Healthy Villages & Local Leadership

VFI believes that true development is achieved when local leaders have the skills and opportunities they need to improve the quality of life in their own communities, and the input of outside experts is no longer needed.  Development of these skills begins with education, for both children and adults.

Accordingly, VFI is dedicated not only to building and maintaining primary schools, but to using non-formal education to build the capacity of local leaders in the areas of community development, legal rights awareness, civil society, and business. VFI supports various fellowships and participates in human rights networks that allow local leaders to hone their skills and have a greater impact on society. 

Strong leaders emerge from and are supported by healthy communities, and VFI provides public health assistance in the forms of water well construction, agricultural training, disease prevention, nutritional education, provision of medical supplies, and other health-related projects specific to community needs.