Adara Development

We work with partners, governments and communities to bring quality health and education services to people living in some of the world’s remotest places.

Informed by more than two decades’ experience, we design and scale programmes across Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, and Remote Community Development. We are also committed to sharing our knowledge to maximise our impact.

Maternal, Newborn & Child Health

Remote Community Development

Knowledge Sharing

Where we work

We’re a non-profit organisation with a global reach. Though we deliver service through centres of excellence in Uganda and Nepal, our impact reverberates globally through our knowledge-sharing networks. We have registered charities in Australia, the US, Bermuda, and the UK, as well as offices in Australia and the US.

The countries where Adara Development operates.

Our Philosophy

Our work is informed by principles of deep respect, humility and integrity.

WE listen not tell

This means:

We believe in the knowledge, strength and skills of local people to create solutions to poverty.
We ask people what help they need; we don’t tell them what we think they need.

we resource & support local excellence

This means:

We believe that supporting the local economy is powerful development work.
We hire brilliant local staff, not foreign staff, and they are paid in keeping with the local economy.

we respect human rights

This means:

We reach out to, support and seek to fulfil the human rights of the most marginalised and vulnerable people.
We support human rights through best-practice service delivery.

we avoid dependence

This means:

We understand that the projects we work on do not belong to us but to the community.
We minimise plaques, labelling and badging of projects in our name and our donors’ names.

we deliver independent & best-practice service

This means:

We strive to ensure everything we do is in the community’s best interests.
We are not afraid to think and act contrary to prevailing opinion.
We do not take money from governments or give money to governments

we practise the highest standards of governance

This means:

We believe in equal employment opportunities, so we advertise all jobs and undertake a detailed and fair interview process to seek the best candidates for all positions.

we believe in partnership

This means:

We have deep and connected relationships with the community, local NGOs and our donors.
We have a long-term commitment to our projects.

Read our full Development Philosophy

Our Strategy

Focus, Excellence and Impact:
Adara’s Roadmap to 30 Years and Beyond

Adara’s 2026–2028 Strategic Plan is our bold roadmap for the next three years. Built on nearly three decades of deep service delivery, this strategy is anchored in three guiding themes – Focus, Excellence, and Impact – which will shape our programmes and operations throughout this period.

Grounded in our values, inspired by the communities we serve, and powered by partnership, this plan reflects our unwavering vision: every person deserves access to quality health, education, and essential services, no matter where they live.

Read our strategy

The Susatainable Development Goals

In 2015, 193 world leaders committed to 17 Global Goals to achieve extraordinary things by 2030.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have emerged from an extensive and inclusive global conversation about our common aspirations for the future of our planet. Adara’s work should be seen in the context of the SDGs. These are the key goals selected from the 17 that our work fits under.