2025 Impact Report: Making Democracy Work

In 2025, with democracy under stress globally, more than 9,000 people across 350 communities in 13 countries took the risk to stand up, speak out, and organize for change as grassroots leaders in Faith in Action International.

They did the messy work of listening to their neighbors, voting on community priorities, negotiating with public officials, and holding companies accountable for complying with the law.

They brought schools, health clinics, clean water, sanitation, electricity, roads, bridges, and a sense of hope to their communities. They won land rights, irrigation systems, and better housing conditions.

Across very different political and economic contexts, the pattern was consistent: when people built durable organizations and negotiated collectively, they were able to secure tangible improvements—even where governments were weak, under-resourced, or resistant.

They showed that democracy means not only elections but also access to health care, education, housing, and a decent life – and that when people organize together, they can make democracy work for everyone.

Our network is growing, with new organizing taking root in Kenya, Tanzania, and Colombia. People are hungry for tools to participate in the decisions that shape their lives.

This impact report profiles large-scale policy changes, local victories, and collective efforts to survive and thrive in difficult conditions, through data, stories, and photographs.

We deeply appreciate everyone who contributed to Faith in Action International’s growth and impact in 2025. We look forward to working with you to continue building a bold, transparent, democratic movement of people working from the bottom up to change the world.

Throughout the report, readers will see a similar organizing cycle repeated: local residents build teams, listen systematically to their neighbors, hold research meetings with decision-makers, negotiate for concrete changes, and develop policy agendas based on their local successes. This disciplined process enables communities to translate participation into better lives.