Mainstream aid metrics often fail to capture how communities themselves define peace, justice, and wellbeing, as these are usually designed by external experts. This article outlines the limitations of top-down indicators and introduces the EPI methodology as an alternative. EPI centers local voices in defining and measuring complex social concepts through participatory, community-led processes. Its bottom-up approach enhances monitoring, evaluation, advocacy, and policymaking by aligning measurement with lived experiences and context-specific realities.