The Fund acknowledges that it is not possible to predict the changes that might emerge during program implementation, and therefore supports organisations that demonstrate a capacity to respond to unexpected changes in their operational contexts. The Fund also recognises that local organisations, thanks to their proximity to the communities and their knowledge of the local contexts, cultures and languages, fare well
in terms of agility and adaptability in their responses to unexpected changes.
The Fund selects organisations that demonstrate high levels of existing agility and adaptability mechanisms and have strong risk mitigation strategies in place. The Fund further strengthens these mechanisms and strategies, by providing them with technical support. Thus, despite the uncertainty of humanitarian action,
the Fund recipients succeed in creating the needed impact through their projects.
The Fund enables the organisations to tap into their strong networks, cultural awareness and ability to innovate and be creative when needed to address operational challenges including substantial challenges in the landscape. Of all fund-wide survey respondents, 78% said that their organisation had to adapt either significantly (38%) or slightly (42%) to changes in context, community, environment or politics.
The main challenge was that refugees were not ready to discuss [sexual exploitation and abuse]. So we began to discuss it in regular psychological support groups for refugees in our office.
Maryna Milashchuk,
Communication Manager,
SME SPOLU,
Slovakia
The fact that all organisations supported by the Fund successfully delivered their materials and reports indicates that they have strong existing adaptive programming. The data also indicates a correlation between strong adaptive programming capacity and overall project impact as reported by organisation staff. In addition to existing capacity, the recipient organisations benefit from the support of the Fund’s Steering Group, composed of experts from NGOs and UN agencies, which gives them technical inputs, helps them adapt to changing circumstances and connects them to key stakeholders who can facilitate implementation.
In addition to the challenges, many NGOs reported unexpected benefits from receiving funding from ICVA, including: an opportunity to improve their own PSEA policies and procedures; an improvement in relationships with other actors including government, community and other local and international humanitarian agencies and sparking productive discussions and other project ideas. Unexpected benefits that emerged from the project ideas encompass a wide variety of by-products to the main activities such as service mapping and referral pathways, the strengthening of reporting mechanisms and the establishment of community PSEA focal points.
Indonesian Society for Disaster Management’s (MPBI) case study below provides an example of the importance of supporting the strengthening of existing agility and adaptability mechanisms and risk mitigation strategies of NGOs.
Mistrust and reluctance of community leaders and communities. The approach of integrating leaders and communities in the design of activities was put in place to create more trust.
Mbang Franck Olivier,
Tammounde Speranza,
Cameroon
Adaptive Programming
Best Practices
Amount of change required during project
Significant
Slight
Not sure, no response
The main challenge was [the] Covid-19 outbreak and related preventive measures that prevented us from having access to refugees due to limited movement and lock-down. But to mitigate this challenge we opted to raise awareness using the recorded play and airing [it] on community radio and this extended the outreach [not] only [to] refugees but also [to] members of the host community as they could all listen to the play as well.
Jean Berchmans Harindintwari, Technical Advisor,
YWCA, Rwanda
None
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Femme Congolaise pour le Développement (FECONDE)
One of the selection criteria to apply for the Fund is the provision of a risk analysis and the presentation of mitigation strategies. All NGO recipients can thus demonstrate not only a strong understanding of the operational challenges they might potentially face, but can also display that they have existing capacity to respond, mitigate and adapt to them. The Fund’s Steering Group provides technical support to the Fund recipients, which can help them surmount challenges and adapt to changes in operational contexts. To-date, organisations supported under the Fund have had to respond to unforeseen challenges arising from active conflict, displacement, access issues, climate and health disasters, pandemics such as COVID-19 and community and political concerns regarding messaging or topics considered taboo.
Adaptive Programming
Best Practices
The Fund acknowledges that it is not possible to predict the changes that might emerge during program implementation, and therefore supports organisations that demonstrate a capacity to respond to unexpected changes in their operational contexts. The Fund also recognises that local organisations, thanks to their proximity to the communities and their knowledge of the local contexts, cultures and languages, fare well in terms of agility and adaptability in their responses to unexpected changes.
One of the selection criteria to apply for the Fund is the provision of a risk analysis and the presentation of mitigation strategies. All NGO recipients can thus demonstrate not only a strong understanding of the operational challenges they might potentially face, but can also display that they have existing capacity to respond, mitigate and adapt to them. The Fund’s Steering Group provides technical support to the Fund recipients, which can help them surmount challenges and adapt to changes in operational contexts. To-date, organisations supported under the Fund have had to respond to unforeseen challenges arising from active conflict, displacement, access issues, climate and health disasters, pandemics such as COVID-19 and community and political concerns regarding messaging or topics considered taboo.
Democratic Republic of the Congo,
Femme Congolaise pour le Développement (FECONDE)
The Fund selects organisations that demonstrate high levels of existing agility and adaptability mechanisms and have strong risk mitigation strategies in place. The Fund further strengthens these mechanisms and strategies, by providing them with technical support. Thus, despite the uncertainty of humanitarian action,
the Fund recipients succeed in creating the needed impact through their projects.
The Fund enables the organisations to tap into their strong networks, cultural awareness and ability to innovate and be creative when needed to address operational challenges including substantial challenges in the landscape. Of all fund-wide survey respondents, 78% said that their organisation had to adapt either significantly (38%) or slightly (42%) to changes in context, community, environment or politics.
Amount of change required during project
Significant
Slight
Not sure, no response
Not at all
The main challenge was [the] Covid-19 outbreak and related preventive measures that prevented us from having access to refugees due to limited movement and lock-down. But to mitigate this challenge we opted to raise awareness using the recorded play and airing [it] on community radio and this extended the outreach [not] only [to] refugees but also [to] members of the host community as they could all listen to the play as well.
Jean Berchmans Harindintwari, Technical Advisor,
YWCA, Rwanda
The main challenge was that refugees were not ready to discuss [sexual exploitation and abuse]. So we began to discuss it in regular psychological support groups for refugees in our office.
Maryna Milashchuk, Communication Manager,
SME SPOLU, Slovakia
Mistrust and reluctance of community leaders and communities. The approach of integrating leaders and communities in the design of activities was put in place to create more trust.
Mbang Franck Olivier, Tammounde Speranza, Cameroon
The fact that all organisations supported by the Fund successfully delivered their materials and reports indicates that they have strong existing adaptive programming. The data also indicates a correlation between strong adaptive programming capacity and overall project impact as reported by organisation staff. In addition to existing capacity, the recipient organisations benefit from the support of the Fund’s Steering Group, composed of experts from NGOs and UN agencies, which gives them technical inputs, helps them adapt to changing circumstances and connects them to key stakeholders who can facilitate implementation.
In addition to the challenges, many NGOs reported unexpected benefits from receiving funding from ICVA, including: an opportunity to improve their own PSEA policies and procedures; an improvement in relationships with other actors including government, community and other local and international humanitarian agencies and sparking productive discussions and other project ideas. Unexpected benefits that emerged from the project ideas encompass a wide variety of by-products to the main activities such as service mapping and referral pathways, the strengthening of reporting mechanisms and the establishment of community PSEA focal points.
Indonesian Society for Disaster Management’s (MPBI) case study below provides an example of the importance of supporting the strengthening of existing agility and adaptability mechanisms and risk mitigation strategies of NGOs.
Acknowledgment
ICVA would like to thank UNHCR for its partnership and UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for supporting the PSEA Fund and the research project. ICVA would also like to thank Murrayborn Group for leading on the research project. Furthermore, ICVA would like to express thanks to the members of the Steering Group for their contribution to the Fund and support given to the Fund recipients. Over the last three years, members of the Steering Group included: CARE International, Communicating with Disaster Affected Communities (CDAC) Network, Girls not Brides, ICVA, IOM, Oxfam, Translators without Borders, UNHCR, UNICEF and World Vision International. Finally, ICVA would also like to acknowledge and thank the Fund recipients and the communities they engaged with.
Acknowledgment
ICVA would like to thank UNHCR for its partnership and UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) for supporting the PSEA Fund and the research project. ICVA would also like to thank Murrayborn Group for leading on the research project. Furthermore, ICVA would like to express thanks to the members of the Steering Group for their contribution to the Fund and support given to the Fund recipients. Over the last three years, members of the Steering Group included: CARE International, Communicating with Disaster Affected Communities (CDAC) Network, Girls not Brides, ICVA, IOM, Oxfam, Translators without Borders, UNHCR, UNICEF and World Vision International. Finally, ICVA would also like to acknowledge and thank the Fund recipients and the communities they engaged with.
