About Us

Future In Our Hands grew out of a Norwegian movement of the same name founded in 1974 by Erik Dammann — a writer who challenged the affluent world to reconsider its responsibility toward the global poor. His book The Future In Our Hands became a manifesto for solidarity-led development.

In 1995, a small group of UK supporters carried that ethos forward, registering FIOH as a UK charity. From these humble beginnings, networking has been our priority. Our principles and ethos are clear: don't impose; partner. Don't replace local leadership; help resource it. Don't run programmes from the UK; trust the people doing the work.

Our first partnership was in Sierra Leone, where FIOH Sierra Leone was nurtured rebuilding community life after the civil war. From there, the network grew slowly — by solid relationships and through first-person contact: Cameroon in 1997 (SHUMAS), GLORES (2008–2024), CAMGEW (2011), IAA (2020), PVDP (1999), YLTW (2021), HEARTS (2010), and most recently Malawi.

Each partner was chosen the same way: through years of contact, trust-building, and watching their work in action first hand. We never run programmes ourselves — only ever assisting, getting our hands dirty alongside the people doing the work. Our first involvement was back in 1997 when members of the charity went overseas to assist SHUMAS on the Plant a Tree in Africa Project. We channel funds, share governance support, and amplify their stories — and we measure success by the depth of relationship, not the size of budget.

Today, FIOH operates entirely with volunteer trustees and the smallest possible administrative footprint. Over 96% of every pound donated reaches the partner organisations and the communities they serve. That principle has not changed in over thirty years — and it will not change.