Adeso is committed to decolonising aid at all levels and across all stakeholders. We have designed a portfolio of solutions to eliminate existing funding barriers and influence the sector – from philanthropy, to the INGO community, to bi-laterals – to radically change their practices and approaches to giving. We are re-imagining and reshaping the future aid system to one that is formed on the principles of solidarity, self-determination and equality.
Concrete Solutions for Localisation
Kuja is an African social enterprise powered by Adeso. It offers concrete solutions to all actors within the aid system who are seeking to tackle the barriers to localisation.
It offers four services:
- KujaLink – connecting organisations and funders to enable direct and proximate funding.
- KujaBuild – enhancing the capacity of organisations to secure and manage direct funds.
- KujaLearn – promoting the knowledge, mindset, and behavior change required to decolonise.
- KujaAdvise – offering services for organisations in creating concrete pathways to decolonise aid.
Read more about Kuja here.
Decolonising Aid with INGOs: The Pledge for Change 2030
Recognising the large role International Non-governmental Organisations (INGOs) play in humanitarian aid and development assistance– and their ability to take immediate action and affect large-scale change – Adeso convened the leaders of a set of large INGOs and challenged them to re-imagine their roles through the lens of a paradigm shift in how global aid operates.
Pledge for Change: was launched in October of 2022, where bold INGOs and their leaders made public commitments to shift the power more directly to local organizations in the Global South.
They have pledged to reimagine their roles in three main areas:
- Equitable Partnerships,
- Authentic Storytelling, and
- Influencing Wider Change.
Read more on the Pledge for Change’s website.
Decolonising Philanthropy
Working in partnership with the Network for Empowered Aid Response (NEAR) and African Philanthropy Forum, and scores of philanthropic collaborations and networks throughout the continent, Adeso has been co-creating the Proximate Fund, a pooled donor collaborative made by Africans for Africans. The Proximate Fund is rethinking philanthropy from the ground up, and it is infused with the principles of justice, equity, trust, and decolonisation. The Proximate Fund is currently in the design phase, and Adeso is actively fundraising for additional design and planning grants as well as seed capital.
Read more on the Proximate Fund here.
Decolonising Philanthropy
Working in partnership with the Network for Empowered Aid Response (NEAR) and African Philanthropy Forum, and scores of philanthropic collaborations and networks throughout the continent, Adeso has been co-creating the Proximate Fund, a pooled donor collaborative made by Africans for Africans. The Proximate Fund is rethinking philanthropy from the ground up, and it is infused with the principles of justice, equity, trust, and decolonisation. The Proximate Fund is currently in the design phase, and Adeso is actively fundraising for additional design and planning grants as well as seed capital.
Decolonising Aid through Bi-laterals and Multi-laterals
Adeso has seen some success in shifting rhetoric and practice with INGOs and philanthropies but the largest amount of humanitarian and development assistance comes from governments through their bi-lateral funding mechanisms. This component of the system is the most complex to change but there are new openings to exploit. As a local organisation that has received funding from various bi-lateral donors, including USAID, Adeso has great understanding of the barriers that exist within this complicated machinery in its effort to develop relationships with local organisations
Adeso is supporting USAID’s commitments to locally led development and is advocating for more direct funding to local civil society organisations.
Decolonising Aid with INGOs: The Pledge for Change 2030
Recognising the large role International Non-governmental Organisations (INGOs) play in humanitarian aid and development assistance– and their ability to take immediate action and affect large-scale change – Adeso convened the leaders of a set of large INGOs and challenged them to re-imagine their roles through the lens of a paradigm shift in how global aid operates.
Pledge for Change: was launched in October of 2022, where bold INGOs and their leaders made public commitments to shift the power more directly to local organizations in the Global South.
They have pledged to reimagine their roles in three main areas:
- Equitable Partnerships,
- Authentic Storytelling, and
- Influencing Wider Change.
Read more on the Pledge for Change’s website.