Our vision is 'a godly, transformed society'. Our mission is 'to save lives, promote self-reliance and dignity through human transformation, going beyond relief and development'.

At the same time we have introduced a new logo for the organisation. When first looked at, the viewer might think that the logo symbolize rings on the water. But to us in IAS, we would like to communicate a message that even though our work is like a drop in the ocean, there is a multiplying effect.

The hand pump that was installed was supposed to assist, say 200 people, but some months later you find 1000 people using this water. The pupil that received school education goes home and tells his brothers and sisters and parents what he has learnt and they benefit as well. The hoe and the small amount of seeds that was distributed to the farmer reproduce food that is enough for a family.

Our desire is to support projects with a ripple, multiplying and reproducing effect. Creating a positive reaction!

Visa International Aid Services (IAS) på en större karta

IAS' organisations in the North are;

IAS Sweden l IAS Denmark l IAS Norway l IAS Germany l IAS USA

Torben Madsen Country Director, IAS Denmark and Chairman in the Executive Committee ias-denmarkias.nu

Per Lindahl Country Director, IAS Sweden ias-swedenias.nu

Arnulf Hogetveit Country Director, IAS Norway ias-norwayias.nu

Rainer Gessler Country Director, IAS Germany ias-germanyias.nu

Scott Burpee Country Director, IAS USA ias-usaias.nu

ETHIOPIA, ADDIS ABEBA, March 26, 2009 - IAS Regional Board meeting in Ethiopia. From left: Andreas Zetterlund, Onesimo Yugusuk, Douglas Mwiti, Ingegerd Hedström, Ketema Kinfe, Leif Zetterlund, Torben Madsen, Beatrice Langa, Arnulf Hogetveit, Betty Kraus, Per Lindahl, Juliet Namukasa, Julius Bitamazire.

Leif Zetterlund Executive Director ias-directorias.nu

Per Lindahl Director of Finance ias-financeias.nu

Betty Kraus Programme Advisor ias-programmeias.nu

Julius Bitamazire Policy Development Advisor ias-policyias.nu

Beatrice Langa Human Resource Manager ias-hrias.nu

Andreas Zetterlund International Liaison Officer infoias.nu

Drilling in Sudan in the 'early' days of IAS

When the families were back in Sweden they continued to meet on regular basis and they felt that they still shared the same similar view of mission and heart for the Sudanese people. Leif Zetterlund continued with frequent travels to Africa and developed and maintained close links to various donor agencies that he had met during his time in Juba. These donors wanted to channel funds to Sudan but had difficulties in finding implementing organisations. It was around this time, during 1988, that Leif Zetterlund received an invitation from the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA). The invitation was formally addressed to SFM, but as it was operating on the Government controlled areas, SFM felt that it was not ready to take this step.

The needs in the SPLA controlled areas were, nevertheless, remarkable. The four families, led by Leif Zetterlund, saw a possibility of helping the people that had become their friends. In these areas were several people and churches that had become marginalized not because they had chosen an active political side, but simply because they happened to be on the wrong geographical side of the country. Leif Zetterlund managed to gather some funding for relief materials and it did not take long before the first shipment of goods was on its way to South Sudan by lorries. This was the first relief consignment on the western side of the River Nile.

The target was Kajo-Keji and the consignment contained food, seeds and simple agricultural tools. SFM, despite the fact that they did not chose to establish themselves in the SPLA controlled areas, still had a heart for the Sudanese people there and supported the initiative taken by Leif Zetterlund and the others. PMU also donated eight containers of clothes that were distributed in Kajo-Keji and Bor in Sudan as well as to Sudanese refugees in Moyo, Uganda.

The people benefiting from these consignments praised the Lord for the help they received and the fact that there were people out there that still cared about their situation. In order to continue with the initiative taken by the four families, they realized that the only viable solution was to form and register as an organisation. That would also ease in terms of financial support from donors. Hence, International Aid Sweden (IAS) was formally formed on New Years Eve 1989 by the four families. It was registered as a Foundation/NGO with the Swedish government in March 1990.

1	Need There were tremendous needs in the SPLA controlled area.
2	Injustice The people that were suffering had no active role pertaining to their situation. They were merely on the wrong side of the border.
3	No one responded to their call The cry from the civilian population on the SPLA side cried out but no one responded. Organisations feared to thread the area. IAS could not be a bystander knowing the needs and injustice of the people.

Thus, IAS mission and mandate was from the very start to attend to the most marginalized groups of society and reaching out where no one else did. These same messages are encapsulated in IAS vision and mission statement of today.

IAS recognizes the United Nation's Declaration of the Human Rights, and acknowledges that each individual has the right to get some basic physical, psychological and spiritual needs met such as the need of shelter, water, food, health service, education, and security but also a restored relationship with God.

During the first 15 years the organisation used 'Sweden' in its logo; and was therefore called International Aid Sweden. In the last couple of years, IAS northern offices have expanded to also include Denmark, Norway, Germany and USA. To make the organisational name more suitable for the partners in these countries, IAS changed its name to 'International Aid Services' with effect from January 2004.