How to best ensure continuity in development cooperation (DC) projects? Education International (EI) recently hosted an online meeting focused on this critical topic. The event brought together various representatives of member organizations active in DC work to discuss strategies for ensuring the sustainability of partner unions involved in DC work.
Framing the conversation, Florian Lascroux of EI’s Capacity Building and Solidarity Unit underlined the importance of planning for the entire lifespan of a DC project, from the project inception to its closure.
Commitment and sustainability
Joakim Olsson, International Secretary of the Swedish Teachers’ Union (STU), highlighted the significance of partner unions' own contributions to project funding to ensure the project’s sustainability. “We think that it is a sign of commitment to the activities. It also reflects the fact that these activities are valued by the receiving end,” Olsson explained.
He shared that STU encourages a steady increase in the assisted organization's own contribution to the project from the very beginning of a new collaboration.
The discussion also touched on the challenges of ending projects and maintaining partnerships. Beverley Park noted: “We have a new round of DC agreements coming up and, whether the agreement is for a year or two or three, we will go with an exit plan, we will build the exit plan right from the beginning of the project”.
Solidarity and long-term relationships
Luc Allaire of the Quebec Confederation of Trade Unions emphasized the importance of solidarity in long-term partnerships. “When we develop a partnership like we did with FECODE in Colombia with the project of ‘Schools for Peace’, it's very difficult to leave the project because we are in solidarity with them,” Allaire said. He pointed out that some projects, like the one in Colombia, are more challenging to end due to ongoing needs and the strong relationships built over time.
EI’s Samuel Grumiau agreed, adding that in the case of projects related to child labor, it is relevant and possible to keep in touch with the partner organization, even for a few years after completion of the project, and learn about the fact that the project is still bearing fruit and helping more children stay in school.
“Some of us had experience of projects that do continue after the life of the project per se. It was the case for a time-bound project on child labor we led with the Dutch AOb and the German GEW Fair Childhood Foundation,” Grumiau continued, "Once the project is over, after we receive a narrative report, a financial report, we tend to continue to keep an eye on what's going on. And then it was possible to learn a few years later that, once the social dialogue was established thanks to the project, that teachers had been trained, stakeholders had been involved, and the action against child labor does continue.”
Adapting to new realities
The event also addressed the impact of external factors on DC projects.
STU’s Robert Gustafson shared an example of a forced exit in one country due to the government closing the foreign currency account of the local union. “That was a forced exit in a sense. Of course, we have relationship discussions and so on, but the cooperation has for now stopped because of that,” Gustafson explained.
Looking ahead
As the ‘DC Café’ concluded, participants reflected further on the importance of planning for sustainability and maintaining long-term relationships with partner unions. The next DC Café is planned for November 14th and will focus on the constraints related to working with external funding.