Start Network is pleased to announce that four new members have joined the network. The new members have joined as part of Start Network’s plans to build a more diverse network made up of organisations around the world with more local and national actors.
A new call for alerts has now been launched with approximately £2.6 million from the German Federal Foreign Office (GFFO). The goal for this call for alerts is to support members to act rapidly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in their country; to address neglected/underfunded aspects of the broader COVID-19 crisis with a focus on neglected communities/geographies; and mitigation through community-based responses.
As part of Start Network’s 10-year anniversary, we wanted to celebrate those who have made or are making a considerable impact within their community, country, region, organisation or wider system – individuals, teams or organisations that are driving positive change within the humanitarian sector. In order to tell each of their stories, we teamed up with A Good Day in Africa to produce a series of podcasts, which will be released bi-weekly from 4 November.
As part of Start Network’s commitments to localisation and collective innovation, we ran the Working Differently Challenge from 14 September to 6 October 2020. During this time, members, hubs, and their partners were invited to submit their innovative solutions that address problems within humanitarian agencies or local communities more widely. After receiving several submissions, which were judged by a panel of experts, three winners were announced at Start Network’s first virtual Assembly and 10-year anniversary celebration. The winning teams were from Cadena, Islamic Relief, and Tearfund.
Start Network's 2020 Assembly, the first one to be held online, begins today. The four-day event includes the network's 10-year anniversary celebrations.
In November 2019, the Government of Senegal and the ARC Replica partner, Start Network, qualified for an ARC insurance payout following the drought conditions that prevailed during the agricultural season. In October 2020, ARC and Start Network travelled to the village of Ndouff, located at 70km from Dakar, the Senegalese capital, to interact with the community on the benefits and impacts of the payout in their lives.
The allegations of sexual abuse by aid workers from the UN and NGOs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo during the 2018-2020 Ebola response are deeply disturbing and sad. We are appalled by the reports and condemn any sexual exploitation and abuse by aid workers. Our thoughts are first and foremost with the women and men who have endured such abuse at the hands of the very people they trusted would help.
The Migration Emergency Response Fund (MERF), funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID), was established in January 2017. The MERF’s aim is to address the unpredictable nature of the mixed migration context across the Mediterranean and rapidly respond to new or emerging needs. It built on the Start Network’s experience of collaboratively responding to the needs of migrants and refugees through its two European Refugee Responses (ERR) in 2015-2016.
As part of Start Network’s commitment to supporting local actors, eight national and local members have so far been selected to participate in a fund for COVID-19 response. This fund will allow these organisations to access funding of up to £30,000 to respond to COVID-19 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, India and Pakistan.
