The added value of community led learning and adapting assistance to better address communities’ needs — The added value of community led learning and adapting assistance to better address communities’ needs By Helen Guyatt In June 2021, Bright Star Development Society Balochistan (BSDSB), were funded to assist in mitigating an anticipated heatwave in Sibi (Pakistan). Bright Star provided behavioural messaging in addition to ‘cooling facilities’ that provided cold water and a place to rest. The Start Network Evidence and Learning team…

By Helen Guyatt, Head of Evidence and Learning at Start Network — By Helen Guyatt, Head of Evidence and Learning at Start Network 10 February 2022 Originally published at https://www.anticipation-hub.org. The humanitarian system is often criticized for being dominated by international actors at the expense of local organizations. But how do local organizations add value over and above international non-governmental organizations (INGOs)…

By Isabelle Gerretsen 14th December 2021 — By Isabelle Gerretsen 14th December 2021 Originally published at https://www.bbc.com. In September 2017, John Mussington was forced to evacuate his home and leave behind his animals when the small Caribbean island of Barbuda was hit by category 5 Hurricane Irma, at 185mph (300km/h). “It was devastating,” says Mussington, a marine…

By Hannah Reichardt, Start Network’s Senior Innovation Manager — By Hannah Reichardt, Start Network’s Senior Innovation Manager In a recent blog, my colleague Neil Townsend laid down some pretty fundamental questions about systems change in the humanitarian sector, including asking ‘how will change happen’? …

An early intervention approach tested in Pakistan and Senegal unlocks aid for predictable and predicted extreme weather before communities… — An early intervention approach tested in Pakistan and Senegal unlocks aid for predictable and predicted extreme weather before communities suffer When the Pakistan Meteorological Department forecast significantly reduced rainfall in the final months of 2020 and well into 2021, humanitarian experts had rarely been so ready to respond.

By Neil Townsend, Head of Innovation at Start Network — By Neil Townsend, Head of Innovation at Start Network At Start Network, we often describe ourselves as a ‘systems change’ organisation. But that begs a fundamental question — what do we mean by systems change and what might this look like in the humanitarian sector? More challenging still is the…

par Bhavya Srinivasan, chef intérimaire du développement du réseau — par Bhavya Srinivasan, chef intérimaire du développement du réseau Le changement n’est pas facile. C’est ce qui m’est apparu très clairement au cours des deux dernières années, lorsque j’ai travaillé pour soutenir un groupe de faiseurs de changement qui s’efforcent de changer le système humanitaire : les Hub Leaders. Au…

Por Bhavya Srinivasan, Jefa Interino de Desarrollo de Redes — Por Bhavya Srinivasan, Jefa Interino de Desarrollo de Redes El cambio no es fácil. Esto me ha quedado muy claro al trabajar durante los dos últimos años para apoyar a un grupo inspirador de agentes de cambio que se esfuerzan por cambiar el sistema humanitario: los Hub Leaders. En Start…

By Bhavya Srinivasan, Interim Head of Network Development — By Bhavya Srinivasan, Interim Head of Network Development This article is also available in French and Spanish Change isn’t easy. That much has become extremely clear to me as I’ve worked over the last two years to support an inspiring group of changemakers who are striving to change the humanitarian…