Vision
PACOS Trust would like to see peaceful indigenous communities, united and well-equipped with the knowledge and expertise to manage their resources and opportunities to support a comfortable life.

Mission
PACOS Trust mission is to improve the overall quality of life of indigenous communities.

Aims
PACOS Trust has three main goals:
1. Ensure that indigenous communities have their customary land (NCR) and the right to use resources in other areas
2. Strengthen indigenous knowledge systems in the management of natural resources
3. Strengthen positive values, culture, language, and belief systems of indigenous peoples

Strategies
PACOS Trust uses two main approaches:
(i) develop integrated human resources and
(ii) establish and strengthen the Community Organisation (CO), to enhance the ability of indigenous communities to act collectively on their own.

PACOS Trust also continues to support a network of indigenous organisations that are fighting for ancestral land claims and their natural resources. PACOS Trust acts as an intermediary between community organisations and foreign entities whether government agencies, private companies or non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Programmes
Above approaches are incorporated in the six main programmes: (i) Community Organising Training, (ii) Natural Resources Management, (iii) Socio-economic Development, (iv) Land Rights, (v) Community Education, (vi) Adat and Culture.

Community Organising Training Programme This programme provides theoretical and practical training for 24 months to train community organisers. Training is for selected representatives of the Community Organisations. The goal of this training is to build and enhance the capacity of the representatives to address the various issues that their communities face as a whole.

Natural Resource Management Programme The programme aims to increase the ability of communities to manage their resources sustainably using existing traditional systems such as 'Tagal' (river fish conservation). To aid in the management of their resources, community resource maps are prepared by the communities with support from PACOS Trust. Construction of gravity water feed facilities and installation of micro-hydroelectricity contribute towards conservation of watersheds while improving the communities’ standard of living.

Socio-Economic Development Programme This programme helps communities to increase their income. Depending on the type of issues faced by the Community Organisations, the training and support is tailor-made to enable communities to initiate and develop economic projects for the continuity of the organisations and to achieve self-reliance and independence. Land Rights Programme This programme promotes communities' rights to customary land (NCR) through training in systematic and appropriatedocumentation of indigenous settlement history . PACOS Trust acts as an advisor to communities that need help to raise awareness and enables them to reclaim their customary land.

Community Education Programme Basic and advanced training is given to indigenous pre-school teachers to provide children with a modern education in Community Learning Centres (CLC). At the same time the centre ensures that children do not lose their identity as indigenous peoples. A curriculum that focuses on learning the concept of indigenous peoples is continually improved in line with the needs and aspirations of the communities. Community involvement in this programme is an important aspect of training and support programme development and early childhood education. CLC is not only focused on formal education for children 4 to 6 years but it is also a community centre for meeting, resource, information, and other community-related activities. The centre is used by communities to share traditional knowledge for preschool children, primary school, youth, adults and the elderly. Most source trainers are old people who are experienced, knowledgeable and proficient in traditional customs such as education, community native language, handicrafts, traditional medicine, and other skills.

Adat & Culture Programme This programme aims at revitalising relevent positive beliefs, adat (customs) and cultures of indigenous communities that can strengthen their identity, enhance their dignity and contribute to their holistic and balanced development. Other Activities PACOS Trust is also involved in public awareness activities on a wide range of issues, particularly related to the recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights, bio-piracy, gender, health, environment, sustainable development and rural development