The goal is to ideate and kill fast. I am not sure what I will end up building at Antler but My ideation approach often draws from personal experiences that I then work to validate. One particular experience that I am exploring is support for people recovering from conflict and disasters. I must have been 16, when my father who was a logistics contractor for the WFP, took me to my first refugee settlement. I wont lie, I was mad because it cut our family vacation short, but the one thing I will never forget was the drive to Rwamwaja refugee settlement left a distinct yearning in my mind on how to make life better for displaced persons. I vividly remember the searing heat as we drove across a vast land with barely any trees or vegetation. When I asked my father about it, he explained that most of the trees had been cut down for charcoal and firewood to be sold within the camp and to nearby host communities. I was struck by the long winding lines for rations and food. I would not even call it food—it was dried beans that needed hours of sorting to remove the stones, along with some flour for making cornmeal. I could not go to the toilet because it was a makeshift structure at the far end. A decade later, in 2017, I led the Hack4Refugees Accelerator at Uganda's largest innovation hub. An initiative, in partnership with UNCDF, Mercy Corps, and Danish Church Aid, aimed to address the challenges faced by refugees and host communities in the BidiBidi settlement. Looking back these experiences have peaked my interest to dive into finding solutions that contribute to improving the quality of life for those in similar situations. I would like to explore how to enhance access to finance, optimize value chains, and boost agricultural productivity within such settlements, among other areas.
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🌍 For this week’s impact project, we had the chance to discuss with Janvier HAFASHA, Founder of HODARI FOUNDATION . Driven by his own experiences, Janvier committed himself to supporting traumatized youth, recognizing the urgent need for intervention. As a refugee himself, he wanted to empower the most vulnerable people in settlements. That’s why he founded Hodari Foundation: 🤝 Hodari Foundation 📍 Uganda, East Africa 🔍 Problem: Millions of refugees in Uganda face trauma and limited opportunities for empowerment due to their displacement. They are highly relying on external aid, and it is very difficult for them to obtain a job because of language barriers. 🔄 Solution: Hodari Foundation empowers refugee through holistic mentorship programs, including child camps, agritech innovation, and social enterprises for women, fostering resilience and self-sufficiency. They notably use Oyster mushrooms as a solution for food security, creating laboratories able within settlements so refugees could grow and harvest mushrooms, not only to feed themselves but also to sell it to Hodari. Hodari will then transform the mushrooms in powder, wine and else to sell it outside of the refugee camp, allowing resilience and socio-economic benefits. 📊 Key Data: In Uganda, over 1.4 million refugees seek shelter, with youth comprising a significant portion. Hodari Foundation's initiatives have impacted 5000 people, providing them with skills and opportunities such as this initiative. They recently won the Ignite Food Systems award with World Food Programme. 💡 Needs: Hodari Foundation seeks visibility, volunteers and partnerships to expand its impact, especially in providing sustainable livelihoods for refugee communities. 🔗 Discover more about Hodari Foundation and other impactful projects by visiting our database (link in the comments) Let's celebrate Hodari’s remarkable journey, as they cultivate not just mushrooms, but hope, opportunity, and a brighter tomorrow for vulnerable communities! 💫 #refugee #uganda #mushrooms #foodsecurity #sdg #sdg2
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🌟 Day 111 - Grant Number 97 - Grant Alert: 🌟 🚀 Exciting Opportunity for Entrepreneurs! 🌍 Impact Hub Kigali, in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), is thrilled to announce the third edition of the IGNITE Food Systems Challenge! This year, we are dedicated to empowering refugee communities in Rwanda and bolstering food security. 🔹 What We Offer: - Up to $25,000 in grant funding - 5-month tailored technical support with industry experts - Networking opportunities, access to significant events - Market and industry resources - Exposure to potential investors and funding opportunities 🔹 Who Should Apply: We're looking for dynamic businesses that are driving impact in Rwanda. Ideal candidates are startups, MSMEs, and cooperatives with solutions that: - Enhance the livelihoods of refugees - Are registered in Rwanda - Have demonstrated commercial viability and impact 🔹 Focus Areas Include: - Refugee Empowerment - Food Systems Innovations - Digital Solutions for Food and Resource Access - Financial and Entrepreneurial Access - Employment and Market Access - Infrastructure for Refugee Support - Training and Skills Development - Social Enterprise and Cooperative Models 🔹 Eligibility: - Must impact or benefit refugee communities in Rwanda - Registered business in Rwanda with proven operations and revenue 🔹 Key Dates: - Application Deadline: June 23, 2024 - Informational Webinar 1: May 13 - Informational Webinar 2: May 21 - Winners Announced: July 1 🌟 Apply now to transform your business and make a substantial impact on the lives of refugees in Rwanda! https://lnkd.in/gbqfNeK5 👉 Swipe up to register and receive more details about the grant, application process, and upcoming webinars! #ChanakyaAdvisors #IGNITEChallenge #FoodSystems #SocialImpact #RefugeeEmpowerment #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #Rwanda #WFP #ImpactHubKigali #ApplyNow
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Humanitarian - Currently Head of Unit at United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Regional Office for West and Central Africa (ROWCA) | UNDAC Member |
🚨 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝: 2024 𝐒𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐥 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 🚨 📄 The 32-page document, published this morning, is packed with the latest trends and sectoral data for the Sahel. Key facts: 🌍 2023 𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬: 🍽️ 7.8 million people received food assistance. 📚 2 million children accessed education. 🛡️ 902,000 survivors of sexual abuse received support. 🌾 1.5 million farmers benefited from livelihood assistance. ⚠️ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐝: 🛑 Insecurity and access issues. 🤝 Lack of community acceptance. 🔄 Changing public authority interlocutors. 💸 Persistent funding shortages. 📅 2024 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐬: 🗺️ Six countries developed Humanitarian Response Plans (HRPs). 🧑🤝🧑 Nearly 21 million people to be assisted. 💰 $4.7 billion needed for funding. 🌡️ 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: 🌊 Frequent flooding. 🌵 Drought and land degradation. 🍽️ Rising hunger and malnutrition. 🏥 Public health hazards and deepening poverty. 📍 Critical Regions: 📍 Liptako Gourma region. 📍 Lake Chad basin. 🌍 Crises spreading to Gulf of Guinea countries. 🤝 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 🚨 Immediate and proactive engagement needed. 💪 Prioritize urgent assistance for the most vulnerable. 🤲 Enhance humanitarian effectiveness with local partners and diverse actors. 📢 Read the full report here: https://lnkd.in/dQ92r9v9 🔗 Let's work together to ensure a better future for the people of the Sahel! 🌟 #HumanitarianAid #Sahel2024 #ClimateAction #HumanRights #Development #GlobalSupport United Nations OCHA
2024 Sahel Humanitarian Needs and Requirements Overview - Burkina Faso
reliefweb.int
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strategic discussions like this and timely action coupled with strong political will that translates into durable solutions for refugees and IDPs is key.
UNHCR Representative in Nigeria 🇳🇬🇺🇳 Follow @UNHCRNigeria and @arjun_UNHCR on X (twitter)
Making the invisible visible. We were privileged to be part of The Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) co-hosted by Sterling One Foundation and the United Nations. Here is why we in UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency🇺🇳 found it important: Around 3% of the world’s 120 million forcibly displaced people are #Nigerians🇳🇬. That’s a lot. The number has been quietly creeping up for some years. Some communities are living in unbelievably harsh conditions for over a decade. #Forced #displacement in #Nigeria is, sadly, an invisible crisis. A number of policy makers and impact investors in Abuja and Lagos are unaware of magnitude or impact of forced displacement across Nigeria. It is not just about the north-east. Rather, climate change, farmer-header conflicts, a clamor for resources, social unrest are affecting communities across half of Nigeria. Leaving this matter unaddressed also contributes to regional instability. Forced displacement is linked to the other challenges that are making headlines in Nigeria. Conflict and displacement has left a number of people underemployed or unemployed. Tens of thousands of hectares of land that can grow food and cash crops have remained uncultivated for years. Economic growth, food security and foreign exchange reserves are directly impacted. All this is avoidable. Address displacement and you will address larger national challenges. This is why OLAPEJU IBEKWE organized a high-level panel on forced displacement moderated by Toyin Saraki of The Wellbeing Foundation Africa, with Ojong Annette Nkongho, a Cameroonian refugee and entrepreneur; Abubakar Suleiman of Sterling Bank, Farouk Gumel of Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group. I was privileged to be part of it. Annette’s message at the panel was clear: Displaced communities - refugees, IDPs - want to return to their homes. In the absence of that, they want to live in dignity. They are doctors, engineers, farmers, cooks, accountants. They can work. They want to work. They are agents of change. They want a solution. But despite the #RenewedHope Agenda, the #SDG framework, and the SG’s solutions agenda, very little is being directed at finding solutions for displacd communities because they are invisible. This is where the government, private sector and development partners can come in. The government can create amazing opportunities and a regulatory framework to allow investments in IDP and refugee communities. But it’s the private sector that can create sustainable jobs. Development partners can help de-risk investments and make finances accessible to government and the private sector. Now The Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) is not just a talk shop. This week Maryam Musa will lead Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group and UNHCR to #Katsina where we will finalize a huge livelihood project with the government. #ProofOfConcept. And we are exploring how to build financial instruments that benefit communities and the private sector. More on this soon.
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UNHCR Representative in Nigeria 🇳🇬🇺🇳 Follow @UNHCRNigeria and @arjun_UNHCR on X (twitter)
Making the invisible visible. We were privileged to be part of The Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) co-hosted by Sterling One Foundation and the United Nations. Here is why we in UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency🇺🇳 found it important: Around 3% of the world’s 120 million forcibly displaced people are #Nigerians🇳🇬. That’s a lot. The number has been quietly creeping up for some years. Some communities are living in unbelievably harsh conditions for over a decade. #Forced #displacement in #Nigeria is, sadly, an invisible crisis. A number of policy makers and impact investors in Abuja and Lagos are unaware of magnitude or impact of forced displacement across Nigeria. It is not just about the north-east. Rather, climate change, farmer-header conflicts, a clamor for resources, social unrest are affecting communities across half of Nigeria. Leaving this matter unaddressed also contributes to regional instability. Forced displacement is linked to the other challenges that are making headlines in Nigeria. Conflict and displacement has left a number of people underemployed or unemployed. Tens of thousands of hectares of land that can grow food and cash crops have remained uncultivated for years. Economic growth, food security and foreign exchange reserves are directly impacted. All this is avoidable. Address displacement and you will address larger national challenges. This is why OLAPEJU IBEKWE organized a high-level panel on forced displacement moderated by Toyin Saraki of The Wellbeing Foundation Africa, with Ojong Annette Nkongho, a Cameroonian refugee and entrepreneur; Abubakar Suleiman of Sterling Bank, Farouk Gumel of Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group. I was privileged to be part of it. Annette’s message at the panel was clear: Displaced communities - refugees, IDPs - want to return to their homes. In the absence of that, they want to live in dignity. They are doctors, engineers, farmers, cooks, accountants. They can work. They want to work. They are agents of change. They want a solution. But despite the #RenewedHope Agenda, the #SDG framework, and the SG’s solutions agenda, very little is being directed at finding solutions for displacd communities because they are invisible. This is where the government, private sector and development partners can come in. The government can create amazing opportunities and a regulatory framework to allow investments in IDP and refugee communities. But it’s the private sector that can create sustainable jobs. Development partners can help de-risk investments and make finances accessible to government and the private sector. Now The Africa Social Impact Summit (ASIS) is not just a talk shop. This week Maryam Musa will lead Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group and UNHCR to #Katsina where we will finalize a huge livelihood project with the government. #ProofOfConcept. And we are exploring how to build financial instruments that benefit communities and the private sector. More on this soon.
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On World Refugee Day, we acknowledge the resilience of refugees globally. It’s a moment to consider the bravery of those fleeing conflict, persecution, and environmental crises. Take Ibrahim, a Maldivian fisherman, whose livelihood is jeopardized by climate change, compelling him to venture further for fishing due to ocean warming and erosion. https://msft.it/6045Y2H9c With over 110 million forcibly displaced people globally, Microsoft Tech for Social Impact partners with entities like IOM - UN Migration to offer tech solutions to refugees. While not a panacea, technology can enhance lives significantly. By supporting displaced individuals and leveraging technology to alleviate their challenges, we can collectively create an impact. Read the blog to learn more about inspiring stories like Ibrahim and how you can help. #WorldRefugeeDay #TechForGood https://msft.it/6045Y2H9c
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Revolutionising humanitarian innovation: Introducing the Community-Led Innovation Partnership (CLIP). The CLIP supports the creation, scaling, or adoption of locally-driven solutions identified and designed by people affected by crises and is actively pushing to realise humanitarian responses that meet existing humanitarian needs in a dignified, sustainable, efficient, and effective way. Operating in the Philippines, Guatemala, South Sudan and Indonesia, the CLIP is demonstrating the power of locally-driven solutions in crisis-affected regions. The approach integrates flexible experimentation, adaptive learning, and financial and non-financial support from global partners to drive sustainable, context-specific innovations. The impact? A shift towards community problem-solving, enhanced local innovation capacity, and improved relevance of humanitarian interventions. Interested to learn more? Visit our CLIP page to find out more about our work, and to explore our latest resources, tools and publications. https://lnkd.in/ecDfetMS Start Network, ASECSA, YAKKUM Emergency Unit, Center for Disaster Preparedness, Titi Foundation, and CAFOD. #HumanitarianInnovation #Localisation #CommunityLedSolutions #SystemicChange
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Chairperson of Limak Holdings. Founder of Global Engineer Girls and Limak Education Culture and Health Foundation.
As we gathered at #WEF2024 in Davos, under the theme of "Rebuilding Trust", it was only fitting that we address one of the most pressing challenges of our time – the global refugee crisis. The recently released WEF 2024 Global Risks Report ranks involuntary migration at number 8 among the top 10 risks that global populations will face over the next two years, underscoring the importance of cross-border and cross-sector collaboration in addressing the issue. With 108.4 million people forcibly displaced globally, this humanitarian emergency has not only disrupted communities but also propelled us to a critical juncture where refugees, origin nations, and host countries require immediate solutions. During the “35.3m Refugees at a Critical Junction” panel at WEF, I emphasised that the challenges may be immense, but so too is our collective capacity to innovate and collaborate for crafting the sustainable solutions we seek. And as a business representative, I believe we all have to act in the face of such challenges. The choices made today will shape the future for generations to come. #WEF24
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From the data, it's evident that the Rohingya Humanitarian Crisis Joint Response Plan has been a major focus of international funding efforts in Bangladesh since 2017. The highest funding levels were seen in 2018 and 2019, with gradual decreases observed in subsequent years. The trend reflects a potential shift in funding priorities or donor fatigue over the years. In addition to the ongoing Rohingya crisis, Bangladesh has faced other significant humanitarian challenges, such as the Cyclone Remal in 2024 and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. The substantial allocations for these events highlight the broader context of humanitarian needs in the country. Data Source : Source: https://lnkd.in/gXVGUx-G #HumanitarianAid #RohingyaCrisis #Bangladesh #CycloneRelief #COVID19Response #InternationalSupport #HumanitarianFunding #CrisisManagement #RohingyaRefugees #HumanitarianCrisis #BangladeshRefugees #FundingRohingya #RohingyaHumanitarianCrisis #RohingyaResponse #HumanitarianAid #InternationalDonors #FundingTrends #HumanitarianSupport #RefugeeAssistance #BangladeshHumanitarianResponse #RohingyaStatistics #RefugeeFunding #HumanitarianFunding #GlobalRefugeeResponse #ForcedDisplacement #HumanitarianEmergency #RefugeeChallenge #HumanitarianCrisisResponse #InternationalSolidarity
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