WE ARE CHRISTIANS
We recognize a God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We together proclaim the humanity and lordship of Jesus Christ and We seek to follow him in his identification with the poor, the powerless, the afflicted, the oppressed, the marginalized, in his special concern for children, in his reverence for the dignity granted by God to women equally with men, in his challenge to unjust attitudes and systems, in his call to share resources with each other, in his love for all people without discrimination or conditions.
We hear his call to be a servant and see the example of his life. We will maintain our Christian identity while being sensitive to the various contexts in which we express this identity.
2. WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE POOR
We are called to serve the poorest people on earth to alleviate their suffering and promote the transformation of their condition of life. We stand together in a common search for justice. We seek to understand the situation of the poor and to work with them towards the fullness of life. We seek to facilitate an engagement between the poor and the rich that leads to transformation. We respect the poor as active participants, not passive recipients, in this relationship. They are people from whom others can learn and receive, as well as give. The need for transformation is common to all. Together we share a quest for justice, peace, reconciliation and healing in a broken world.
3. WE VALUE PEOPLE
We view all people as created and loved by God. We prioritize people over money, structure, systems and other institutional mechanisms. We act in a way that respects the dignity, uniqueness and intrinsic worth of every person – the poor, donors, our staff and their families, councils and volunteers. We celebrate the richness of diversity in human personality, culture and contribution.
4. WE ARE STEWARDS
The resources we have are not ours. They are a sacred trust of God by donors on behalf of the poor. We are true to the purpose for which these resources are provided and manage them in a way that brings the greatest benefit to the poor. We are stewards of God’s creation. We care about the earth and act in ways that restore and protect the environment. We ensure that our development activities are environmentally sound.
5. WE EMBRACE INTEGRITY, EQUALITY AND DIVERSITY
We are accountable to the people and partners we humbly serve, transparently sharing our results, stories and lessons. We speak and act with honesty. We are open and factual in our dealings with our donors, project communities, governments, the general public and each other. We strive to convey a public image consistent with reality. We seek consistency between what we say and what we do. We believe that the most complex problems in the world can be solved by embracing unity in diversity. We believe in the equal value of every human being and the importance of respecting and honoring each individual.
6. WE ARE PARTNERS
We are partners with the poor and donors in a shared ministry.
We maintain a cooperative attitude and a spirit of openness towards other humanitarian organizations. We are open to receiving and considering others’ honest opinions about our work.
7. WE ARE RESPONSIVE
We respond to life-threatening emergencies where our involvement is necessary and appropriate. We are prepared to take smart risks and act quickly. We do this with the experience and sensitivity that the situation requires.
