At the core of HART’s ethos is a commitment to working in partnership with local people. All of our projects are locally-led from vision through to implementation by partners who possess the requisite knowledge, skills and commitment to find and deliver appropriate solutions.

Our partners are highly effective because they are deeply committed to their communities, and have an intimate knowledge of the cultural, political, social and economic context. They are extremely well placed to identify, understand and meet the needs of local people. They are committed to their communities for the long-term, and have the biggest stake in promoting peace and development.

Ensuring that local people are at the helm of their own development also helps to build confidence and capacity within communities to tackle the challenges they are facing, and promotes long-term, sustainable change.

Working in partnership with local organisations is particularly crucial in situations of conflict, or where people are persecuted and marginalised. Local actors are usually the foundation and front-line of a humanitarian response, and are able to adapt quickly to chaotic and rapidly changing circumstances. If international organisations have to pull out as a result of insecurity, or if a government restricts humanitarian access, the local community is left single-handedly managing the crisis. Working through local partners allows us to reach particularly vulnerable and isolated people, and to maintain this support at the most difficult times.

HART acts as a catalyst for change. We provide financial support, encouragement, help to build capacity and are able to connect our partners to networks of additional support. Being a small charity makes it easier to build strong relationships, good communication and genuine collaboration.

We see the success of this model time and time again in the achievements of our partners, as they transform lives and communities in some of the most isolated and unstable parts of the world.