Can success stories result from a global pandemic?

The importance of long lasting impact of development interventions has put capacity development actions at the centre in many programmes, as a way to maintain and scale up results. Since 2016, The Hague Academy with CARE Netherlands is implementing the Every Voice Counts programme in six fragile countries, amongst which Burundi. With sustainability in mind, The Hague Academy trained local coaches to work together as co-trainers. Amid the global pandemic, the local trainers were challenged to deliver training themselves and proved how empowered they’ve become through this approach.

In August, after receiving online coaching by The Hague Academy, three local co-trainers from Burundi took over the leadership for the programme’s training activities. They successfully delivered a training on Gender Responsive Budgeting to a group of 24 public authorities. In this training, the public authorities learned to identify the needs of vulnerable women and girls during public consultation meetings, and budget for them. Moreover, the local trainers were able to wrap up the workshops with a commitment from the participants to budget the needs of vulnerable women and girls and to be gender sensitive in budgeting for COVID-19 interventions.

Building local trainer’s capacity

The Every Voice Counts programme enhances the participation of vulnerable women and girls in local decision making. The Hague Academy has strengthened the capacity of civil society organisations (CSOs) and public authorities on inclusive governance. Local trainers have been involved from the initial stages of the programme. They not only bring valuable insights into the local context and culture but also are key in guaranteeing the programme to go beyond one-off knowledge transfer and being truly sustainable.

“Developing the material together with the experts from The Hague Academy gave us sense of ownership. The cooperation has been very enriching for me and my colleagues. Now we all feel confident enough to deliver trainings alone on different topics related to governance”

Jeremie Rubabaza, Local trainer.