Education for liberation

SAIH is the solidarity organisation of students and academics in Norway. SAIH focuses on education in development cooperation, as well as North/South information and political advocacy in Norway. 

Education for development

SAIH supports local organisations and institutions working with higher education, research and capacity building in southern Africa and Latin-America. 
  
SAIH supports:

• projects in Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia, Bolivia and Nicaragua
• higher education which is sensitive to local languages and cultures
• informal training and capacity building in leadership skills and on topics such as sexual and reproductive rights and HIV  
• institutions of higher education and organisations that are active in debates and processes of change in their societies, and where the target groups actively participate in the development of the projects

SAIH’s motto “Education for Liberation” relates to theories of pedagogy of liberation, in which participation creates an increased political consciousness as well as increased possibilities for each participant to find solutions to their own problems. Education must be seen in a social context where education is aimed at creating a more just society.

North/South information and advocacy work

As a solidarity organization, SAIH aims to address challenges faced by people in the South, as well as structures and actions in the North which create and reproduce an unjust world.  
 
In Norway, SAIH voices the concerns of our partners in the South, and promotes the idea that education and knowledge are important means to achieve development in the North as well as in the South. SAIH raises international issues in campaigns, seminars, debates, and in the media at institutions of higher education throughout Norway.  
 
SAIH is an organisation independent of political parties and religion, working to influence political processes in Norway which have an impact on development in the South. Norwegian policies on development and foreign affairs, as well as business interests, have an impact on education and development in the South.  
 
Development aid alone cannot create a just world.  
Wealthy countries in the North have to change policies that have a negative impact on the development of countries in the South. 

About SAIH

SAIH was established in 1961 as a part of the Norwegian students’ anti apartheid movement. Today there are local SAIH chapters all over the country. SAIH is not open for individual membership, but have local chapters, student democracies, university boards and students’ and academics’ organizations as member organizations.
 
SAIH’s work is financed by the contributions paid by students over the semester fee, the SAIH-academics, Norad, Operation Day’s Work, LNU and FOKUS. Approximately 130 000 students in Norway annually contribute with over 6 million Norwegian kroner to SAIH’s work. This contribution is voluntary. A minimum of 70 % of this funding is distributed to our partners in Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Bolivia and Nicaragua, whereas a maximum of 30 % is spent on North/South information, advocacy work and administration in Norway. The local chapters receive government funding through Frifond.