Results for Guest Blogger
Four women talking near a table with baked goods
Empowering Local Communities to Lead Development through Human-Centered Design
The challenges facing the most marginalized communities across the globe have only increased in complexity in recent years. With advances in information technology, the widening of economic inequalities and the acceleration of the climate crisis, problems like environmental degradation, geopolitical conflict, and global pandemics are becoming more difficult to address with traditional approaches to humanitarian aid and international development. Furthermore, one common critique of international development work is that it has the potential to replicate neocolonialist power structures by using outsider-driven, top-down decision-making.
Sep 21, 2023
Prime/Sub Relationships
Two women look at a chart in a health clinic in South Sudan
How Meaningful Relationships Enable Growth for Local Partners
Relationships matter. As the Advocacy & Communications Manager for Universal Intervention & Development Organization (UNIDOR), a nongovernmental organization (NGO) based in South Sudan, I have been involved in supporting my organization’s partnership relations with United Nations agencies, multilateral aid organizations, bilateral aid organizations, international NGOs, and other national NGOs. Based on these interactions, I have observed that deep and meaningful relationships in the humanitarian and development sectors have the potential to transcend programmatic collaboration to create self-reliant communities that can sustainably solve their own problems.
Jul 12, 2023
Three women looking at a computer screen
How USAID Encourages Private Sector Partners to Tackle AI’s Most Critical Challenges
Artificial intelligence (AI) is not neutral; instead, it involves lots of human decisions that profoundly impact how AI systems are designed and implemented. As a result, AI can work well for some and not for others.
May 11, 2023
Array of solar panels
Highlights from USAID’s Climate Strategy Focus Groups with Partners
When USAID published its ambitious Climate Strategy on Earth Day 2022, it did so knowing that partnerships would be critical to achieving the Strategy objectives, including the Special Objective of Doing Our Part to strengthen operations and approaches to programming to address climate change and further climate justice within USAID and our partner organizations.
Apr 20, 2023
Children in Zambia marching behind a banner for World Environment Day
Incorporating Children’s Voices through Locally Led Development
When development actors sit at global and regional conferences to discuss the rights and welfare of children in Africa or other regions, do we see African children, especially those from rural areas, sitting at the table? The localization movement calls for a “participation revolution” of communities impacted by foreign assistance to be involved in decision-making —and this must include children.
Mar 20, 2023
Championing the LCS Policy
USAID's Local Capacity Strengthening Policy: Creating More “Coffee Breaks”
Before I joined USAID, I worked in development and local capacity strengthening on the implementing side and found myself often frustrated by the donor community’s bureaucratic requirements. I saw too much emphasis on reporting, which distracted grantees from core work or sent support to organizations that prioritized compliance over impact.
Feb 14, 2023
Palestinian woman playing with a child in a classroom.
Five Ways USAID/West Bank Gaza Supports Local Partners for a More Sustainable Impact
The West Bank and Gaza Mission is providing tools to empower local partners to work with USAID as influential changemakers—while also listening to and learning from them to enhance development practices.
Localization & Inclusive Development
A young woman in a blue t-shirt with PEPFAR and USAID logos smiles as she walks in a group  of other young women.
PEPFAR at 20: Building Bridges with Faith-Based Partners in the Fight Against HIV/AIDS
To commemorate PEPFAR’s 20th anniversary, this article describes USAID’s partnerships with faith-based and community organizations in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Jan 30, 2023
How USAID/Peru Welcomed New Partners through Procurement and Outreach Innovations
Although it was unknown what the future would hold, a month before the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, our staff at USAID/Peru issued an innovative “bare bones" Annual Program Statement (APS) process to drive rapid development results by requesting only a simple two-page concept note.
Nov 16, 2022
Three smiling women standing in an agricultural field in brightly colored saris of yellow, red, and green. Two of the women hold baskets of eggplants.
Advancing Localization One Click at a Time
Big things are happening these days at USAID’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., and at our Missions around the world—and many of them have to do with localization.
Nov 4, 2022