RISE FOR PHOKA is a volunteer-powered, youth and community-led development organization in Malawi that focuses on tackling climate change and sustainable development issues and is committed to taking care of the most vulnerable members of their communities, such as children and the elderly. Their support comes from income generated locally by visiting volunteers ’contributions, individual donations, and community-driven economic development initiatives. As Bhavna, one of their supporters stated, they are doing development “the way our ancestors used to do it.”
Join us for a conversation with Kondwani Msyalie, RISE FOR PHOKA Executive Director and two of key supporters to explore this community-centered Global South model built on the strong belief that resources for what we do can come from within communities themselves.
Live translation to French and Spanish will be available
Date and Time : 26th June, 2025
- Kenya - 17h00
- Malawi - 16h00
- UK - 15h00
Speakers
Kondwani Msyalie is the Founder and Executive Director of RISE FOR PHOKA, a grassroots Community Foundation in Livingstonia, Malawi, dedicated to sustainable community development. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Management and a University Certificate of Education from the University of Livingstonia. Passionate about community empowerment, Kondwani leads projects focused on sustainable agriculture, education, and social support for vulnerable groups. Through his leadership, RISE FOR PHOKA has mobilized local resources and fostered partnerships to drive positive change.
Frank Charles Kasonga is the Executive Director of Mudzi Connect, where he oversees the community development efforts of a local NGO that has improved the health, education, and economic opportunity and social justice for more than 600,000 Malawians to date. Frank is a published author with 20+ years of hands-on experience in project design and proposal development, organizational development, capacity building and training, grants administration, governance, environmental justice, people management, financial tracking, and monitoring and evaluation. Frank holds a Master’s Degree in Transformative Community Development from Mzuzu University, BSc in Social Science, and a Law certificate from Staff Development Institute. Frank is a leader by nature, a team-player, capacity builder, excellent writer, and a charismatic trainer. Frank is widely regarded as a leader in promoting locally-led development and a frequent speaker and panelist on the topic.
Bhavna Naik is a professionally qualified Finance Manager from the UK. She is employed in the charitable sector, and was born in Zambia, where her parents initially migrated to from India. In 2022, she was seconded to Malawi for three years as Head of Finance for a social enterprise.
Having witnessed an unhealthy dependency culture in Malawi, she collaborated with a Malawian founded charity- Rise for Phoka to progress the idea of sustainable communities by buying farmland with the aim to grow and sell the produce to generate income to fulfill the charitable objectives of the organization.
She is a passionate disrupter, believes in giving with grace and dignity, and embraces grass roots values and nature.
Watch full webinar recording here.
Across Latin America, thousands of local, grassroots, peasant, and Indigenous organizations continue to be excluded from major philanthropic initiatives and international funding. Underlying causes include racism, classism, the rural–urban divide, and internal and subregional colonialism, among other factors. In this webinar, Red Comunidades Rurales (member of the Alianza de Fondos del Sur), Fondo Emerger (member of the Alianza de Fondos del Sur), and Instituto Procomum (member of Rede Comuá and the Alianza Territorial) will share their experiences developing collaborative, participatory, and community-based responses to challenge systemic racism, colonialism, and discrimination in philanthropy.
We will address topics such as:
Structural discrimination in access to international cooperation resources for local organizations, rural communities, peasant families, and Indigenous peoples;
Alternative philanthropic experiences and practices, such as participatory grantmaking platforms, community savings groups, and alternative methodologies for grant application and evaluation;
Resource decentralization, the valuing of community knowledge, and trust-based shared governance;
Strengthening capacities within communities so that organizations can identify their own resources, and enhance their resilience to the barriers imposed by the international cooperation system.
Speakers
Facundo Ibarlucía – Coordinator of Information and Knowledge Management, Red Comunidades Rurales / Alianza de Fondos del Sur
Political scientist specialized in technology service management and the design, monitoring, and evaluation of socio-environmental projects. Since 2012, he has worked with Red Comunidades Rurales and the Global Environment Facility (GEF), where he served as Director of the Rural Community Project Bank and Coordinator of the Research and Knowledge Management Area. He has led learning communities and provided consulting for UNDP's Small Grants Programme (SGP). He has worked on initiatives such as Force for Good (JP Morgan), Resource Mapping (Telecom), and rural development surveys.
Laura V. Flórez – Head of Programs, Fondo Emerger / Alianza de Fondos del Sur
Laura serves as Head of Programs at Fondo Emerger. There, she supports grassroots organizations and collectives in the application process through open calls and coordinates the proposal evaluation and selection processes. She focuses on reducing gaps between communities and donors and developing tools to highlight the local resources held by the planet’s guardians. Throughout her career, Laura has focused on reducing inequalities in access to external resources and uplifting local resources in grassroots collectives and organizations, through social entrepreneurship and support for socio-environmental initiatives.
Fabrício Freitas – Instituto Procomum / Rede Comuá and Alianza Territorial
Fabrício Freitas is a non-binary Afro-Brazilian administrator, cultural producer, artist, and activist. They currently serve as Director of Resources at Instituto Procomum, a social organization based in the Baixada Santista region (São Paulo coast – Brazil) that works at the intersection of culture, citizen innovation, climate justice, solidarity economy, and care as a political and methodological axis. Fabrício also represents Instituto Procomum in Rede Comuá and the Alianza Territorial, where they help advance strategies for resource redistribution, community network strengthening, and collaborative territorial practices. They will share the experience of the Alianza Territorial, a coalition of seven Rede Comuá organizations — Casa Fluminense, FunBEA, Instituto Comunitário Baixada Maranhense, ICOM, Instituto Procomum, Redes da Maré, and Tabôa Fortalecimento Comunitário.
Moderator: Mara Tissera Luna, Content Advisor at KujaLearn
Date and Time: June 25, 2025
Mexico City / Guatemala City – 10:00 AM
New York, USA – 12:00 PM
Buenos Aires / Rio de Janeiro – 1:00 PM
London, UK – 4:00 PM
Geneva / Madrid – 5:00 PM
Cape Town, South Africa – 6:00 PM
Nairobi, Kenya – 7:00 PM
Delhi, India – 10:00 PM
Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes. Language: Spanish, with simultaneous interpretation in English and French.
Watch the full webinar recording here.
The Pledge for Change Learning Series provides an opportunity for strategic lesson-sharing and reflection on emerging issues within the Pledge community. Following the full first circle of collecting and analyzing accountability data, join us as we reflect on the PALM as a tool for fostering mutual accountability. This session will highlight key lessons through an interactive discussion facilitated by representatives from the Pledge Southern-led assessment and the MEAL Working Group.
Facilitator: Blessing Osagie
Natalie Lartey is the founder and director of ‘Wood & Water’ a social enterprise dedicated to a world where humanitarian and environmental stories inspire action towards racial justice. An innovator in her field, Natalie combines traditional communications and knowledge generation approaches, with critical race theory and lived experience perspectives. Natalie is an advisor for the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) specializing in research and communications approaches that center racial justice. She is also the co-chair of the Pledge for Change Global Authentic Story Telling Panel. With a Research Masters in media and communications, and a BSc in digital publishing, Natalie brings a robust academic foundation to her interdisciplinary work.
Janet Mawiyoo has over 30-yrs experience in the global non-profit sector. Her work as a leader in building development and philanthropic institutions has stood out over the years, with a very rich experience on leadership and governance matters, organizational development, resource mobilization and asset development. She works with sector leaders, corporate foundations and other local and international development actors on impactful giving, through Galvanizing Africa Consult, (www.galvanizingafrica.com). For 17 years, Janet worked as the Executive Director of the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) until the end of June 2021, when she stepped down. KCDF was the first community foundation in East and Central Africa, where she provided outstanding leadership in growing a recognized indigenous foundation that has promoted community-driven development. Among her many other commitments, she currently is a member of the Pledge for Change Global Advisory Review Panel.
Alix Tiernan possesses thirty years of program-quality support experience to development and humanitarian programs with an emphasis on performance management and MEL. She has worked both in country programming and at organizational level in program implementation and management, as well as supporting monitoring of advocacy initiatives in organizational teams.She is a pioneer MEAL lead for the development of the Pledge Accountability and Learning Mechanism (PALM). Alix currently works with Christian Aid as the Global Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager and doubles as the Co-Chair for the Pledge MEAL Working Group.
In this webinar, three young activists will discuss the strategies and responses of youth-led organizations to the current crises of the "aid" system, focusing on their strengths, lessons learned, and perspectives on the future of aid. They will share their lessons learned in advocating for youth’s rights, especially in recent months; key messages and recommendations for donors; and advice for other youth-led NGOs navigating the crises.
This webinar is aimed at a general international "aid" audience interested in children's rights and youth-led organizations, including donors and funders, researchers, practitioners, graduate students, community-based and national NGOs, INGOs, and more.
Based on their experiences, three young leaders and activists will discuss:
Adaptation strategies by youth-led organizations facing funding cuts
Leveraging entrepreneurship as a tool to sustain youth-led initiatives and community empowerment in the face of funding gaps
Rise of anti-migrant and anti-refugee narratives, and the effects of displacement on youth-led organizations working with migrant, refugee, and host communities
Recommendations for international donors and funders on how to better support youth-led organizations
Suggestions to achieve the meaningful inclusion of youth-led organizations in decision-making processes
Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for the speakers in advance (in English or Spanish) to mara.luna@kuja.org.
This event is co-sponsored by the Collaborative on Global Children's Issues, Georgetown University and Global Fund for Children.
Speakers
Krista Rivas Gutiérrez Global leader, Tertiary Refugee Student Network (TRSN)
Krista Rivas Gutierrez is a student of architecture and international relations, a DAFI scholarship recipient, and the Global Lead of the Tertiary Refugee Student Network (TRSN), where she works to strengthen youth leadership and advocate for policies that expand opportunities for displaced students. Her work focuses on amplifying the voices of displaced youth and ensuring that their stories, challenges, and contributions are recognized in global decision-making spaces. With a strong background in youth-led initiatives, Krista has actively promoted access to higher education, economic empowerment, and meaningful participation of young refugees and displaced persons. Krista has represented youth at high-level international forums. Through advocacy, public speaking, and media engagement, she helps reshape the narrative around displaced youth—not as victims, but as change-makers leading solutions in their communities.
Wardah Noor - Founder & CEO xWave Pakistan
Wardah Noor is a social entrepreneur and the founder of xWave Pakistan, an initiative that leverages technology to empower marginalized communities. Her work focuses on training underserved youth—especially women in rural areas—in employable IT and soft skills. Under her leadership, xWave has expanded across multiple regions, training over 300 students in technical skills and thousands more in essential workplace competencies. Recognized with the Prime Minister's Youth Excellence Award and honored by international platforms such as Giving Tuesday and the Global Fund for Children, Wardah’s commitment to inclusive digital education is transforming lives. She aims to train and place 10,000 students into the workforce, contributing meaningfully to Pakistan’s digital economy.
Kimberly Barrios - Vice-president Jóvenes Artistas por la Justicia Social (JAxJS), Guatemala
Kimberly is an internationalist, youth leader, and project manager with over five years of experience in volunteer work and political advocacy through citizen participation spaces. She is Vice President and co-founder of Jóvenes Artistas por la Justicia Social (JAxJS), a youth-led NGO, and a member of the UNFPA Youth Advisory Group. She also serves as a Young Peacebuilder with the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC). Her work focuses on youth empowerment, leadership training, and network-building, with a strong emphasis on strategic partnerships to advance social justice and sustainable development goals.
Moderator: Mara Tissera Luna, KujaLearn Content Advisor.
Date and time: June 12, 2025
- Mexico City, Mexico/Guatemala City – 10:00 AM
- New York, USA – 12:00 PM
- Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro – 13:00
- London, UK – 16:00
- Geneva, Madrid 17:00
- Cape Town, South Africa – 18:00
- Nairobi, Kenya – 19:00
- Islamabad, Pakistan: 21.00
- Delhi, India – 22:00
Duration: 1 hour and 15 minutes – Language: English and Spanish with live interpretation into both languages.
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This webinar will explore debt justice and reparations as solidarity-based alternatives to traditional forms of development “aid,” especially in light of the current crises of the "aid" system.
Three experts, bringing diverse regional perspectives from Africa and Latin America as well as global insights, will examine the current state of the debt crisis in their regions and globally. They will share common advocacy goals, ongoing reform efforts, and concrete recommendations for achieving development without reliance on external debt or the traditional “aid” paradigm.
We will discuss:
Reparations and reparative justice from a pan–African perspective;
Responsible lending and borrowing, and cancellation of illegitimate debt;
Africa- and Latin America-led proposals for structural reform of the global financial architecture to address systemic inequalities rooted in colonialism, the transatlantic slave trade, and neocolonialism;
Advocacy strategies ahead of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), and in support of the establishment of a UN Framework Convention on Sovereign Debt.
This session is open to a broad, non–specialist international cooperation audience—including professionals, graduate students, and staff from small and large organizations—regardless of prior familiarity with the international neoliberal financial system, debt, or reparations. Participants are encouraged to submit questions for the speakers in advance (in English, Spanish, or French) to mara.luna@kuja.org.
Speakers
Priya Lukka is an economist in international development working globally to understand alternative realities and perspectives to neoliberalism through raising awareness of communities working for repair and reparations, which is also the focus of her PhD enquiry. Priya has most recently worked as Macroeconomist, covering the region of Asia, at the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights at the United Nations, and as Chief Development Economist for Christian Aid.
Catherine Mithia is the Policy Research & Advocacy Officer for Sovereign Debt Management at the African Forum and Network on Debt and Development – AFRODAD. As a published author, she has contributed insightful work on governance, the impact of illicit financial flows, and the role of credit rating agencies, offering a nuanced African perspective. Her work focuses on delivering research–backed policy alternatives that promote innovative and sustainable solutions to development challenges across Africa.
Daniela Berdeja Ruiz is the Sovereign Debt Analyst and Coordinator of the LAC Vulnerability Atlas at the Latin American Network for Economic, Social and Climate Justice (LATINDADD). In this role, she leads regional coordination efforts to map and systematize key economic, financial, social, and climate indicators across Latin America. Daniela is a Bolivian economist and engineer with expertise in quantitative methods for economic analysis, sustainable and economic development research, and policy work related to financing and sovereign debt. Her work also explores the intersections between gender and austerity policies.
Mara Tissera Luna (moderator), KujaLearn Content Advisor.
Date and time: June 5, 2025
- PST, USA – 09:00
- Mexico City, Mexico – 10:00
- EST, USA – 12:00
- Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro – 13:00
- London, UK – 16:00
- Geneva, Madrid – 17:00
- Cape Town, South Africa – 18:00
- Nairobi, Kenya – 19:00
- Delhi, India – 22:00
Duration: 1.15 hour – Language: English with live interpretation into Spanish and French.
Watch full webinar recording here.
In a context of multiple crises — financial, political, ethical, and within international ‘aid’— that are impacting migrant and refugee communities across the Americas, organizations led by Venezuelans in Mexico, Ecuador, and Costa Rica will share their experiences, challenges, and proposals for driving systemic change. This convening will bring together representatives from Yo Soy Tu Pana (Ecuador), Apoyo a Migrantes Venezolanos AC (Mexico), Venezuela Global (Brazil), and Fundación VenCR (Costa Rica) — organizations that, together, have provided migratory, legal, and social assistance to hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan and other migrant and refugee populations across the Americas.
They will address urgent issues such as:
The sharp reduction in funding and its impact on migrants, refugees, and the organizations that support them.
The rise in criminalization and hate speech, and strategies to counter them.
The power of greater meaningful participation by migrants and refugees, and the pathways to achieve it.
The overlooked mental health consequences of these crises on migrants and refugees, based on research involving thousands of affected individuals.
The importance of alliances among organizations and with nontraditional actors (such as universities, artists, and media) to promote integration and development.
Join us for this urgent conversation to highlight the contributions of migrant- and refugee-led organizations, understand their struggles, and reflect collectively on what must change to ensure rights, dignity, and justice in host and transit countries.
Participants
July Rodríguez, Founder and director of Apoyo a Migrantes Venezolanos AC, Mexico.
Dedicated to the defense of the human rights of migrants of all nationalities, both those residing in Mexico and those in transit. Her work is characterized by empowering migrant communities through projects, programs, and campaigns on health, education, entrepreneurship, human rights promotion, among many others. She has also contributed to research focused on understanding the challenges migrant communities face in the country. Her guiding principle is the pursuit of tangible results in her work. She is a member of the Citizens' Council of the National Migration Institute (INM), the Quadripartite Commission of COMAR, the Mesoamerican Network, the Identity and Education Group, the Dialogue Group led by refugees and forcibly displaced persons (Merlos), the Migration Policy Working Group (GTPM), the Detention Working Group, among many others.
William A. Clavijo Vitto, Founder & President of Venezuela Global, Brazil.
Residing in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the past decade, William is the president and founder of the Venezuela Global Association since 2021. This is the first association founded and led by Venezuelans in the state of Rio de Janeiro, with the aim of promoting the social and economic integration of Venezuelan migrants and refugees, as well as individuals of other nationalities, in Brazil. Additionally, William served as the Country Coordinator of the Coalition for Venezuela in Brazil from 2021 until his election as a Board Member for the 2023–2025 term. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science with a focus on International Politics from the Universidad Católica del Táchira in San Cristóbal, Venezuela. He earned a Master's in Foreign Trade and International Finance from Universidade Cândido Mendes (UCAM) in Rio de Janeiro, and completed his Master's and Ph.D. in Public Policies, Strategies, and Development at the Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).
Betzabeth Jaramillo, Founder and director of Fundación Yo Te Apoyo, Ecuador.
Political scientist, writer, and human rights activist with extensive experience in human mobility and safe, orderly, and regular migration. Founder of Yo Te Apoyo, an organization that has provided free legal and migration assistance to over 5,000 people, directly impacting 90,000 lives across Latin America. She was the first recognized refugee to work in the National Assembly of Ecuador, where she contributed to legislative projects, strengthening legal tools to protect the most vulnerable populations. Through her social media platforms, she has achieved unprecedented reach, connecting with over 400,000 people in Ecuador and 2 million globally. Her work has helped bring visibility to the migration crisis, promote inclusive solutions, and build bridges between communities, organizations, and governments.
Roberto Blanco, Director of Projects at Fundación VenCR, Costa Rica.
With extensive experience in international cooperation and advocacy leadership, he participated in the 2nd Global Refugee Forum in Geneva as part of the delegation of 70 global experts on refuge and forced displacement, selected by UNHCR. As a civil society representative, he has participated in various multilateral forums such as the 54th General Assembly of the OAS, the Quito Process, among others. He currently serves as Director of Projects at Alianza VenCR and Country Coordinator for the Coalition for Venezuela. He is also the founder of Futuro Sostenible, an initiative that promotes regional research on development, sustainability, and civic education. Roberto is a lawyer, holds a diploma in Governance and Public Innovation, and a Master's in Conflict Resolution from the University for Peace of the United Nations. He is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in International Relations and Diplomacy at the National University of Costa Rica.
Lizbeth del Carmen Guerrero Ramírez. Human Rights and Tax Law specialist. Director of the organization Apoyo a Migrantes Venezolanos, A.C. and Coordinator of the Grupo Promotoras de Derecho en la Migración en México. As part of Apoyo a Migrantes Venezolanos, A.C., she serves as Leader of the MIRPS Process Group, Founding Member of the Dialogue Mechanism between UNHCR Mexico and Refugee- and Forcibly Displaced-Led Organizations (MERLOs), and Founding Member of the Articulation Group for Latin America and the Caribbean of Refugee- and Forcibly Displaced-Led Organizations (GARLOs). She has contributed to research and work on migration and mixed flows in the Americas, including recent publications such as Systematization of Good Practices by Civil Society Organizations in the Migration Context (2022) and the Report on the Principle of Non-Refoulement in Mexico (2024).
Mara Tissera Luna (moderator), KujaLearn Content Advisor.
Date and time: June 4, 2025
- San Francisco, USA – 09:00
- Mexico City, Mexico – 10:00
- Caracas, Venezuela – 12:00
- New York, USA - 12:00
- Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro – 13:00
- London, UK - 16:00
- Cape Town, South Africa - 18:00
- Nairobi, Kenya - 19:00
- Delhi, India - 22:00
Duration: 1.15 hour - Language: Spanish with live interpretation into English
As international donors increasingly withdraw from global cooperation, grassroots organizations in the Global South are stepping up with bold, sustainable alternatives. One such organization is FEM Colombia, a community-driven initiative that’s transforming how Afro-Colombian and Indigenous communities reclaim land, assert their rights, and shape their own futures.
On the 3rd of June, 2025, Kuja-hosted a webinar where we sat down with Ana Maria Gonzalez, Co-Founder of FEM, for a rich conversation on FEM’s model of inclusive development and their innovative approach to funding diversification. The webinar was a testament to how localized knowledge and community ownership are not just viable paths forward — they are essential.
Centering Land, Identity, and Rights
FEM’s work is deeply rooted in Colombia’s ethnically diverse and environmentally rich Pacific and Caribbean regions, where systemic inequalities persist. These areas experience higher rates of poverty, limited access to healthcare and education, and historic land dispossession. In response, FEM has helped over 20,000 people secure collective land titles, enabling communities to protect their territories and preserve cultural identity — a principle they call "Land Forever."
But FEM’s vision goes far beyond legal victories. They engage communities through ethno-education, ethno-health, and leadership training, especially targeting women and youth. Their work fuses legal advocacy with participatory planning, making development both inclusive and deeply rooted in local realities.
Turning Obstacles into Opportunities
FEM’s journey hasn’t been easy. Many traditional funders deemed the organization “too local,” financially unviable, or geographically inconvenient (being based in Cartagena rather than the capital, Bogotá). And the private sector wasn’t a likely ally, often due to conflicting interests around land ownership.
Rather than shrinking under this pressure, FEM got creative.
They monetized their own value — calculating the worth of their volunteer contributions, community-owned infrastructure, and unique cultural knowledge.
They launched social businesses, attracting angel investors and creating jobs for local vendors.
They secured a U.S.-based fiscal sponsor, crowdfunded within their networks, and pursued South-South grant partnerships with funders who understood their context.
FEM also transformed its governance, building a tiered support network of honorary members, associates, and friends to sustain community fundraising and outreach.
Lessons for the Global South — and the World
Ana Maria emphasized the importance of lean operations, continuous learning, and mission-aligned entrepreneurship. At FEM, building economic alternatives through community-based enterprises isn’t just about money — it’s about dignity, resilience, and justice.
Watch the recording of the session here.
Speaker
Ana Maria Gonzalez-Forero
Cofounder - FEM Colombia
Ana Maria is Colombian political scientist & mother of 2. Co-founded FEM (2007), securing land rights for 20,000 Afro-Colombians in 17 years via participatory models & social enterprises. Obama Scholar '18. Served Cartagena Gov't, tackling displacement & exploitation. Now with Voces Nuevas, advocating for Global South inclusion & a new world order.
The recent webinar, Funding on Our Terms: Rethinking Donor-Recipient Relationships for Sustainable Impact, held on the 29th of May 2025, was led by the Zambian Governance Foundation (ZGF), and brought powerful insights into the urgent need to transform how development funding works.
In a global context where "shifting the power" is often discussed but rarely practiced meaningfully, ZGF’s CEO Engwase Banda Mwale and CLD/CSO Support Manager, Racheal Mwila made a compelling case for centering community leadership and autonomy. Their presentations challenged conventional donor-led funding models and shared how ZGF is actively dismantling these outdated structures.
What Needs to Change?
Racheal Mwila broke down the structural issues with traditional funding:
Short-term, donor-driven priorities that limit local innovation
Excessive administrative burdens on CSOs
Limited decision-making power for communities doing the actual work
Instead, ZGF is pioneering a new model grounded in community-led development and participatory grantmaking. Their three funds — the Catalyst Fund, Civil Society Strengthening Fund, and Community Resource Match Fund — emphasize trust, flexibility, and local ownership.
Shifting Power in Practice
Engwase Banda Mwale framed ZGF’s journey as a transformation in mindset, not just strategy. With over 400 CSO connections and growing alliances, ZGF asks bold questions like, What if communities made the call and funders responded?
Their "reverse call for proposals" flips the script, enabling communities to define priorities while ZGF acts as a responsive bridge-builder and trust creator. This model challenges the traditional role of intermediaries and invites donors to co-create rather than control.
Why This Matters
In the face of declining trust in institutions and growing inequality, the case for funding differently is not only moral — it's strategic. As Racheal emphasized, “We are not beneficiaries; we are philanthropists.” This powerful reframing invites communities to own their solutions, scale what works, and lead lasting change.
Watch the Recording
Missed the live session? You can watch the full event recording here.
Speakers:
Engwase Banda Mwale, Chief Executive Officer of the Zambian Governance Foundation (ZGF), is a visionary leader with over 20 years of experience in senior management roles across the private and development sectors. A passionate advocate for women's empowerment, gender equality, good governance, and sustainable development, Engwase has a proven track record of driving transformative change and promoting inclusive growth. With her expertise in gender, leadership, and organizational development, she has been instrumental in shaping policies and programs that support marginalized communities and promote environmental sustainability.
Racheal Mwila is a seasoned development practitioner and manager of community-led development and civil society organizations at ZGF, with over a decade of experience driving climate action. Her expertise spans climate change advocacy, sustainable development, and shifting power dynamics to empower local communities. Racheal has a proven track record of mobilizing stakeholders, developing climate-resilient projects, and promoting environmental stewardship. Her passion lies in fostering inclusive, community-driven solutions to mitigate the impacts of climate change and ensure a sustainable future.
You are invited to join the next Pledge Learning Series: AI in NGO Fundraising & Communication
Date: 28 May 2025
Time: 9 AM ET / 2 PM Lisbon / 4 PM Nairobi / 2 PM WAT
The Pledge for Change Learning Series creates a space for strategic lesson-sharing and reflection on emerging issues within the Pledge community. In this session, we explore the opportunities, challenges, and ethical dilemmas of AI in NGO fundraising and communication, reflecting on potential bias in AI-generated imagery to authentic storytelling practices.
Facilitator: Isabella Jean
Featuring:
- Tara Todras-Whitehill (CEO, TW Storytelling), expert in narratives shaping aid and a member of the Pledge for Change Authentic Storytelling Review Panel.
- Laura Abad Guerrero (Fairpicture), advocate for ethical content production and local talent, and Pledge Supporter.
- Arsenii Alenichev, researcher on bias in AI images and their humanitarian applications.
Whether you’re experimenting with AI or critiquing its implications, register for this event to share experiences, strategies and learn how this impacts authentic storytelling.
NB: Facilitators of this event will remain online after the 1-hour recorded session for an additional 30 minutes (which will not be recorded) for any additional questions or feedback that participants wish to share.
Time: May 28, 2025 04:00 PM Nairobi
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83747747666?pwd=oMu6QbYAPdVtrV1oR3smDQUM69Mo07.1
Meeting ID: 837 4774 7666
Passcode: 841780
Have questions about Kuja?
Join this session if you have any questions about the Kuja platform or need support to build your profile. We are here to answer all of your questions!
Have questions about Kuja?
Join this session if you have any questions about the Kuja platform or need support to build your profile. We are here to answer all of your questions!
A virtual gathering brought together voices from across Latin America to reflect on the region’s philanthropic future.
On April 23, Kuja Platform, an initiative by Adeso, organized a webinar addressing the current challenges of philanthropy in Latin America, featuring key voices from the sector. Participants included Juliana Tinoco, Executive Coordinator of the Socio-Environmental Funds of the Global South | Alianza Fondos del Sur, along with representatives from two member funds, Juan Mira (Fondo Emerger – Colombia) and Facundo Ibarlucía (Red Comunidades Rurales – Argentina), as well as Jonathas Azevedo, Executive Director of Rede Comuá (Brazil).
In a time of profound transformations in international cooperation financing, this webinar aimed to initiate an urgent conversation about the present and future of philanthropy in Latin America. The closure of the Inter-American Foundation (IAF) and the near-total withdrawal of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have highlighted the fragility of traditional cooperation models and the need to build new ways to sustain community work.
Throughout the meeting, participants outlined a critical yet hopeful panorama, emphasizing the urgent need to transform the philanthropic system by recognizing the prominence of local solutions and advocating for a real redistribution of power.
The Critical Context of Philanthropy in Latin America
Juan Mira opened the webinar by providing a historical perspective on the successive crises of international cooperation and how these have shaped the field of civil society in recent decades. Drawing from his experience, he highlighted that, although the current crisis is severe, it is not unprecedented, mentioning moments such as post-Rio 92 and the early 2000s, when significant changes in funding flows demanded reinvention and articulation. For him, we are now facing the exhaustion of a centralizing model, which requires recognizing new actors, rethinking modes of operation, and strengthening collective platforms.
Fondo Emerger team presenting the organization and the terms of the Amazonía Resiliente project call in Colombia. Photo: Fondo Emerger Archive.
“Did we need this crisis to act? Or can we seize it to reposition new actors?” he questioned. Juan also emphasized the importance of collective actions over individual ones to transform reality and context, promoting coordination and collaboration among organizations and ensuring the representation of diverse actors.
Facundo Ibarlucía highlighted the powerful collective effort of Latin American organizations in response to the abrupt interruption of international cooperation by the United States. Faced with contract suspensions and demands for resource returns, more than 160 organizations autonomously organized, sharing experiences, conducting diagnostics, mapping impacts, and creating joint responses that enable sustainability alternatives. A phrase from his intervention encapsulates the gravity of the scenario: “More than 60% of the surveyed organizations reported being at risk of disappearing due to contract cancellations.” His call was clear: it is urgent to build greater resilience in the Global South in the face of turbulences imposed by external decisions.
Juliana Tinoco and Jonathas Azevedo presented the Alianza and the Comuá Network as alternatives to traditional international cooperation financing models. They emphasized the importance of local and decolonial funds in addressing the climate crisis and inequality, stressing the need for philanthropy based on solidarity and deep listening to communities. Both underscored the importance of prioritizing historically marginalized groups and strengthening the autonomy of civil society organizations.
Seminars for rural communities, organized by the Banco de Proyectos Comunitarios Rurales (BPCR) of Red Comunidades Rurales, foster active participation and collective learning.
Juliana Tinoco proposed a profound reflection on the current moment. For her, the crisis we are experiencing is not only financial or climatic but also political, value-based, and imaginative. Juliana highlighted how, in Latin America, neoliberalism weakened community solidarity practices and suggested recovering ancestral philosophies like "buen vivir" to face the current crisis. She pointed out that, even in the face of climate urgency, international philanthropy continues to reproduce colonial logics, with centralized power structures, scarce direct resource transfers, and a relationship often evidencing a lack of trust.
In response, she highlighted the transformative role of local funds, which reverse this logic by acting closely, listening to and understanding the demands emerging from territories, reducing and adapting bureaucracy to local realities, and offering technical, political, and financial support in local currency. “The solution to the funding gap will not come solely with more money; it will come with a new way of doing philanthropy,” she affirmed, calling on global foundations and international cooperation to commit to a true redistribution of power.
Jonathas Azevedo provided the Brazilian perspective from Rede Comuá, emphasizing how local funds emerged in response to the withdrawal of international cooperation and the absence of a structured national philanthropy supporting civil society. He noted that these funds are strategic, as they not only channel resources but also strengthen community autonomy and act swiftly in crises.
As an example, he mentioned the work of Fundo Casa Socioambiental with indigenous and community brigades during forest fires in Brazil. “These funds not only make resources viable but propose new foundations for a cooperation system that truly centers the communities and groups we work with in Brazil,” he affirmed, calling for collaboration and solidarity.
Jonathas Azevedo (Comuá Network) and Juliana Tinoco (Alianza Fondos del Sur) at an official COP29 event, highlighting the urgency of mobilizing resources toward locally-led solutions. Photo: Green Africa Youth Organization.
Collective Responses for a Fairer Future
The meeting reaffirmed the essential role of local funds and socio-environmental justice philanthropy as collective responses deeply rooted in territories. Collaborative networks, such as the Alliance and Rede Comuá, demonstrate that it is possible to build alternative financing infrastructures based on trust, respect for peoples' autonomy, and the transformative power of collective action.
Dialogue spaces like this webinar are fundamental for exchanging experiences, strengthening alliances, and advancing toward more democratic, transparent, and effective philanthropy.
We invite you to explore these additional resources from participating organizations and share them with organizations and colleagues who may benefit from them:
"Voices of the South" publication by the Socio-Environmental Funds of the Global South: https://alianzafondosdelsur.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Voices-of-the-South_2024-Edition.pdf
Newsletter of the Socio-Environmental Funds of the Global South: https://mailchi.mp/04b4af5e3c6e/subscribe-to-our-newsletter
Blogs from Comuá Network:https://redecomua.org.br/en/blog/
Blog from Fundo Casa Socioambiental on Indigenous and community brigades during forest fires in Brazil (in Portuguese):https://casa.org.br/en/community-brigades-the-frontline-against-forest-fires-in-brazil/
"The Crisis Coordination Playbook" guide in English, created by the Human Rights Funders Network (HRFN) and Peace and Security Funders Group in consultation with 40 foundations and social movements, offering new responses to mobilize resources toward those on the front lines of crises and the shrinking civic space: https://www.hrfn.org/better-preparedness/
Preliminary results of the survey on the impact of the IAF's closure and USAID's cuts on local organizations in the region, presented by Facundo Ibarlucía (Red Comunidades Rurales):
Monitoring dashboard on the impact of U.S. funding cuts on the work of 162 surveyed community organizations: https://lookerstudio.google.com/u/0/reporting/b6a9ab0c-6343-4fce-8674-9f36c5828080
Timeline showing how community organizations coordinated actions in response to U.S. measures since January: https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/timeline3/latest/embed/index.html?source=v2:2PACX-1vTk07t82MNyCqhSkOGPvnreYZnPXjocbygYDT1yZleYBppFqnrsSjBihZYpLG2z5mLYO7xWJjoi9Bpb&font=Default&lang=en&initial_zoom=2&height=650
As the debate over decolonizing aid and power shifts intensifies, one organization in Kenya stands out as a real-life example of what sustainable community-led development can look like in practice.
In our recent webinar, “Community-led Sustainable Development Organizations: The Case of KCDF,” which was held on the 15th of April, 2025, we explored the history and model of the Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF) – a pioneer in community philanthropy and champion of locally rooted solutions for 25 years.
Since 1997, KCDF has been working to build capacity in communities across Kenya to empower them to take control of their own development. Their approach goes beyond traditional finance – emphasizing collective action, wealth building, and local fundraising as key pillars of sustainable change.
Key Takeaways from the Webinar:
Locally Rooted, Community-Owned Solutions
KCDF believes that real change happens when communities take the lead. Their approach goes beyond viewing people as beneficiaries—they are partners, co-creators, and decision-makers. This mindset builds a deeper sense of ownership, trust, and long-term resilience.Building Local Assets for Long-term Impact
By encouraging local giving and helping communities build their own endowment funds, KCDF is paving the way for lasting impact. It’s a powerful step toward reducing reliance on outside aid and ensuring communities can continue their progress—on their own terms.Partnerships that Respect Local Wisdom
KCDF’s partnerships are built on respect and the simple but powerful idea that people know what’s best for their own communities. They listen, learn, and walk alongside grassroots organizations, recognizing local knowledge as a strength, not a gap.Adaptability in Challenging Times
Whether it’s shifting political landscapes or the growing challenges of climate change, KCDF stays responsive and adaptable. Their work evolves with the realities communities face—never losing sight of what matters most.Inspiration for the Global South
KCDF’s story is a reminder that strong, self-reliant communities are not just possible—they’re already here. Their model is a source of inspiration for others across the Global South who are working to build systems that truly put people first.
Missed the conversation? Watch the full webinar here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb0QYq88MwM&t=4s&ab_channel=KUJA
Speakers:
Sarah Martha
Sarah Martha Anyika is a dedicated Community Development Advocate and the Executive Director of Dhamira Moja CBO, a grassroots organization in Busia Countys.
Passionate about partnerships and resource mobilization, she is a certified consultant in Local Fundraising and Resource Mobilization, trained by Wilde Ganzen (Change
The Game Academy) through KCDF. She is also a Lobby and Advocacy Champion with a niche in Gender Responsive Budgeting, advocating for equitable resource allocation to support sustainable community development.
With nine years of experience in community development work, Sarah champions inclusive development that empowers communities to shape their own future. Through her leadership, Dhamira Moja has fostered community-led solutions that drive sustainable development, strengthening grassroots efforts for long-term impact. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management.
Caesar Ngule
Current Programmes Director at Kenya Community Development Foundation (KCDF). With over 15 years of experience, Caesar Ngule is an expert in leading high-impact projects and programs.
He is specialized in Organizational Development, Community led Development approaches including facilitating sustainable access to basic services by communities, championing for an enabling environment for Civil Society, and promoting community centric philanthropy that shifts power to communities.
As a seasoned Trainer and Facilitator, Caesar is passionate about experiential learning, employing practical exercises that foster behavior and attitude change. He has held managerial
roles at Food for the Hungry International and Caritas Kenya, successfully designing and implementing health, education, and livelihood programs in diverse communities.
Caesar holds a Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management, a Postgraduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in Community Development, and a Bachelor of Arts in Community Development.
Emily Omudho
Emily is a dedicated community development professional with over 14 years of experience in
designing and overseeing programs for vulnerable communities. She is the Team Leader for Community- Led Development at KCDF in Kenya where she also coordinates Change the Game Academy Program(CtGA). Emily is a passionate advocate for sustainable development and has extensive experience in program management, capacity strengthening, and partnership building.
She has overseen the execution of multi-year initiatives working in close partnerships with government bodies, non-governmental organizations, and community groups to foster sustainable and inclusive development. She has experience using various development models, including Matching grant models, Village Savings and Loans methodologies and is a great champion of community philanthropy.
Emilly is pursuing a Master’s in Social Transformation with a Major in Sustainable Development and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sustainable Human Development.
As traditional aid models are increasingly questioned and ignored, countries in the Global South are forging a new path—one led by the people, for the people. On April 3, 2025, Kuja hosted a powerful and timely conversation titled “Community-Led Development That Works: A Spotlight on Haiti.” It featured two Haitian leaders with decades of experience in grassroots community-led development.
The conversation provided key insights into how local leadership, solidarity, mutual aid, and the circular economy can transform development in Haiti.
Watch the Full Webinar Recording on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKycMPeFS9c&ab_channel=KUJA
Key Takeaways
✅ Community-led development is not a buzzword—it is a proven path to resilience and autonomy.
Both speakers stressed that when communities set priorities and lead implementation, results are more sustainable and meaningful.
✅Endogenous development respects local knowledge and focuses on human dignity.
Both Jean-Patrick and L’Hérisson rejected top-down approaches that marginalize local knowledge and advocated for models that see communities as co-creators rather than beneficiaries.
✅ There is an urgent need to channel resources to local actors.
As the development aid sector continues to fragment, support for long-standing, locally rooted organizations is increasingly important. These groups already have the trust, infrastructure, and vision needed for long-term transformation.
✅ Haiti’s development model offers lessons for the entire Global South.
From biogas plants to community foundations, speakers’ work stressed that solutions already exist – what is needed now is global solidarity and investment in these models.
Speakers
Jean Patrick Lucien
With a background in Computer Engineering from Northeastern University and an MBA, Jean-Patrick has spent over 20 years as an Application Engineer at Siemens Corporation, where he applies his technical skills to solve complex global challenges.
Beyond his corporate career, Jean-Patrick plays a vital role in sustainable development initiatives in Haiti through the EDEM Foundation. His work focuses on education, economic development, and capacity building in Île-à-Vache and southern Haiti, where he owns and operates the Vacation Village Resort and the Village for Innovation, Technology, Education and Sport (VITES), contributing to local tourism and development. One of his key achievements is collaborating with the US Naval Academy to develop biodigesters—innovative systems that convert waste into methane gas for cooking and compost for agricultural use, aligning with Haiti’s sustainability and environmental goals. Currently, Jean-Patrick is leading the Safe Space Project in Haiti, which offers children access to campsites, school gardens, and safe learning environments. This project aims to nurture personal growth, safety, and education, while introducing children to sustainable practices through hands-on agricultural experiences.
L’Hérisson Hilaire
L’Hérisson Hilaire is a professional agronomist, specialist in plant production, agricultural entrepreneur. L'Hérisson joined the Fondation Communautaire Haïtienne-Espwa/The Haiti Community Foundation (FCH-Espwa) in November 2020 and is its current Executive Director. For more than four years, L’Hérisson has been deeply engaged in community philanthropy and endogenous development with FCH-Espwa in Haiti.
Impact of Funding Cuts in Benin
A conversation with community leaders and local aid professionals on the brutal impact on the sector and the need for structural change.
On March 20, 2025, Kuja hosted its first webinar on our newly launched site! Panelists Bio Yacoubou Bassirou, Moustaphaou Imorou, Djalidou Aboudou Salifou, and Kader Abdel Sabi Pate—local Benin activists and aid professionals—presented the brutal impact of the USAID funding freeze on Benin. Their firsthand insights shed light on how these cuts have affected communities.
When the Kuja team first spoke to the panelists, they were hopeful the funding stop would be temporary. However, by the time of the webinar, they had come to terms with the reality that their projects had been permanently eliminated. Like many local leaders across the Global South, they are now navigating the loss of stability and working to adjust despite the immense challenges.
The Impact on Benin
Francophone Africa is often overlooked in global aid, and Benin was already receiving limited funding—only $77 million from USAID in 2024. Additional support came from the United States African Development Fund (USADF) and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). The Benin panelists shared how their past projects had directly impacted nearly four million people and indirectly influenced about 65% of the population. With the sudden withdrawal of U.S. aid, the consequences have been devastating across multiple sectors, from health and infrastructure to economic development and national security.
Bio, one of the panelists, described this as a “‘cascade effect,” warning of an impending national famine and extreme poverty. For local aid workers, the crisis is compounded by the lack of a safety net and the responsibility of supporting large families. Despite these setbacks, the panelists shared how they are actively seeking alternative funding sources and exploring in-country and African-based resources to sustain their work.
At the end of the discussion, Kader captured the sentiment of many Global South leaders facing funding uncertainty:
“It is time that each African wakes up and takes care of his own… Our allies from whom we had hoped support, cut their ties with us at a time when we needed them the most… We are planning the future with the resources that we can marshal, and we will do what we need to do little by little. Africans will work together to build Africa’s future.”
Kuja’s webinar underscored the resilience of local organizations and leaders. As aid dynamics continue to shift, these voices must remain at the forefront of conversations about sustainable solutions for the Global South.
Watch the Recording:
https://youtu.be/oSIEUWmD79s?si=4MBc10iTJCq5xyNo
Speakers:
Abdel Kader Sabi Pate:
Capacity Building and Management of Infrastructure and Equipment for SMEs: “with the USADF program” expert.
Agro-economist and project manager specializing in capacity building, innovation, and agricultural project management. Born on December 4, 1990, he has expertise in areas such as agroecology, agricultural advisory services, agricultural cluster value chain management, and environmental protection. He has worked on major projects, including with UNDP, USADF, and CORAF, where he contributed to the resilience of farming communities in the face of climate change and the development of financing strategies for climate-smart agriculture in West Africa.
Aboudou Djalidou Salifou:
Countering Violent Extremism & Natural Resources Management Specialist
Expert in project management, peacebuilding, and sustainable development, with over 10 years of experience in the NGO and humanitarian sectors. He holds a PhD in Sustainable Natural Resource Management. Specializing in social cohesion, youth and women's empowerment, and sustainable ecosystem management, he has successfully led strategic initiatives to promote the resilience of vulnerable communities. His commitment has led him to design, implement, and evaluate large-scale projects funded by renowned donors such as USAID, UNDP, and the World Bank.
Imorou Moustaphaou:
Specialist in Agroecology and Biodiversity Conservation
After his basic training in Agronomy (specialty: Management of forests and protected areas), Moustaphaou benefits from more than 10 years of practical experience in forest ecology, biodiversity preservation and resilient agriculture with a focus on social standards, having held several positions, the most recent of which is that of Expert in Ecology and Biodiversity with the company GINGER SOFRECO within the framework of “Consultant Services in Program Management and Social Environmental Management” under MCC funding.
M. Bio Yacoubou Bassirou:
Founder of Maison des Tortues, a Civil Society Network for Civil Society Organizations for the protection of the environment
A leading African activist, advisor and expert in conservation, community mobilization as well as in resource and organizational development, M. Bassirou is a Founding Member of Maison des Tortues, a network of civil society organizations focused on conservation and environmental protection
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