Actions for Change is an exciting partner-led programme, working in three countries with three new partners. The three-year programme started in 2023, testing new ways of shifting resources and decision-making power to our partners.
Actions for Change
What is different about Actions for Change?
Partners setting priorities
Our Actions for Change partners are taking the lead in identifying needs in the communities around them, setting their own priorities and designing projects to address them, without any restrictions from donors.
Funding core costs
Our partners tell us that tight project funding often means they can’t pay staff fairly and maintain their core functions. Through Actions for Change we are committed to funding core and staff costs without restrictions.
Working with new partners
Through Actions for Change we are working with less-established organisations to strengthen their knowledge base and internal systems to manage grants and independently apply for funding.
Gathering evidence in new ways
We are testing new participatory approaches to monitoring and evaluation in our Actions for Change projects, such as photo-journals, avoiding lengthy written reports that partners say they can struggle with.
Joint decision making
Our Actions for Change partners are fully involved in deciding on the direction of the programme and all key decisions are discussed and agreed together.
Our Actions for Change projects
Bangladesh
This project supports people with disabilities in Cox’s Bazar and Dhaka to have increased resilience to natural disasters and climate shocks, by:
- providing vocational and entrepreneurship training and business start-up support
- working with local government to ensure disaster risk management is inclusive of people with disabilities.
“Our overall aim is to improve the lifestyle of people with disabilities in Ukhia, Cox’s Bazar. Ultimately, we want to connect people with disabilities with mainstream organisations. We actually don’t want a separate system, rather we are trying to ensure inclusion in mainstream society and services.”
Bashir Al Hossain, Programme Manager, National Grassroots Disability Organization (NGDO)
Nepal
This project empowers young people with disabilities to understand and exercise their rights to sexual and reproductive health, and make informed healthy choices in a supportive environment, by:
- training young people with disabilities to work as peer counsellors and run peer-to-peer counselling sessions
- working with government and service providers to improve disability inclusion in sexual and reproductive health services
“In this project we are getting power to design what we need. It is completely a tailor-made approach, as we say one size doesn’t fit to all. Actions for Change has transformed that into reality, by giving absolute power to design what we want and execute what is best for us.”
Kaladhar Bhandari, President of Blind Youth Association Nepal (BYAN)
Kenya
This project advocates for the rights, inclusion and participation of people with disabilities from nomadic and pastoralist communities in Kajiado West in Kenya. They are:
- training 400 members of organisations of people with disabilities in disability rights and income generating activities
- training 50 champions in leadership, advocacy, financial literacy and resource mobilisation
- working with local communities and the County Government to improve disability inclusion at the county and national level
“Our objective is to see increased meaningful participation, representation and engagement of persons with disabilities in decision making and development processes in their community.”
Fatuma Mohammed, Executive Director, Northern Nomadic Disabled Persons Organization (NONDO)
Participatory Storytelling
As part of our Actions for Change Programme, people with disabilities are using participatory storytelling in their advocacy and to champion inclusion for all.
Watch this video to see more about how we’re supporting people with disabilities to tell the stories that matter to them and their communities:
