Last night I was sitting down watching and evaluating a group of DVD’s that TEAR Fund NZ has. Some of them were from TEAR Australia and TEAR UK.
One of the things that came through loud and clear in each of the DVD’s was the thing that made me fall in love with TEAR Fund in the first place – the value of partnerships.
TEAR Fund works on a principle of partnering with various groups working amongst the poor around the world. TEAR Fund does not engage first hand in issues, instead it grows and nurtures relationships with indigenous development groups working to find solutions to their own areas issues. TEAR Fund’s desire is to be invisible while resourcing and equipping the poor, thus empowering them towards self-sustainability.
As with any relationship building, this approach can have its ups and downs, but even the messiness of such relational partnerships can be viewed as often healthy as it teaches all involved to work with each other. There is no sense that TEAR Fund is some sort of saviour, rather it is a collective organisation of staff, advocates and supporters working behind the scenes to give a voice to the voiceless and to empower those who have been marginalised.
As a new employee at TEAR Fund looking to develop a newly created role, my love for TEAR Fund was deepened last night as I was reminded of this overarching principle of partnership, a principle that drew me in as a supporter long before I thought of becoming a TEAR Fund staff member.
If you would like to use your resources to support TEAR Fund in its work with its partners, contact us on 0800 800 777 to find a way that fits your circumstances. The more people standing with us as we stand with the poor, the better.
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