Mutual Aid

One of our core principles is to run Rooted based on the concepts of mutual aid.

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Mutual aid is solidarity-based support where communities unite against a common struggle. They take on the responsibility of caring for each other rather than leaving individuals to fend for themselves. Aid is offered in a spirit of solidarity and reciprocity, with a larger aim towards liberation and progress for all.

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Mutual aid isn’t the same as charity, which usually features a hierarchical structure, one-way relationships between charity givers and recipients, and requirements that need to be met in order to receive help.

In a mutual aid model, there are no conditions on who receives help and everyone is seen as equal, with people working cooperatively to meet the needs of all within a community. In essence, charity responds to the effects of inequality, while mutual aid seeks to both meet material needs and address root causes.

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Mutual aid firmly believes that everyone has something to contribute, though these resources may differ, and everyone has something they need, creating symbiotic relationships.