Activists at heart, humanitarians by trade and social entrepreneurs by design

ABOUT US

WHO WE ARE

United Edge is a social enterprise working with change makers to transform our broken systems with alternative models for global justice. This is our purpose.

We are working towards a just world where people and the planet are prioritized over profit and short-term gains. That is our vision.

Everything we do is aimed at creating a more just world. This includes the way we are set-up. The simplest way to explain who we are is in three short phrases.

ACTIVISTS AT HEART

We are everyday people who believe that each of us has a responsibility -- and the ability -- to make a difference. We partner with change makers around the world who are committed to global justice through changing systems, shifting power and better development. We add our voices to this vibrant movement because we passionately believe in the power of individuals and groups uniting to make change happen.

HUMANITARIANS BY TRADE

We are experienced professionals with skills, expertise and insight to share. We have worked on human rights, community development and humanitarian projects for over 15 years across Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East. Our time with communities and youth groups, local civil society and CBOs, national and international NGOs, large networks and the United Nations has helped us understand the challenges that change makers face.

ENTREPRENEURS BY DESIGN

We are a social enterprise committed to piloting power-shifting projects and providing services to change makers everywhere. Instead of imposing our solutions, we want our services to be subject to demand. Power and privilege define the way social change is usually funded and put into practice. As a social enterprise, we fund all our work by its own means. Our independence means we can focus on delivery without compromising quality or ethics.

More about our work

UNITED EDGE

United (adj.) \yu̇-ˈnī-təd\

1. joined together for a common purpose

2. produced by joint action

3. made one

Edge (n.) \ˈej\

1. the point before momentous change occurs

2. a factor that gives advantage over alternatives

3. the outside limit, border or threshold

OUR TEAM

Find out more about the people that make United Edge.

More about our team

OUR STORY

Tackling problems at their roots

It started in 2007 when we met in the desert at the opening of an environmental center for the Bedouin people, unaware that a journey had begun that would spread from the Middle East to all corners of the globe. Both of us had already been involved in social change efforts for a number of years but were starting to see intractable dilemmas.

For the next ten years, we worked with organizations and movements trying to help people out of poverty, injustice, and disaster. We supported local organizations and youth groups in the Middle East on human rights projects. Together and separately, we became involved with large international organizations and brand-new networks. Across the world, we delivered courses, designed projects, and measured the effectiveness of development programmes and humanitarian responses. We experienced the dedication, vision, and progress made by inspiring people, communities, organizations and movements. But we also saw that working within the system wasn’t working.

We have seen that justice is a product of the systems we live in. Seeking justice from broken systems is an incredibly frustrating and almost futile approach. The greatest signs of change we witnessed have come from the outside. We have seen workers uniting to take ownership of their business. We have seen young people learning about and claiming their rights for themselves. We have seen NGOs changing their business models to become led by the people they serve. We have seen international organizations coming together to create alternative solutions for the outdated aid system.

All of these solutions had three things in common. They advocated system change. They created alternative models or applied existing models in new ways. And they came from the people that were affected by the challenges themselves.

The seeds planted in the desert a decade earlier had grown and were now ready for harvest. In 2016 we decided to dedicate the next chapter of our lives to power-shifting projects and investing in changemakers around the world. We formed United Edge, and the timing couldn’t be better: human rights and the environment have reached a critical breaking-point in history, and a radical approach may just be the only solution. We are standing together on the edge of change.

Our Work

"United Edge has a wealth of practical knowledge to draw from, and it’s clear that they care about social justice to their core. Their energy is infectious and gave me the jolt I needed to think differently in my role."

Start Fund Senior MEL Officer, World Vision, UK

OUR ETHICS

Everything we do is about making the world a better place.

It's what we're all about.

Our ethics affect every aspect of our work, from our office toilet paper to how we travel and the partnerships we build along the way. It covers how our work should and shouldn't impact people, the planet, animals, politics, the economy and culture.

All the decisions United Edge makes are informed by unwavering stances on the following issues.

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