Tag: refugees
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Advocating for us without us (Refugee Voices)
By Jenny Basika and Emmanuel Arika Samuel Refugee-led organisations are struggling for recognition, because when we talk about marginalisation in the sector it’s not always about funding but also trust and recognition. Refugee-led groups are often questioned for their capacity and accountability and a lot of mistrust on their core values and being talked about…
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Voices from the Ground: What a Refugee Barber Told Me That No Donor Ever Has
In this second episode of Voices from the Ground, I return to Nakivale refugee settlement; not with a survey tool, but with curiosity, time, and a willingness to listen. What I encountered wasn’t in reports or logframes, but in quiet, unfiltered conversations with refugees. I had returned to Nakivale in Isingiro District, Western Uganda, as…
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« De Réfugiée à Voix Active
Parlant de mon histoire, je suis née en République Démocratique du Congo, un pays riche de culture, de beauté mais aussi marqué par des instabilités profondes. Comme beaucoup, j’ai été contrainte de fuir, non pas parce que je le voulais, mais parce que la vie m’y oblige. Me retrouver en Ouganda comme réfugiée, c’était porter…
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Bringing refugee leadership from the margins to the centre to advance early years education in crisis contexts
Co-authored by Cohere, Global Schools Forum, Ki4Bli (Kenya) and YIDA (Uganda) Early childhood is a critical window for shaping lifelong outcomes in learning, health, and wellbeing. Research shows that high-quality, birth- to-five early childhood programs for disadvantaged children, yields a 13% return on investment per child, per annum through better education, economic, health, and social…
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Celebrating and Supporting Refugee Women Leaders
Even though International Women’s Month may be behind us, we can still take a moment to reflect on the incredible stories of resilience, leadership, and equity that have inspired us. This year, we’ve celebrated the extraordinary contributions of refugee women – survivors, leaders, and changemakers who are transforming their communities despite unimaginable challenges. Refugee women…
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Language That Divides and Language That Connects
With aid cuts, worsening climate crises, conflict and wars across the globe, it is fair to wonder; why bother with language at all? Isn’t it a distraction from the real work? A change in vocabulary will not save lives or dismantle systems of oppression on its own; and too often, language reform becomes a cosmetic…
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Why we’re moving away from restricted funding…
For too long, the humanitarian sector has operated on the assumption that control equals accountability. For too long, funding has been structured by rigid due diligence frameworks, often focusing more on compliance than on meaningful relationships. Risk aversion, excessive reporting, and deliverables prioritise donor priorities over the needs of the community. At Cohere, we have…
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Reimagining Philanthropy: Why Unrestricted Funding is a Lifeline now, Not a Risk.
Philanthropy is at a crossroads. With global crises escalating; from Eastern DR Congo to Gaza, Sudan, and beyond; and overseas aid slashed across donor countries. Charities and NGOs face crushing uncertainty, globally. Yet demand for their services has never been higher. Recently, at Cohere’s Congo Gathering Point, we heard harrowing updates: nearly 80,000 people are now sheltering in…
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The changing landscape of humanitarian financing: Understanding its uncertainties
At the start of the year, the world was confronted with a new global reality when the newly elected U.S. government, historically the leading financier of global aid, announced it would discontinue much of its foreign aid. This abrupt decision has sent shockwaves across the humanitarian and development sectors, including UN entities, international NGOs, and…