We are a social enterprise,empowering local communities
through the provision of agile and sustainable interventions to create greater stability, opportunity and hope for the future.

 
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Our Story

ARK was created in order to assist the most vulnerable, particularly refugees, the displaced and those impacted by conflict and instability. 

This reflects the background and experience of ARK’s founder Alistair Harris, whose formative early years were spent seeking to understand and positively impact ethno-sectarian conflict, from Northern Ireland to the Balkans, as well as seek justice for victims of gross human rights violations.

 

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Our Approach

We believe that strong, resilient communities are the foundation of local, national, regional and international development and stability – and ultimately a safer, peaceful and more prosperous world.

At ARK, we have delivered research and programmatic interventions validating this approach in over twenty countries since 2008. As a social enterprise we work in partnership with communities, our donors, and other implementers to build local capacities, generate opportunity and bring about sustainable change.

 

Our Work

We are expeditionary by design and our systems and structures enable flexible and agile responses while ensuring safe, effective, accountable and compliant delivery.

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Working with and through teams drawn from the communities in which we operate enables us to deliver impactful interventions built on intimate local understanding, access and partnerships. In collaboration with our global network of international and local experts, we integrate nuanced understanding of the challenges we aim to solve with best practice, creativity and innovation to deliver programming that meets short-term stabilisation objectives and builds the evidence base and knowledge needed to lay the groundwork for long-term development, growth and stability. 

Our project management approach adheres to ISO 27001 and ISO 9001:2015 standards, ensuring quality management and value for money for both our clients and beneficiaries. All our project managers are certified in the APMG-accredited Project Management for Development Professionals (PMD Pro). 

Where We Work

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Africa

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Balkans

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Central America

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Europe & UK

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Middle East

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South East Asia

 

Our People

Many of our staff members come directly from the communities ARK has supported.

 
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Today, our team covers a diverse range of professional backgrounds; from diplomacy, humanitarian, development and the military, to the UN, civil society groups, multilateral organisations, journalism and the private sector.

They bring sectoral expertise in civil society development, good governance, protection and human rights, refugees and migration, gender and security and justice, as well as practical experience in programme design and learning, organisational development and management, research and analysis, needs assessments, donor coordination, monitoring and evaluation, communications and capacity building. The multi-disciplinary and multi-national nature of our team means the research we undertake and the programmes we deliver are grounded in empirical need and deliver measurable and sustainable impact. 

 

We Work With