LESSON #1

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Localisation is not just the year’s buzzword, it’s fundamental in development

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• What we learned: The push for locally led development became more than just a talking point. It emerged as a critical strategy for effective and sustainable impact—and rightly so.
• Why it matters: Empowering and equipping local organisations and communities not only leads to respectful cultural sensitivity and more sustained efficiency, but to long-term international development solutions.

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To get this right, learning must be put in the lead. At Propel, we saw International NGOs such as Terre des Hommes putting learning at the forefront of their service work in Burundi. This demonstrated that when learning is prioritised as a way of working, an organisation builds resilience and alignment.

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LESSON #2

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There’s a way to go towards using technology responsibly, it’s needed for coherence

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• What we learned: While technology use has supported accelerated impact, this year has seen a ramp up in concerns being voiced around data security and when it comes to knowledge democratisation, more equality in digital accessibility is needed.
• Why It matters: Effective use of emerging technologies can help NGOs reach out to people in more places, but there are barriers such as limited internet access and the related high cost of technology infrastructure.

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Where should learning be in this? Again, at the centre of captured and extracted insights that are easily shared across NGOs—and informing operations. For us at Propel, AI is built into our learning platform. This has helped NGOs with limited resources and time to more efficiently summarise in field experiences and insights.

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LESSON #3

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Diversified funding models are non-negotiable, it’s a lifebuoy to keep the sector afloat

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• What we learned: Development and humanitarian response budgets experienced severe cuts this year, especially in unrestricted funding. Major donor, such as Germany and the Netherlands announced cuts in their budgets and key international organisations reacted.
• Why It matters: The cuts and necessary rethinking by international organisations sparked a debate with the underlying question whether they were a necessary step to focus on efficiency in the sector and would force organisations to restructure their operations by “cutting slack” or if these cuts would force organisations to save on the wrong ends.

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Read more about this in our Founder, Sarah Abdelatif’s Development matters, knowledge matters blog at https://www.propelapp.org/blogs/development-matters-knowledge-matters---part-4.

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LESSON #4

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Knowledge management and sharing is the GPS, it must be a daily tool

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• What we learned: Knowledge management stepped more into the light in 2024 as it gained some traction in being considered a driver of organisational success that shouldn’t be overlooked—although it remains little understood and still tends to be put at the secondary table of decision making.
• Why it matters: The knowledge base of any group or organisation is its brain. What can sound like a basic function in capturing, collating and extracting insights prevents duplication of effort. What could be more strategic than doing the right things at the right time, in line with the real challenges from in the field?

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Digital platforms like Propel enable NGOs to not just document, but to translate on-the-ground learning into actionable strategies for programme impact.

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LESSON #5

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Sector and cross-sector connection was sparked, now it’s time for action

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• What we learned: Many organisations reached out this year in collaboration. Partnerships expanded from between the public sector, private companies and academic institutions to NGOs and development organisations—unlocking much needed conversations.
• Why it matters: Partnerships bring in diverse expertise and resources that single entities may lack. We can do more and we can do it better together and as such, aligned viewpoints and narratives are on the rise. This was heard in forums from ALNAP to Real KM and the Knowledge Platform for Security and Rule of Law all the way to the United Nations.

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THE VIEW FROM THE LIGHTHOUSE

‍Lookout to 2025: Learning is the NGO’s best Chief Intelligence Officer

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The choppy conditions of 2024 have shone a light on the importance of balancing adaptability with planning and tenacity with accountability. While many NGOs have had to stem a leak while sailing the vessel, even in this perfect storm of a year, one thing has stood strong: the stabilising power of learning.

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There’s everything to be said for the strategic impact of having one place for knowledge—a learning lighthouse. As it’s here that NGOs can make decisions that are informed and data-driven. It’s from this tower of strength they can streamline processes and boost efficiency—and light the way through their sharing and application of insights.

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It’s in the learning lighthouse that learning culture lives.