What is the purpose of the Human Cabinet?
The Human Cabinet works with humanitarian, development, and public organisations to improve the situations of the most vulnerable populations. Inspired by Sigmund Freud’s analogy that humans and societies are cabinets full of secret drawers, our work opens these hidden drawers, in the humanitarian and development contexts, promoting more effective and accountable support to communities.
The Human Cabinet is a collective of more than twenty international experts with backgrounds in humanitarian and development operations, advocacy, logistics, MEAL, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), protection, education, mental health and psychosocial support, sport for development (S4D), and disaster risk management.
The Cabinet seeks to improve how humanitarian and development work is conducted by proposing new ways of working that go beyond systems and identifying impactful community-generated, context-specific solutions. We support the public, private, and third sectors to design coherent and effective programs and solutions to current and future challenges, placing vulnerable communities at the heart of humanitarian and development work.
We work for a world where human rights are safeguarded at the grassroots levels, and communities have the agency and decision-making power to steer their own fates.
We respect the capacities of communities and organizations by capitalizing on their invaluable knowledge and assets to enable healthy, organic humanitarian responses and development interventions.
We support communities in their paths to antifragility helping them to thrive and grow when disaster hits hardest.
We mainstream accountability across our support to our clients and communities. Unlike traditional consultancy models, where the third party does not place any stakes into the counsel it provides to clients, we take full responsibility for the success and development which occurs based on our work, recommendations, and research.
Additionally, we establish our work on realistic expectations. Our data analysis identified a recurrent pattern of unrealistic endeavours and goals we aim to address within the humanitarian and development realms.
The story behind the Human Cabinet
The Story Behind the Human Cabinet
The inspiration for our brand lies in Salvador Dali’s reimagining of the classical Venus de Milo. By inserting drawers into the statue, Dali suggested that beneath every surface there are hidden compartments, unexplored spaces filled with memories, potential, and meaning. That metaphor resonated deeply with us, but we chose to take it further.
For us, the “Human Cabinet” is a working philosophy. We believe every individual, organisation and community holds a series of drawers: spaces where ideas, needs, and capabilities are often locked away or overlooked. Our mission is to help unlock those drawers thoughtfully and systematically.
In practice, this means our consulting work is both deeply human and rigorously structured. We begin by listening carefully to our partners so we understand their context and aspirations. We apply proven frameworks and tools, grounded in humanitarian standards and programmatic excellence, to co-create solutions. Our methodologies emphasise evidence-based analysis, collaborative planning, and ongoing learning. When we “open a drawer,” we’re uncovering overlooked resources, amplifying local expertise, and translating insights into tailored programmes.
This approach extends across our services: from designing strategies to building data-driven monitoring systems and advising on safeguarding. It’s about turning curiosity into actionable plans, exploring what’s within each drawer and partnering with organisations to transform potential into impact.