Overview

Guiding philosophy:
Sauti Moja promotes justice for all people groups, recognizing that global and local inequality is principally due to systemic oppression rooted in self-interest and lack of respect for the rights of others. The specific rights which we support through our "charitable acts" are legally-binding on Canada and articulated in the International Bill of Rights, Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Convention on Rights of the Child (CRC), and International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD). We recognize that transformation of both oppressors and the oppressed is necessary in order to achieve social justice and peace for all persons, so believe that Sauti Moja must contribute to increased understanding of the factors contributing to global injustice, as well as ways to address these.

Objects of Sauti Moja: (These provide the scope of the charitable activities that Sauti Moja is registered for.)
1. To provide assistance to individuals who are suffering from the effects of poverty, war, famine, disease and disasters, without regard to their faith, ethnic origin, social class or world view.
2. and without limiting the generality of the foregoing objects, and provided that such objects shall include only those that are, at law, exclusively charitable and to accomplish the aforesaid objects:

a. to provide relief to those in need of the necessities of life (food, water, and health care)
b. to provide livestock, seeds, tools, technical training and loans in order to support livelihood recovery and food security for those suffering the effects of poverty, war, famine, disease and disasters
c. to care for orphans and vulnerable children by providing shelter, education support, and general care
d. to develop or promote community health in developing nations by educating and instructing the public on prevention of, and curative measures for, health problems and by researching and documenting changes in the health of the community.

Why choose Sauti Moja?

Lower overhead (restricted to ensure that <10% is used for administration and fundraising in Canada)

Only the part-time administrative staff receives salary; the Director volunteers his time for all management and fund-raising duties, as well as travel costs to-and-from Africa. The Africa Program Manager lives in Tanzania, and receives basic living costs.

Project staff is contracted on an “as needed” basis; therefore, there are no program employees that are paid salary and benefits.

Most international staff are development professionals, who volunteer in addressing those needs in their communities, which other agencies are not addressing.

Fund-raising is primarily through Internet and “word of mouth” rather than costly mass appeals.

Experience and professionalism

The Board of Directors functions as a professional “working group”, all of whom have international development experience, and they are complemented with non-voting advisers.

Those engaged in program design have a minimum of a Masters level training, several years of experience in community development, and have lived in the communities where we provide assistance.

Sauti Moja refuses donations that deviate from its principles and goals – the “good can be the enemy of the best”, and since Sauti Moja is committed to quality, only engages in activities within its technical capacity.

Commitment to integrity and accountability

Sauti Moja is committed to meeting the standards of the Canadian Council of Christian Charities.

Donors receive annual reports that detail progress on each project and financial status. Program and financial reporting is not camouflaged by other projects and in-kind donations. Further, visiting donors are encouraged to directly engage with the communities to 'see and hear' for themselves.

Board of Directors is a professional ‘working group’ that is committed to a rights-based approach and programmatic results. Projects are directly managed and monitored by Sauti Moja.

Focus on transformation of lives

Development programs incorporate appreciative approaches, mobilizing the human and social capital of individuals and communities.

Donors are provided opportunities to engage with Sauti Moja and beneficiary communities, leading to Increased commitment to realization of human rights, and to advocacy on behalf of the oppressed.

Management team:
Our trustees and management team represent Canadian professionals who have more than 50 years of experience working in international relief and development, as well as advocacy, in 26 countries. This expertise has been gained through employment in 15 different agencies - government, NGO, and religious. The expertise of our professional management and operations team is complemented by African professionals who are committed to volunteer service in their communities.

Postal address:
        Sauti Moja
            21 Dill St.
           Kitchener, ON
            N2G 1L2
Canada

E-mail address: mail@sautimoja.org