Wanted: Sustainable local funding for social justice initiatives

Arusha. A podcast panel discussion at CSO Week 2024 in Arusha on Thursday put the critical issue of local funding for social justice initiatives in the spotlight. 

The session, titled “Vision, Value: Where Is the Local Money for Social Justice?”, featured prominent speakers, including Foundation for Civil Society executive director Justice Rutenge, Legal Services Facility executive director Lulu Ng’wanakilala and Equality for Growth executive director Jane Magigita. The session was moderated by Africa Philanthropy Network executive director Stigmata Tenga.

The discussion began with Dr Tenga questioning the perception that social justice work in Africa is largely driven by foreign funding, thus undermining the autonomy of local organisations.

She emphasised the need for local resources to drive social justice efforts, asking, “Where is the local money for advocating justice?”

Dr Tenga argued that without local ownership and resources, the legitimacy of these efforts could be compromised, potentially alienating the very communities they seek to serve.

She added that social justice should be seen as a collective responsibility and not solely as a concern for international organisations.

The first panellist, Ms Ng’wanakilala, highlighted the forgotten importance of local volunteerism and self-empowerment in driving legal advocacy.

She emphasised that local civil society organisations (CSOs) must prioritise legal empowerment at the grassroots level and urged communities to take ownership of social justice issues.

Ms Ng’wanakilala also noted the need for a sustainable, locally generated support system that would reduce dependence on foreign aid and enable CSOs to operate more independently.

Mr Rutenge echoed these sentiments, stressing that without capacity-building at the community level, meaningful progress on social justice cannot be achieved.

He called for CSOs to break away from traditional roles and focus on empowering individuals to advocate for themselves.

Mr Rutenge also stressed the importance of long-term, sustainable funding and said donors must avoid treating local communities as mere tools for achieving external objectives.

Funders should focus on building local capacity and ensuring that their support aligns with the long-term needs of the communities they aim to assist, he added.

One of the key issues raised during the session was the potential harm caused by the existing funding models.

Ms Lulu said communities had already been harmed by the way international funding structures operate, often disregarding the local context.

She argued that moving forward, it is critical to minimise any further harm and explore ways to restructure funding to better reflect local needs.

For her part, Ms Magigita reflected on the logical framework model that dominates many donor-funded projects, urging CSOs to rethink their approach to sustainability.

She highlighted the importance of unrestricted funding that allows for greater flexibility and the ability to respond to evolving needs on the ground.

Ms Magigita said CSOs must evaluate their long-term sustainability, asking tough questions about how they would continue operating should external funding be discontinued.

This, she argued, would ensure that social justice work remains resilient and relevant to local communities in the long term.

As they were about to part from the panel, they underscored the importance of localizing the funding for social justice efforts, ensuring that these initiatives are deeply rooted in the communities they seek to serve.

Shifting the focus from externally driven funding models to locally owned and sustained initiatives, social justice organisations can enhance their credibility and impact.

The conversation highlighted the critical role of voice, vision, and value in shaping the future of social justice in Africa, urging civil society to reimagine both the sources and the structure of their funding.