“Women need choice and voice” – Wendo Aszed, Dandelion Africa

There is no ceiling when you have Open Ground. 🌍

Convened by AIDN alongside Women Deliver 2026, AIDN’s ‘Open Ground’ was a free gathering space at the Boatbuilders Yard at South Wharf for the global development community to meet with colleagues, network with new friends, or have some time out. 

Anyone with an interest in international development, philanthropy, and the advancement of women and girls were welcomed. Funders, doers and everyone in between. 

AIDN handed over the mic to implementers, practitioners and advocates from across the globe during the Lightning Talks at Open Ground: short, informal sessions spotlighting voices from the Pacific, Africa, Southeast Asia and beyond.

34 speakers. 3 days. One Mission: “more” and “better” giving and investing by Australians to international causes.

Lightning Talks crossed borders and broke barriers, featuring visionaries from Kenya to Bangladesh, DR Congo to India and beyond – spanning the frontlines of reproductive healthcare, disability equity and clean water rights.

🌍 Day 1 of Open Ground kicked off with eleven Lightning Talks including:

👉 Logan Whitaker (Cotton On Foundation)

👉 Nooreen Dossa (Educate Girls)

👉 Rani Pramesti (Wedu)

👉 Meenal Kharé (ygap)

👉 Fay Matete (Destiny Rescue)

👉 Stephanie Hill (Payton Foundation Ltd)

👉 Biheng Zhang (Intrepid Foundation)

👉 Semerian Sankori (Patinaai Osim)

👉 Ristika Putri Istanti (Lingkar Temu Kabupaten Lestari | Secretariat)

👉 Olayinka Oladipo (World YWCA)

👉 Lachlan Mitchell (Mary’s Meals)

🌍 Day 2 of AIDN’s ‘Open Ground’ was the place to be! A relaxed zone for connections and space for the global development community. 🌍

👉Evelyn Omala (Partners for Equity)

👉Wendo Sahar (Dandelion Africa)

👉Katie Bunten-Wamaru (African Collaborative)

👉Sandra Butoto (Ugeafi)

👉Nancy Hombo & Petronela Ribeiro, MD (MSI Asia Pacific)

👉Swaha Sahoo (Milaan – Be The Change)

👉Caitlin McCaffrie (Centre for Policy Development)

👉Sharmin Kabir (Wreetu Health and Well-being Foundation)

👉Pauline Picho Keronyai (Nama Health Impact)

👉Fifi Rashando (Opportunity International Australia)

👉Geena Dunne (The Cova Project)

👉Esrat Karim Eve (Amal Foundation)

🌍 Day 3, the final day of AIDN’s ‘Open Ground’. The morning commenced with impact as Plan International launched their new Gender Compass Initiative, and then continued with 11 more, 10-minute Lightning Talks throughout the day:

👉 Sarah Rosenberg (With You We Can)

👉 Susan (Suzie) Wnukowska-Mtonga (InterJust)

👉 Tanya Armstrong (Classroom of Hope)

👉 Cate Sumner (UN Women)

👉 Merita Monteiro (Sydney University (Timor Leste))

👉 Jeremy Meltzer (iEqualChange (i=Change))

👉 Grace Adams  (Effective Altruism Australia)

👉 Luse Kinivuwai (World Vision Australia)

👉 Erin Kennedy (United Nations Spotlight Initiative)

👉 Masuma Saeed (Lighthouse Foundation)

👉 Surya Bhatta (One Heart Worldwide)

The team at AIDN was honoured to be so actively involved in a week dedicated to gender equality, health, and the rights of women and girls around the world. We are so grateful to all our Open Ground speakers who generously shared their knowledge and expertise with us and the wider community.