This essay is the second of seven that Devex is producing in partnership with the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation as part of The next frontier: Reimagining financing for development and growth — a series convening diverse global voices to redefine collaboration and unlock capital for future growth.
In a new essay, CAMFED CEO Angeline Murimirwa explains that the global development finance model will continue to fall short of its potential if it treats community commitment as a subsidy to be utilized, rather than as primary capital that makes development possible.
When the contributions of local communities are ignored or diminished, the impact of external investments seems larger. But this doesn’t tell the full story. The commitment of local communities is the most powerful force in development and multiplies the collective impact of all resources being contributed. Murimirwa suggests that to achieve sustainability, we must shift the framework away from funding for projects and toward investing with communities.
Explore the essay to discover how recognizing local commitment as primary capital — and centering the agency of those with lived experience — can unlock the extraordinary multipliers needed to achieve lasting education systems transformation.