Well Grounded works with local groups in Africa, mainly in the Congo Basin. We provide services and support to local groups that are working with communities to help them assert their rights and to improve forest governance.

Throughout the tropical world, there are many inspirational and dynamic individuals and groups, coming from and/or working with the poorest and most marginalized communities who depend very closely on forests and other natural resources for their survival. However, many of these groups face challenges in getting access to the training, funding, resources and information they need to be able to take effective action and support communities to do the same. Well Grounded has been established to help fill those gaps.

How are we different?

What's different about us is that it is the local groups who set the agenda: they decide what they need to do and we work with them to help them achieve it. We support them to obtain and manage the resources they need directly - we don't act as a funding source and it's up to each group whether or not to invite us in to provide advice and support at any stage. And the decision about whether they want to work with us will be based on whether our input genuinely enables local groups to better achieve real change and to show to others that they've suceeded in doing so.

Some examples of specific support that we are providing can be found here.