Vision, mission and values
Practical Action Southern Africa
Read about Practical Action Southern Africa's strategic approach in People and Technology: transforming lives (PDF, 1.3Mb)
Vision
Our vision is of a sustainable world free of poverty and injustice in which technology is used for the benefit of all.
Mission
To use technology to challenge poverty by:
- Building the capabilities of poor people;
- Improving their access to technical options and knowledge, and
- Working with them to influence social economic and institutional systems for innovation and the use of technology.
Values
Justice
Everyone, irrespective of gender, age, ethnicity or ability, has basic human rights, including access to an adequate standard of living, health and education. People should have the means and freedoms to achieve their rights, including being able to choose which technologies they use.
Democracy
Public involvement in decision-making, including decision-making about the technologies that affect their lives, is more likely to ensure developments meet their needs and protect them from harmful impacts. Democratic decision-making in all walks of life is necessary to ensure effective social control of scientific research and that technological innovation is in the public interest.
Empowerment
People living in poverty should drive their own development. Practical Action concentrates on what matters most to the people with whom we work, respects their rights, and supports their own efforts to improve their well-being.
Diversity
Practical Action values all forms of diversity. Diversity of culture and diverse livelihoods are a source of economic strength. Biological diversity and a diversity of approach and method helps people to adapt to change (including climate change). Diversity reduces risks and enhances the flexibility of people's responses, making it more likely that individuals' and communities' needs will be met.
Sustainability
For the long-term well-being of people and planet we must waste as little as possible and recycle wherever possible. We need to create an ecologically sustainable society which acknowledges that perpetual economic growth is not possible in a finite world. Our own work should have no negative impact on the environment or health. Where there is a possibility that a change in technology could lead to such damage action should be taken to control or prevent it, even when there may be uncertainty about the magnitude of the danger or its causality - i.e. the precautionary principle should prevail.
