Our Story

Having worked in collaboration with many aid organisations and other entities in the sustainable development space, I have observed that, while almost universally well-intentioned, many organisations fall into one of two traps. Many get caught up in meta-activities (design summits, student outreach, corporate awareness-raising, workshops etc.) to the point that an unacceptably low percentage of the organisation's resources are actually used to facilitate tangible, real-world improvements in the communities the organisation is purportedly dedicated to serving.

On the other hand, there are organisations that are so eager to get their hands dirty out in the field that insufficient planning and resourcing is dedicated to project selection, community consultation, collaborative design, appropriate technology and end-user ownership. This approach inevitably leads to projects that are out of touch with the community and are not implemented or maintained once the construction team leave, or even fail to address the real concerns of the community in the first place. The PlayPump is a dramatic example of how out-of-touch humanitarian aid projects fail despite the best intentions, and serves as a cautionary tale when considering undertaking aid work.

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Finding and partnering only with organisations with proven track records of lasting positive impact through careful planning, community partnerships and thoughtful delivery is fundamental to HEI's purpose.