MADRE's Sister Organizations: Partnerships for Change

MADRE believes that community-based organizations are best situated to identify and meet the needs of the women and families they serve because they have a first-hand understanding of local conditions and long-term relationships with women in the community. Unfortunately, small, locally based groups often lack the resources, technical expertise and organizational support needed to implement and develop effective programs. By working in partnership with MADRE, our sister organizations are able to build programs based on the initiative and perspective of local communities while benefiting from the resources, training and technical support that a leading international women's human rights organization can provide.

The women in MADRE's sister organizations are those for whom the most horrifying newspaper headlines are a daily lived reality. They are survivors of war, political repression, genocide, economic and sexual exploitation and the twin burdens of natural disaster and disastrous policies. Yet they have refused to give in to despair. Instead, they have organized with MADRE to build health clinics, nutrition programs, domestic violence shelters, community radio stations, human rights training centers, literacy campaigns, and programs to promote women's leadership and political participation. These programs help meet immediate needs in our partners' communities and work to change the balance of power in favor of poor women and their families.