WEA believes that the days of charity are over. Rather than knowledge “transfer”, WEA’s strategy is centered around peer learning and horizontal knowledge exchange. The results are extraordinary when everyone involved in a community development process gets to bring their skills, knowledge, and resources to the table.

WEA works in support of cultural and policy shifts that reflect humanity’s shared right to a clean and healthy planet.

WEA stands for the rights of future generations, conducting and supporting  activities that aim to optimize the well-being of future inhabitants of the earth. 

WEA is a learning organization—facilitating the learning of all its members and continuously transforming itself. This requires radical listening to continually and humbly discern the wisest course of action.

WEA believes that strong ties of mutual awareness across cultural boundaries are a necessary precursor to meaningful societal change. We encourage self-reflection and willingness to change, based upon the framework of anti-oppression principles.

As WEA seeks greater inclusion of women in community development and environmental stewardship, we believe it is essential to include men as central agents of change. WEA works toward integrated and holistic community development strategies that recognize both men and women’s leadership as key elements to true and sustained success.

WEA strives to use language to advance racial and environmental justice in all speech and written advocacy, recognizing words as a potent vehicle for change.

We go beyond supporting basic needs.  Our work is about ensuring people have access to their rights, knowing that when they have these rights, they can take care of their own basic needs.  Social justice leader, David Cohen describes a rights-based approach to be one that “respects human dignity, achieving fairness in opportunities and equal treatment for all and strengths the ability of local communities to access resources and services”.

WEA's Accountability Principles