Centres de sensibilisation, « l'espoir dans la tempête » pour la jeunesse hondurienne

février 10, 2015

5 lecture min.

[vc_row][largeur vc_column = »1/1″][vc_column_text]

Centres de sensibilisation, « l'espoir dans la tempête » pour la jeunesse hondurienne

Par Jillian Slutzker

[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][/vc_row][vc_row][largeur vc_column = »2/3″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner largeur = »1/3″][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner largeur = »2/3″][vc_column_text]

REGARDER LA VIDÉO

Au milieu d'une tempête de gangs, drogue et violence, les jeunes des quartiers à risque trouvent la sécurité, opportunité et espoir à presque 50 centres de sensibilisation communautaires autour du Honduras. Des cours d'anglais aux formations sportives et professionnelles, ces centres préviennent la violence et changent des vies.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][couleur vc_separator = »gris » aligner= »align_center » style= » » border_width= » » el_width= » »][vc_column_text] HON10061474 Tegucigalpa, Honduras—Marco Antonio Ferrera est 13 ans et vit seul à Las Pilas, une communauté avec des taux de violence bien supérieurs à la moyenne au Honduras, considéré comme l’un des pays les plus dangereux au monde. Le père de Marco travaille aux États-Unis. Il envoie de l'argent à son fils, ce qui a aidé Marco, alors juste 10 ans, construire la maison dans laquelle il vit.

Marco dit que son rêve est d'avoir une maison, être avec sa famille et bien vivre – un rêve qui peut être difficile à réaliser dans son quartier.

Dans les communautés à risque du Honduras, les histoires comme celle de Marco sont courantes. Pris entre des gangs, violence et pauvreté liées à la drogue, et parfois avec des parents vivant aux Etats-Unis, les jeunes luttent pour trouver des opportunités de réussite et des moyens de s’éloigner de la violence.

« Ce sont des quartiers où personne ne veut aller et, par moments, ont été complètement écrasés par la violence,» dit Miriam Canales, Coordinateur de la région Nord pour Alliance de la jeunesse du Honduras (Alliance de la jeunesse Honduras), un programme de prévention de la violence chez les jeunes travaillant dans les communautés les plus à risque du pays.

Pour les enfants comme Marco, Alianza Joven Honduras leur fournit une ressource clé pour se développer, prospérer et trouver une échappatoire à la violence. Le programme est financé par les États-Unis. Agence pour le développement international et mis en œuvre par Creative Associates International.

Grâce à son 46 centres d'accueil pour les jeunes dans les communautés de sept villes du Honduras, les jeunes ont accès à des espaces de loisirs sûrs, tutorat, cours de musique, compétences de vie, formation professionnelle et volontariat. Au cœur de la méthodologie du centre de sensibilisation se trouvent des messages positifs de résolution non violente des conflits., autonomisation des jeunes et communauté.

La méthodologie du centre de proximité « me fait me sentir mieux," dit Marco. "J'ai plus d'amis, plus d'opportunités. J'apprends beaucoup de choses. je m'amuse avec mes amis. Et je suis toujours heureux de faire du bénévolat ici, au centre de sensibilisation.

Surveillance 27 centres dans quatre communes, Canales a vu de nombreux cas comme celui de Marco et a été témoin du effets positifs des centres de sensibilisation à grande échelle pour les jeunes et les communautés à travers le pays.

"C'est un lieu d'espoir au sein de ce qui est souvent une tempête majeure," dit-elle.

Des activités qui responsabilisent

HON100914152 Sur le mur de chaque centre de proximité figurent les principes directeurs de cette méthodologie de prévention., y compris la formation de valeurs, une utilisation créative du temps libre, gérer les opportunités, bénévolat, renforcer les performances scolaires, renforcer la capacité de travailler, durabilité et élaboration d’un projet de vie.

Sur la base de ces principes, les activités des centres soutiennent les jeunes de manière holistique, du développement de compétences professionnelles comme la couture ou la coupe de cheveux au tutorat scolaire, sportif, coaching musical et compétences de vie.

Les centres, comme le dit Canales, sont un endroit où les enfants peuvent « développer leurs capacités intellectuelles », où ils peuvent participer à des ateliers, devenir un peu plus dynamique et améliorer leur estime de soi.

Pour Sofia Umanzor, un adolescent de San Pedro Sula qui a perdu des amis à cause des violences de la ville, le centre de sensibilisation de sa communauté lui a fourni un espace sûr « la gardant à l'écart de la rue » et lui a donné, ainsi qu'à ses pairs, un nouveau sentiment d'estime de soi.

«Nous sommes très fiers car il a eu des ateliers sur les soins de beauté, Anglais, ordinateurs et crochet," dit-elle. "Avant, nous n’avions aucune de ces compétences.

La communauté au cœur

HON100814119 Le succès de la méthodologie des centres de sensibilisation a incité une coalition de partenaires, dont le gouvernement du Honduras., le secteur privé et les fondations locales à donner de leur temps, soutien énergétique et financier. Mais une clé majeure du succès, disent le personnel de la Jeune Alliance, est un engagement communautaire significatif

Coordonnateurs communautaires et bénévoles, principalement des jeunes qui ont bénéficié des programmes de prévention de la violence d’Alianza Joven, gérer les centres de proximité. Ils organisent des soirées de talents et d'autres événements pour la grande communauté, renforcer la confiance et le soutien parmi les parents et les autres membres de la communauté qui sont témoins des changements positifs dans leur quartier.

Allemand Pérez, Coordinatrice du centre de proximité Las Pilas, se fait un devoir de faire passer le message et d'attirer de plus en plus de jeunes au centre. Dernier trimestre, il dit, 400 les jeunes ont utilisé les services du centre.

« Nous leur disons: « Invitez d'autres personnes pour qu'elles apprennent à nous connaître, nous apprenons à les connaître et ensemble nous pouvons promouvoir le centre de sensibilisation,"" dit-il.

Pérez dit que lui et ses collègues coordinateurs et bénévoles « vendent » l'idée selon laquelle le centre de sensibilisation est un lieu d'opportunités. Plus il y a de jeunes qui franchissent les portes, plus la communauté devient sûre et dynamique.

Les bénévoles – que Canales appelle « le cœur des centres de proximité » – donnent tout et demandent peu en retour.. Ce qu'ils attendent vraiment, elle dit, est une meilleure communauté.

De vrais résultats

Les centres de proximité font une différence positive dans la vie de jeunes comme Marco et Sofia., mais à plus grande échelle, les communautés constatent une réduction des taux de crimes violents.

Dans 2011, la ville de Choloma a un taux d'homicides de 94.5 par 100,000 résidents, dit Cristhy Orellana, membre du comité municipal de prévention de la violence de Choloma. À la fin de 2013, le taux était tombé à 68.3 homicides par 100,000 résidents - plus d'un 20 pourcentage de baisse.

"Avec ce numéro dur, nous avons démontré que notre approche intégrée, avec les centres de proximité, démontre des résultats importants à moyen terme," dit Orellana.

UN étude récente par le projet d'opinion publique latino-américaine de l'Université Vanderbilt a révélé que la méthodologie des centres de sensibilisation dans le cadre des efforts communautaires de prévention de la violence améliore le sentiment de sécurité des résidents et constitue une approche rentable pour endiguer la violence au Honduras et dans d'autres pays d'Amérique centrale..

Les communautés qui étaient autrefois dirigées par des gangs et difficilement accessibles aux autorités gouvernementales ou à des groupes extérieurs accueillent désormais des représentants du gouvernement et des chefs d'entreprise pour des spectacles de talents dans des centres de sensibilisation..

"Je pense que l'un des résultats les plus significatifs que nous avons démontrés est que nous pouvons travailler dans les communautés les plus violentes du pays.," dit Salvador Stadthagen, Directeur d'Alianza Joven Honduras. « Un ancien ministre de la Sécurité nous a dit qu’il ne sait pas comment on fait. De nombreux autres programmes ont tenté d’être mis en place, mais ils n’ont pas été durables. »

Avec chaque nouveau centre de sensibilisation et chaque jeune impliqué, Alianza Joven Honduras « plante les graines," dit Carlos Ramón Guzmán, un responsable du centre de sensibilisation pour le projet qui a commencé ce travail à 18 ans. Un jour, il dit, ces graines fleuriront afin que « chaque communauté à risque devienne une communauté d’espoir ».

Avec le reportage d'Emanuel Rodriguez[/vc_column_text][couleur vc_separator = »gris » aligner= »align_center » style= » » border_width= » » el_width= » »][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner largeur = »1/3″][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner largeur = »2/3″][vc_column_text]

REGARDER LA VIDÉO

Proposed 2016 USAID Budget Includes Targeted Investment in Central America

février 6, 2015

4 lecture min.

[vc_row][largeur vc_column = »1/1″][vc_column_text]

Proposed 2016 USAID Budget Includes Targeted Investment in Central America

Par Jennifer Brookland

[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][/vc_row][vc_row][largeur vc_column = »2/3″][vc_column_text]The President’s 2016 fiscal year budget proposes $1 billion for the U.S. Agency for International Development to improve economies and resilience of Central American countries.

These account increases “aim to advance economic prosperity through reducing poverty, improving education and workforce development, and strengthening resilience in the region, all of which address underlying factors responsible for the continued flow of migrants from the region to Mexico and the United States," selon the budget request.

The proposal seeks funding for a “whole-of-government” approach especially targeted at El Salvador, Guatemala et Honduras, avec $541 million in development assistance funding designated for programs that promote prosperity, governance and security.

Guillermo Céspedes, a crime and violence prevention advisor with Creative Associates International, says this is an important move for the United States.

“USAID has recognized the need for data-driven, place-based differentiated approaches that include tertiary, secondary and primary prevention along with community policing, all implemented simultaneously in geographic locations with the highest levels of violence and focused on those individuals most at risk of being victims or perpetrators," Céspedes dit.

The expert, who was the Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles before joining Creative, says “the science supports that this is the most effective strategy to reduce violence and those of us in the field are very encouraged by the adoption of this approach by USAID.”

A three-pronged plan with a focus on youth

HON100814119 USAID’s development assistance to Central America will fall along three overarching “lines of action,” according to the budget request.

To promote prosperity, USAID seeks to integrate regional markets, promote better education and vocational training, and create more inclusive economic opportunities for women and vulnerable groups.

It hopes that nurturing healthy business environments that include youth will encourage entrepreneurs who can operate above board, instead of contributing to the region’s swollen ranks of illicit groups that undermine security and government institutions and dampen legitimate economic activity.

The budget request makes specific mention of the need to boost opportunities for entrepreneurship and job placement for vulnerable youth to provide alternatives to violence and greater resilience for households and communities.

(Read about the young winner of a business competition who’s turning his life around with hamburgers.)

The agency’s other two focus areas are on enhancing security and promoting improved governance, which includes bolstering government services and providing support to civil society and the media.

All three lines of action are ultimately key to reducing the region’s endemic violence, economic inequality, poverty and corruption.

According to Cespedes, USAID is smart not to attempt to drive down violence as if it existed in a vacuum.

“USAID has stated clearly that violence reduction is a cross cutting theme that is interrelated with all strategies including economic development, éducation, and governance. It is a critical component of the overall (approach in) Amérique centrale," dit-il.

The budget request points out that these initiatives will complement the work of national governments and multilateral development banks, and support national and regional priorities and plans.

“Without significant progress, the region will continue to face extreme violence, severe economic inequality, social exclusion, and widespread corruption and poverty, thus compelling many Central Americans to flee their homes each year,” according to the budget request.

Budgeting for a change

The request for development assistance in the Northern Triangle of Central America shows the administration’s continual attempt to thwart thousands of migrants fleeing violence, corruption and economic insecurity at home.

Gang violence and narco-trafficking has resulted in Honduras, El Salvador and Guatemala having some of the highest homicide rates in the world outside of active war zones, and the region been a major source of unaccompanied minors immigrating to the U.S.

Last year’s budget included no reference to Central America.

Other USAID focus areas will include Asia and Africa, as well as initiatives to strengthen democracy, maternal and child health, and science, technologie et innovation.

Together with the funding for the State Department, the federal budget request comes to $50.3 billion—a 6 percent increase over the 2015 enacted level and a nearly 9 percent increase over the 2015 request.

“The Budget proposes targeted investments in international programs that will help mobilize collective action to meet global challenges, counter terrorism and violent extremism overseas, strengthen the U.S. économie, and support United States citizens and the U.S. presence overseas," selon a fact sheet released by the State department.

Altogether the amount makes up around 1 percent of the entire federal budget.[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/12″][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id= »barre latérale-primaire »][/vc_colonne][/vc_row]

Salvadoran Paper to Support Dreams of At-Risk Youth

février 2, 2015

3 lecture min.

[vc_row][largeur vc_column = »1/1″][vc_column_text]

Salvadoran Paper to Support Dreams of At-Risk Youth

Par Jillian Slutzker

[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][/vc_row][vc_row][largeur vc_column = »2/3″][vc_column_text]La Presse Graphique, l’un des quotidiens les plus diffusés au Salvador, is joining the fight against violence in a country with one of the highest homicide rates dans le monde.

As the country’s drug and gang-related crime increasingly captures titres and the attention of world leaders, the 100-year-old paper is generating some positive news—printing and distributing copies of the “Desafio de Soñar mi Vida” (“The Challenge of Dreaming My Life”) manuals to 10,000 youth in 13 municipalities hardest hit by violence. This crime prevention tool was developed by Creative Associates International.

“The Challenge of Dreaming My Life methodology will enable at-risk youth in the selected communities to develop life plans that will make them less vulnerable to involvement with violent and criminal activities,” explained Harold Sibaja, who runs the Projet de prévention du crime et de la violence au Salvador, financé par les États-Unis. Agence pour le Développement International et mis en œuvre par Creative.

The project’s 77 centres de proximité dans 13 municipalities provide safe spaces and programs—including recreation, formation professionnelle, tutorat, life skills support and volunteer opportunities—that keep young people off the streets, where they often become victims or perpetrators of violence. The dream manuals help youth to set goals and chart their progress.

Private sector commitment

The “Challenge of Dreaming My Life” printing initiative is part of a $60,000 partnership, dit « Nous sommes avec vous » ("Nous sommes avec Toi") between La Prensa Gráfica and the project. These funds will add to the $5.8 million invested by USAID in the violence prevention project in 13 municipalités.

The partnership agreement was signed in a cérémonie est janvier. 26, attended by USAID officials, mayors, La Prensa Grafica Board members, project staff and youth and volunteers from many of the project’s outreach centers.

While homicide levels have surged in recent months following a failed government-brokered truce between two ruling gangs, La Prensa Gráfica’s commitment to youth development and countering crime is as old as the paper itself.

“For a hundred years La Prensa Gráfica newspaper…. has been convinced that developing children´s physical and cultural skills contributes to the prevention of violence, to progress and to improving the quality of life of Salvadoran communities which is so needed, ” said José Roberto Dutriz, President and Director of the paper, speaking at the ceremony.

Community-based violence prevention activities in El Salvador and neighboring countries have proven successful at improving residents’ perceptions of security, according to a recent étude by USAID and Vanderbilt University. Private sector partners like La Prensa Gráfica have a big role to play in ramping up and sustaining those initiatives.

“The document signed today contributes to a violence and crime prevention program," a déclaré Larry Sacks, USAID Country Director for El Salvador, speaking at the ceremony. "Ce $60,000 partnership will provide materials to support youth participating in the outreach centers that we have supported through our crime prevention program.”

La Prensa Gráfica is the latest company to join a coalition of private sector partners supporting the project, y compris le Microsoft Corp.. et Claro El Salvador, un important mobile national, television and Internet service provider.[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/12″][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id= »barre latérale-primaire »][/vc_colonne][/vc_row]

Holding out Hope for Children and Youth

janvier 20, 2015

3 lecture min.

NIG012314141

As I safely tuck my 6-year-old son and 1-year-old daughter into bed, I am still thinking about the 2015 UNICEF report on the State of the World’s Children that I read this morning. As a youth development professional and advocate, and as a parent, it is difficult to read the remarks of Anthony Lake, UNICEF Executive Director, declaring 2014 a dire year for the 15 million children that fell victims of major conflict and crisis globally.

“This has been a devastating year for millions of children,” Lake wrote in the report. “Children have been killed while studying in the classroom and while sleeping in their beds; they have been orphaned, kidnapped, tortured, recruté, raped and even sold as slaves. Never in recent memory have so many children been subjected to such unspeakable brutality.”

The situation is especially heartbreaking given that 2014 marks the 25th anniversary of one of the most important declarations for children globally: the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

The results of the Convention have been tremendous, from lowering infant mortality to raising school enrollment. Cependant, the UNICEF report serves as a reminder and a call to action, imploring us to not rest on our laurels.

A more helpful way to address youth issues

There is still so much to be done, especially for the children and youth in conflict and crisis environments where the violation of their rights often has irreversible outcomes as they transition through adolescence to adulthood.

In Central African Republic, où 2.3 million children are affected by the conflict, armed groups are believed to have recruited up to 10,000 children with close to 500 décès. In South Sudan, une estimation 235,000 children age 5 and younger are suffering from severe acute malnutrition with close to 750,000 children displaced and more than 320,000 living as refugees, according to the report.

Encore, in spite the terrible figures revealed in the report and the challenges for youth in so many countries, there remains hope for millions of children and youth effected by conflict and crisis.

If we assume all children, especially those who are marginalized, should and can have the same opportunities as those in safer or more developed countries—and we build community support to make those opportunities real for them—we can still give children and youth pathways to positive futures as we enter the Post Millennium Development Goals era.

Creating more asset-based youth initiatives, which build on assets instead of honing in on risks and challenges, can enable young people to change their life’s trajectory and become responsible contributors to their communities. It’s a much more positive, and we think effective way of addressing issues affecting youth.

Par exemple, at-risk youth living in violent, crime-affected communities in Honduras have explored viable life alternatives through Jeune Alliance Honduras (Youth Alliance) programme, qui est financé par l'USAID et mis en œuvre par Creative.

Ici, where violent crime and gangs rule the lives of families and neighborhoods, this program countered the risk factors by providing more than 20,000 children and youth with computer literacy, formation professionnelle, tutorat, life skills and leadership opportunities—first and second chances to build resilience and engage in something positive.

Créatifs Northern Nigeria Education Initiative fostered enabling environments for orphans and vulnerable children and youth, particularly adolescent girls and boys in informal Qur’anic schools. In these environments, vulnerable youth learned core academic concepts, received job and life skills training and accessed critical psychosocial support in one of today’s most confusing and violent environments for children.

Making new statistics

These two initiatives show us that, although children and youth around the world are too often victimized, they don’t always have to be victims.

Young people who find opportunities to engage their minds, learn new skills and involve themselves in their communities can form the ranks of another kind of statistic—the numbers of youth who are successfully using their own assets and resources to withstand so much negativity and create a positive future for themselves.

As the UNICEF report suggests, 2015 is a pivotal year for the field of children and youth development, and we must renew our commitment to the protection of their rights and creation of hope and opportunity.

Panama: What’s Good for the Company is Good for the Community

janvier 20, 2015

1 lecture min.

PANAMA CITY, Panama — There are two Panamas: the rich, and the poor. Most people here live parallel lives. But a growing number of companies are getting involved in their communities—and reaping the benefits as these worlds combine.

Panama’s “Two Worlds” Come Together for Youth

Experts: Mideast youth radicalism is “public health crisis”

janvier 16, 2015

5 lecture min.

[vc_row][largeur vc_column = »1/1″][vc_column_text]

Experts: Mideast youth radicalism is “public health crisis”

Par Jillian Slutzker

[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][/vc_row][vc_row][largeur vc_column = »2/3″][vc_column_text]In refugee camps across Jordan, Liban, Turkey and other countries, plus que 3 million Syrians live in limbo. Especially for those in their teens and twenties, their life plans—education, careers, marriages and families—are suspended while a violent civil war at home rages into its fourth year.

“If you go into a refugee camp, every day is Ground Hog’s day. There is no tomorrow and there is no yesterday. Every day is frozen," dit Curt Rhodes, Founder and Director of Questscope, which works across the Middle East to create social, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities for marginalized youth.

Rhodes joined other experts in youth, development and stabilization on a panel entitled “Youth Programming in Jordan and Syria,” hosted by Creative Associates International on Jan. 6.

With the spread of EIIL and other extremist groups in an already unstable region, preventing marginalized young people from joining violent extremist groups is becoming a development and security priority.

Outside of the Middle East’s conflict hotspots, many youth in transitioning countries like Egypt and divided ones like Lebanon are also adrift. Avec plus de 100 million jeunesse âgée 15-29 in the region and a youth unemployment rate of 28 pour cent, economic opportunities are slim.

Authoritarian governments and nascent, backsliding democracies leave youth with the “inability to feel like they had any say not only in their governments but even in their communities," dit Richard Jaskot, Director of Stabilization and Development at Creative.

Criminal treatment breeds criminal youth

To stem radicalization among youth, Rhodes said, governments and practitioners first need to adjust the lens through which they view the problem.

In the Zaatari refugee camp in Jordan and other communities where Questscopoe works, Rhodes said youth in juvenile detention centers often report being mistreated and abused by authorities. This abuse within a system meant to reform at-risk youth can in fact lead to even more alienation and violent behavior.

“The fact that you treat them in a criminal way helps them become better criminals," il a dit.

Rhodes said that rather than labeling at-risk, marginalized youth as criminals to be tracked and punished, we should view radicalization among youth as a public health crisis, looking at its causes and symptoms and striving to reduce its spread.

Countering radicalization with connection

While headlines speak of new “recruits” to groups like ISIL and “recruitment” campaigns via social media, experts say that those who join these violent groups are largely seeking out membership, “auditioning” in the words of Guillermo Céspedes, Crime and Violence Prevention Advisor at Creative who has developed youth gang and violence prevention efforts in Las Angeles and throughout Central America.

Rhodes agreed that young people who join radical, violent groups are searching for them, largely pushed by marginalization and other risk factors.

“Terrorists are looking for a place to hire them," il a dit. “They don’t get recruited.”

What they are often also seeking, said Rhodes, is connection and a sense of purpose.

Many young Syrians living in camps, have lost all their relationships to death or separation and do not know where loved ones have ended up outside of the country, il a dit, leading to a kind of “mental health crisis.”

Adolescence and early adulthood is a time when people seek meaning and define their social identities.

But deprived of connections, living in chaos and with a world of radicalism at their fingertips, Rhodes said, “I can be searching for my social identity in Aleppo, Syria and a guy in Brighton, England who is searching for his social identity—we can find each other and we can talk. We can be economically marginalized but we are no longer politically marginalized.”

Reestablishing relationships, particularly with adults but also with peers in a supportive environment, Rhodes said, can recreate a lost sense of family, identity and relationships and can prevent youth from seeking out connections and meaning in a radical movement.

Restoring agency & opening pathways

In seemingly dead-end situations from refugee camps to authoritarian societies where young people feel they have no legitimate means to affect change, said Creative’s Jaskot, youth may reason that “if [extrémisme violent] is the only way you can make a difference then maybe try it.”

Giving youth avenues to regain a sense of purpose and personal agency, Rhodes said, is key to combatting extremism among youth.

“Everyone wants to know that I can do something and the thing that I am doing actually matters,” said Rhodes.

Where few opportunities for education, revenu, political participation and social status exist, governments and program implementers need to step in with viable opportunities for youth as alternatives to radicalism, les panélistes ont dit.

Often when programs to reach marginalized youth do exist, they are ill-fitting and ineffectual having been designed by adults outside of the Middle East, dit Éric Rusten, Education for Development expert at Creative and co-author of the Les jeunes parlent méthodologie et boîte à outils, a youth-led process of investigating an issue that affects them and mobilizing community action to address it.

Rusten said that programming geared towards vulnerable youth must put youth at the center so that those doing the bulk of the talking, thinking, idea-generating and implementing are the same young people who are supposed to benefit from the program.

This leadership is empowering for young people, agreed Rhodes.

“Out of your situation, if you feel like you can tell your story and it is told in such a way that people listen to you, you feel like you are on a different trajectory,” said Rhodes.

By the thousands

Violent extremism among youth is a problem that transcends borders. Marginalized young people from the camps of Jordan to the hearts of major cities around the Middle East and in the West are susceptible to this epidemic.

To be successful, initiatives to combat violence and extremism can’t just “go after the low hanging fruit,” said Creative’s Cespedes. Programs must engage those who are most on the brink of violence and radicalization and even those who are already involved in radical groups.

Rhodes said that although many youth in the Middle East perceive that the Western model for political and economic prosperity and security has failed, this does mean those youth are unreachable.

“We have to figure out how to get in dialogue with people who don’t particularly like us and people we don’t particularly like," il a dit.

Effective efforts to counter youth radicalism in the region will also require scaling up programs like Questscope and Youth Speak that have been successful at generating positive relationships, restoring personal agency and opening opportunities for marginalized youth

“You can’t do it on a hundred kids, you’ve got to think in terms of thousands,” said Rhodes.[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/12″][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id= »barre latérale-primaire »][/vc_colonne][/vc_row]

15 development trends to watch for in 2015

janvier 14, 2015

6 lecture min.

[vc_row][largeur vc_column = »1/1″][vc_column_text]

15 development trends to watch for in 2015

[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][/vc_row][vc_row][largeur vc_column = »2/3″][vc_column_text]2015 is expected to be a big year in global development, and Creative experts weighed in on the trends and changes they anticipate. From social investing to yoga, here are 15 things to watch in 2015.

1. Real-time and open data

Funders and NGOs will continue to improve data collection and management so project information is increasingly available for real-time analysis and decision-making.

A continued push for information transparency will lead more governments, funding agencies and implementers to make their data openly available. USAID helped put this on the agenda for 2015 by releasing these Development Data guidelines in fall 2014.

From Jacqui Deelstra, Associate, Technology for Development and Ayan Kishore, Associé principal, Technologie pour le développement

2. Answers on the poverty-growth relationship

Does macroeconomic growth for countries mean better lives and incomes for its citizens?

Dans 2015, we might learn the answer and just how these correlates between growth and poverty reduction work, if they exist. USAID is currently conducting a multi-country study using the Inclusive Growth Index (IGI) —a methodology to assess countries’ economic condition and the role increased trade and investment have had on the lives of individuals and households in developing countries.

Expect more research on the poverty-growth relationship from donors and development experts this year.

From Jerry Wright, Directeur principal, Division de la croissance économique

3. Focus on urbanization and youth migration

Cities are the next frontier for economic, technological and social development, selon le secteur privé. Entre-temps, youth migration patterns will affect urban development programs. Empowering and providing opportunities to young people in cities and will be a development priority in 2015.

From Bonnie Politz, Senior Advisor for Youth, and Magdalena Fulton, Senior Associate for Youth and Elizabeth Mullen, Program Associate for Youth

4. A neighborhood-based approach to crime and violence prevention

In fall 2014, Vanderbilt University released the results of a three-year étude showing that community-based violence prevention programs in at-risk neighborhoods across Central America have improved residents’ perceptions of security—51% fewer residents reported being aware of murders, extortion or blackmail and 35% moins de résidents ont déclaré éviter les zones dangereuses par peur de la criminalité.

Dans 2015, expect implementers to focus on the neighborhood level where crime and prévention de la violence can generate significant results.

From Guillermo Cespedes, Directeur, Crime and Violence Prevention

5. More “Om”

For children and youth—particularly those at risk—mindfulness, meditation and yoga practices bring about calmer focus and inner balance, resulting in reduced anxiety and stress and greater self-control and self-awareness.

Expect to see a growing awareness of the power of these methods and an increased willingness to use them in programming.

From Eileen St. Georges, Directeur, L'éducation en temps de conflit

6. Cutting-edge university innovations on electoral integrity

Dans 2015, nine innovative partnerships between USAID and U.S. universities will conclude, producing cutting-edge research we can expect to influence recommendations to USAID’s Center of Excellence on Democracy, Droits de l'homme et gouvernance.

Out of the research, we will see innovations that strengthen programs and field missions including an Election Results Evaluation Tool; a sophisticated forensic instrument to assess whether elections are free and fair; findings on whether vote-buying efforts truly affect how citizens vote; and research on the impact of election observers on fraud, political representation and accountability.

From Tihana Bartulac Blanc, Associé principal, Éducation électorale et intégrité

7. Mainstreaming technology for development & consolidation de la paix

Development professionals in 2014 increasingly discussed lessons learned and best practices for the use of technology for development, y compris le Principes du développement numérique, an initiative supported by a large coalition of funding agencies and international organizations.

Peacebuilding actors also generated new technologies and initiatives to stem conflict and address humanitarian crises. Dans 2014, USIP launched the USIP PeaceTech lab. These tools can be used to combat gangs and terrorists who use technology as a means for recruitment and intimidation

Dans 2015, using this knowledge, technology interventions will become even more integral to development work in all sectors, including peacebuilding and conflict resolution, and will be better designed and implemented.

From Jacqui Deelstra, Associate, Technology for Development and Ayan Kishore, Associé principal, Technologie pour le développement

8. More social investing

While social investing became trendy in the United States in the 1980s, it did not come into vogue in development assistance until much later, when movements such as the Calvert Social Fund, the Clinton Foundation and the Business Call to Action emerged.

Uptake on social investing by corporations and donors may have been slow, but the impacts of social investing have been impressive. Maintenant, it’s a key feature on the post-2015 development agenda.

From Jerry Wright, Directeur principal, Division de la croissance économique

9. A move beyond “training” to human and institutional capacity development

With USAID focusing more on human and institutional capacity development, implementers are following suit and reshaping their approaches.

Consistent with this trend, Créatif is moving beyond just training to implementing its Collaborative Approach to Performance Support that builds individual, organizational and systemic capacity with diverse results-based tools.

From Michael McCabe, Associé principal, Training and Capacity Development

10. Youth voice and authentic engagement

In the past year, we saw young people shape discussions on the UN’s poste 2015 development goals; Malala Yousafzai receive the Nobel Prize for her courageous work to promote girls’ education; and closer to home, organizations like the Alliance for International Youth Development amplify youth voice at the Forum d'interaction 2014. Programs designed with and by youth are more targeted, efficace, and sustainable according to global recherche and evidence generated by Creative’s youth-led programs in Maroc et Amérique centrale.

Embedding youth voice and authentic youth engagement will be critical to all aspects of programs in 2015.

From Bonnie Politz, Senior Advisor for Youth, Magdalena Fulton, Senior Associate for Youth and Elizabeth Mullen, Program Associate for Youth

11. Blended learning and leveraging mobiles

À la fin de 2015, the global e-learning market is expected to double from its 2011 worth of $35 billion to almost $70 billion. The development field is embracing the e-learning revolution that allows staff, partners and beneficiaries to learn “soft” and “hard” skills anytime, anywhere.

CreativeU.com and other platforms are aggregating quality, mobile-friendly courses and converting formerly instructor-led trainings into dynamic models that blend in-person with mobile learning, which have demonstrated better long term retention.

Cette année, mobile apps and educational games will continue to advance, giving youth engaging tools to interact with curriculum and create and share their stories, real or fiction, in ways that stimulate their minds creatively, emotionally, intellectually and with purpose.

From Michael McCabe, Associé principal, Training and Capacity Development, and Eileen St. Georges, Directeur, L'éducation en temps de conflit

From Eileen St. Georges, Directeur, L'éducation en temps de conflit

12. A “gender data revolution”

En décembre 2014, Hilary Clinton announced six new partnerships to extend Data2X, an initiative launched in 2012 to spur a “gender data revolution” and advance gender equality and women’s empowerment globally through evidence-based policy and programs. Expect an even stronger push for gender-relevant data this year along with more demand for lessons learned in gender and development.

Donateurs, dont l'USAID, will continue to emphasize gender integration in projects and require more systematic approaches that involve gender analysis and strategies, draw on data and evidence and demonstrate results.

From Rekha Martin, Associé principal, Genre

13. Using effective local governance to build state efficacy

Strengthening effective local governance will be a priority in 2015. Le Busan New Deal et USAID Local Systems’ Framework present a platform that calls for better understanding of the political economies of countries and communities to meet this challenge.

State-society relations will be a key focus area this year—and in the post-2015 development agenda—in achieving peacebuilding and state-building.

From Deborah Kimble, Directeur, Governance and Civil Society

14. Enhanced career preparation and job entry programs

Aujourd'hui, the fastest growing jobs throughout the world are “digital” and technology-based. Youth will seek out training this year in computer and technology skills in order to take advantage of the economic opportunities in today’s economy. Green jobs and investments in agriculture will also create employment opportunities for youth.

From Bonnie Politz, Senior Advisor for Youth, Magdalena Fulton, Senior Associate for Youth and Elizabeth Mullen, Program Associate for Youth

15. Measuring human capital development

There are three strands of measurement for evaluating success and returns on investments in human capital: éducation, health and economic returns to individuals and households. It took a lot of work and debate for the development community to come to this consensus.

Now in 2015, Creative’s experts will work with and alongside both USAID and the Millennium Challenge Corporation to define how best to design projects that improve human capital development, and also measure their impact on markets, economies and—in the end—standards of living for people in developing countries.

From Jerry Wright, Directeur principal, Division de la croissance économique[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/12″][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id= »barre latérale-primaire »][/vc_colonne][/vc_row]

Debate Over E-learning a “First World problem” for many youth

décembre 23, 2014

3 lecture min.

2011-mayo-063

Segundo, a young Embera Indian and indigenous environmental leader, guided my kids on a hot sticky trek through the Darien jungle explaining the incredibly rich biodiversity of this economically poor region of Panama. He leads these eco-treks as a volunteer through a local NGO, and with very limited job opportunities for Embera here, I was curious how Segundo made his living.

Segundo told me that he had not gotten much of a formal education: school was too far away from his indigenous village, not to mention that it had 50 students to a class and poor teaching. Cependant, he proudly talked about how he now fixes air conditioners in this hottest corner of Latin America. When I asked how he got this training, Il a flashé son sourire et a dit que son professeur était, "YouTube bien sûr,» (YouTube bien sûr).»

Segundo représente un côté différent de ce qui est devenu un international débat Sur des cours en ligne massifs ouverts (MOOC) et en e-learning, dans lequel un nombre croissant d'op-EDS, Blogs et sessions de débat de conférence Question sur l'efficacité de l'e-learning, retour sur investissement, durabilité, Taux d'achèvement et qualité.

Ce sont des conversations valables pour une industrie en pleine croissance qui devrait avoir $52 milliards par an en investissements par 2016. Mais la réalité est que bon nombre des 357 millions de jeunes et de travail sans travail Le monde ne se soucie pas si les spécialistes des sciences sociales pensent que le message électronique est un moyen approprié pour eux d'acquérir des compétences et des connaissances.

Plutôt, à travers l'Amérique latine, Afrique et autres régions, young adults like him are flocking not only to YouTube educational videos, but to e-learning aggregator sites such as www.Alison.com, www.CreativeU.com and Coursera to get free access to just-in-time learning—even if it only gains them a certificate of competency completion and not a formal accreditation.

People like Segundo don’t always have time to wait for the results of international debate. And their need and desire to access educational content is not changed by the statistic that less than 10 percent of students in the U.S. finish MOOCs—a fact commonly used to temper the optimism of e-learning’s potential.

Au récent Online Educa global e-learning conference, delegates from African countries also highlighted that the narrow Western definition of MOOCs as being only online multi-week courses offered by universities overlooks the technological limitations in some countries caused by limited bandwidth or Internet connectivity.

Plutôt, blended learning MOOC approaches from India to Nigeria to Central America have historically more often used Massive Open “On-Air” Courses through radio distance learning, and increasingly access to learning via their Android devices to deliver agricultural or literacy training.

The bottom line as highlighted at the Online Educa conference was the importance of more localized content in local languages. It is pretty intuitive, Les apprenants veulent que les connaissances contextualisent dans leurs situations et dans leur langue plutôt qu'un simple exemple standard conçu pour un apprenant générique.

Les collègues ont également souligné que ce qui comptait le plus à de nombreux utilisateurs dans les pays en développement, c'était d'obtenir des certificats pour aider à les possibilités d'emploi ou simplement à obtenir les informations dont ils ont le plus besoin lorsqu'ils en ont besoin, être un cours pour avancer ou s'améliorer en tant qu'enseignant ou un fixateur de climatiseurs dans le Darien.

Pour l'instant, La création continuera de soutenir le tendances et les méthodologies appropriées et l'efficacité d'apprentissage des plateformes et cours d'apprentissage en ligne ou mixtes, tout en renforçant la capacité de nos partenaires à accéder à ce dont ils ont besoin, Quand ils en ont besoin.

Burgers & business give at-risk Honduran youth hope

décembre 19, 2014

5 lecture min.

[vc_row][vc_colonne][vc_column_text]

Burgers & business give at-risk Honduran youth hope

Par Jillian Slutzker

[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][/vc_row][vc_row][largeur vc_column = »2/3″][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner largeur = »1/3″][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner largeur = »2/3″][vc_column_text]

REGARDER LA VIDÉO

Jesus Lanza was heading down a bad path—involved in gangs and drugs—until he had a chance to learn the basics of business with Alianza Joven Honduras and the Chamber of Commerce. With training and a small grant, he turned his life around and turned his small kitchen into a booming burger enterprise to support his family.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_séparateur][vc_column_text]Tegucigalpa, Honduras—In his family’s small kitchen in one of the capital’s most at-risk neighborhoods, 23-year-old Jesus Lanza, wearing an apron and gloves, flips hamburger patties and fries potatoes. Aujourd'hui, he will sell from 16 à 25 burgers, enough to help support his parents and 8-year-old sister.

HON101014132 Jesus, known by his nickname “Chuy,” has a steady burger business. Neighbors regularly pop in for a bite in the tiny kitchen restaurant. He even rides in his father’s taxi for deliveries farther away.

But “Chuy’s Burgers” is about to go through a growth spurt thanks to a prize of $5,000 he won on Dec. 19 in the “Honduras Emprende” entrepreneurship contest, held annually by the Tegucigalpa Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Chuy hasn’t always been this successful. Just a couple of years ago, il dit, he was off course, involved in drugs, drinking and destructive habits. A community pastor told him this path would likely end in “either death or jail.”

“I watched my friends, one by one,” Chuy says. “The drugs were going to destroy them….I did not want this for my life and for the future of my family, so I asked God to open a door for me, a better way for my future, better welfare for my life.”

Tegucgalpa is one of the most violent cities in Honduras, considered the most dangerous country in the world outside of a war zone. Gangs and drug activity plague many of the city’s poorest barrios, like the one where Chuy and his family live.

Reintegration through entrepreneurship

With help from the Alliance de la jeunesse du Honduras (Alliance de la jeunesse Honduras) violence prevention program, qui est financé par les États-Unis. Agence pour le développement international et mis en œuvre par Creative Associates International, Chuy enrolled in a social nreintegration through entrepreneurship and employment training program for youth at high-risk run by the Tegucigalpa Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Le programme, “Second Opportunities for Our Youth,” has trained more than 150 18 to 29-year-olds in entrepreneurship, as well as conflict resolution, life planning and resilience skills. Participants learn how to start and sustain a business, and they are provided with small grants to get their ventures off the ground.

“The specific objective of the project is to reintegrate back into society people who in the past have been linked to criminal acts or have been imprisoned with a background in rehabilitation centers,” explains Fabricio Sierra, Project Coordinator for the youth-at-risk reintegration program at the Chamber of Commerce.

“What we are looking for is that these young people believe in themselves and seek alternatives to their economic problems rather than the violence, drug dealing, or belonging to criminal gangs. They have the potential to find ways to generate an income that would really be favorable—to pay their studies, pay for their houses, lights, their daily meals. We have such talented people with very entreprenuerial ideas," dit-il.

For many former gang members or youth like Chuy living in violent neighborhoods, the stigma associated with their communities can prevent them from getting jobs in established businesses. Self-employment can be a viable economic alternative and a means of reintegration into society.

Collaborating on shared problems

Depuis 2011, Alliance de la jeunesse du Honduras, USAID, the Honduran government and the Tegucigalpa Chamber of Commerce have collaborated to support former gang members and at-risk youth with job skills training and key tools for adapting to post-gang or post-crime life.

“It was definitely a challenge for the Tegucigalpa Chamber of Commerce to identify what way we can help our country to address the various shortcomings that exist,” says Karla Ruiz, General Manager of the Tegucigalpa Chamber of Commerce.

Ruiz says that when the Chamber saw the possibility to “teach what we know”—how to start a business—the program was born. Whether former gang members or at-risk youth, elle dit, “they definitely have the incredible potential that allows them to be linked to the labor market or even start a microenterprise.”

The Second Opportunities for Our Youth program received $30,000 in funding from Alianza Joven Honduras and another $30,000 from the government’s Security Tax Trust Committee for its 2014 et 2015 activités.

Ruiz says that by teaming up with initiatives like Alianza Joven Honduras and partners from the public and private sector, the Chamber of Commerce and other groups can work on common objectives like reducing violence and reintegrating highly at-risk youth into society.

“I think that definitely we can have an impact,” Ruiz says.

Sustainable successs

The program has certainly had a positive effect on Chuy, who plans to use his “Honduras Emprende” contest award of $5,000 to expand Chuy’s Burgers, which will ultimately generate additional income for his family.

En attendant, he continues to deliver his signature burgers to schoolkids and teachers, neighbors and even employees at the Chamber of Commerce. He jokes that his customers are from ages 7 à 80 ans.

“Jesus for us is a success story,” says Ruiz.

But he is not the only one.

Sierra, the coordinator of the at-risk youth project at the Chamber of Commerce, reports that more than 90 percent of program particpiants complete the full training.

Another entrepreneurship program graduate named Fernando, il dit, is paying his way through a college degree in teaching thanks to profits from his small CD business, which he started with seed money provided by the Chamber.

“I believe that if we continue betting on reintegration, we will achieve having a successful country,” says Sierra.

HON101014142 As more former gang members and at-risk youth turned entrepenerus launch their own enterprises and succeed, they will be positive examples to the youth in their communities and show them that there can be viable opportunities outside of violence, Sierra says.

"This project is a great support for youth today,” says Chuy, noting that many young people in neighborhoods like his don’t live to reach the age of 20 due to violence, and youth are both victims and perpretrators of this crime.

“I think that providing jobs for society gives them the opportunity to engage. [Jeunesse] will give 100% and will fight for the longing in their hearts to become better people.”

With the support of Alianza Joven Honduras and the Chamber of Commerce, Chuy experienced that transformation.

“If you had seen me in the past, and now what I am, there has been a totally radical change," dit-il. “If my friends had this opportunity, I think they would become better human beings for Honduras.”

Avec le reportage d'Emanuel Rodriguez[/vc_column_text][vc_séparateur][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner largeur = »1/3″][vc_column_text]

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner largeur = »2/3″][vc_column_text]

REGARDER LA VIDÉO

Jesus Lanza was heading down a bad path—involved in gangs and drugs—until he had a chance to learn the basics of business with Alianza Joven Honduras and the Chamber of Commerce. With training and a small grant, he turned his life around and turned his small kitchen into a booming burger enterprise to support his family.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/12″][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id= »barre latérale-primaire »][/vc_colonne][/vc_row]

Ownership the key to post-2015 development

décembre 11, 2014

5 lecture min.

[vc_row][vc_colonne][vc_column_text]

Ownership the key to post-2015 development

Par Jillian Slutzker

[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][/vc_row][vc_row][largeur vc_column = »2/3″][vc_column_text]As the Millennium Development Goals end, today’s development practitioners must chart new goals that capitalize on programmatic successes, improve shortcomings and take into account markedly different realities on the ground, according to a panel of experts.

“It is a more complex and difficult environment than it was when the MDGS were formulated,", ont déclaré les États-Unis. Ambassador James Michel, a former U.S. Agency for International Development official and author of “Shaping the New Development Agenda,” speaking at a Dec. 9 panneau on the same topic.

Fifteen years after the Millennium Development Goals were designed, development has changed, les panélistes ont dit. The private sector is now a key player in stimulating growth. A surge in intrastate conflicts have rendered millions more vulnerable and less accessible. And good governance, rights and inclusion are priorities alongside economic progress.

En réponse, the development industry is “changing-both in the goals it is setting for itself and the way development is funded,” said Leland Kruvant, Président de Creative Associates International, which co-hosted the discussion with the Centre pour l'entreprise privée internationale.

Groups like the UN High Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, which has proposed 12 new goals, and the Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals, which has proposed 17 objectifs, have taken these trends into account, said Michel.

Shifting paradigms

development_agenda-5 With the emergence of new players in development—from donor blocs with members like Brazil and India to the private sector—the way the aid industry goes about development must change, les panélistes ont dit. Donors are no longer conceiving of a North-South aid flow but rather a true global partnership.

The emphasis on the word “partner” in USAID’s new mission statement “forces us to think in cross-cutting ways,” said Tony Pippa, Deputy Assistant Administrator in the agency’s Bureau of Policy.

These new partnerships will capitalize on innovations in technology and development, Pippa said, and will prioritize local solutions and developing country ownership to ensure lasting outcomes.

Tout aussi important, les panélistes ont dit, is setting goals that center on inclusive growth, effective and accountable democratic institutions and climate sustainability—all critical elements to success in the post-2015 era.

“This paradigm shift in development is something that I think the US really welcomes,” Pippa said.

Private sector leadership

The private sector has long been a contributor to international aid, but the ways in which business invests in emerging markets today marks a move from philanthropy to smart social impact investing.

“Bill Gates doesn’t write checks anymore,» J.W. Wright, head of Creative’s Economic Growth Division, told the audience. “He writes programs and policies, and that is changing the dialogue.”

By investing in development, private companies can improve their “triple bottom line”— benefiting people, the planet and profits, wrote Bradford Strickland, economic growth expert at Creative, et Charito Kruvant, the company’s CEO, in their paper “Making Positive Social Impact an Everyday Part of International Business.»

As the development industry seeks to leverage the interests of the private sector, they should reach out to other entities besides big names like Microsoft and the Gates Foundation, said John D. Sullivan, Executive Director of the Center for International Private Enterprise.

“We always talk about public-private partnerships, and we think that means we are going to find a big multinational corporation to a form a partnership," il a dit.

Small and medium enterprises in developing countries are not only valuable, il a dit, but in many cases, are essential to creating inclusive, croissance durable.

Particularly in conflict and post-conflict settings, engaging the private sector can accelerate recovery and growth.

Sullivan said the informal sector, lequel selon la Banque mondiale makes up from 25 pour cent à 40 percent of annual output in Asia and Africa, should also be brought into to economic growth efforts. Unlocking the potential of informal sector workers will be a boon to developing economies.

Beyond traditional partnerships, companies should also engage in dialogue with governments, Sullivan said, on how to create enabling environments for growth and investment. Without these institutional frameworks, inclusive growth and the other sustainable development goals will be hard to achieve.

Reaching the most vulnerable

Nowhere are these goals more difficult to achieve than in fragile and conflict-affected states.

Plus que 1.5 billion poor people live in places plagued by conflict and fragility, and more than half of the populations in post-conflict states live in poverty, selon la Banque mondiale.

development_agenda-14 “This is a class of countries for whom special needs are required if you really want development,» a déclaré Pauline Baker, President Emeritus of the Fund for Peace and contributing author to Creative’s series on Croissance économique, Fragilité et résilience.

Development progress is typically charted through indicators and data, which are hard to obtain in a crisis context. The Sustainable Development Goals, Par exemple, stipulate a daunting 169 cibles.

In these environments, Baker said, a census has often not been conducted for decades, records of land ownership are nonexistent and records like voter registration can be subject to political manipulation.

By only viewing development in a kind of “antiseptic way” and looking at economic indicators alone, Baker said, “you’re really writing off a whole class of conflict-affected states”

The new agenda, Baker said, must address the humanitarian and development needs of these most vulnerable people and build the resilience of societies and states to overcome fragility.

Development implementers cannot ignore these critical groups—including a surging youth population, millions of refugees and internally displaced people, and women who have been blocked out of political and economic development processes.

But reaching these populations will require some innovation.

“We are going to have to be more creative and come up with effective methods by which we can work in places coming out of conflict and achieve those development gains,” said Pippa.

Today’s development policymakers certainly have hurdles to overcome as they prepare for the post-2015 world, but with stronger partnerships and shared knowledge, these experts are optimistic.

“The potential benefits and the quality of the work to date provides grounds for hope and optimism that these efforts will contribute greatly to a sustainable world of freedom, opportunity and dignity for all,” Michel wrote in “Shaping the New Development Agenda».

“The outcome cannot be guaranteed,” he wrote. “But the vision is certainly worth pursuing.”

[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/12″][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id= »barre latérale-primaire »][/vc_colonne][/vc_row]

Development companies hope multinationals become clients

novembre 20, 2014

5 lecture min.

[vc_row][largeur vc_column = »1/1″][vc_column_text]

Development companies hope multinationals become clients

Par Jennifer Brookland

[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][/vc_row][vc_row][largeur vc_column = »2/3″][vc_column_text]In a time of federal budget uncertainty, lingering sequestration anxiety and bursting competition for development dollars, international development companies should look to multinational corporations to expand their client roster.

“There are companies out there bringing in billions and billions of dollars,» a déclaré Charito Kruvant, co-founder and CEO of Creative Associates International, who spoke at the Council of International Development Companies’ 2014 conférence à Washington, DC. “We have to grow, so we’re looking at our client base.”

Though Congress slashed the U.S. foreign assistance budget slightly less heartily than other appropriations, international development companies once reliant on U.S. government funding have increasingly eyed big business as a type of donor less prone to turnover, freezes and inefficiencies.

These development companies are also uniquely situated to provide real benefits to multinationals that recognize the humanitarian importance—and good business sense—of engaging with communities where they work, according to Stan Soloway, Président-directeur général de Conseil des services professionnels, the national trade association of the government professional and technical services industry.

International development companies “are perfectly positioned to provide the needed interface between multinationals and emerging markets because they speak both ‘languages’ – development and free enterprise,” Soloway wrote in an introduction to a paper published by the Council and co-authored by Kruvant and colleague Bradford Strickland.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Better storytelling needed

photo-1 En effet, development companies like Creative are still figuring out how to use the syntax and colloquialisms of this language.

“To appeal to the private sector, we need to know how to explain what we do and how we do it,» dit Kruvant. “We need to tell our story of how wonderful we are at changing people’s lives.”

The way to do it isn’t always with nice pictures and brochures, elle a dit, but hard numbers and statistics that business can use to improve their supply chains, incorporate technology and make their human resources more farsighted.

“We need to transfer our language in cross-cultural way to speak to those companies without giving up on our mission,» dit Kruvant. “Understanding the private sector and understanding their precise needs lets us figure out how to be of service to them.”[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

Shared opportunity

Companies ranging from beverage distributers to clothing manufacturers can benefit from international development companies’ expertise in capacity building, negotiation and workforce development. But for that to happen, those multinationals need to know this community exists.

Many large companies do not automatically think to turn to international development firms when they work in emerging or fragile markets, just as development organizations are unsure of how to move beyond targeting a firm’s corporate social responsibility arm or foundation and partnering with the company itself.

Foundations only provided 10 percent of philanthropic funding in 2013, according to Susan Rae Ross, founder and CEO of consulting company SR International and author of Expanding the Pie: Fostering Nonprofit and Corporate Partnerships.

“The real money," dit-elle, “is in the business. If you want to think about doing HIV training for employees of Levi Strauss, that money comes out of the HR department.”

Avec 72,000 companies in medical technology company Medtronic’s supply chain, Managing Director of International Relations Dr. Trevor Gunn says the company’s fundamental problem is that it cannot find enough suppliers around the world—the perfect “in” for an international development company with expertise in livelihoods development, economic growth and capacity building: if Medtronic or a development organization thinks to partner.

“Do we really understand our future? We always think we do, and that’s why we need help,” Gunn said.

Corporations need help developing markets for smallholder farmers, par exemple, or strengthening the health or education sectors, but are more likely today to turn to large nonprofits or boutique consultants, said Devex’s Raj Kumar, who moderated the panel.

The prospect of multinationals and development companies turning to each other could be a mutual opportunity, according to Denis O’Brien, Chairman of the global communications provider Digicel.

“There is a growing movement in corporate America and worldwide to make multinationals more responsible,” O’Brien said.

For big business, it is “your time to actually do something in countries where you generate income,” O’Brien said. “If you want to sleep at night and you’re making a lot of profits in a poor country like Haiti, you’ve got to do something that is super impactful.”

O’Brien recommended reinvesting profits back into community projects, and then running those projects as managers would the core business.

Kruvant and Strickland suggest companies are starting to do this: “Rather than channeling work through a Corporate Social Responsibility (RSE) département, corporations seeking to affect positive change are using new products and services that are helping to build social impact into their everyday business practices,” they write.

[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

The trouble with partners

Encore, as speakers at the CIDC conference pointed out, partnering with large companies is not a mindless solution for development organizations wishing to expand their pies.

They can be complicated to get off the ground, for starters.

“Most people underestimate the time it takes to do a partnership by at least 40 pour cent, especially in the development community when there’s a big gap between when you establish a partnership and when you get the funding,” said Ross. “In many ways doing these partnerships, you have to be a risk-taker.”

“I don’t have a bottom line that’s endless that will go on while we discuss partnership,» dit Kruvant. “I need to be able to plan and deliver services for the next three years, not dance with CEOs who tell you how great you are. Think of us as vendors first, and then partners.”

But when that relationship is achieved, Ross pointed out that true partnership must extend beyond the bankroll.

Instead of hunting for a donor to support a cause, development firms must come to the table clearly able to articulate their assets and expertise, but also open-minded to the idea that big businesses want to have a hand in shaping the solutions, and not just funding them.

[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/12″][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id= »barre latérale-primaire »][/vc_colonne][/vc_row]

Outreach center success touted at IADB

novembre 20, 2014

3 lecture min.

[vc_row][largeur vc_column = »1/1″][vc_column_text]

Outreach center success touted at IADB

Par Jillian Slutzker

[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][/vc_row][vc_row][largeur vc_column = »2/3″][vc_column_text]To tell a story about transformation in the barrios of San Pedro Sula to diplomats, policymakers and business leaders in the corridors of Washington, CC, a picture says a thousand words.

Le Banque interaméricaine de développement showcased images of youth in the Alliance de la jeunesse du Honduras violence prevention program. The exhibit debuted during a summit of leaders from Central and South America, Europe and the U.S. focused on growth and development in the Northern Triangle region of El Salvador, Guatemala et Honduras.

Le 49 vibrant photos on display show youth and the community volunteers, faith-based organizations and leaders who support them in many of the program’s 46 centres de proximité in at-risk, high-crime neighborhoods across the country.

“That is my favorite,” said David Medina, Deputy Director of Alianza Joven Honduras, pointing to a photo of eight teenage volunteers jumping in mid-air with their hands raised. “It shows the energy of the volunteers. They are the most important thing in the outreach centers. Because of them, everything happens. It is youth helping youth.”

The Honduran government, à travers son Security Tax Trust Committee, is contributing $1 million to develop 11 new outreach centers and support all the other centers in Honduras, atteindre 23,000 children and youth with additional equipment, prevention activities and support.

Alianza Joven Honduras is funded by the U.S. Agence pour le développement international et mis en œuvre par Creative Associates International.

“A lot of this project we have done together,” said Alejandra Hernández, Honduran Vice Minister of Security in Prevention, discussing the cooperation between the U.S. and her government on violence prevention. “It is important to know it is not just money. It’s really reaching our children.”

Gang violence and narco-trafficking has resulted in Honduras having the highest homicide rate in the world outside of a war zone, and it has been a major source country of unaccompanied minors immigrating to the U.S.

The Alianza Joven outreach centers, which provide at-risk youth with safe spaces and opportunities including life skills, formation professionnelle, tutoring and volunteer opportunities, are helping to counter these trends, according to a recent étude by Vanderbilt University.

Cutting-ribbon-2 During the summit—which was attended by Presidents Juan Orlando Hernández of Honduras, Otto Pérez Molina of Guatemala and Salvador Sánchez Cerén of El Salvador and U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden—leaders discussed innovative approaches, like the outreach centers, to improve security, santé, economic opportunities and education to reduce crime and stem migration from their region.

“A peaceful Central America, with opportunities for its people, with justice and security, will be of great benefit not only for our citizens but also for the United States and other peoples of the world,” said President Hernández, speaking at the event.

Surrounded by flashing cameras, President Hernandez made a special visit to open the exhibit in between event sessions. The President and First Lady have been vocal supporters of youth-focused crime prevention and the USAID outreach center partnership.

Violence has many causes and is a complex phenomenon in the country, explained Alejandra Hernández, Vice Minister of Security in Prevention as she toured the exhibit.

She said it is important for partners and donors in the U.S. and from outside of Honduras to know that Honduras is not just fighting crime through the criminal justice system. The smiling faces on display in the hall of the Inter-American Development Bank attest to this.

“Prevention is the most important thing," dit-elle.[/vc_column_text][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/12″][/vc_colonne][largeur vc_column = »1/4″][vc_widget_sidebar sidebar_id= »barre latérale-primaire »][/vc_colonne][/vc_row]