Thread by @DiasporicDev

Good morning! It’s #BONDCONF day - ‘the biggest international development event in Europe’.

Are any DD members there today? What sessions are you most looking forward to and why? 👀

#BondConf are asking what the biggest challenges facing the sector today are? Some of the answers include leadership, change, diversity & inclusion. What would you add?

#Bondconf opening with session on civil society & inclusivity

.@Tanni_GT is speaking on the power of sport to tackle marginalisation & create opportunities for collaboration and connection #bondconf

And now Abhina Abher of India HIV/AIDS Alliance. She says when we want to learn new things, sometimes we have to unlearn our preconceptions #bondconf

Abhina Abher speaking on the experience of living as a transgender person - childhood, invisibility, and the lack of inclusion. She also speaks about her reconciliation with her mother #bondconf

Abhina Abher tells the audience to ask themselves how would we support our children/spouses/friends wanted to transition? Transgender people simply want to live with dignity #bondconf

Abhina Abher talks about the blessing and curse of visibility for transgender people. The importance of being accepted in society but also the danger of being subject to hate crimes and violence. #bondconf

.@Tanni_GT highlights the importance of partnership and utilising local knowledge when implementing projects #bondconf

A member of the audience asks @Tanni_GT how to put disability on the map in Nigeria as it’s not a topic yet a huge issue especially with a growing youth population #bondconf

A member of the audience requests for #bondconf to have a minute silence for #christchurch

‘Alternative futures for INGOs’ session being chaired by @AMukwashi & panel made up of CEOs of INGOs #bondconf

So far speakers have mentioned the importance of availability, adapting, access, support, partnership & being plugged in with locals #bondconf

Adeem Younis of @pennyappeal speaks on how they’re plugged in with their British Muslim community and how this has contributed to their growth & the impact that Muslims have in charity #bondconf

.@AMukwashi asks the audience to be provocative. First audience question is around recent comments on white saviour complex & education of girls #bondconf

p.s. battery is floundering so keep up with #bondconf but we’ll do our best to keep you updated!

re: white saviour complex question - we have to ask ourselves who has the right to tell these stories and presenting a fair and accurate narrative of people (the ‘rewriting the media’s tale of aid’ session this afternoon will be an interesting one) #bondconf

shoutout to @bantukongo who’s come through with the phone charger 🙌🏾

.@GirishMenonAAUK talks about both inter-country power dynamics AND intra-country power dynamics (class & elitism). He also asks us whether we see people as only survivors or leaders? #bondconf

Audience question - are INGOs aid agents or change makers? 👀 #bondconf

Audience member - ‘The future is local’. The idea of transferring expertise is 17th century. We’re only transferring fundraising in decentralised organisations. The future is about local networks #bondconf

Audience member - It’s not just about the money but the language we use that embeds power structures. Are INGOs even relevant, should they be shrinking? #bondconf

Re: power dynamics @GirishMenonAAUK says that sharing power is messy and asks us do we want to do the right thing or the easy thing? #bondconf

.@AMukwashi asks as a black African woman leading a British charity what will be her contribution to the charity & the sector. If the sector continues the way we are, we will be irrelevant during a time when we’re needed most #bondconf

Part 2 of #bondconf begins - we’re at ‘Retelling the media’s tale of aid’ session

One of the issues about charitable status is that it makes it difficult to explicitly challenge political issues #bondconf

Journalism re: aid tends to be either white saviour complex or what a waste aid is. Too often it doesn’t report on the nuance #bondconf

Journalism does go beyond fundraising (good/bad) stories and does talk about humanitarian stories. These are the top 12 news outlets: #bondconf

These are how journalists tend to frame their stories (helpful for those that may want to pitch 👀) #bondconf

Reflecting on the importance of consent and the dangers of exploiting vulnerable people when telling humanitarian stories #bondconf

Audience member says that NGOs have never had it so good as they have more opportunity to get press coverage which was impossible in the past. Perhaps NGOs need to rethink their own media practices. Do you agree? #bondconf

NGOs also need to dig deep and not push out puff pieces. The media is not their marketing department. #bondconf

NGOs just want dialogue to be able to talk about the complexities of the work we do - we need journalists to give space for that #bondconf

Journalists need to be able to hold politicians and power to account rather than perpetuate the same power imbalances that can be seen in NGOs and the world #BondConf

Closing keynote being delivered by Sec of State for International Development @PennyMordaunt #bondconf

.@PennyMordaunt says that the sector has made strides re: safeguarding #bondconf

.@PennyMordaunt says that each government department is working towards the sustainable development goals #bondconf

.@PennyMordaunt says DFID’s role is to help the sector forge partnerships #bondconf

.@PennyMordaunt - DFID funding will be increasingly focused on small organisations #bondconf

.@PennyMordaunt speaks on DFID moving towards more transparency and supporting a diverse civil society #bondconf

.@PennyMordaunt announces new UK Aid Connect funding especially focused in Kenya, Burma & Malawi #bondconf

It would be great if we could also have an opportunity for questions that aren’t prepared. Maybe next year? #bondConf

.@PennyMordaunt speaks on the importance of the private sector re: partnerships, investing in developing countries, ethical business. We need businesses involved #bondconf

.@PennyMordaunt asks everyone to ‘chill out’ and confirms DFID is not being swallowed into another govt but here to stay. #bondconf

Day 1 of #bondconf is done! We go again tomorrow

Day 2 of #bondconf is about to begin! Looking forward to hear today’s keynotes and topics of discussion at the sessions

Today is being kicked off by Gibril Faal, Vice Chair of @BondNGO recapping some of the points covered by @PennyMordaunt yesterday including funding announcements and partnerships #bondconf

Opening keynote is on human rights, civil society and development being chaired by Solomon Mugera of @BBCAfrica w/ @Maina_Kiai & @barbaranost #bondconf

.@Maina_Kiai starts by highlighting the positive strides that the development sector has made incl. immunisation, higher levels of education, healthcare and now mentions one of the biggest issues - inequality #bondconf

.@Maina_Kiai - we need to question the role of business. Using the example of Amazon & their desire to set up in Long Island City (@AOC’s district) to demonstrate how govt is acting to the whims of business. Do we want this to be the norm? #bondconf

.@Maina_Kiai - we need to confront the idea that we have become the elite and we need to challenge ourselves so we don’t become comfortable with the status quo. We need to remember people & solidarity are our main reasons for why we do what we do #bondconf

.@Maina_Kiai - we’ve become so professionalised and we work in silos. We also need to question what role the INGOs have to play and if locals should be doing some of that work #bondconf

.@Maina_Kiai - We often say we’re giving a voice to voiceless but we need to let people have their own voice #bondconf

.@Maina_Kiai - we need to figure out how we’re ([I]NGOs) going to stay relevant especially in a society where social movements are the ones making change #bondconf

.@Maina_Kiai asks us to challenge DFID. DFID has to give us (the sector) money so we should collectively be holding DFID accountable. We shouldn’t leave this challenge to the Daily Fail (he didn’t really call the paper that but that’s where we stand in DD 🙂) #bondconf

.@BarbaraNost - talking about the complexities and structures of the development sector and highlights how global orgs only get 0.3% of the aid budget as various intermediaries take part of the budget for their own costs #bondconf

.@BarbaraNost - The Call for Proposals only creates a culture of competition amongst organisations and says nothing about the culture / leadership of these orgs. Also int’l orgs compete with local orgs when they should leave this space to the latter #bondconf

.@BarbaraNost - Intl orgs have a large support system behind them where local orgs do not - it’s unfair for INGOs to compete with them. #bondconf

.@BarbaraNost - funders should be honest about the likelihood of success in applications especially where many requests for additional info go unanswered #bondconf

.@BarbaraNost talks about the dilemma of being a European who heads a global southern organisations. She mentions that she’s part of the #shiftthepower movement #bondconf

.@Maina_Kiai states that it is indeed a dilemma because it’s a reflection of global power structures #bondconf

.@Maina_Kiai - We need to move away from the idea that only the rich and powerful have the right to speak. Ordinary people can speak for themselves #bondconf

.@BarbaraNost - We need to change our attitude towards local orgs. Too often orgs are focused on how can we please our Northern funders and not how can we please the local citizens we’re meant to be supporting #bondconf

Audience member asks how local NGOs can balance collecting data to be used effectively as opposed to pleasing northern funders/NGOs/INGOs #bondconf

Great start to Day 2! Now the dilemma of which session to go to ‘Learning from the global south’ or ‘Breaking stereotypes to tell authentic stories’ #bondconf

We’ve decided to go to ‘Breaking stereotypes to tell authentic stories’ session but will keeping an eye on #bondconf for ‘Learning from the global south’

.@ed_ade1 starts by talking about his doctoral thesis which focuses on representation of Africa/Africans by NGOs #bondconf

.@ed_ade1 - too often NGOs homogenise the British audience and assume the audience is completely the same. This ignores British audience of African descent - his thesis specifically focused on British Nigerians #bondconf

.@ed_ade1 is sharing how diaspora engage with images of the continent by NGOs where we identify with the ethnic connection but not images of extreme poverty #bondconf

.@ed_ade1 - it’s clear that NGOs do not consider diaspora communities as their audience nor as a donor community #bondconf

.@smugera is starting his session with this slide 👀 #bondconf

.@smugera is highlighting how KONY 2012 campaign backfired (talk about a throwback) #bondconf

.@smugera highlights that @bbcworldservice are expanding the (African) languages that the news is offered in eg pidgin, Yoruba, Amharic etc #bondconf

.@smugera says Africa is not just for black people. A delicate issue as how do we account for non-black people born in the continent? The same way black people are born in the UK - isn’t it about our life experience and not just rave #bondconf

Next up Jessie Crombe speaking on how people in the photos feel - a perspective that is hardly ever shared #bondconf

*Jess Crombie - did a study commissioned by Save the Children to investigate this. Conclusions include a desire to have a voice, be heard and raise awareness #bondconf

One of the big issues is that many people did not/do not remember giving consent for photographs. Also many did not end up even seeing the photos they were involved in! Nor did they see/feel the outcome of why these photos were taken #bondconf

One of the interviewees in the report said they wanted to be the ones TAKING the pictures not in them! (Isn’t that a thought! But would that mean sharing power and agency?? 🤔🙂) #bondconf

.@DaveOCarroll is asking us have we placed our charity as the main protagonist in telling stories? #bondconf

.@DaveOCarroll - organisations often do not set out to be demeaning but it’s important for values to be embodied by everyone creating a story (but this can be difficult) #bondconf

.@DaveOCarroll - Ask yourself do you have the time and the budget to tell a properly deep and meaningful way? Comms tend not to be invested in but it’s essential. Comms need to take time being with the community before even turning on a camera #bondconf

It’s Q&A time!!! First one is how do we go beyond having the same conversation and actual make tangible change? #bondconf

Your girl asked a question about how NGOs are moving to make sure comms departments are reflective of the people they’re taking images of? #bondconf

.@DaveOCarroll very frankly said that this is not just an issue of HR but for everyone across the organisation #bondconf

.@ed_ade1 offers some practical advice including the importance of ~actually~ engaging diaspora communities to gain both qualitative and quantitative data #bondconf

Conclusion is that everyone needs to take more time to develop authentic stories! #bondconf

Lunch is all done and now we’re at the ‘rethinking your organisational model’ session - very important for many organisations (and hoping to get some good tips for DD) #bondconf

Currently talking about charity vs social enterprise vs social business models #BondConf

The audience is being asked whether we are organisations driven by money or impact #bondconf

.@bonniesychiu - she said @LensationalOrg started as a Facebook page! The power of social media #bondconf

.@bonniesychiu didn’t want to a dependant funding model for @lensationalorg which led to investigating the social enterprise model with 50% going to women and the 50% to the organisation. Important that the way in which they make money is aligned with mission #bondconf

.@bonniesychiu shares a piece of advice where someone told her don’t jump on the funding bandwagon as she’d be stuck in a hamster wheel of funding #bondconf

.@bonniesychiu - when thinking about your organisational model, you should never change your vision and mission #bondconf

.@bonniesychiu is talking about INGOs vs global orgs. The latter focuses more on fluidity and not being bound by nation states #bondconf

Next up, Sarah Ramsey shares this slide on different organisational models #bondconf

And the RISE framework #bondconf

For new social enterprise organisations (but also useful for any organisation) #bondconf

.@bonniesychiu highlights one of the things that is lacking in the #shiftthepower conversation is the ACTUAL giving up of power - you might have to lose your job but we have skills that are valuable to other sectors so we’ll be okay! #bondconf

Audience member asks about the idea of risk. She says DFID are more likely to give to a big INGO rather than a small southern based org - if something goes wrong with the latter the org is blamed but if it’s the INGO then they’ll be blamed not DFID #bondconf

Last session of the day ‘Building trust with communities and beyond’ #bondconf

Currently speaking about the importance of keeping knowledge and expertise inside the local community #bondconf

Also the importance of bringing local community along in projects so nothing is a surprise to them and they remain invested #bondconf

It’s important to work with local communities in the language they understand, skills training to NGOs & providing English language training (which tends to be the default language of reports & the donors) #bondconf

Sometimes in the development sector we want to see quick results but change takes time. Also it’s important for donors to be part of this conversation as the timing for project cycles doesn’t work #bondconf

Should we be changing our language when wanting to build trust with local communities e.g. the terms ‘beneficiaries’ and ‘empowerment’ #bondconf

‘We may be poor but we are not powerless’ #bondconf

Closing session with @Sisonkemsimang and chaired by @smugera #bondconf

.@Sisonkemsimang - Organisations have a responsibility to think about whether they perpetuate or challenge stereotypical images #bondconf

.@Sisonkemsimang - organisations need to create space for new storytelling, invest in new storytellers and sit back and listen #bondconf

.@Sisonkemsimang - we often think of storytellers as mystic, wise and ancient rather than intelligence and experts who can add to knowledge. ‘White people are experts, Black and Brown people are storytellers.’ #bondconf

.@Sisonkemsimang - we get ‘stories from the field’ and expertise from HQ #bondconf

.@Sisonkemsimang - how can stories be authentic if they only match project cycles? #bondconf

.@Sisonkemsimang - the duty is to our storytellers not the story #bondconf

.@Sisonkemsimang - we need to think of storytelling as something that can be told by everyone in order to shift the thinking of those who think of themselves as leaders and experts #bondconf

.@Sisonkemsimang closes by reading an excerpt from her book on the immigrant experience #bondconf

That’s a wrap! #BONDCONF 2019 was an experience - catch up on our thread to find out more