The AIDN Beat
The AIDN Beat is an inclusive space for thought leadership pieces that explore the complexities, trends, and future of the Australian international development sector.
AIDN’s core ethos is ‘more’ and ‘better’ global giving and we seek to foster an environment for the discussion and exploration of how we define these terms in an ever-changing international development ecosystem. Alongside our events, webinars and resources, The AIDN Beat is a key way to achieve this goal.
However, at AIDN we are aware that ‘better’ and ‘more’ are evolving and subjective terms. We are also deeply committed to amplifying diverse voices. Consequently, we accept submissions to The AIDN Beat – so that our dynamic network can shape the discussion too. If you would like to submit content for The AIDN Beat, then we would love to hear from you. Get in touch with us (via hannah@aidnetwork.org.au) and we will share our editorial guidelines.
The AIDN Beat strives to keep up with the rhythm of the international development sector and cover a broad range of subjects: from innovative development financing, to leading case-studies of programs on-the-ground, to the need for a genuine commitment to localisation.
Each month subscribers of AIDN receive an email where we’ll share recent pieces from The AIDN Beat, alongside curated pieces from other international development platforms and provide a recommendation for a relevant text, film or podcast.
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NEWS & RESOURCES
Latest Stories and Developments
AIDN Beat Spotlight: Ishara Fernando
Ishara Fernando is BlueRock's Philanthropy and Impact Manager, manages the Be BlueRock Foundation and volunteers in Sri Lanka and Eswatini. Ishara has 10+ years in the social impact sector managing charity partnerships and engaging communities in charity giving. Ishara uses her strengths and experience in project and operations management, social impact and leadership to build a more equal, just and inclusive world.
The next key opportunity for Australian aid and development? Scalable investments in African education.
Cassandra Treadwell, CEO of So They Can, explores the transformative potential of scalable investments in African education. Cassandra advocates for Australians to move away from a framework of "charity" or "aid", and instead seize a key opportunity to drive global equity and economic growth through investing in education. In particular, Cassandra highlights how targeted, innovative partnerships can address systemic barriers and unlock sustainable development.
Two continents, one mission: How an Australian-Ugandan partnership sparked transformative change in rural Uganda.
This vignette style piece invites our network to explore the evolution of Help 'Us' Grow (HUG), an Australian NFP supporting Ugandan initiatives since 2007. Told through the perspectives of founder Helen Brown, on-the-ground leader Ssemwogerere David, and key funder Mark Cubit, the piece highlights the transformative impact of Aussie fundraising and philanthropy when driven by passion, reflection, and community ownership.
The only good development program is one you can leave behind.
Tamar Kosky Lazarus, Chief Development and Communications officer at IsraAID, reflects upon her recent visit to two IDP (internally displaced persons) camps in Juba, South Sudan. Drawing on the example of one women-led community group that continues to demonstrate incredible resilience despite devastating circumstances, Tamar argues that the humanitarian community must do better. In particular, the development sector must work to ensure that development programs do not create external dependencies nor exit without a follow up plan. Instead, for any development program to be sustainable, it must be community-led and given the time and space to flourish under local leadership.
Developing development leadership? The value of purposeful leadership education for the development sector.
Dr Denisse Rodríguez, Dr Jaco Renken, Dr Matthew Mabefam and Dr Natalie Cunningham highlight how in a period of increasing complexity and challenge for international development, collaborative and critical leadership has never been more important to both navigate practical and ethical issues, and influence organisational decision making. The expert guest contributors argue for purposeful leadership education, such as the “Master of Leadership for Development”, moving forward.
AIDN’s 2024 Insight Tour to Tanzania and Kenya.
A wrap up of AIDN's 2024 Insight Tour to Tanzania and Kenya.
Empowering girls in India – one meeting at a time.
The question as to what “empowerment” actually means or how it manifests on-the-ground remains a perennial question at the heart of international development. In this piece, Surbhi Mahajan shares with our network how she and her colleagues at The Hunger Project India have come to learn how “empowerment” emerges in many different and diverse compositions, extending to safety, mobility, food security and active citizenship.
To illustrate this, Surbhi takes us to Bihar, India to meet various young women and girls who currently attend the Sukyana Club.
Impact Investment in Bangladesh: A New Story.
Bangladesh is at a pivotal moment where it will need to balance economic growth with social development and inclusion. In this piece, Lily Van Berkel and Nick Goryl from XSPI highlight the role that impact investing can play in navigating this key moment in Bangladesh’s rising economy. In particular, they examine recent moves by BRAC and the National Advisory Board for Impact Investment in Bangladesh (NAB), before unpacking the case study of Build Bangladesh.
Why giving directly is not the path forward: The ongoing tension in Australian international philanthropy.
In this piece, Anita Toy argues that the current parameters whereby Australian Private Ancillary Funds (PAFs) and Public Ancillary Funds (PuAFs) cannot directly fund overseas charities (without funding via an Australian registered DGR charity) is fit for purpose. This is because Australian intermediary organisations and local fundraising entities registered with the ACNC must comply with the ACNC’s External Conduct Standards to promote transparency, and reduce the risk of funds being misused overseas.
Hard-edged choices in Ukraine’s survival war.
Gordon Weiss provides our network with a first hand account of the state of humanitarian response and the NGO sector in Ukraine in May 2024. Drawing upon his former role in Ukraine with the United Nations, Gordon is now heading a small-circle philanthropic organisation and currently in Ukraine determining how organisations are adapting and pivoting in the face of ongoing war. It is in this context that international funders, like Gordon, must make hard-edge choices concerning who to support and how to maximise impact in a war for survival.
Why I do what I do (along with many other people I respect and admire).
Mark Cubit, AIDN Co-Founder, shares with our network what underpins his ongoing drive and commitment to the international development sector. Mark outlines two key reasons: first, because working in our sector affords him the privilege of working with and witnessing the incredible work of both the “doers” and the “funders” of international development. Second, because even whilst slow, the data shows that international development efforts are working.
Swimming to end human trafficking: The power of individual fundraising.
Kim Miller, Schools and Partnerships Coordinator at Blue Dragon Children's Foundation, reflects on what her upcoming swim across the English channel has taught her about the role of individual fundraising in 2024. Whilst many of the key discussions in international development may now center around major development financing, Kim highlights the ongoing impact that individual fundraising can have professionally and personally - in addition to supporting urgent causes.