Economy,
Actors and Territories

Acting for Life has two desks working on economic support: "Economics, Stakeholders and Local Focus" and "Economics and Social Enterprise", focusing in urban areas.

Principles

Acting for Life supports its partners in implementing local integrated rural development initiatives, all of which are designed to improve the living conditions of the most vulnerable communities. This work is underpinned by the following rationale:

• The solidarity principle: unless they have a desire to give everyone an equal opportunity to improve their living conditions, no one will be allowed access to means of production or any kind of training. People must take charge of their own development. That's the key.
• Organizing and structuring local actors: Acting for Life helps local resources to organize within existing or emerging structures, through complementary professional or community organizations;

• A strong territorial footprint: Acting for Life takes account of the cultural, social and historic wealth of the regions where its partners operate. In particular, it strengthens interaction between intermediate urban areas and rural areas and supports the development of secondary towns;
• Protected development : economic, social and political development must be sustainable in terms of use of and respect for natural resources and ecosystems. It must be socially acceptable having regard to local culture and social organization. It must also be economically viable, as its purpose is to allow stakeholders to enjoy decent living conditions. Finally, it must guarantee life and sustainable development for the generations to come, for we are their "debtors". The Earth belongs to them! Our duty is to be "faithful stewards" rather than looters or profiteers with blinkered short-term vision. We have committed ourselves to this.