Who we are
Overview
For over 24 years, SM&D has established partnerships with diverse organisations, including NGOs focusing on various Human Rights, Sexual Based Violence (SBV) and Sexual Reproductive Health Right (SRHR) issues both locally and internationally. Networking and partnering with local organisations improve the organisation’s capacity to supply the growing demand for SM&D’s services across Lesotho. SM&D is audited every 6 months by an external auditing firm.
Our Mission
To promote the use of facilitated film screenings as a tool for dialogue and dissemination of information to enable the marginalized to make informed decisions about their lives and become agents of change.
Our Vission
To be a leading organization that uses the power of film to engage marginalized audiences around issues of social change to contribute towards sustainable development in Lesotho.
Objective 1
Empower target individuals, groups, and communities as film facilitators and change champions, facilitating impactful dialogues and conducting action-oriented screenings for transformative community outcomes.
Objective 2
Enhance dialogue between stakeholders, equipping vulnerable groups with comprehensive knowledge to initiate collective action and instigate positive change.
Objective 3
Cultivate inclusive and safe environments from grassroots to national levels, challenging harmful stereotypes, norms, beliefs, and addressing structural and policy gaps to enhance human well-being
what makes us
Principles And Values
1. Empowerment and Sustainable Impact
2. Community Ownership and Collaboration
3. Youth Empowerment and Change Agents
4. Tailored Approaches and Individual Context
5. Accountability, Transparency, and Inclusion
6. Championing Diversity and Inclusivity
1. Empowerment and Sustainable Impact
Empowerment and Sustainable Impact
At SM&D, we firmly believe that people and their communities possess inherent resourcefulness and the ability to drive their own development. Our role is to support them in recognizing and harnessing their potential. We acknowledge that external barriers such as cultural, political, or economic constraints, may hinder their progress. We work to remove these obstacles and facilitate their journey towards positive change. By engaging communities from the beginning and throughout the process, we create lasting impact even after our direct involvement ends.
2. Community Ownership and Collaboration
Community Ownership and Collaboration
SM&D places great importance on ensuring that communities own and drive their own development processes. Rather than imposing solutions, we work collaboratively, understanding that sustainable change emerges when communities are actively involved in decision-making. By partnering with various stakeholders, including government services, we facilitate dialogues that lead to increased accessibility and support for community initiatives. We empower women, girls, and other marginalized groups to understand their rights and take collective action towards achieving them.
3. Youth Empowerment and Change Agents
Youth Empowerment and Change Agents
Youth are powerful drivers of change in society. At SM&D, we recognize their potential as change champions. We empower youth through film facilitation, equipping them with the necessary skills to conduct impactful dialogues and screenings within their communities. By engaging youth in a holistic approach to addressing sexual and reproductive health, gender-based violence, and HIV and AIDS issues. We ensure that their initiatives extend beyond our direct involvement, creating a lasting impact
4. Tailored Approaches and Individual Context
Tailored Approaches and Individual Context
We understand that each community and individual has unique needs and contexts and there are no one-size-fits-all solutions. Therefore, SM&D adopts a flexible and adaptive approach to interventions, avoiding generic solutions. Through comprehensive needs assessments, we allow communities to define their challenges to create home-grown interventions. We also respect individuals’ perspectives, providing safe spaces for open discussions through facilitated film screenings, empowering them to take informed action.
5. Accountability, Transparency, and Inclusion
Accountability, Transparency, and Inclusion
At SM&D, we value honest and open communication with all stakeholders, fostering a culture of transparency. We actively seek feedback from our partners, communities, and donors, recognizing that their insights are invaluable for our continuous improvement. We are committed to addressing exclusion and inequality, ensuring that everyone, regardless of political or religious affiliation, gender, or sexual orientation, feels valued and included in our initiatives.
6. Championing Diversity and Inclusivity
Championing Diversity and Inclusivity
We believe that diversity strengthens society, therefore our work actively includes and supports people from all walks of life. Our initiatives encompass marginalized and vulnerable groups such as sex workers, LGBTQI+ individuals, and adolescent girls and boys. By producing films and materials in local language and addressing various target groups, we strive to reach and empower everyone. We continuously seek to expand our outreach, ensuring that no one is left behind.
Through these principles and values, SM&D aims to drive positive change, empower communities and youth, and foster an inclusive and sustainable society in Lesotho.
Thematic Focus Areas Statement for SM&D
Our Priority Areas
Based on an analysis of Lesotho’s unique country statistics and funding trends, SM&D has identified strategic thematic focus areas to address pressing social issues and maximize impact. The following thematic areas have been prioritized:
Marginalized Groups
We fully vet every nonprofit in our community. We’ve even conducted site visits for most organizations—even those in the remote Amazon!
Gender Equality
We offer tools, training, and one-on-one support to help nonprofits get the funding and resources they need.
Gender Based Violance
Your sponsorship encompasses health and educational programs and resources, designed to address the specific issues each child faces in their community.
HIV and AIDS
We’re a top-rated humanitarian organization focused on ending generational poverty through a proven approach.
Human Rights
Partnerships across every sector make all of our work for children and young people possible.
Economic and Social Justice
With your support, children receive access to health care, educational resources and life-changing programs in safe, clean spaces.
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Who we work with
Our Partners Around The World
