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About International Solidarity Foundation

Our mission

International Solidarity Foundation (ISF) is a development organization established in 1970.

Our mission is to build a world where women and girls are safe from violence and people have access to sustainable income.

We support development that strengthens democracy, equality and human rights internationally, and invite people in Finland to work towards building an equitable world.

Our work impacts the lives of over 85 000 people in over 100 communities. With over 50 years on Finnish development know-how, we are an experienced NGO that knows how to make a difference.

We currently work in Kenya and Somaliland but are about to open our latest office in Ethiopia during 2023.

The way we do our work

Our added value is based on well-designed, focused and transparent programme activities. Our strength is our direct contact with beneficiaries and development challenges.

Our projects are based on the needs of the local communities and the people who benefit from them always take part in the process. Our principles include a long-term commitment and partnership with the beneficiaries.

Our project effectiveness is guaranteed by broad country-based knowledge, sustainable way of working, and allocation of responsibility to local partner organisations.

1: Local partners build lasting change

We form collaborative partnerships to ensure best possible development outcomes. This requires that we work with local partner NGOs with whom we build trusted relationships.

Our partners build change from within the communities, ensuring that the work we do makes a lasting impact.

Our sustainable way of working ensures long-lasting, meaningful partnerships, and effective accumulation of country-specific knowledge, as well as understanding of the efficacy of different methods in solving development issues.

2: Holistic rights-based approach

We commit to solving gender issues and empowering women long-term. We work by the principles of sustainable development.

We have a gender transformative approach, and build our development programs holistically, with a rights-based approach addressing both duty bearers and rights holders. Our scope is on the community and regional level.

ISF values
Everything we do is based on our values: solidarity, equality, equity, and participation.