At a gathering of humanitarian leaders and thinkers supporting the Pledge for Change (Pledge) in Nairobi, Kenya, Adama Coulibaly, Global Programme Director for Oxfam International, called for the humanitarian sector to draw more on knowledge and learning held by local partners and communities.
‘Learning starts with listening. Learning doesn’t start with talking,’ he said. ‘I don’t think we are listening sufficiently to our local partners, but most importantly to communities. They have a wealth of knowledge and learning – we need to be listening more to them.’
The Pledge for Change 2030 re-imagines the role of INGOs in the global humanitarian and development aid system, pledging to build a stronger aid ecosystem based on the principles of solidarity, humility, self-determination and equality.
In February 2024, ALNAP kicked off their With Learning Comes Change initiative as a challenge to themselves, members and humanitarians everywhere to be bolder in learning, embrace different learning experiences and approaches, and be more receptive and responsive to learning.
At the Pledge for Change meeting on 18 April, 2024, ALNAP, the global network inspiring learning for greater humanitarian impact, Adeso Africa and the Centre for Humanitarian Leadership (CHL) interviewed eight humanitarian leaders and thinkers from international and national humanitarian, developmental and peacebuilding organisations to get key insights on the challenges around learning, localisation and decolonisation and the future of the sector.
Credits: Videography by Mint Glint Media LTD
Interview by Mary Ana McGlasson