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. 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.
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.
Subscribers of The AIDN Beat will receive a bi-monthly 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
“What’s your Plan B?”: Cambodian civil society is fighting for sustainability amid a donor exodus.
Kate Flower, Australian lawyer and international development practitioner, highlights how a small cohort of civil society organisations in Cambodia are quietly rewriting the playbook amidst 2025's donor exodus. Operating on threadbare budgets, these CSOs are leaning into the power of solidarity, reclaiming community-rooted strategies, and re-imagining a new network of support.
The overlooked link: Building climate resilience through reproductive healthcare.
The flooding crisis in Pakistan in 2022 reaffirmed to the team at Marie Stopes International (MSI) that climate change is not only an environmental crisis, but is also a gendered health crisis. In this piece, Grishma Bista, Executive Officer of MSI Asia Pacific, highlights how the impacts of climate change on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) are currently overlooked by policymakers and donors. SRHR must be embedded into climate adaptation strategies moving forward.
AIDN Beat Spotlight: Simon Lewis
Through The AIDN Beat Spotlight series we hope to highlight a diverse range of sector experts and learn more about their journey in the international development sector. Meet Simon Lewis, Co-Founder & Chair of AIDN, and founding partner of GoodWolf Partners.
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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.
Exercising the governance muscle – why inclusive land governance matters.
In this incisive piece, Elizabeth Daley (Chair of the Board of the Land Portal Foundation) strips back complex debates on “good governance” in international development for our network. Drawing on over 20 years of work on land rights and governance globally, Elizabeth argues that inclusive land governance promotes fairness, reduces conflicts, and challenges harmful social norms by ensuring all community members, especially marginalized groups, have a voice in land use decisions.
Amplifying impact and holding the lines: the case of the Forest Glades centre and Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries in Ukraine.
In this latest piece from Gordon Weiss (Planet Humana), our network is given a unique on-the-ground insight into the ongoing war in Ukraine. Gordon reflects on the work of the Forest Glades centre that is treating Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries, and the significant impact that small philanthropic funds can have in this ecosystem.
Celebrating one year of The AIDN Beat.
Since launching last September, we have been amazed by the interest and uptake of The AIDN Beat. We’ve published twenty-four thought pieces over the last year. To celebrate, we’ve compiled all the pieces into this PDF booklet, so you can revisit the rich insights shared by our contributors.
AIDN Beat Spotlight: Fifi Rashando.
Through The AIDN Beat Spotlight series we hope to highlight a diverse range of sector experts and learn more about their journey in the international development sector. Meet Fifi Rashando, GEDSI (Gender, Disability, and Social Inclusion) and Safeguarding Manager at Opportunity International Australia, Executive Committee Member with the Australian Disability & Development Consortium (ADDC) and previous Board Director for the Leprosy Mission.
Building shared value for development outcomes: The importance of Cross Sector Development Partnerships (CSPs).
Drawing on their roles as CEO and Senior Research Associate at the Cross Sector Development Partnerships Initiative (XSPI), Zoey Diaz and Jasmine Stephens highlight the importance of CSPs for breaking down institutional and sectoral silos, and disrupting traditional development models by fostering the mutually beneficial exchange of skills, knowledge and resources.
Maximizing the impact of cardiac care in East and Southern Africa: The power of knowledge sharing, specialised training and fostering South-South partnerships.
Drawing on her role as CEO of Save A Child's Heart, Jo Star argues that external medical expertise and resources remain vital in cardiac care in many African countries. But impact is only maximized when coupled with investment in knowledge sharing and training.
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.
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