Localization is changing the face of development and humanitarian efforts.
Transferring power and decision-making to local communities, this challenges traditional systems dominated by wealthier countries and outdated colonial structures.
In Bangladesh, the Local Coalition Accelerator (LCA) initiatives of The Share Trust (TST), known as the Sundarban Coalition, are driving this transformation.
The LCA, started by Share Trust Inc. and the Warande Advisory Centre, focuses on giving communities control over decisions, replacing traditional top-down methods.
In Bangladesh, in 2022, Uttaran along with CNRS, Jago Nari and Avas joined together to work towards the shift in power and formed the Sundarban Coalition, bringing in 12 CBOs from four Sundarban region districts as a coalition.
Over the past three years, the coalition has worked in coastal areas like Shyamnagar, Koyra, Kalapara, and Taltali, directly reaching around 120,000 people.
A notable feature of the coalition is its direct funding strategy, which allocates 80% of its budget for program implementation and 20% for management, reducing operational costs by 32% compared to traditional international organizations.
The coalition is led by a 16-member governance council that follows an inclusive governance model, ensuring representation from all members and facilitating equitable leadership.
Last week, a roundtable discussion titled "Strengthening Disaster Resilience through the LCA Model: Lessons from Bangladesh’s Coastal Region" brought stakeholders together at in Dhaka.
The event was hosted by Uttaran the host and grant custodian of coalition.
Zahid Amin Shasshoto, Head of Programs at Uttaran and focal point of the coalition, shared key details about its activities, including the governance model, joint action plans, and compliance strategies.
The roundtable was moderated by Mahfuza Mala, country representative of The Share Trust (TST).
Rahima Sultana Kazal, executive director of Avas said: “We define localization in our way. In the 1990s, organizations brought projects to us and told us what to do and how to spend the money. Now, we create and submit our own projects, focusing on areas where we have experience and expertise.”
Md Shibli Sadiq, senior policy advisor at the Embassy of the Netherlands in Bangladesh, said: “We are working with Uttaran and Friendship on the RTF (reversing the Flow) initiative. At the same time, under the same program, we are directly financing some activities. Internally, we are also discussing what we need to change.”
Sajid Raihan, country manager of Start Fund Bangladesh, said: “Projects like RTF and LCA are efforts to create a clear narrative for localization. These projects will help us understand how communities define localization. Specifically, the RTF and LCA projects will guide us in demonstrating how localization can work—how funds can be spent, partnerships built, and compliance ensured.”
Christian Aid’s country director Nuzhat Jabin, said: “As an international INGO, we are working on many issues, including supporting marginalized groups like the transgender community and vulnerable women. During our discussions on localization, we identified gaps in capacity and accountability. Our goal is to work with local organizations for the long term, providing mentoring to address gaps.”
