ryo360.org

The RYO Rationale

RYO’s dream is to develop communities that have character and integrity and are capable of reaching for their own dreams despite obstacles brought about by poverty and HIV, such as unemployment, orphanhood, and lack of access to opportunities for those in affected populations. The organization seeks to contribute towards building strong and resilient communities within its operational area, particularly in the face of extreme poverty, deprivation and marginalisation.

RYO is well aware of the many other existing players working to fight HIV, poverty and deprivation, and therefore specifically endeavors to target communities that are under-served with high impact interventions and strategies. Using experience gained over 15 years as well as ongoing research, RYO has two approaches to its interventions:

i. The aid approach: RYO recognizes the fact that there are many people in poor communities are still unable to meet their basic needs as defined in the SDGs.
In such instances aid is deemed necessary in order to enable those affected to achieve self-sustaining growth. Many find themselves trapped in cycles of structural and historical poverty that they are unable to break out of, and yet with deliberately targeted assistance and support, are willing and able to work their way out of the trap that generations before them have failed to break.

ii. The development approach: RYO seeks to support its target communities to be able to sustain the envisioned improved lives that will be attained through a combination of aid and capacity building measures. It is a recognition that communities cannot be sustained through aid, but measures must be put in place to ensure that at some point they can stand on their own feet and be self-sufficient, sustaining the improved socio-economic security and well-being into future generations.

This is why RYO created the radical "Wipe Out Poverty Now Campaign" as opposed to undertaking a soft and cautious approach like, "alleviating poverty."