VCA alliance partners gather in Tunisia
Karen Morris - SouthSouthNorth
The atmosphere was electric when VCA alliance members from the programme’s implementing countries gathered at the second in-person partners meeting in Gammarth, Tunisia. This event, held from 13 to 17 May, provided a fertile ground for partners to reconnect, reflect, share experiences, engage in cross-country and cross-organisational exchanges, and strategise on how best they can amplify the programme's collective impacts and the results envisioned by the closure of the programme in 2025.
Since the first in-person event in Cape Town in 2022, the VCA programme has made significant strides, with robust regional alliances supporting a network of over 200 CSOs. VCA Programme Director Thandiwe Chikomo started the week with an overview of the programme’s tangible impacts, notable achievements, and the importance of capacity strengthening and programmatic structures with diverse alliance partners and their collaborative efforts to serve as local champions.
One of the most remarkable achievements of our collective actions was our influence on 48 laws and policies, either through changes, adoption, or implementation, all driven by the voices of the communities in VCA. Thandiwe highlighted the ongoing need for collaboration between organisations and governments to create sustainable solutions tailored to local contexts while leveraging data and research to inform decision-making.
During the week, the programme’s country teams and task forces, such as Finance, PMEL, Communications, and Global Programme (GloPro), hosted interactive sessions and shared their current statuses, achievements, and what was needed to reach the programme’s targets by 2025.
The agenda for day one focused on the impact of VCA at regional and global levels. During their respective slots, the regional and the GloPro teams shared the approaches that have worked well in their particular context and presented their main outcomes and impacts.
An engaging session was held on day two on the Next Level Grant Facility (NLGF) – a small grants mechanism within VCA, with a budget of 3.5 million euros. The NLGF fosters a bottom-up decision-making approach, where communities and local allies play a key role in identifying priorities and defining solutions to climate change. These small funds are granted to local individuals or organisations to quickly respond to emergencies, unforeseen activities or emerging opportunities that contribute to the overall Theory of Change of the VCA.
Improving our storytelling and communication was one of the key takeaways from the week. A need was recognised to capture the VCA programme’s ‘big story’, which documents the impacts made at the country and global levels and the importance of our work. Country teams were provided with a story brief and encouraged to tell the ‘big VCA story’ of their regions. These regional stories will form the bigger VCA story and be used as advocacy tools in regional and international spaces to spark those important conversations about funding opportunities to scale up local climate solutions.
To explore the context of VCA in Tunisia, the WWF-NA team facilitated a field visit to two sites in Gahr El Melh, where local solutions were being implemented. One of the sites was Gataya, where we learned about the Ramli agricultural system in the lagoons of Ghar El Melh.
Next was the Punic fishing port of El Kichla, where we met the local fishermen who shared how they turned the threat of the invasive predatory blue swimming crab into an alternative source of income. They also demonstrated a locally designed fishing trap with a biodegradable self-detachable clasp. This releases marine life when caught in the trap after a short period of time should the trap be lost at sea. These locally made traps are lighter, less costly, and aid in saving marine biodiversity.
The week concluded with the official launch of the Next Level Grant Facility in Tunisia, which the President of Human Rights of North Africa attended. After the closing, various groups explored some of Tunisia’s sites, such as the ruins of Carthage and the charming town of Sidi Bou Said, where laughs were shared, friendships were made, and bonds were strengthened over coffee and a shared meal.
The Tunisia in-person event was a testament to the programme’s strengths and a powerful catalyst for strengthening collaboration within the alliance. The greatest takeaway from the event was how meaningful such meetings are, as well as recognising our individual strengths and contributions to making the programme successful and ensuring our impacts continue beyond 2025.
