Mani Tese is an Association recognised as Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) and as Non Profit Organisation (ONLUS). Since 1981 it has been declared a public utility body, and since 1997 it enjoys the consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

The national secretariat is located in Milan. There are 35 groups of volunteers scattered around Italy, all involved in fostering an economy of solidarity and justice. From some of these groups have been born out the 5 local associations (Firenze, Campania, Sicilia, Faenza and Pratrivero), which share with the national organisation both the strategy and the planning. Moreover, with the social cooperative, Mani Tese promotes and carries out all over Italy the recycle, the recovery and the reuse of used goods.

Since 1964 Mani Tese has been committed to fighting world hunger and the imbalances between North and South of the world, working together with the people of the poorest areas of the world.

The organisation is active in 14 Countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, implementing integrated development programmes involving local communities in each phase of the project and empowering them so that they may carry on their social and economic development tread autonomously.