Support to Civil Society

In recent years donors have begun to realise that for countries to develop in a sustainable way they need strong civil societies. Civil society incorporates a wide range of different types of organisations that represent the interests of citizens and are independent of the government. Civil society organisations can include non-governmental organisations, trade unions, community groups, faith, minority and women’s groups amongst others. These groups are seen as important actors in reducing poverty and promoting development within the countries that they operate. A strong civil society can operate as a conduit between decision makers and the general public.

Due to the nature of these organisations their capacities vary considerably from well funded international organisations to very small and under-resourced entities. Helping these organisations to operate effectively is vitally important. The support that they require varies and can range from capacity building and training to the establishment of internationally recognised administrative and financial systems. 

At Harewelle we recognise the important work that civil society organisations play in a country’s development and we also understand many of the problems which they face. We are able to work with these groups to create custom designed solutions to their problems, for which they take ownership. Our support to civil society includes:

• Challenge fund management
• Capacity assessment and development
• Lesson learning

Examples of our projects include:

St Lucia - Technical Assistance to the Natural Resource Management Programme (NRMP)

Worldwide - DFID Governance and Transparency Fund