Our values
Mission East is a christian based organisation and our values are the heartbeat of the organisation. We have five core organisational values: honesty, integrity, compassion, valuing the individual, and respect for all people. These are lived out as ‘values in action’ and can be found in many organisational documents, in the Annual Report, in job descriptions, and in project documents.
What are our values?
Honesty: honesty is about 'telling it like it is'. Mission East tries to give the 'real picture' - to the communities we work with and to our supporters and donors. This means that we don't just tell our success stories, but also the less pleasant things - the obstacles and challenges - and also the things we have learned. We are accountable for our actions. In the long run, this leads to trust, which is essential for building relationships and partnerships.
Integrity: integrity is more than just being honest, it's also about making sure we do things the RIGHT way. We do our work in the best possible way. This means using recognised quality standards and ensuring we provide the best possible help. We don't promise what we can't deliver, and we don't try to create expectations that are too high. We have a 'Code of Conduct' that describes the behaviour required of Mission East staff, board and representatives. Our integrity also means that we recognise that we can achieve little by ourselves - we seek to support and uplift local people, communities and partners. They are the ones who can make the long-term changes.
Caring: caring is what motivates us to work. True, we try to be efficient in everything we do, to get the most out of every donation and give the best to the communities we work with, but at the end of the day, Mission East staff are in their jobs because they care. When we help people affected by crisis, poverty or marginalisation, we use our heads but are also driven by our hearts. Caring means that we make an extra effort when the task is not easy. And because we care about the people we reach out to, we don't just go for quick fixes - we work with communities to try and find long-term solutions and build their resilience.
Valuing the individual: there are several obvious ways to translate the value of 'valuing the individual' into an inclusive approach to work that means no one is left behind. In Mission East's vision, everyone counts and no one is left behind. This means that our work often has a special focus on people who would otherwise be ignored or even harmed - people with disabilities, women, particular social groups, etc.
This value also means listening to individual opinions; we work very hard to ensure that our projects are shaped by what the people we support tell us about their needs and preferences, and we listen to and respond to complaints. It also means we work to help people use their own skills to improve their lives and communities.
Respect for all people: Mission East's respect for all people means that we recognise the rights and needs of those who are at risk of being completely overlooked. Often this inspires us to work in remote or difficult areas where people need help but may not get it from others. Our commitment to the humanitarian principle of impartiality is also linked to this value and means that our humanitarian assistance is based solely on need, without any discrimination. In our long-term work, respect for all people leads us to support the advocacy of certain groups to ensure that their voices are heard.