Self-Help International

alleviating hunger

Self-Help’s mission is to alleviate hunger by helping people help themselves.

Helping people help themselves

Since 1959, we have been dedicated to alleviating hunger by fostering self-reliance among rural populations and small-scale farmers.

Our approach emphasizes sustainable solutions, focusing on education, training, and leadership development to enable families and communities to meet their needs with dignity. Operating under the principle of providing a “hand up” rather than a “handout,” Self-Help International is not a relief organization but a catalyst for long-term development and sustainability.

a man holding a rake

Join Our Community

Get the latest conservation updates, be inspired to take action, and learn about ways to get involved.
E-Newsletter Subscription Form

x

-

x

increase in farmers yields after training &input loans from Self-Help

+

women received loans to start up or expand their businesses in 2024

+

people have gained access to clean water since 2012 through SHI

Our work & impact

Self-Help International devotes its efforts to alleviating world hunger and poverty, by providing opportunities to rural citizens that ultimately leads to self-reliance. Since its inception, Self-Help has served as a vessel; training, education, and opportunities are provided to rural citizens and whole communities in developing countries so that they can have better lives.

Self-Help International locally-hired team of skilled professionals serve rural communities in Ghana in West Africa and Nicaragua in Central America, to improve the population’s quality of life with dignity.

Accessing Clean Water

Clean water reduces waterborne diseases & improves daily school & work attendance.

Empowering Women & Girls

Women reinvest 90% of their income into their families, driving long-term economic gains.

Ending Malnutrition

We empower women and improve vital nutrition in the first 1,000 days of life.

Improving Agriculture

Families struggle with affording animal products, lacking irrigation for crops, and insufficient harvest.

What We Do

Join us in our mission to alleviate hunger!

Bringing people together to share knowledge, learn about best practices, and strengthen their communities.

Why we're making a Difference

Partnering With Communities

Self-Help International’s local professionals to partner with communities. We believe in empowering individuals and communities to truly build sustainable development.

Interconnected Programming

All of Self-Help’s programs work together to build sustainable rural development. Everyone’s lives are multi-faceted and our approach to alleviating hunger and poverty must also be multi-faceted.

Empowering People and Communities

When you not only give resources but believe in people, they are able to achieve amazing things. Having someone believe in you can make all the difference in making an impact in your life.

Projects You Can Trust

Self-Help International is independently audited annually and consistently named top-ranked and effective organization by Global Giving and Candid GoldStar.

Evidence Based Programming

Our programs are modeled after evidence based models including work from World Food Prize Laureates like Dr. Lawrence Haddad, Jan Low, Dr. Surinder Vasal, and Dr. Evangelina Villegas.

Sustainability

Our programs transfer knowledge, equipping communities with the skills they need to thrive independently in the future. By prioritizing locally driven, culturally relevant initiatives, we ensure long-term sustainability and meaningful impact.

Our Stories

Auxiliadora Invests in a New Oven and Upgrades Her Business

-
September 28, 2021
By Yolanda Fletes – Women’s Empowerment Program Officer 66-year-old Auxiliadora is dedicated to working to support her family. S...

Mabel Bounces Back from COVID-19 Challenges

-
September 14, 2021
By Lydia Adomako, Micro-Credit Program Officer In 2012, Mabel joined the microcredit program in Timeabu, a small farming community in the As...

Self-Help Works with Ag Leaders to Explore Certified QPM Seed Production on Ometepe Island

-
September 14, 2021
By Katie Seifert – Program Manager (Latin America) By promoting Quality Protein Maize (QPM), Self-Help International’s agricultural pr...

Self-Help International

Do you want to get involved?

Serve People

Volunteer or Go Abroad

Come with us on one of our trips to meet the people we serve.

Build Memories

Work with Self-Help

Work with us to build life-long relationships and memories.

Encourage Others

Spread the Word

Encourage others to help our cause through various event opportunities.
207 20th St. NW Ste. A Waverly, IA 50677
3100 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312
Connect With Us
EIN- 42-0844679
Join Our Mailing List
Subscribe to receive inspiration, ideas, and news in your inbox.
©2026
Self-Help International, a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Powered by Wapiti Digital #servetheherd

Register today for the Annual Spring Luncheon!

Join us to hear first-hand from Self-Help International volunteers and staff who have recently returned from trips to Ghana and Nicaragua, and how, together, we are growing our impact in both countries.

 

This is a heading.

This is a basic text element.

Rich Text

This is my rich text.

I am a subheading

This is more rich text.

  • I am a list

  • Lists are cool