At EmpServe Kenya, we believe that sustainable development begins with empowering local communities to take the lead in shaping their future. Yet for decades, development and humanitarian efforts have been dominated by international organizations, often sidelining the voices and leadership of local actors. This imbalance gave rise to the Charter for Change (C4C)—a groundbreaking initiative launched in 2016 during the World Humanitarian Summit.
The Charter for Change (C4C) is a powerful framework driving this transformation, challenging international organizations to prioritize local leadership in humanitarian and development spaces.It was born out of the realization that, despite the billions of dollars poured into humanitarian and development aid, the people most affected by crises and inequality—local communities—had too little say in the decisions that impacted their lives. The C4C outlines eight key commitments for international organizations to embrace localisation, including equitable partnerships, increased direct funding for local actors, and strengthened local leadership.
At its core, C4C challenges the development sector to rethink its structures and systems, ensuring that solutions are designed by and for those they aim to serve. It’s about ensuring that community voices drive action, resources flow where they are most needed, and local organizations take center stage in shaping sustainable change. As part of this global movement, EmpServe Kenya is proud to lead from the front. Our Executive Director, Martin Irungu, serves as the Chair of the Kenya C4C Working Group, a coalition that works tirelessly to advance these commitments on the ground.
The meeting offers a valuable opportunity to engage, rethink, and reflect on the practice of localisation. By the end of the two-day meeting, one of the key outcomes will be to identify practical actions that the Working Group can implement and achieve before next year’s convening.
The 2024 Charter for Change Annual Dialogue, held on November 13-14, 2024 at Pride Inn Azure, in Nairobi, brought together key stakeholders—from donors and international NGOs to local organizations and government representatives. Over two days, we reflected on our progress, shared practical examples, and identified challenges and opportunities to turn localisation rhetoric into actionable change.
Why does this matter to you? Because when local actors lead, solutions become more sustainable, equitable, and impactful. This reflection explores the highlights of the dialogue, the role EmpServe is playing in driving this mission, and how we can collectively build a future where power is truly shared.
Key Themes: Collaboration, Accountability, and Progress
Localisation is no longer a concept to be debated but a practice to be lived. The dialogue emphasized that “localisation needs to be felt and not explained,” a phrase that resonated throughout the sessions. Stakeholders reflected on significant strides, such as increased co-creation of programs, capacity strengthening initiatives, and multi-year funding pathways.
Keynote speakers, including Lindon Nicholas, CEO of the PBO Authority, and global representatives like Sheetal Rana of Trócaire, highlighted the urgency to align commitments—such as the Grand Bargain 3.0—with local realities. Notably, discussions revealed a persistent gap in direct funding to local actors, currently at 4%, against the targeted 25%.
The fireside chat with Caitríona Ingoldsby, Ireland’s Ambassador to Kenya, was particularly inspiring. Ambassador Ingoldsby championed flexible, simplified funding mechanisms and stressed the importance of civil society’s role in driving development that truly belongs to the communities.
Spotlight on Success and Challenges
Practical examples from organisations like the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and Danish Church Aid (DCA) showcased how deliberate investments in partner capacity are yielding results. Partners shared remarkable outcomes, including financial resilience, enhanced advocacy, and standardized monitoring systems.
However, challenges persist: limited funding opportunities for grassroots actors, bureaucratic hurdles, and the need for harmonized tools for partner assessments. Participants called for practical steps such as de-risking local partners, decentralizing working groups, and developing frameworks for direct funding.
EmpServe’s Commitment to Localisation
As EmpServe’s leadership takes the helm of the Kenya C4C Working Group, we are emboldened to accelerate efforts toward localisation. EmpServe’s vision to build the first Social Innovation Eco-Village (SIEVE) in Kajiado serves as a testament to our belief in sustainable, community-led solutions.
We left the Annual Dialogue with renewed energy and actionable recommendations, from advocating for national localisation policies to creating central platforms for collaboration between endorsers and signatories.
There is a need for a central platform for both signatories and endorsers—for engaging, clearly communicating about C4C, and availing information to new people joining. Greater participation of local organizations is essential, and these organizations should highlight their impacts to reach a global level. To further this goal, C4C must systemize its objectives and pair endorsers to reach out to other CBOs, increasing the number of endorsers.
The Road Ahead: From Dialogue to Action
The Annual Dialogue was more than a meeting of minds; it was a rallying cry to all actors—INGOs, donors, and local organizations—to “walk the talk” of localisation. As EmpServe, we commit to tracking progress, amplifying voices, and ensuring that localisation moves beyond tokenism to create meaningful change for the communities we serve.
Localisation must be a shared responsibility, where communities are not just recipients of aid but active architects of their development. At EmpServe, we believe in shifting power to where it matters most—with the people.
