SEE Solutions is a World Vision fundraising program that supports practical and innovative social and economic empowerment projects that provide people and communities with the support, tools and training they need to work their way out of poverty and into self-sufficiency.

SEE Solutions projects are tailored to each community’s specific needs and requirements. These projects are often integrated with, or build upon, other World Vision programs that address fundamental needs, such as water, health care and education. The result is a truly holistic, inclusive approach to economic development that empowers poor families and communities to solve their own problems.

SEE Solutions projects focus on a range of social and economic empowerment activities such as:

• Farmer training to improve produce quality and yield;
• Small loans to start-up new businesses;
• Formation of cooperatives to unite and support producer groups;
• Finding new markets and ensuring fair prices.

In short, empowerment is the process that allows people to gain the knowledge, skill-sets and attitude needed to take greater control of the changing world and the circumstances that affect their lives.

In the development context, empowerment refers to acquiring skills and getting access to the resources that will enhance livelihoods, with a focus on eliminating the need for charity and improving living standards on a sustained basis. Increasing the social and economic strength of individuals and communities increases their confidence in their own capabilities. They are better able to solve their own problems and make their own decisions. They are able to see new possibilities and imagine a better future.

This process can be difficult both to start and maintain, but there are many examples of empowerment projects that have succeeded. World Vision’s ultimate goal is to address the causes of poverty in a sustainable way rather than simply relieving its symptoms.

World Vision is primarily focused on community economic development activities. World Vision’s approach is holistic, participatory and empowering. Local government, the private and not-for-profit sectors, and the community are given the opportunity to collaborate on initiatives that stimulate economic growth. Projects are designed to address the community’s particular needs and sensitivities.

Developmental experts partner with local stakeholders to help the community understand its economic challenges and identify practical, innovative solutions. Community economic development works best when it is collective and cross-cutting. The goal is to integrate and encourage sustainable, inclusive growth.

Helping families and communities create a sustainable means of living is critical to the permanent eradication of poverty.

Many of the world’s poorest people struggle to lift themselves out of poverty because they have few opportunities and assets to increase their incomes steadily over time.

This may be because they lack education, business or job skills, because they can’t access credit and other financial services, or because they don’t have the information they need to successfully market their produce and attain fair prices.

Breaking the cycle of poverty is often seen as insurmountable. While there is no single or simple solution, there are proven strategies that remove obstacles to a sustainable improvement in living standards. People often need a ‘hand up’, not a ‘hand out’. SEE Solutions projects apply these strategies, partnering with communities to enable them to overcome their economic challenges.

To be eligible for funding by SEE Solutions, projects must be focused on community economic development activities aimed at improving livelihoods.

World Vision Australia receives a concept paper for all projects requesting funding from SEE Solutions. These concept papers are submitted by the country or regional World Vision office seeking to implement the project. Before gaining funding, all candidate projects are screened by World Vision Australia‘s project selection process to ensure they align with World Vision Australia’s strategy and defined quality standards.

SEE Solutions supporters help fund a range of economic development projects selected by World Vision experts. Projects will include activities such as:

• Continued education and vocational training
• Apprenticeships and mentoring
• Diversification of crops planted to provide new income sources
• Improved storage to reduce post-harvest losses & maintain quality
• Organising cooperatives that can fulfil bigger, more regular orders, and buy & sell in new markets
• Support for women’s groups & the promotion of gender equality
• Working with local and national governments to remove restrictions to economic development
• Small loans to create and expand businesses
• Training in financial management
• Marketing training to help grow small businesses
• Access to new local & international markets
• Ensuring consistent trade at fair prices

The funds generated by SEE Solutions will enable a range of community economic development projects to be supported. These projects may occur anywhere in the world where World Vision works. They are mainly located throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America.

SEE Solutions currently has around 9 projects in the portfolio. These span all 5 economic development themes, and are located in:

• Ethiopia
• Senegal
• Kenya
• Rwanda
• Cambodia
• Chile
• Ecuador
• Azerbaijan

More projects will be added to the SEE Solutions portfolio as the funding available through this program grows, and as technical project designs are approved by World Vision experts.

The preferred method of financial support for SEE Solutions is regular monthly giving.

Supporters may nominate the amount they would like to contribute, though the minimum monthly amount is $30.

No. SEE Solutions provides funds for a range of projects. Our consultation with potential supporters indicated that the majority liked the idea of being able to support a range of projects, as they could see that all of the projects were important for different reasons. Additionally, supporters can explore each of the projects being funded by the program to see the various responses to critical issues of sustainability, scalability and self-help through empowerment.

There are also administrative reasons why we pool supporters’ funds to implement a range of project activities rather than directing money towards one particular project. Firstly, it would take more time and expense to direct supporter’s money to one particular project. Secondly, it enables us to allocate the funds according to the projects that need the money at the time that money is available.

Yes, of course. Community ownership of, and participation in the projects is critical to their success and provides the greatest potential for lasting change.

Ultimately, we work with communities towards sustainable change, building capacity that allows for local communities to address the change required.

Whilst Child Sponsorship also seeks to address a communities economic development needs, Child Sponsorship has many goals to achieve, such as: education and literacy; improved nutrition and food security; access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation; and, dependable healthcare.

SEE Solutions provides an additional funding stream that allows us to both fast-track the introduction of economic development projects in Child Sponsorship areas as well as expand our reach both with these areas and beyond; to other communities where Child Sponsorship projects are not currently operating.

Visit the website throughout the year for regular updates:

• see what projects are being supported;
• receive updates on how each project is progressing;
• see and hear from community members benefiting from each project; and 
•  learn more about social and economic empowerment

All report backs are delivered through the website. We will send you an email occasionally with a link to the website to remind you to visit the site to see how your support is making a difference and enabling World Vision to successfully transition individuals and communities from poverty into self-sufficiency.

The supporter website allows you to:

• Identify what community projects are being funded by the program – where located; the objectives; who will benefit; list of project activities.
• View rolling progress reports from each community project to see the progress being achieved; learn about the challenges faced and how they are being addressed.
• See and hear from experts in the field. Learn about how economic development works and how it allows poverty to be eliminated.
• See and hear from the community members. Learn how the project is enabling them to create a sustainable livelihood for themselves and their families.
• Post questions about the program or specific projects which will be responded to by developmental experts.
• Learn about upcoming supporter events which they are able to attend to learn more about the work being conducted and results being achieved.

The dedicated supporter website will be updated at least once a month, with new reports from the projects, feature stories and additional information we think will be of interest to our supporters. An update is provided for each project twice a year with news of progress achieved and any challenges faced.

This site also enables you to post questions or make comments, so that we may better understand your interests and respond with any additional information you would like.

No. All of our communication about SEE Solutions projects will be via a dedicated website.

You may receive other mail from World Vision from time to time but all reporting for SEE Solutions will be held on the website.