About Us
A Message from the top
"While the individual changes we are making on this planet are small, collectively they provide thousands of people opportunities for education, access to health care, economic security and a sense of pride, ownership, and freedom to control their own destinies."
~ Nate York ~ Solace Executive Director
Mission
To integrate education, healthcare, agriculture, and economic opportunity at the community level in developing countries with the goal that projects become self-sustainable, and a source for future local business and community leaders.
Vision
"When we become obsolete in a community, it means we did it right."
We define a project as successful in its "sustainability" not just when it meets the needs for which it was created, but when it's no longer heavily dependent on outside funds. In every community Solace has worked with, sustainability starts with building a foundation of mutual trust and respect through involving local leaders in the planning, and emphasizing economic opportunity. The building blocks of this foundation are programs in education, vocational training, mentoring, and small business development. Together, these provide opportunity for individuals to reach greater potential, and for the community to grow stronger. We hope those involved gain the skills and experience to become the next generation of social and business leaders.
The Solace Charter
Statement of ethics
- We do not accept theft
- We are fundamentally opposed to graft and corruption
- We require accountability of our staff, and the people we work with
- We exist to improve the lives of the people in the communities we work in
- We do not exist to promote any political, social, or religious agenda in the communities we work in
Dysfunction in the non-profit international aid industry is inherent. The effects of graft and corruption, naive idealism, self-involvement, lumbering bureaucracies, and disorganized logistical quagmires plague aid organizations and government entities large and small.
Solace doesn’t pretend to have an immaculate record: there is no such thing. We do, however, take great pride in lessons we’ve learned. Because Solace has dared to take the road less traveled in methods and philosophy, we've had no workbook or manual to guide our way. Whether we triumph over a challenge or suffer a setback, our experiences in the field are what we use to make decisions in the field.
These struggles have helped us craft a charter of ethics of how we operate. We do our best to adhere to these principles not just because they are a statement of our moral marrow but because we have seen them offer a greater accomplishment. As a guide to business decisions, we can see no other method of insuring that our work in every community is not only putting mortar to bricks, but building a reputation for honesty and good management.