Finnish Homeland Aid Work Alliance – Koa ry
The association and its purpose
Finnish Homeland Aid Work Alliance, Koa ry was founded on December 17, 2015. At that time, the association was named Ruoka-apu Yhdistysten Liitto ry (RAYL). The association’s name was changed in 2019 to include humanitarian work more broadly than just food aid.
Koa’s headquarters is in Helsinki and its area of operation is the whole of Finland. Koa can also work internationally if necessary. Koa was born out of a need that was communicated by organizations offering humanitarian aid in many contexts. There had also been a message from authorities and decision-makers about the need for a similar umbrella organization, especially for food aid.
Koa was founded to promote and monitor the interests of associations involved in humanitarian aid work, as well as to act as a consultant and spokesperson for member organizations. Koa offers advisory services to associations and organizes events both independently and with and through its member organizations for, for example, networking and the development of humanitarian work. Koa develops and spreads good practices that help organizations in their work.
Koa networks the field of organizations with each other and with other actors such as municipalities and welfare regions. Koa can apply to associations doing humanitarian work for financial and material support for their activities. Koa can also distribute financial aid to organizations doing humanitarian work when Koa ry has the funds in its possession.
Koa cooperates with organizations, municipalities, welfare areas, parishes, government and other necessary actors, in order to realize its work vision as widely as possible and nationwide.
The value base of Koa is politically and religiously non-committal. However, Koa cooperates with all political organizations and religious groups and congregations, and also accepts the exposure and visibility of the value base of other actors and employees. Koa’s values and ethics arise from the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ethical guidelines for humanitarian work.
Koa is a low-threshold operator, which has been perceived as a significant operator in many ways. It has been easy for Koa to get partners even from large national players. Koa ry has quickly grown and gained a foothold in the field of domestic aid work. This has been facilitated by the growing need for a central aid work organization as the number of underprivileged people grows year by year. Help is needed for many things, but food aid is by far the largest form of humanitarian aid at the moment. The form of aid work is naturally dictated by the need for aid. Food is also something that draws people to joint events.
When giving food aid, volunteers see the full scope and spectrum of poverty. The increased plight of people has increased the need for associations to get wider support, guidance and training for their own activities, as well as help with networking. Koa gave associations doing aid work the opportunity for regional and national networking, which was felt to be especially welcome in the face of the pressure brought by the plight of people in need. Peer support is also very important and empowering in terms of coping at work.
So there was an order for the work of Koa ry that exceeded all the expectations of the founding members. Koa’s activities have proven to be very necessary as a developer and supporter of aid work in Finland. In particular, this has concerned food aid work.
Koa has built coordination with STEA funding, which has been distributed by welfare area to Koa’s regional coordinators. There are currently 14 coordinators at HVA. The coordinators strive to network and build uniform practices in their own area.
Koa operates with the lowest possible costs, building a working operating platform for member associations. Koa strives to remain a grassroots operator, taking the message to the decision makers.
Koa ry 1.12.2023
Values and ethics
The value base of Koa ry is based on the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the ethical guidelines of diaconia work.
The human dignity of every person is the same, regardless of ethnic background, social status, religious, political, ideological conviction or sexual orientation.
Everyone has the right to a standard of living that is sufficient to secure his and his family’s health and well-being in terms of food, clothing, housing, medical care and essential social care.
Everyone also has the right to security in the event of unemployment, illness, accident, widowhood or old age, and other loss of livelihood that occurred independently of their will.
The following ethical guidelines are followed in Koa’s operations:
- Everyone is entitled to a standard of living that can secure his and his family’s living
- For its part, Koa ry strives to alleviate human suffering caused by the lack of an adequate standard of living
- Koa ry does not aim for anything other than what is stipulated in the association’s rules
- Koa ry’s operations are respectful and appreciative of other operators
- With its activities, Koa ry aims to improve the quality of life of those in a weaker position
Publications
Become a member
Become an organization member by filling out the membership form. Your membership becomes effective when the board of the association confirms it. As a member, you are involved in building Finland, where well-being is a common issue for everyone. Your membership is an important statement for domestic aid work.
In addition to the application, you need an extract from the minutes of your association’s board meeting, which shows that the board has decided to apply as a member of Koa, as well as your association’s valid rules and an up-to-date extract from the association register.
Please remember to send the necessary attachments to our email.
By sending this form and the attachments, the applicant accepts the rules and values of Koa to become a member.