Aid localisation: working hand in hand to boost Ukrainian humanitarian capacity
For the first time, Triangle Génération Humanitaire, an operational humanitarian organisation, and Bioforce, a humanitarian training organisation, are carrying out a joint and innovative action at the heart of the conflict in Ukraine: from the 24th to the 27th of June, in Dnipro, 60 staff from international and Ukrainian aid organisations will benefit from a free week of learning to develop key skills in project methodology and MEAL (Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning), and give them the power to act by mastering the international humanitarian aid ecosystem. A time to learn, step back and take a breath, individually and collectively, to enable them to stand firm and continue their activities for the benefit of the Ukrainian population.
An innovative way of cooperation
Since 2022, the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, there have been numerous solidarity initiatives by Ukrainians mobilised to alleviate the consequences of the war. Although they are technically competent and highly educated, they lack the keys to accessing the international aid system, and therefore its funding. This poses a risk to the continuation of their solidarity activities on behalf of their compatriots, at a time when questions are emerging about the continued support of the international community. How can these Ukrainian actors ensure the sustainability of their actions and make them more autonomous? By developing the skills expected by international funders, particularly in project methodology and MEAL, and the sector knowledge of the international aid ecosystem. This is why Triangle Génération Humanitaire (TGH), which has been working in Ukraine since 2014, naturally turned to Bioforce, a recognised training organisation for humanitarian professions and skills based in Lyon. As Magali Ratajczak, Desk Manager – Ukraine, points out: “We have known Bioforce for many years and appreciate the quality of their teaching and their commitment to international civil society organisations. Given with the challenges encountered with our Ukrainian partners, we called on Bioforce’s expertise to carry out an in-depth assessment of the training needs of humanitarian staff. The TGH mission teams in Ukraine then implemented the Learning Week operationally.”
First stage to strenghten the Ukrainian associative network
The first phase of this unprecedented collaboration between operational and support organisations took place at the end of May, with the training of 4 Ukrainian TGH staff in training methods and techniques. These 4 new trainers will then be mobilized, alongside 4 Bioforce trainers, to co-host the first Learning Week, from the 24th to the 27th of June in Dnipro, Eastern Ukraine, for the benefit of around sixty Ukrainian solidarity workers. The short-term campus, which is completely free of charge for Ukrainian participants, is a flexible and dynamic learning format developed by Bioforce to enable organisations to respond quickly and effectively to their needs for skills enhancement and to create synergies between the various humanitarian actors in the same crisis zone. Four training courses on skills identified as priorities will be offered simultaneously, to bring together as many people as possible and create a collective learning dynamic in the same place, complemented by workshops and conferences to stimulate group dynamics and reflection. At the same time, the week will help to strengthen professional networks and disseminate professional cultures and good practices. As Marion Chardon, Bioforce’s head of development in Europe, points out, “this learning week is the first stage in our two organisations’ joint desire to strengthen the Ukrainian associative network, by giving them the codes of a professional environment that they don’t yet have: how to develop and manage a project, how to report on it to funders. We would like to go further in a second phase with more individualised support for each local NGO, to really give the Ukrainian civilian population the ability to mobilise independently and with the necessary resources to alleviate the consequences of the war they are suffering.“
Bioforce
Bioforce is a leader in providing humanitarian training, with more than 3 000 people trained every year, credited by the international humanitarian community since 1983. In Europe, Africa and the Middle East, Bioforce’s teams empower humanitarians to work effectively with vulnerable populations by providing training and support solutions. Whether they are the humanitarian workers of today or tomorrow, humanitarian workers who cross borders or those who take action in their country within their community, international or national organisations in crisis zones.
TGH
TGH (Triangle Génération Humanitaire) is an International Solidarity Organisation founded in 1994 from the desire to develop a cross-disciplinary and sustainable expertise. TGH integrates emergency relief, rehabilitation and development in its programmes within a comprehensive approach, using an environmental approach wherever possible. In Ukraine, TGH has implemented a community support programme for isolated elderly people, a voucher distribution system to meet the basic needs of isolated and vulnerable populations living near the contact line, and protection activities for those in need of psychosocial and legal/administrative support.