and time. We are committed to being there for our partners for a long time.
- RECIPROCITY – We expect our partners to invest themselves and their resources in the development of their communities. All beneficiaries are expected to give back to the best of their abilities; every project requires investment and response.
- ADAPTABILITY – Within the context of our core values, we are a learning and creative organization. We are flexible and innovative with our partners. We will learn from our mistakes, adapt, and move on.