When Stella Duque read a funding call from the EU that directly related to her organization’s core experience, she was excited. However, as the proposal needed a fairly high financial contribution, Taller de Vida, which she founded in Columbia in 1994, couldn’t apply alone.
Duque, whose civil society organization supports children and families affected by violence, including former child soldiers, decided to find an international NGO partner. She thought everything was going well until the partner gave her organization a presentation explaining that due to their own costs, only 10% of project funds would land with Taller de Vida. Duque, a clinical psychologist with decades of front-line experience, had to walk away.
For Jonathan Kojo Anderson, the fundraising manager at Challenging Heights, a Ghanaian CSO, this story sounds very familiar. In 2015, his organization, which rescues and rehabilitates children from modern slavery in the fishing industry, failed to secure assistance as a partner in the Child Protection Compact. The U.S.-Ghana CPC partnership was a five-year plan aimed at bolstering efforts of the Ghanaian government and civil society to address forced child labor and child sex trafficking within the country. In the end, a consortium of NGOs, which included U.S. organizations, was successful.
About the authors
Elizabeth Bianyenoh Blama
Elizabeth Bianyenoh Blama is the executive director of Children Assistance Program, Inc., in Liberia, CAP builds the capacity of vulnerable children and youths to become active members of their communities through comprehensive educational, health care, and economic empowerment services. She is also a registered nurse.
Eric Mukoya
Eric Mukoya is a qualified lawyer, newspaper columnist, and the former executive director of the Undugu Society of Kenya. He is now heading up the International Commission of Jurists - Kenyan Section. He has over two decades of global experience in nonprofits.
Blessing Mutama
Blessing Mutama is the director of Farm Orphan Support Trust in Zimbabwe, which supports orphans and vulnerable children in farm communities. He regularly presents research papers at international conferences and is a seasoned practitioner with over 20 years of experience. He is a trustee and vice chair of Family for Every Child.
