NEAR’s Future Series brings together talented and passionate local leaders to imagine a future where communities in the Global South have the resources and agency to tackle their most pressing challenges without relying on the current aid system. NEAR’s cohort of 20 leaders meets monthly from June-October.
Community Visions of the Future
In June, these leaders engaged their communities to learn about, “What future they want to see in 50 years?” We received their hopes in the form of plans, poems, and images. Below are some examples from Venture Association- Al Mobader in Lebanon:
Our Path Toward a Green Future
By Hanin Dames, Helper
“It’s a vision of a world where cities are built not just from concrete, but from the values of solidarity, environmental justice, and community independence.”
When the Future Began to Look Like Us
By Najieh Loubani, Center Supervisor
We didn’t wait for the world to come fix us.
We fixed ourselves.
We turned rubble into walls, tears into rivers of nourishment.
We were no longer labeled as “beneficiaries,” but as creators—
Creators of life, architects of a new system.
Shared Values
Though these future visions are unique to each person and context, a few shared values have emerged:
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Collaboration for solutions, not competition for resources
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Global South resources mobilised first
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Decentralised power
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Inclusion and amplification of grassroots, local, and traditionally excluded voices
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Transparency and accountability
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Conservation and regeneration
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Natural, cultural, and ancestral wisdom
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Technology for care
What if we design a new system of solidarity rooted in these values?
When we met as a cohort in July, we used these shared values to prioritise the focus of our work along the three key design questions below:
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How might communities across the Global South share information and coordinate resources amongst themselves without relying on the Global North?
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How might the Global South develop and export new, ethical technologies that are used globally to save lives, connect people, and protect our planet?
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How might grassroots leaders from local communities across the Global South guide policy and funding decisions at the national and international levels?
What’s Next?
In August, the cohort will gather to map out potential pathways to create a bridge from our present reality to a future where these prioritised visions are true across the Global South.
We’d love to hear from you!
Share your top ideas for how we can work toward our future vision of solidarity, sustainability, and self-reliance.