uDev: You Make the Difference

uDev is a people’s agency for international development that is owned and led by everyday people, like you, in which poor communities create their own solutions to their social and economic needs.

uDev represents a democratic, global community of people and organizations united by a common purpose to improve the quality of life in developing countries. Participants include poor communities as well as social enterprise, government, businesses, civil society and individuals.

In particular, it is the local, marginalized communities who voice their agenda for development. Through the uDev network, they find the resources and networks they need to realize their own ideas for community investment and development.

Such projects might include building apprenticeships for long-term job placements, small businesses, links for clothes and crafts manufacturing, expanded social housing and clean energy supplies, or new market and supply channels. Everyone has something useful and important to offer. It is people like you who make the difference.

You do not need to be a member to participate. Over time and with appropriate levels of funding, uDev would make it possible for you to:

• Help shape uDev as a movement that reflects your needs and perspectives (all)
• Voice your ideas for local community investment projects (all)
• Find like-minded communities at the grassroots (all)
• Locate goods, services and advice for your project, whether donated, in-kind or billable (all)
• Create partnerships to enlarge the resources behind an idea or project (all)
• Raise joint and matching funds with project partners (shareholders)
• Build community investment projects that improve the living standard (shareholders)
• Create your own enterprise to build jobs, infrastructure, health care, training and education, or food security (all)
• Share tools for assessment, reporting and due diligence that anyone can use (all)
• Share what works/doesn’t work in community development (all)
• Locate job and volunteer opportunities (shareholders)
• Invest in uDev’s endowment fund with a highly successful investment expert (shareholders)
• Support poor communities in developing countries with free advisory on community-led development (all)
• Share reference materials, such as reading, social marketing media and films (all)
• Provide access to shared low-cost office and meeting space; computer, media and printing equipment; and seminars (all; fees may apply)
• Vote on the co-op’s direction, services and key decisions (shareholders)