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Overview

The NEAR community is working to transform the aid sector – not just reset or reform. To do that, we are tapping into the wisdom, vision, and creativity of our members and building on the work of our network to reimagine the future through the lens of local leadership, self-reliance, sustainability, and solidarity. We kicked off on 18 June, and over the next few months, we will gather a cohort of NEAR members to explore problems, imagine new solutions, and map a pathway forward. 

Our cohort is made up of representatives from 20 NEAR member organisations.  

• Regional representation: 5 MENA, 7 Africa, 4 Asia Pacific, 4 Latin America and Caribbean; 

• 60% are women; 

• 50% are emerging leaders, aged 35 or younger; 

• 20% identify as belonging to historically underrepresented groups 

During the kickoff, we got to know each other by sharing personal stories of times when we’ve experienced solidarity– drawing inspiration from our families, neighbours, and faith communities to help illustrate a shared definition for solidarity.   

Then we embarked on an exercise of radical imagination where we envisioned the world we want to see in 50 years, unconstrained by the realities of our current systems. We imagined new technologies that prioritised connection and collective care, decisions and structures rooted in ancestral and natural wisdom, and young people leading all along the way.   

From these exercises and the surrounding discussions, there emerged a set of principles that will guide our work together over the next few months. During this series, we’ll develop solutions and recommendations for how the NEAR community can move toward a system grounded in solidarity and influence the larger sector to do the same. 

We’ll continue to update this page with summaries from our workshops and invitations to all NEAR members to share your own ideas and insights.  

We want to hear from you! Sketch or describe your future vision and share it using this form. 

Imagine the world 50 years in the future 

What is the future you want to see, where communities across the Global South have the resources and agency to address the challenges that impact them– without relying on our current aid system? 

• What does it look like? 

• How do communities get what they need? 

• How are people working together and showing up for each other– both locally and across borders? 

• What new technology exists in this future that helps build solidarity and cooperation? 

Have questions? Please get in touch with us at: lradzicki@near.ngo