Our approach

At IYAU, we make the little bird sing on top of the tree, we roll up our sleeves and get our hands dirty. IYAU’s model can be described as providing a local solution to a global problem. Our projects are sustainable community based development initiatives which are community demand driven, utilize local materials, local labor and ingenuity and ownership is transferred to the communities upon completion. More importantly, we focus on optimizing sustainability of our projects by forming long-lasting, collaborative relationships with communities. We do not initiate or build projects in isolation. Instead we work with communities to co-create programs that are appropriate for them and the environment in which they live. Learn more about our approach.

IDENTIFY
We work closely with local communities, local government authorities, and community based partners to identify communities in dire need. Words spread quickly! Often times, neighbouring communities learn about our work in the region and appeal to us.

ENGAGE
Community engagement is at the heart of IYAU philosophy. It allows us to gain a deeper understanding of the community’s needs. This means walking with them, eating with them, and even living with them.

BUILD
We work hand-in-hand with the community and involve them at every stage of the work, from initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure.

SUPPORT
With the goal of each project becoming community owned, we establish sustainable community driven development initiatives which promote active community participation in their own development and are community originated and driven, that then empowers and allows communities own their initiatives and sustain them. For example, we set up water user committees, train hand pump mechanics, and equip them with the skills and tools to handle system maintenance and repair.

MONITOR
We exhaustively monitor projects every 3-6 months for the first 3 years and submit reports to our Executive Committee every quarter. We commit to monitoring projects for up to 10 years after implementation.

IMPACT
Since we began operations, we have had a 100% functionality and sustainability rate and vow to maintain a track record of project success. We take critical steps to ensure sustainability and leave a lasting impact on every community we serve. Our strategic approach takes into account empowering existing local capacity and working towards sustainable progress. We demonstrate this commitment to sustainability through the partnerships we have established with the local technical assistance partners, who will provide important technical contributions to our initiatives and through our commitments to spend 100% of the total funds to targeted interventions.