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In 2020, five groups of humanitarian actors in five locations partnered on a journey with Start Network. This journey was to create locally led networks of humanitarian changemakers to present a powerful alternative to the current international humanitarian system. Together, they would form a collective of hubs that would move Start Network to becoming a more locally led and distributed network, with power and decision making in the hands of organisations closest to crises. These five hubs in DRC, Guatemala, India, Pacific, and Pakistan have been founded by collectives of organisations in those locations and together all hubs are working with each other and Start Network to learn the best way to build this decentralised network of networks. Over the last year, Start Network spoke to a range of stakeholders to understand the views on the potential value and challenges of hubs. The findings provided insight into where our stakeholders see value in a locally led network of networks model, as well as the challenges they expect hubs will face in achieving this vision.

As part of our move toward becoming a locally led network of networks, we've incubated and supported five Start Network hubs. Bhavya Srinivasan, Interim Head of Network Development, shares what she's learned in the two years she's worked to support them.

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) announced today that it would provide a further £12m to support the Start Fund. The funding will enable frontline actors across Start Network’s members and partners to continue to respond rapidly to and in anticipation of under-the-radar humanitarian crises. The FCDO also agreed to work with Start Network in its transition to a global network of ‘hubs’, which will facilitate locally-led responses and improve NGO access to more innovative financing that will mitigate humanitarian impacts, both protecting and assisting people affected by crises.

This paper is not an evaluation. It is an exploration of the constraints, challenges, and opportunities that have emerged during the first phase of the proof of concept.

Start Network is pleased to announce that 12 new local and national aid agencies, based in India, Pakistan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, have joined the network. The new members have joined as part of Start Network’s plans to build a more balanced network made up of more local and national actors.

Gang Karume est natif de la République Démocratique du Congo (RDC) et a travaillé pendant plus de 12 ans, entre 1998 et 2009, comme Coordinateur des opérations dans l’équipe globale d’urgence d’International Rescue Committee (IRC). Ici, nous parlons avec Gang sur comment il s’est engagé avec Start network et sa vision de l’action humanitaire en RDC.

Gang Karume Augustin is a DRC national and worked for 12 years as the Global Emergency Coordinator for IRC from 1998-2010. Here we speak with Gang about how he got involved with the Start Network and where he sees the future of humanitarian action in DRC.

Last month I received a letter from a group of emerging leaders within the Start Network, who are working together to build ‘hubs’, groups of civil society organisations that will form the backbone of the Start Network once they evolve and grow.

Hugo Icu Peren, director de ASECSA y miembro del equipo de liderazgo del Hub de Guatemala, nos habla del nuevo documento de los Hubs destinado a catalizar una respuesta más local a las necesidades inmediatas de COVID-19 y a acelerar un cambio de paso duradero en la respuesta humanitaria.

Hugo Icu Peren, director of ASECSA and member of the Guatemala Hub leadership team, tells us about the Hubs' new paper aimed at catalysing a more local response to the immediate needs of COVID-19 and to accelerate a lasting step-change in humanitarian response.