When SFL field staff gather around the table to talk about community development, eyes light up and heads begin to nod in agreement. Words like training, equipping, empowering, and capacity building punctuate the conversation. As they share stories about working with families and communities, their excitement and passion for this work is clear. Rebuilding a village can be done with mere bricks and mortar, but SFL understands that restoring lives requires much more.

SFL restores lives by integrating its reconstruction projects with community development programs that are designed to enable independence and self-sufficiency. These grassroots programs focus on four key areas: community health, economic development, food security, community projects, and capacity building. SFL's community development programs are what make the critical difference between offering a handout and offering a helping hand.