Rome/Washington, 14 October 2025 – The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has pledged to reach at least 70 million small-scale farmers and transform their lives by 2030 through increased incomes, improved productive capacity, and enhanced market access. This commitment was made at the launch of the World Bank’s AgriConnect initiative during the Bank’s Annual… [Read More]
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Scaling Up Youth Jobs in Africa: IFAD Calls for Increased Investments and Partnerships
Youth leaders, policymakers, and development partners from across Africa convened in Naivasha, Kenya, on 15–16 October 2025 to call for expanded partnerships and increased investments in the Agribusiness Hubs (ABH) programme. The forum, titled “From Learning to Policy Action – Scaling Youth Employment through Systems Change,” brought together financing partners including the International Fund for… [Read More]
Boosting smallholder livelihoods: IFAD’s sorghum mechanization pilot in Zimbabwe
Harare, 16 October 2025 – The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), together with the Government of Zimbabwe and private sector partners, has launched the pilot phase of the Food and Agriculture Resilience Mission Pillar 3 (FARM P3), aiming to strengthen Zimbabwe’s sorghum value chain. The initiative seeks to reduce post-harvest losses of up to… [Read More]
$115M US Bridge Funding to Keep South Africa’s HIV Programs Running
South Africa welcomed a U.S. bridging plan worth $115 million to continue funding HIV treatment and prevention programs until the end of March, viewing it as a positive sign of bilateral cooperation despite recent tensions. The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has saved over 25 million lives globally, with South Africa having… [Read More]
Communities in Free State Rally for Urgent Measures Against Crime
Members of the Bohlokong Community against Drugs and Crime in Bethlehem, Free State, staged a march on Wednesday to the magistrates court and local police station to submit memorandums demanding urgent action on crime. The group has warned that they may shut down the town if the departments of justice and police fail to respond…. [Read More]
Young Job Seekers Take to Streets in Nigel Over Unemployment Crisis
On Thursday, around 60 young people from Alra Park in Nigel staged a protest outside the City of Ekurhuleni offices, demanding employment as cleaners. The protesters are members of the Arla Park Youth Unemployment group, which has 77 members, and they claim that cleaning and waste collection jobs have been given to outsiders, despite their… [Read More]
Special Education in KwaZulu-Natal at Standstill After Subsidy Payments Are Delayed
Parents and the South African National Association for Special School Education (SANASE) have closed 76 special schools in KwaZulu-Natal after the provincial Department of Education failed to pay subsidies on time. The delayed funding has disrupted the daily operations of these schools, leaving them unable to pay for essential services such as water, electricity, school… [Read More]
R124-Million Funding Boost from Lottery to Tackle HIV and TB in South Africa
The National Lotteries Commission (NLC) has committed R124-million to support organisations combating HIV and tuberculosis (TB) in South Africa, aiming to fill the funding gap left by the withdrawal of support from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Commissioner Jodi Scholtz highlighted that the funds will be directed toward programmes and frontline… [Read More]
Last-Mile Vaccination: Mali Red Cross Reaches Children in Hard-to-Access Areas
In remote communities across Mali, Red Cross volunteers are overcoming significant challenges to identify zero-dose and under-vaccinated children, ensuring they receive life-saving immunizations. Vaccines are crucial in preventing infectious diseases, yet fewer than half of Mali’s children receive all essential childhood vaccines, leaving them vulnerable to diseases such as diphtheria, measles, and tetanus. Many factors… [Read More]
Expanding Access: IFC and Bank of Bhutan Support Micro and Small Enterprises Nationwide
IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has announced a US$20 million investment in Bank of Bhutan (BoB), the country’s oldest and largest bank, marking a significant milestone for Bhutan’s financial sector. This five-year fixed-rate financing, supported by the International Development Association’s Private Sector Window, will enable BoB to expand lending to micro and… [Read More]
The Future of Aid? What Pioneers of Participatory Grants Have Learned
There is growing recognition in the humanitarian and development sector that decisions about aid funding are most effective when made by the communities directly affected. Participatory grantmaking shifts the power to local people and movements, positioning them as the true experts in identifying needs and determining how resources should be allocated. This approach contrasts with… [Read More]
Securing Financial Sustainability for Non-Profits: Proven Fundraising Approaches
In today’s unpredictable economic climate, many non-profit organisations, particularly within the humanitarian sector, face mounting financial challenges. Heavy reliance on short-term donations and grants makes these organisations vulnerable to funding gaps that can threaten their ongoing projects and broader missions. Dependence on external sources of funding, which are often unpredictable and unstable, requires careful financial… [Read More]
Women Leading the Way: Building a Sustainable Pineapple Future in Suriname
Suriname, a biodiverse nation on South America’s northern coast, is considered one of the birthplaces of the pineapple. For centuries, Indigenous women have cultivated this fruit, drawing on ancestral knowledge and a spiritual connection to the land. Despite its cultural significance, the pineapple sector in Suriname has struggled commercially, with farmers facing limited access to… [Read More]
Portugal Consults Stakeholders to Strengthen Workplace Gender Equality
A broad consultation in Portugal has been conducted to assess the current landscape of gender equality in the workplace. Through interviews with key informants, the initiative mapped institutional roles and expectations, reviewed relevant legislation, policies, and family-friendly measures, and analyzed work-life balance practices. The consultation also examined key indicators such as the gender pay gap,… [Read More]
Promoting Fairness at Work: ILO Unveils “This is Social Justice” Campaign
The International Labour Organization (ILO) has launched the “This is Social Justice” campaign, featuring a series of social media videos that showcase how social justice positively transforms the lives of workers, employers, and communities. The initiative emphasizes the importance of social justice in achieving decent work and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ahead of… [Read More]
Ugandan Women Transforming Peace Efforts: A Journey Since Resolution 1325
Across Uganda, women peacebuilders are actively translating the global Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda into tangible change in their communities, mediating conflicts, countering violent extremism, and promoting equality for women and girls. Adopted on 31 October 2000, UN Security Council Resolution 1325 recognized the impacts of conflict on women and girls and codified their… [Read More]
How Taliban’s Internet Ban Silences Women and Blocks Access to Essential Services
In recent weeks, the Taliban cut off Internet and phone networks across Afghanistan, silencing millions of women and girls and severing their last link to the outside world. For those with connectivity, the blackout disrupted access to education, work, and vital services, highlighting how fragile these digital lifelines are in a country where many women… [Read More]
New Initiatives in Alberta to Boost Youth Mental Health Care Access
The Honourable Marjorie Michel, Alberta’s Minister of Health, announced a $10 million investment through the Youth Mental Health Fund (YMHF) to expand Integrated Youth Services (IYS) across the province. IYS is an internationally recognized model designed to make it easier for young people and their families to access mental health and related supports in one… [Read More]
Canada Expands Energy and Resource Collaboration with the United Kingdom
Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson concluded a three-day visit to London from October 14 to 16, 2025, focused on advancing secure critical minerals supply chains and energy security for Canada and its allies. During the trip, he met with key government and industry partners to drive British investment in Canada’s resource sectors,… [Read More]
UK Statement to OSCE on Russia’s Strikes Against Ukraine’s Energy Systems
Russia has recently intensified attacks on Ukraine’s civilian energy infrastructure, severely disrupting gas production and damaging critical storage facilities in western Ukraine. A strike on thermal power stations on 10 October left half of Kyiv without power and many residents without access to water, highlighting the devastating impact of targeting essential services during winter. The… [Read More]
Local Areas Receive £80 Million Funding to Improve Mental Health Support and Employment Outcomes
The Government has extended the Transformative Inactivity Trailblazer scheme, providing targeted support to areas with the highest levels of economic inactivity across England and Wales. The initiative aims to help local people who are currently out of work through confidence-building, social support groups, mental health services, and skills development, giving them the tools to enter… [Read More]
Urgent Warning for Youth: The Hidden Dangers of Taking Drugs
A new government campaign has been launched to warn young people about the serious risks associated with taking ketamine, counterfeit medicines, and adulterated THC vapes. Targeting 16-24-year-olds and social media users, the campaign highlights the life-threatening consequences of recreational drug use, including irreparable bladder damage, poisoning, and death. The initiative responds to a significant rise… [Read More]
£80 Million Funding Boost for Children’s Hospices Across the UK
Children’s and young people’s hospices in England will receive nearly £80 million in funding over the next three years, providing long-term certainty for vital services that support seriously ill children and their families. This multi-year settlement builds on the government’s previous £100 million investment, the largest in a generation, and will ensure that thousands of… [Read More]
