Principle One: Do No Harm in Humanitarian Work

The superhero scenario we all love might be hurting more than helping.

Picture this: A villain threatens the city, the hero swoops in at the last second, saves the day, and everyone cheers. Great for movies—but dangerous for humanitarian work.

When we consistently “rescue” communities by doing things FOR them instead of WITH them, we accidentally cast them as victims and ourselves as heroes. The unintended consequence? Learned dependence.

When Good Intentions Go Wrong

History is full of well-meaning projects that caused more harm than good:

Food for Peace Program: Massive U.S. food aid to India, Pakistan, and Indonesia bankrupted local farmers and destroyed agricultural development.

Lake Turkana Fish Plant: Norway funded a processing plant for Kenya’s nomadic Turkana people—who had no interest in fishing. Complete failure.

Clean Cookstoves Initiative: Distributed cookstoves in India to reduce air pollution. Most were abandoned because they were harder to use and frequently broke without repair options.

The Real Solution: Do WITH, Not FOR

People learn by doing.

When we bring food, clothes, and toys to a community then leave, what happens? Communities start waiting for the next group…and the next…instead of becoming their own solution.

Sustainable impact happens when we:

• Transfer knowledge, not just goods
• Build local capacity
• Empower communities to solve their own challenges

At Care For Life, we work WITH communities for three years—training local leaders, mentoring families in goal-setting, and building sustainable systems. After graduation, these communities become self-sufficient problem-solvers.

The shift from dependence to empowerment transforms everything.