Who We Are

Our mission

(1) To support community-led organisations and solutions in breaking the cycle of poverty through livelihoods and women's empowerment; and

(2) To shift donor and NGO practice toward community-led development and equitable partnerships.

Our vision

A world where organisations and communities in the Global South have fair partnerships, capacities, and the resources they need to lead their own development and fulfilment of their rights.

The story of Connective Paths in brief

Our Founder, Katherine (Cookee) Belen, is a Philippine-born, Dutch national, who has 23 years of experience in community development work and women's rights advocacy—having worked for NGOs and United Nations (UN) projects in the Philippines, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Timor-Leste, Uganda, Kenya, Guyana, and other countries.

She has witnessed first-hand the harrowing challenges women in poverty face, both in her home country but also in communities she worked across the globe. She also intimately knew the shortcomings of aid organizations and the massive bureaucracy that limits the good that can be done. Fighting the disillusionment, trauma and moral injury in this work has been an important struggle in order to not lose hope.

Connective Paths Foundation is the embodiment of this hard-won battle to remain hopeful and committed to the difficult work of reforming the aid sector. It is the fulfilment of Cookee's dream to break the cycle of poverty through supporting the communities directly with homegrown solutions that are more sustainable, and through methods that are more equitable and ethical.

Since 2022, CPF has been largely self-funded. It has supported 4 small grassroots organizations in the Philippines—providing livelihoods services, scholarships, support for day care centers and civic education. CPF's lead project supporting women's savings groups have helped 200+ women in informal settlements earn a profit of over Euros 20,000 in just the first 3 years of the pilot, SISTER Programme.

CPF is now scaling the solutions that have proven to work. Through the tireless work of its partners, mainly staffed with volunteers, it aims to reach over 3,800 women, men and youth living in informal settlements and rural poor communities in 2026, and to reach 10,000+ by 2029. CPF is seeking more allies to provide livelihoods and rights education to more women and their families.

3800+

20+

Years of experience

Community women, men and children, including 200 women with disabilities

4+

Partner organisations, and counting

"To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. That is to have succeeded." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

CPF's Global Advisory Board

CPF has an Advisory Board, which is an independent, non-governing body that provides strategic and relational support to the organization. It serves as a thought partner and collective sounding board to advance our mission of promoting equitable, community-led, and decolonial development practices.

It is composed of leaders from the movements calling for better ways of working—such as #Shift the Power and RINGO as well as from allies who support CPF's goal to make a difference, differently.

The Advisory Board provides strategic guidance, connects the organization with relevant networks, and helps ensure that Connective Paths remains adaptive, values-driven, and accountable to, and grounded in, solidarity with the communities, organizations and movements we accompany.

Note on photos: Some images are for illustrative purposes only.