The Strømme Foundation ( no, Strømmestiftelsen) is a Norwegian volunteer development organization that was established on September 21, 1976. The foundation provides assistance to poor people in the

Global South The concept of Global North and Global South (or North–South divide in a global context) is used to describe a grouping of countries along socio-economic and political characteristics. The Global South is a term often used to identify region ...

to pull themselves out of poverty through microfinancing. The vision of the Strømme Foundation is a world without poverty. Its head office is in Kristiansand.

Activity

The Strømme Foundation conducts long-term development work with local partner organizations in the Global South. By giving people, among other things, knowledge and skills, access to small loans, and saving opportunities, the foundation helps make it possible for poor people to improve and build their lives so that they can get by without charitable assistance. The foundation is active in 12 countries, where it carries out various development projects in education and microfinancing. The organization emphasizes self-help and utilizes local partners. Its head office is in Kristiansand, Norway. The foundation has three regional offices: in Kampala, Uganda; Bamako, Mali; and Colombo, Sri Lanka.''Strategic Plan 2014–2018''. 2013. Kristiansand: Strømme Foundation, p. 5.

History

The foundation is named after Olav Kristian Strømme, a priest and chaplain at

Oddernes Church Oddernes Church ( no, Oddernes kirke) is a parish church of the Church of Norway in Kristiansand Municipality in Agder county, Norway. It is located in the district of Lund in the borough of Lund in the city of Kristiansand. It is one of the ...

, who carried out extensive fundraising work. The foundation confers the Help for Self-Help Award (''Hjelp til selvhjelp-prisen''). The award was given to Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus in 1997. Proceeds from Operation Day's Work in 2008 went to the Strømme Foundation's Shonglap project for young people in Bangladesh. The Strømme Foundation has its own student exchange program called Act Now at

Hald International Center Hald International Center ( no, Hald internasjonale senter) is a vocational school offering courses in cross-cultural understanding and international work. The school is owned by the Strømme Foundation, the Norwegian Missionary Society, and the ...

, which the organization carries out together with the

Norwegian Missionary Society The Norwegian Missionary Society or the Norwegian Mission Society ( no, Det Norske Misjonsselskap, NMS) is the first and oldest missionary organization in Norway. It was started by a group of approximately 180 Stavanger residents in August 1842, ...

and the Norwegian Christian Student and School Association.

RE:ACT

RE:ACT is the Strømme Foundation's youth organization. It was established in October 2009 by former students at Hald International Center.

References

External links

Strømme Foundation homepage

Catalog of Strømme Foundation material at the National Archives in Kristiansand
{{DEFAULTSORT:Stromme Foundation Development charities based in Norway Organizations established in 1976