Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What does the consortium consist of?
Together4Change is a consortium made up of four development organisations. We believe strongly in working with local groups in society (people, community organisations, local companies, research institutes, etc) for the welfare of children. The initiative and the developments occur at the local level in the southern hemisphere, where people and society are central. We each do this from our own perspective - but with a shared conviction.
Why the name: 'Together4Change'?
As four Dutch organisations, we want to instigate change for people in developing countries. And we want our name to reflect the real social and economic change we aim to achieve in our project areas. We believe that international collaboration needs to be done differently. Our view is that people come first. As development organisations, we move from being "experts" to partners in the change process.
Why did you choose each other?
We have a shared view about child welfare. We want to encourage people to themselves bring about changes in their own circumstances, driven by the needs they themselves have. All four partner organisations endorse this vision and want to support it. Change and innovation are needed to ensure children can grow up enjoying love, security and respect. Moreover, each organisation in the consortium adds something to the whole from which we can all learn. Together we can achieve more impact - by working together on programmes, by strengthening our organisations and strategies as we learn from each other, and by remaining constructively critical of one another.
What do you want to achieve?
In the Southern Hemisphere:
- that our initiatives make groups, communities, families and organisations stronger, so that children can grow up in a safe, stimulating and fair environment
- that systems designed to protect children are strengthened and function better
- that poverty is reduced
- that there is more and better targeted investment in the welfare of children, so they can grow up into mature and responsible citizens able to take the initiative themselves.
In the Northern Hemisphere:
- that more people realise that action can be taken, in the Netherlands and elsewhere, to change inequitable situations, and that such actions involve more than just donating money;
- that more people realise that development work is an issue for everybody!
How much money have you applied for for this consortium?
In total, Together4Change has applied for almost 80 million Euros to cover a period of 5 years (2011-2015). That is approximately 16 million euros per year. Over 68.5 million is to be distributed amongst the four consortium partners. About 11 million is earmarked for other strategic partner organisations, such as the African Child Policy Forum for activities on a Pan-African level, and Context international cooperation.
On which countries does the consortium focus?
The Together4Change Consortium focuses its programmes on the following countries: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Benin, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Ethiopia, India, South Africa, Brazil, Thailand, Cambodia and Laos.
It was the aim of Minister Koenders (Dutch Development Minister 2007- 2010) with the last round of state funding to pave the way for greater cooperation between NGOs. Does this consortium achieve that goal?
This cooperation has been developed in response to the last funding round, but goes much further than just a grant application. We see each other as organisations that can enhance one other. Furthermore, we can involve each other in processes and we are committed to sharing our many years of experience. The consortium is not an end in itself, but a means by which our organisations can together achieve greater impact.
Is the choice of countries where the consortium is focusing its efforts based on the list of countries produced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs?
No, these are countries where we already operate and where we are seeing that our activities are leading to real change now, and can continue to do so in the future.
Together4Change works using the 'Civic Driven Change' methodology. What does this mean?
Civic Driven Change (CDC) aims to put the focus of change initiatives back on the people themselves, on the power of ordinary citizens to develop initiatives both within and outside state and markets.
This aim is reflected in the three elements of the concept. First, we have deliberately chosen the word 'change' instead of the usual 'development' to indicate that this is about changing the power relationships within the social structure. With this comes the recognition that change can be a chaotic process that is almost impossible to plan. This can sometimes mean 'one step forward, two steps back'. Such changes can be achieved or driven by citizens in any number of roles: as businessperson, social worker, concerned neighbour, father, or civil servant.
The second element of the concept concerns the active engagement of citizens to bring about change in their own surroundings.
Finally, CDC also has a normative element. That is, it is about initiatives that benefit society as a whole. They therefore cannot be excluding or discriminatory. The word 'civic' not only means 'concerning civil law', but also decent and civilized; and CDC strives to be civic in all these senses of the word. The challenge for non-state development organisations - both those in developing countries and their donors in 'the north' - is to explore and experiment around how they can best support CDC initiatives, but without that support thereby damaging the very qualities that make it a genuine Civic Driven Change initiative.