Sustainable and Climate Resilient Development
We aim at achieving sustainable development with a capacity for resilience, allowing systems to thrive in constant change. These two reinforcing concepts of sustainability and resilience allow us to focus on approaches and solutions that are less exposed to unpredictable shocks and reduce the risk of endangering future generations.
Our focus on sustainable development allows balanced growth that does neglect but instead balances the environmental, economic and social dimensions. Incorporation of resilience allows the interventions the ability to absorb, adopt and function in the face of the known and unknown future changes. It allows us not to put all our eggs in one basket by providing diversified solutions. For instance, understanding what sources of energy generation might be affected by climate change allows us to develop interventions characterised by a diverse energy mix, resilient to these changes.
The Approach
Capabilities Approach
We base our interventions on the Capabilities Approach, also referred to as Human Development Approach. The approach is used in the assessment of the quality of life and evaluating social justice. It takes an individual as an end, looking at their capabilities i.e. what they are able to do and are able to be whilst having the freedom to explore opportunities available to them. It offers insights as to what is needed and facilitates one to have a quality life e.g. to be healthy, to be educated, and what conditions deter this.
Systems Thinking
We apply systems thinking in coming up with interventions, using the visible parts to see the whole, the patterns and their interconnectedness. As Leonardo DaVinci put it, everything connects to everything else. Our solutions are based on interacting with the problem in its context and establishing the interdependence between human systems and natural systems and then developing interventions that help build a resilient and sustainable society
Guiding principles
Research Oriented
Solutions
Solutions
By understanding a problem, we are halfway to the solution.
Independence
To see the clients/ beneficiaries/ society run their own show, we are just a
means to the end.
Participation
To achieve people centred solutions, because the wearer of the shoe knows where it hurts most.
Sustenance
By having the clients/ beneficiaries/ society at the heart of problem solving and solution implementation, because it’s not our show, it’s their.
Triple Bottom Line
Approach
Approach
Environmental, social and economic bottom line, because you cannot bite the hand that feeds you.