Collective action for community resilience
We build an environment where Self Help Groups can thrive.
Around the world, people gather in groups of 10-25 people called Self Help Groups to pool resources and inspire each other to address the challenges they face. Gathering in this way has extraordinary impact on the well-being of their communities, and when they work in partnership with local organizations, this impact is amplified. When all of this happens in an environment that enables locally driven initiatives to thrive, the effect is truly transformative.
-
Groups of 10-25 people who meet every week to save, start businesses, support each other and create change for themselves and their communities. They are one of the most well-tested approaches for promoting locally led and driven change.
Learn more about the model here.
-
Local and National Organizations (LNOs) play a crucial role in facilitating Self Help Group success by partnering with them and providing specialized services and technical support.
Learn more here about how we work with coalitions of LNOs through the Local Coalition Accelerator.
-
Self Help Groups and LNOs work in partnership with the public and private sectors to build a supportive enabling environment, which includes effective governance, policies, health systems, financial systems and social protection.
Learn more here about how we strengthen the enabling environment to support community driven collective action.
The Share Trust
We amplify and unite Self Help Groups and connected organizations around the world.
We believe that people should be in charge of what happens in their own communities, and yet only a small fraction of international aid funding makes it to local actors driving the change they want to see. We work in partnership with local and national organizations to shift power, process and funding to these Self Help Groups and other collective local initiatives so they can effectively meet their most pressing community needs.
A robust evidence base
SHGs are cost effective, and they deliver benefits across a range of outcomes including income generation, health, education, and gender-based violence. Learn more here.
Women in SHGs are twice as likely to participate in local politics
SHGs in Ethiopia deliver over $58 in benefits for every $1 spent
SHGs are associated with a 37% reduction in maternal mortality
Get Involved
Stay in the Loop
Sign up for our newsletter to receive the latest updates on our work and ways to get involved.
Give a Personal Gift
Donate directly to the Share Trust to strengthen community driven initiatives.
Join Ignite
Become a member of our giving circle and join a community of passionate changemakers.