Actions for Change
Actions for Change is an exciting new partner-led programme, working in four countries with four new partners. It is a three-year programme, starting in 2023, testing new ways of shifting resources and decision-making power to our partners.
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.
Meet our Actions for Change partners
Blind Youth Association Nepal (BYAN)
“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.”
Ram Chandra Gaire, General Secretary,
Northern Nomadic Disabled Persons Organization (NONDO), Kenya
“We are very excited about a new way of working with partners. For example, the inception period enabled us to identify gaps that we initially overlooked. Also, working alongside partners will enable them to see the realities on the ground.”
Fatuma Mohammed, Executive Director
National Grassroots Disability Organization (NGDO), Bangladesh
“The most fascinating thing about this project is people with disabilities are involved from the inception. We are learning about design through to implementation and including people with disabilities for their feedback and perceptions at every stage. We hope it will be more fruitful than other projects.”
Bashir Al Hossain, Programme Manager
Association of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Nigeria (AIDDN), Nigeria
"We had a fruitful co creation workshop with government stakeholders, OPDs, NGOs, caregivers and people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. We started with the challenges we have faced, including education, social services and health, and we landed on health - if our children are healthy, they will be able to access education and vocations. We will carry our stakeholders along to make sure every activity of Actions for Change is implemented prudently."
Joko Dawodu Omotola, National President,
Introducing our Actions for Change projects
Kenya
“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, NONDO
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
Nepal
“This three-year project will be very important to ensure the sexual and reproductive health rights of people with disabilities, by making services disability friendly and making materials accessible.” Kaladhar Bhandari, President of BYAN
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
Bangladesh
“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, NGDO
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.
Nigeria
“The aim of the project is to improve the lives of our children with intellectual and developmental disabilities, to afford them access to quality healthcare. Parents will benefit too, through counselling, economic empowerment, skills training and livelihoods support.” Madam Joko, National President, AIDDN
This project supports children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDDs) and their families and carers by:
- providing people with IDDs with healthcare, assistive devices and therapy sessions
- building economic empowerment opportunities for people with IDDs and their parents and carers
- offering parents and carers psychosocial support and counselling sessions
- training people with IDDs in advocacy
