Strengthening local response
Strengthening local response
Supporting local organisations to better respond to crises is a priority for Islamic Relief. This year, we continued to work towards that goal through our Strengthening Response Capacity and Institutional Development for Excellence (STRIDE) project, now in its second phase.
We held workshops on preparedness and response for each region in which we work. In addition we have developed country-specific pathways towards prioritising localisation and partnerships with local organisations in all of our 19 STRIDE-focused country offices.
The Global Learning Platform we launched this year will improve problem-solving and communication on localisation, while the taskforce we set up began developing a shared understanding of localisation discourse and a roadmap for the way forward. We also welcomed research by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) on local humanitarian action during Covid-19, which highlighted STRIDE as a best-practice model.
In addition our Humanitarian Academy for Development (HAD) â Islamic Reliefâs training and development division â ran several programmes aimed at strengthening the capacity of local civil society organisations. In Tanzania and Kyrgyzstan, more than 20 local organisations were equipped with skills to achieve financial sustainability, while over 15 organisations in Gaza received training
and coaching support to build core skills, accountability, and the quality of their interventions.
Meanwhile over a dozen local organisations in Yemen benefited from the launch of an intensive mentoring programme. Each organisation received a tailored development plan and access to specialist training, and a collective 70 mentoring days provided by HAD this year.
