What is the organisational character of the Southern Africa Trust?

Simplicity
The Southern Africa Trust values simplicity as an effective way to ensure accessibility and relevance. We believe that straight-forward, non-bureaucratic, clear and down-to-earth language and processes do not necessarily compromise quality and rigour, but rather improves quality and impact.

Transparency
The Southern Africa Trust is committed to governing and implementing its operations in absolute accordance with its declared policies and with openness to legitimate independent scrutiny. It will openly declare its interests and intentions to all stakeholders and provide information with honesty and accuracy.

Integrity & Accountability
The Southern Africa Trust is committed to being held accountable to its stated vision, mission, and values. It will constantly review its performance against its guiding principles and will evaluate influences that are brought to bear on its work against those principles without compromise. With dignity, SAT will always give serious consideration to opinions that are different from its own and will change its approach when it does not work.

Cooperation & Respect
The Southern Africa Trust seeks out strategic partnerships in a spirit of mutual accountability and co-responsibility. It adds value to the work of partners and enthusiastically acknowledges the value added by all its partner organisations. SAT approaches all individuals, organisations, and processes with trust and confidence.

Approachability
The Southern Africa Trust endeavours to be as accessible and engaged with all its stakeholders and target groups as possible. It takes measures in all its operations to ensure that appropriate participation is maximised and that everyone is free to express their views openly. The Trust ensures that special measures are taken to present itself in the major international languages used in southern Africa.

Equity & Progress
The Southern Africa Trust affirms the equal dignity of all people and the integrity of our earth environment. It also believes in human progress through the responsible use of resources. Social change for economic, political, human and social development should be managed in such a way that the vulnerable are protected and that ensures the equitable distribution of benefits for social and economic justice, especially during times of rapid social change such as that experienced through the globalisation of markets.

Diversity & Inclusiveness
The Southern Africa Trust directs its resources according to its mission without prejudice to the gender, class, HIV status, sexual orientation, physical ability, or educational status of its potential partners or service providers. However, it actively seeks to promote diversity of participation in policy dialogue to overcome poverty by affirming the dignity, participation, and power of people who are often marginalised, especially women, people living with HIV/AIDS, rural communities, and people with disabilities.

Innovation & Learning
The Southern Africa Trust recognises the need for creative and adaptable policies and the need to construct new approaches to the development of policies to address poverty as new challenges and opportunities arise, based on learning provided by reliable evidence. It holds originality, contextual approaches, and creative integration based on sound practical analysis in high regard. SAT is always eager to learn from other organisations and experiences.

Reliability & Effectiveness
The Southern Africa Trust places a high value on institutions and processes that are responsive and dependable. It strives to deliver on its promises, solve problems when they arise, and make a real difference – and expects the same from its strategic partners.