We envision a world with freedoms for all

We believe in a world with social and political opportunities for all. This vision is based on Amartya Sen’s concept of development as freedom: Freedoms for all are both an end and means to development. We strive to support inclusive social and economic development which respects our planet’s unique and limited resources. To our mind, meaningful development strategies must build on the specific needs of local communities and our planet. They need to be conceived and implemented in a participatory way – involving stakeholders from the Global South and North. This is reflected in our vision:

People and organisations live in compassion with nature and humankind to empower freedom for each and every individual. In the present and for the future.

In line with this vision, our work is driven by a commitment to systems change and holistic approaches that empower people and communities. We believe that creating equal opportunities for the Global South requires deep changes, in how we think, collaborate and take action. With passion, creativity and joy, we explore new ways to foster sustainability in organisations and projects.

joyoountu - our philosophy
The philosophy that guides our work is inspired by the concept of “ubuntu”, which has its origins in different Sub-Saharan African communities and gained prominence during the struggle against South African apartheid. According to this principle, there is a universal bond of sharing that connects all of humanity, so that “a person is a person through other people”.
 
“A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished...”   —   Desmond Tutu

We coined the term joyoountu as a combination of joy, cooperation and ubuntu. Our guiding principles are joyful interconnectedness, respect, helpfulness, sharing, community, caring trust, and selflessness with a positive attitude.

Our name „joyn-coop“ reflects our philosophy – we join together different capabilities, strive to cooperate with all stakeholders and engage in our work with joy.