RESPECT
We are committed to treating the people we serve with dignity and listening to them for solutions that work for them.
IMPARTIALITY
We believe in serving all people in need with impartiality and in an equitable manner.
QUALITY
We strive to meet our objectives, serve our beneficiaries, and satisfy expectations of all stakeholders to the best of our ability.
ACCOUNTABILITY
We are committed to being responsible and transparent in all our activities.
ADVOCACY
We seek to ensure that the most vulnerable people in our society can take part in decisions that affect their lives.
INNOVATION
We are a learning organisation dedicated to seeking appropriate and effective interventions for poverty and enhancing standards of living in the Horn of Africa.
Upholding humanitarian principles
Zamzam Foundation UK is inspired by and shares Zamzam Foundation’s commitment to upholding the humanitarian principles of humanity, impartiality, neutrality and independence that define best practice in international aid and development. We regard these principles as essential to ensure we maintain the trust of the communities we serve.
The principle of humanity means we aim to treat all people in need humanely and equally.
Acting with impartiality means we do not discriminate in providing humanitarian assistance – the people in the greatest need are the people who count, regardless of their background.
Our commitment to neutrality means we will never take sides in conflict or in political matters. We avoid engaging in any controversies of a political, racial, religious, clan-based or ideological nature.
Our independence means we deliver aid in accordance with our own policies and values, independently of government and other agencies. We adhere to the laws of the land but we maintain autonomy and stand firm against undue interference or influence from others.
Upholding Zamzam's values
Some of our organisational values reflect and reinforce the humanitarian principles. But our six core values also go deeper into aspects of what we stand for as we go about our vital work of building a brighter future for all Somalis.
Respect We have our own comprehensive code of ethics and conduct that spells out the high standards we expect of our staff and volunteers. These include treating all people with respect, involving the communities we serve in all aspects of project implementation, being sensitive to cultural customs and traditions, and upholding the rights of women and minorities.
Impartiality We are a signatory to the voluntary code of conduct for aid organisations developed by the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. In line with this code, we believe that everyone in need has the right to humanitarian assistance. We distribute aid impartially to those who need it most – regardless of location, race, clan background, religious beliefs, or gender.
Quality We strive for excellence in everything we do – from distributing aid to building high-quality new schools and health facilities. In education we take pride in the quality of our school buildings and curriculum materials. The science and technology faculty at Zamzam University is leading the way in improving the quality of technical and vocational education.
Accountability To be truly accountable to the communities we serve, we take great care to listen to and address their needs, to empower them to shape our projects, and to ensure they are protected from harm. Our safeguarding and protection policies hold everyone who works for us accountable for preventing abuse and meeting the highest professional standards – from our senior management to our village-level volunteers.
Advocacy Through our membership of agencies such as the Somalia NGO Consortium and the International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA), we contribute to global advocacy efforts that seek to advance and enhance the rights of crisis-affected communities and amplify local voices calling for appropriate and timely humanitarian aid and development.
Innovation Our learning stems from 32 years of working with local communities, coupled with our investment in cutting-edge research. Zamzam University is renowned for its strengths in science and research, and on its main campus it has an experimental farm where innovative water-saving methods such as hydroponic growing and drip irrigation are being implemented and promoted.