Local Fundraising
Mobilising Support
Shifting the Power
This report presents the findings from a qualitative empirical research undertaken by the West Africa
Civil Society Institute and Global Fund for Community Philanthropy aimed at understanding localisation agenda and shift the power as mechanisms to strengthen power and resource flow to local and local civil society organisations (CSOs) working in Burkina Faso, Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal. The report also seeks to develop a better understanding of how African CSOs including philanthropic organisations understand localisation agenda and shift the power, and to support growing efforts to build a future of increased localised humanitarian action and a balanced power where there is equal opportunities and well-balanced resource between donors and CSOs in the humanitarian aid system. The report further examines the role of African philanthropic organisations and the added value and challenges of pooled or intermediary funding mechanisms in promoting the localisation agenda and shift the power.
This report is based on interviews with sixteen experts and professionals working within the development and humanitarian aid sectors in the four abovementioned countries. Very interesting examples on how they cope with the multiple dilemmas faced by the localisation agenda. Pity that because of Covid-19 limitations the experts could not meet in person and that interviews had to be held by electronic means. And an annex with their names is missing in the report.
Readers should not expect clear-cut solutions. It provides, however, a good insight in the ‘macro’ setting of their own work in pursuing global justice.
What we missed in the report is interviewees’ awareness of the limitations of CSOs in the Global North, in being able to support the localisation agenda. These CSOs themselves depend on societal awareness and political support in their countries. They therefore need good information from their partners the Global South, showing that localisation is really effective in the reduction of poverty and inequality.
Localisation Agenda Shift the Power Community Philanthropy
Author: Emmanuel Kumi, PhD; Thomas Yeboah, PhD
Publisher/source/organization: West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI)
Place and year of issue: Accra, Ghana 2021
Type: Research report
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Country/region: Africa