Association for a More Just Society (AJS)

About Us

Vision and Mission Strategy History Roots in Faith Funding Recognition Staff and Board of Directors

The Association for a More Just Society (AJS) is a Christian organization dedicated to answering God's call to "act justly" (Micah 6:8).

Our Vision
Christian communities doing justice and mercy close to home and globally.

Our Mission
To accomplish the vision, AJS:

Invites others to join us in doing justice and mercy.
Enables others to increase justice in their own society.
Inspires others to support the work of Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa (ASJ), our partner organization in Honduras. (See ASJ-Honduras website, in Spanish.)
Expands the success of Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa (ASJ), our partner organization in Honduras.

Our Strategy
AJS supports efforts in Honduras that promote the interests of the most poor in legislative projects, defend the rights of the most vulnerable in judicial processes, increase the awareness and democratic participation of churches to practice the Biblical teachings on justice, and publish journalistic investigations on issues that affect the poor of Honduras. These projects are generally implemented by Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa (ASJ), our partner organization in Honduras.We work especially in six areas:

Land Rights
Labor Rights
Gideon Centers (legal and pscyhological aid and opportunities for youth in poor neighborhoods)
Peace & Justice / Rescue (investigative, legal, and psychological aid for poor victims of sexual and gang-perpetrated violence)
Revistazo.com (online investigative journal covering government transparency and human rights issues in Honduras)
Transformemos Honduras (a coalition of Christian congregations, organizations, and individuals working to make Honduras' government live up to its promises and duties, especially in the areas of health, education, employment, crime, and corruption)

AJS also produces various online and print publications, organizes events and presentations, and participates in conferences to raise consciousness about justice issues in Honduras and to inspire North American Christians to follow God's call to do justice locally and globally.

Our History
The Association for a More Just Society ( AJS) was founded in 2000 in response the Biblical call for Christians to "do justice" (Micah 6:8, Isaiah 56:1, Proverbs 29:7, Isaiah 10:1-2), with the goal of helping to create a "more just society" in Honduras and around the world.

AJS's founders had seen the efforts of many other government and community organizations had not been enough to truly reduce poverty and allow communities live more fully. We also realized that those efforts often failed, not because they were flawed in themselves, but because too many policies, laws, and unethical businesses failed to respect the needs and rights of the poor. In short, these efforts failed because of injustice. Thus, AJS works to promote justice, especially for the poor and the downtrodden.

As Jeremiah 22:16 says, " 'He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know me?' declares the LORD."

Our Roots in Faith
As Christians we believe that remaining passive in the face of our neighbor's need is a rejection of our faith. After all, are we not called to love our neighbor as ourselves?

We believe that Christians must be a voice that cries out in the desert of oppression. The Bible presents a clear message of reproach to the unjust (James 5:1-6) and compassion for the most vulnerable. The same God who says, "Man cannot live by bread alone," also calls us to "give them something to eat" and multiplied, himself, the loaves and the fishes for a hungry crowd. Working for social justice is an act both of obedience and love. God commands us to "Maintain justice and do what is right" (Isaiah 56:1). He also reminds us that "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me" (Matthew 25:40).

God's concern for the poor demonstrates that God recognizes us as beings with a past, present, and future—a past that God can forgive, a present that we can transform, and a future that God has secured for us. This demonstrates as well God's integral concern for his people. At AJS we claim God's messianic promise that "He will bring justice to the nations" (Isaiah 42:1).

Our Funding
The Association for a More Just Society (AJS) is funded mainly by individual donors as well as by several private foundations. AJS is a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, so all donations to AJS are tax-deductible for U.S. taxpayers. Learn more about giving to AJS.

AJS funds account for approximately 25% of the funding for our partner organization in Honduras, la Asociación para una Sociedad más Justa (ASJ). Other past and current funders of ASJ-Honduras include Tear Fund, the International Justice Mission (IJM), the Christian Reformed World Relief Committee (CRWRC), Dan Church Aid (of Denmark), Trocaire (of Ireland), the German Embassy in Honduras, the Swedish Embassy in Honduras, the Pentacostal Church of Sweden, and others.

Recognition
Work on the Dionisio Díaz García murder case supported by the Association for a More Just Society (AJS) has been recognized by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The AJS Land Rights project has become the World Bank's primary non-government partner in evaluating land titling efforts in Honduras, and USAID's Honduras office has consulted with members of ASJ regarding the 2009 political crisis.

Renowned philisopher Nicholas Wolterstorff spent a week visiting AJS projects in Honduras in the spring of 2010 and published several articles about his experience afterwards.

Staff and Board of Directors
Click here to read more about AJS's staff and board of directors.