“Go to the people, learn from them, build on what they have.” – DR. Y.C. JAMES YEN

Together with our development partners, we build on the unique assets and strengths of the rural people. We focus on learning what works for them through research, action, sharing, and enriching their knowledge. We then implement field programs that empower rural communities.

Today, IIRR continues to influence local and national agendas to mobilize political commitments, funding, and innovation necessary to alleviate poverty in rural areas.

“People are the foundation of the world. If the foundation is firm, then the world will enjoy tranquillity. But three-fourths of the world’s people are underhoused, underclothed, underfed and illiterate. In other words, threefourths of the world’s foundation is weak. Now as long as this continues to be true we have a very poor foundation upon which to build the world. Fortunately, the poor have potential powers for self-development. What they lack is the opportunity to release and develop those powers. Therefore IIRR is in the business of releasing the powers of these hard-working people to attain equity, justice and peace.” – Dr. Y.C. James Yen

Our work is always guided by the principles of our founder, Dr. Y.C. James Yen.

Working efficiently and collaboratively in a spirit of rural reconstruction, we facilitate reflective and transparent processes. We invest in approaches and technologies that enable communities to increase control over their lives.

Learning community approach
The learning community concept builds on the rural reconstruction’s credo, which promotes going to the people, learning from them, planning with them, and building on what people know. Together with our local development partners, we learn and jointly incubate new anti-poverty reduction models.

Community-led and managed approach
Interventions are designed to allow communities to take control and engage actively. It is often a combination of “technical know-how” from the resource of outsiders and “practical do-how” of local communities.

Scaling up knowledge
Lessons learned and knowledge from programs are strategically scaled to reach more communities, governments and development actors for a wider adoption.

Building a community of practice
Effective scaling up also entails developing local leaders and experts within and outside the learning communities, who would provide the human resource necessary to bring the knowledge, experiences and benefits of development innovations to more communities more quickly.

For more details, visit: https://iirr.org

© Fostering Education & Environment for Development, Inc.