Dorcas is grateful to announce the start of a new EU-funded programme aimed at strengthening the capacity of Civil Society Organisations to develop innovative solutions related to the environment, digitalisation, and gender equality.

In the heart of Upper Egypt, disadvantaged communities face numerous challenges. Evidence underscores the critical role that local Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) can play in mobilising, capacitating, and empowering community members. This becomes particularly effective when CSOs work in synergy with each other, local government entities, and the private sector. Despite their good intentions, many CSOs face challenges that hinder their efficiency. These include a need for human capacity, financial, and data resources and limited technical capacity related to programme design, monitoring, and networking for multi-stakeholder collaboration. Many organisations operate with traditional top-down knowledge transfer methods and rely heavily on external funding. They often need to become more familiar with asset-based community development methods that leverage locally available resources.

Catalysts for change
To empower the disadvantaged communities, the programme will select twenty local CSOs in Beni Suef to systematically enhance their organisational, institutional, and technical capacities. This four-year action plan employs a trajectory of mentoring, coaching, and on-the-job training to empower these CSOs to become catalysts for change within their communities.

Central to the programme’s approach is adopting the Farmer Field and Business Schools (FFBS) method, a proven and tested market-based agricultural extension technique. This approach aims to bolster the CSOs and economically empower 2,000 small-scale female farmers in the region, driving social and economic progress.

Training and support
Furthermore, the programme provides CSOs with opportunities to propose and implement innovative ideas and initiatives that directly address the pressing needs of their communities. With comprehensive training and support, CSOs can craft sound and feasible plans and receive essential on-the-job assistance during implementation.

Beyond the selected CSOs, the programme extends its reach to local actors, community groups, and other relevant stakeholders . This inclusive approach aims to foster collaboration and ensure the sustainability of the programme results.

Dorcas and Woord en Daad will continue their cooperation on job creation for Ethiopian youth in 2023. Since 2016, Dorcas and Woord en Daad have collaborated in Ethiopia on job creation for young people. Within the Employable Youth Ethiopia (EYE) programme, they realised more than 20,000 jobs between 2016-2021 within a multi-party consortium through intensive cooperation with vocational schools, entrepreneurial training providers and private parties. Several networks were also launched to improve dialogue between stakeholders.

After the EYE programme ended, both parties decided not to terminate the infrastructure built up and to complete innovations. For instance, the Centre of Excellence model, in which vocational schools train young people for companies based on pre-made job and wage guarantees, will be further developed with in 2023. Entrepreneurship training providers are also developing new collaborations to better support young people get (digital) business support and access to start-up capital.

This week, Agnes Kroese, CEO of Dorcas and Rina Molenaar, CEO of Woord en Daad signed a new partnership agreement that reflects the intention to work together in the coming years to make structural changes in the youth and employment system and to create jobs on a large scale. ‘We know each other and have built a special shared history in Ethiopia,’ Agnes Kroese said, ‘It would be illogical not to do our utmost to continue to seek collaboration, be complementary to each other and continue to tap into the potential of each other and others. That serves the interest of the young people we are both committed to.’

Rina Molenaar agrees: ‘This partnership agreement is a starting point for a joint exploration of how to achieve large-scale change. In this, we must be able to put our own role into perspective, become ambitious to be modest and proactively engage in cooperation.’

The continuing EYE programme brings together key Ethiopian stakeholders such as the Ministry of Skills and Labour, the Chamber of Commerce, workers’ and employers’ organisations and micro-credit umbrellas to discuss and improve current schemes and policies. Meanwhile, the programme is innovatively creating hundreds of new jobs for young people. In this, Dorcas and Woord en Daad are supported by Dutch companies and thrift shops.

In the Zummar sub-district in Iraq, Dorcas provided agricultural assets and supported the improvement of livelihoods for income generation for returnees and internally displaced persons. This project was done in partnership with World Vision International and Harikar NGO and was funded by the Iraq humanitarian fund of OCHA. Othman and Ibrahim, two project participants, share how this project has benefited them.

When Othman returned to his village after the IS conflict, his agricultural business and land had been destroyed. He struggled to get enough income for his family. Dorcas provided Othman with agriculture inputs, training and an irrigation system to be able to rebuild the family’s agricultural business.  

Othman describes: ‘We didn’t have enough income to cover our expenditures, but after I received the agricultural inputs from Dorcas, the expenditures have been reduced. This project has made me more self-reliant, and it has had a very good impact on the community.’ 

Ibrahim also returned to his village after the conflict. When he arrived, he did not have enough income to purchase seeds, fertilisers and to plow the land before planting. As part of the sustainable livelihood project, Ibrahim received rain-fed inputs and training.  

Ibrahim describes: ‘Through this support, we have recultivated our lands. Due to the high prices of seeds, fertilisers and pesticides we were not able to purchase this, but now we are on the right track in our agricultural business.  

By the end of 2022, a total of 108.4 million people is forcibly displaced worldwide. An increase of 19.1 million people in just one year.

UNHCR recently published its annual global trend report. In this report they look back at 2022 and the indicated trends of forced displacement. Some facts mentioned in this report:

• A total of 76 percent of the world’s refugees and other people in need of international protection are hosted in low- and middle-income countries.
• A total of 70 percent lived in countries neighbouring their countries of origin.
• When looking at the location of origin, a total of 52 percent of all refugees came from just three countries: Syria, Ukraine and Afghanistan. This includes two countries where Dorcas is active (Syria and Ukraine).

Dorcas is active in fourteen countries in Eastern Europe, Eastern Africa and the Middle East. In twelve of these fourteen countries we see forced displacement, both from natural disaster and man-made disaster. Lebanon continues to provide assistance to Syrian refugees, even though the economic and political situation in the country worsens. They are hosting the largest number of refugees per capita, with an estimation of 1.5 million Syrian refugees plus a small number of refugees of other nationalities. South Sudan’s refugee crisis remains the largest in Africa, with over 2.3 million South Sudanese refugees hosted in neighbouring countries and another 2.3 million internally displaced. The conflict in Ukraine remains ongoing and is currently one of the largest human displacement crises in the world.

Numbers in Dorcas countries:

UNHCR found that by the end of 2022, the number of people displaced by conflict, persecution, violence and human rights abuses stood at a record 108.4 million, up 19.1 million on a year earlier, which was the biggest ever increase.

A total of 108.4 million forcibly displaced worldwide by the end of 2022:

• 35.3 million refugees.
• 62.5 million internally displaced people.
• 5.4 million asylum-seekers.
• 5.2 million other people in need of international protection.

Source: UNHCR Global Trends, forced displacement in 2022

More than 3.4 billion euros will be cut from the Dutch budget for development cooperation and humanitarian assistance in the coming years if the government’s “spring budget” (Voorjaarsnota) is approved. As more asylum seekers than expected are coming to the Netherlands, the government intends to use these funds from the development cooperation budget to provide housing for these asylum seekers within Dutch borders. This money would otherwise be spent on sustainable development and humanitarian assistance throughout the world. Over 100 Dutch development organisations, including Dorcas, are therefore calling for these cuts to be reversed and for the setting of a maximum amount for the asylum costs paid from the development cooperation budget.

Partos, the umbrella association for more than 100 Dutch development organisations, considers it very ill-advised that the Dutch government will cut back on tackling the root causes of conflict, climate change, poverty and humanitarian assistance. It therefore calls on the Dutch House of Representatives to reverse the budget cuts.

Liana Hoornweg, director of Partos: ‘Of course, the Netherlands must provide adequate asylum for refugees. However, the painful fact is that standard asylum has been subject to budget cuts for many years. As expensive emergency shelter is now being deployed, the very poorest in the world are the victims of a failing Dutch asylum policy. We call on the Dutch House of Representatives to tackle this problem structurally: introduce a maximum amount for the asylum costs that can be paid from the budget for development cooperation. That will allow the development budget to be used for its intended purpose: promoting sustainable development by tackling the root causes of conflict, climate change, hunger and poverty.’

Spokespersons from the coalition parties CDA, D66 and ChristenUnie confirmed the undesirability of increasing contributions from the budget for development cooperation to fund expenditure on housing for asylum seekers. Party congresses of D66 and CU adopted motions in 2022 to set a maximum amount from the budget for development cooperation that can be used on costs for asylum. Hoornweg: ‘Now is the time for action. We are counting on the coalition parties to stick to their own statements in the coming weeks. The debate on humanitarian assistance on 11 May is a good next opportunity to do just that.’

The situation in Sudan and South Sudan continues to worsen as thousands of people flee the conflict in Sudan and cross the South Sudanese border. Dorcas shares the worries of the NGO community of South Sudan that the number of returnees and refugees is exceeding previous projections, as the number is already over 50,000. This adds to the dire humanitarian crisis South Sudan is already in. The start of the rainy season will also have a major impact on the area. The situation can become even more catastrophic, as El Niño is predicted, and this may cause heavy rain and floods. 

Together with the humanitarian community in South Sudan, we want to raise awareness to the humanitarian crisis that is unfolding in the region. In order to mitigate an even bigger crisis and support those in need, we need to respond now. Humanitarian supplies and especially food items need to be supplied to prevent the severity of food insecurity in the region to worsen.  

Soon the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs will present its “Feminist Foreign Policy”. Following in the footsteps of countries such as Spain, Sweden and Canada, the Netherlands will commit itself to fostering global equality. This will be done through the adoption and implementation of a feminist foreign policy. What this policy will entail in concrete terms is not yet known, but it seems that two target groups in particular will receive extra attention in Dutch foreign policy: (young) women and LGBTIQ+ people. The feminist foreign policy aims to serve the goal that “If more people get equal opportunities, that contributes to a safe, stable and prosperous world” (quote from the website of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

At Dorcas, we think it is a good development that the Netherlands is willing to target people that need extra support. For example, we know that women can be more vulnerable to poverty and exclusion for various reasons. It is important to take this into account in Dutch foreign policies, so that women worldwide receive the support they need. This also applies to LGBTIQ+ people. We therefore understand the desire to focus on equal rights for women and LGBTIQ+ people. However, Dorcas and 25 humanitarian assistance and development organisations fear that other groups of people, such as older persons, people with disabilities and ethnic minorities will automatically receive less attention. Dorcas cannot agree to favouring one person over another. This would undermine the goal of a “safe, stable and prosperous world”.  

Dorcas stands for inclusive policies and practices in which everyone can participate regardless of ethnicity, gender, religious background and other personal characteristics. That is why Dorcas in collaboration with 25 organisations has written a letter to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In this letter we jointly request attention for an inclusive foreign policy that takes into account all personal characteristics that could lead to exclusion. As far as Dorcas is concerned, this goes beyond gender and sexual preference alone.

The letter includes suggestions on how the Dutch feminist foreign policy can broaden its scope beyond gender and sexual orientation. Often the overlap between different personality traits creates extra vulnerability. For example, women with a disability are more vulnerable than men with a disability. By recognising this overlap and looking beyond gender and sexual orientation alone, the 26 organisations hope that the Netherlands can make a difference worldwide for everyone in need!

What is a Feminist Foreign Policy?

The Netherlands wants to reduce inequality and strives for equality between men and women and LGBTIQ+ people all over the world. That is why the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working on feminist foreign policy.

With the choice for a feminist foreign policy, equal rights and equality for women and LGBTIQ+ people will be central to all aspects of Dutch foreign policy. With this, the Netherlands joins a group of frontrunners from countries that are committed to gender equality internationally, such as Germany, Spain, France, Luxembourg, Canada, Mexico and Chile.

Dorcas distributes food, provides health support in a mobile clinic and offers psychosocial support to those affected by the earthquake. Dorcas’ humanitarian assistance coordinator Mirian Wester explains this protection approach that psychosocial support is part of.

‘Surviving an earthquake is incredibly intense’, explains Mirian. ‘It can cause a lot of stress and feelings of insecurity, which can ultimately cause a range of other complaints. Many people have been pulled out from under the rubble, and everyone has lost family and/or friends. On top of that, many people lost their homes, possessions and income in one fell swoop. That obviously has a huge impact on their lives.’

Food and water are basic needs, but so is good psychological help. Difficult experiences need to be processed as soon as possible. Many people are resilient and can talk to friends or family about their feelings and fears. Others need professional support and Dorcas provides that.

The Dorcas mental health and psychosocial support team in Syria consists mainly of social workers and psychologists, each with their own expertise. For example, some employees are specialised in giving psychosocial support to children. Providing timely help to children is extremely important. If an intense experience is not processed properly, they can carry it with them for the rest of their lives’, says Mirian. Dorcas therefore focuses on psychosocial support for children. The Dorcas Community Centres offer recreational activities to help children feel safe and relaxed and regain their self-confidence. For example, children can colour in pictures or play football with each other. Individual psychosocial sessions are possible, if a child requires specific attention.

Dorcas also organises psychosocial support for adults. This support helps them to cope with the impact of the earthquake, increase their resilience and deal with their experiences in a positive way.

Dorcas also organises awareness sessions about what people can do during and after earthquakes and about the different emotional reactions such a situation can evoke. They then learn how to deal with their reactions, for example, through breathing exercises. Individual psychological sessions are also available for adults.

Currently Dorcas provides support in 13 community centres and temporary shelters. Psychosocial activities take place In the community centres and in the temporary shelters Dorcas distributes food together with local partner organisations. Dorcas social workers visit reception locations and can refer people to the specialised psychosocial support in the centres.

Before these activities started, Dorcas first of all ensured that its staff received psychosocial support to cope with their own experiences. ‘EMDR group sessions and individual sessions were offered by our psychologist from Lebanon, who was on site immediately after the earthquake.’ Many members of staff took advantage of these sessions. Furthermore, the psychologist also gave staff a refresher course on how to give psychological first aid: calming and supporting people by showing empathy, listening and offering practical help, such as access to food. All staff distributing food or collecting data can give this first aid.

A coordinator specialised in psychosocial health is available to all staff to check on everyone’s progress. Mirian: ‘We are very aware that our colleagues were also affected by the earthquake and so we make sure that they get the help they need.’

In Syria, the earthquake caused widespread destruction in infrastructure and civilian buildings in Aleppo, Hama, Idleb, and Lattakia governorates. The impact of this earthquake is enormous. Many buildings in the region who have already suffered damage from the ongoing civil war are now destroyed.

When time passes by, we get more insight on the impact and fear that the biggest disaster is yet to come. After assessments we see:

• Many buildings have collapsed and people are still expected to be under the rubble. Many buildings are unsafe and the risk of collapse is high. In Aleppo, areas are closed due to safety reasons and providing humanitarian assistance is challenging.
• People stay on the streets, in cars, shelters, sports stadiums, mosques and churches. But there are also people who, despite the unsafe state of their homes, do not dare to leave.
• Another disaster is unfolding whilst people have lost everything and many of them do not have the means to provide in basic needs.
• The availability of essential products is limited. Shelters cannot always offer warm clothes, food and water. Given the temperatures, especially at night, it is urgent that people have access to a safe and warm place to stay.
• Syria is in a fuel-crisis and fuel is not always available or affordable. An immediate emergency demand for petrol is requested to support rescue workers and humanitarian organisations.
• Mental health and psychosocial support is essential when dealing with crisis. The continuous aftershocks are causing widespread fear and anxiety among children, older people, women and young people.

Dorcas has been active in Syria for many years. This allowed our staff on the ground to take immediate action. Dorcas is providing support on FSL, non-food items and protection via:

• Delivering food parcels and ready-to-eat meals.
• Supplying blankets and warm clothing.
• Providing health and mental health services and medicine through a mobile unit in Hama and Idleb. Its servicing in hard-to-reach areas.
• Offering mental health and psychosicial support. Our Psychological First Aid programme is designed to provide emotional support and support individuals cope with their negative experience.

Earthquakes and severe aftershocks are causing great devastation in Syria and Turkey. Dorcas has been active in Syria for many years and is directly experiencing the consequences of this disaster itself. The office in Aleppo was heavily damaged. But country office staff took immediate action, offering support to victims based on what is needed. Blankets, warm clothes and food are currently being distributed.

Najla Chahda (Dorcas’ Country Director in Syria): ‘Our office in Aleppo is damaged and we cannot work there at the moment. It is unsafe. Luckily, we can operate from one of our partners office and continue to provide support to those in need. Our community centre, where many of our programmes are given, is unharmed. For us, it is not a question of taking action. It is in our hearts to support people and that is what we are doing now. We have to do this.’

Due to the Beirut blast, Dorcas has experience in quickly responding to a disaster of this magnitude. The situation and needs of the people who have been affected are continuously assessed. Slowly the situation is becoming clearer, but it remains to be seen whether there will be new earthquakes and how severe they will be. We see older people are unable to leave their homes and when they do, they have nowhere to go. People are afraid to stay indoors, but the current weather conditions make this challenging. Besides distributing clothes, blankets and food, Dorcas also provides first aid to the victims through a mobile clinic. Furthermore, Dorcas is looking into providing cash-money assistance and psychosocial care.