AUTHENTIC LOCALIZATION IN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION: THE ACTIVE ROLE OF THE LOCAL PARTNER

Behind the scenes of international cooperation: when the local partner remains in the shadows

For almost ten years, the keyword in international cooperation has been “localization”: giving more space, resources, and voice to local actors seems to have become a widely shared principle. Yet, a vast gap remains between statements of intent and reality on the ground. Often, the local partner—who should be at the heart of the intervention—remains in the background: minimally involved in decision-making and bound to project frameworks designed elsewhere.

In many projects, the planning, objectives, and methods are conceived in offices in the Global North and then “dropped” into local contexts, where local actors are forced to adapt them as best they can. This approach often reveals the true priorities of international cooperation: not responding to local needs, but ensuring everything functions according to donor requirements and the expectations of their staff. The result is a paradox: while empowerment is frequently discussed, the true protagonists remain spectators. This dynamic undermines both the relevance and effectiveness of interventions.

Project timeframes are another critical limitation: once projects end, they often leave behind precarious situations, such as students supported until the project’s conclusion who then lack the means to continue their education. A local partner cannot be a passive actor: it is not enough to simply “implement” a project—they must also participate in its design.

KISEDET’s approach:

The local partner is a key actor

In this context, KISEDET represents an alternative model: not merely an executor of projects conceived elsewhere, but a deeply rooted local actor capable of maintaining autonomy from externally imposed logics.

• KISEDET seeks calls for proposals aligned with projects it has already been implementing for years. Moreover, it continues activities beyond individual project timelines, ensuring continuity and attentiveness to the concrete needs of local communities. This commitment requires long-term vision and the ability to plan beyond funding cycles.

• In international cooperation, reports often favor “impactful” images. KISEDET prioritizes ethical consistency. Its policy rejects the use of pity-driven or stereotypical images: no staged photos of children in dramatic or overly cheerful poses to please donors. People are not narrative tools for fundraising—they are subjects with dignity and rights.

• KISEDET only accepts funding that aligns with its activities, ensuring that every intervention makes genuine sense for the local community. If a funding opportunity imposes incompatible elements—such as importing solar panels from Italy with maintenance costs higher than local electricity, making them unaffordable for the community—it refuses the grant. This choice is also made possible by the steady support of the “sister” association Gruppo Tanzania, which shares KISEDET’s core philosophy.

Cooperation that values local expertise

This approach positions KISEDET not as an executor at all costs, but as an actor that evaluates the quality and real utility of interventions in the territory. The traditional perspective is reversed: it is not the local partner who must adapt to donors, but donors who must understand and respect local realities. True partnership is not hierarchical or contractual; it is a shared process, where decisions are made together, and sustainability depends not on a budget but on a common vision.

For too long, the local partner has been a convenient formula to legitimize top-down interventions. But shifting power, as many international documents promise, does not simply mean transferring funds: it means recognizing expertise, listening to communities, and building paths to autonomy. In this sense, KISEDET demonstrates that authentic localization is possible, but it requires courage: saying no when necessary and remaining faithful to one’s mission, even without the easy resources of large-scale projects.

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