Letter by MCLD’s Global Secretary, Gunjan Veda Over the last two years, our members have been our advisors, thought-partners, fellow travellers, and cheerleaders as MCLD transformed from a movement into a movement organization. Today, it gives me great pleasure to share yet another milestone with you: our Strategic Plan for 2026–2029, The Future is Community… Read more: Launching MCLD’s 2026-2029 Strategic Plan

Por Rocío Prieto y Sebastián Arnica (Article translated to English below) El Movimiento para el Desarrollo Liderado por las Comunidades (MDLC) es una red de más de 3000 organizaciones comunitarias de todo el mundo. En julio del 2025, MDLC América Latina y el Caribe abrió su programa de voluntariado y en este artículo nos planteamos..… Read more: ¡Voluntarios en acción!  

Reflections from a Regional Youth Summit 2026 by Yewo Grace Gondwe Have you heard of the African Union Roadmap on harnessing the demographic dividend through investment in Youth? It is an initiative to usher African countries towards the aspirations and goals of the agenda 2063 and the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development. It calls for… Read more: Harnessing Africa’s Demographic Dividend Through Regional Solidarity

Reflections by Nelly Mecklenburg, MCLD’s Senior Manager of Learning & Network Weaving As part of our work to understand and shape the future of our sector, MCLD is committed to demystifying and participating in multilateral decision-making spaces, making sure local organizations are meaningfully part of the conversation.  In February 2026, MCLD participated in the 64th… Read more: Reflecting on CSocD 2026

Cambio climático desde el barrio: la Escuela Climática Mujeres Líderes en Acción, de FUNVIMUFROIN por Sebastián Arnica, practicante universitario de UNSAM para MDLC América Latina y el Caribe (Article in English below) En un contexto de creciente consciencia y preocupación por el calentamiento global, muchas organizaciones han puesto en marcha proyectos orientados a abordar el… Read more: FUNVIMUFROIN’s Women Leaders in Action Climate School

A thought piece by MCLD’s Regional Coordinators, with an introduction by Sera Bulbul Kungl, communications and learning officer The Movement for Community-led Development (MCLD) withstood the many shifts that the development sector (and the world) faced in 2025 and came out as a more unified network. MCLD has always strived to reimagine existing structures, question… Read more: 2026 Outlook Across the World

By Namya Gunawardena, MCLD Asia Coordinator On 25 March, in a month globally dedicated to recognizing and advancing gender equality, the Gender Working Group of the Movement for Community-Led Development will be formally launched as a vital step forward in strengthening gender justice across our global community. This moment, aligned with the spirit of International… Read more: Launching MCLD’s Gender Working Group

Reflections by Steve Ogutu, MCLD East Africa Regional Coordinator On February 26, 2026, the Movement for Community-led Development (MCLD) Kenya convened about 50 member organizations in Nairobi for its 2026 Annual General Meeting (AGM). The members, drawn from different parts of the country, are championing community-led development (CLD) across diverse areas including food security, women… Read more: MCLD Kenya Holds its 2026 Annual General Meeting in Nairobi

During the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, communities across Nigeria came together to say enough is enough to violence against women and girls, especially the growing threat of digital violence and the ways online spaces facilitate abuse.  Led by the Center for Caring Empowerment and Peace Initiative (CCEPI) in collaboration with Strategic Action… Read more: Nigerian Communities United to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls

Blog post by MCLD East Africa Coordinator Steve Ogutu and Dr. Zipporah Wambua, Director of Citizen Engagement at the Kenya School for Devolution and Community-Led Development The Movement for Community-Led Development (MCLD) and the County Government of Makueni have taken a major step toward strengthening participatory governance and resilient service delivery through a targeted short-course… Read more: MCLD and Makueni County Strengthen Devolution Through Practical Training on Climate and Environmental Risk

2025 marked MCLD’s 10th anniversary and our second year in our new structure as a global network of networks. As the world around us transformed, we worked together to meet the moment, shape global conversations, lay the foundation for more just systems and strengthen our network.  These highlights recently featured in our newsletter. Did you… Read more: 2025 Highlights: Advancing Community-Led Development Together

Alongside global collective milestones, each of our National Associations had numerous achievements in their own countries, a testimony to the power of collective action. We invite you to read about these inspirational milestones. Asia Through our new regional Coordinator, MCLD has started to grow our network in Asia, with 20+ members across five countries. Members… Read more: National Association Highlights of 2025

Members of MCLD Rwanda have published an important advocacy paper: “Community-Led Policy and Legal Framework Effectiveness in Preventing and Responding to Domestic Violence in Rwanda.” This document serves as an advocacy tool developed from the conducted assessment on the “Community-Led Policy and Legal framework effectiveness in preventing and responding to   domestic violence in Rwanda” to… Read more: New Advocacy Paper By MCLD Rwanda

As we close a year with major shifts to our sector, MCLD members came together for one last global call to reflect on changes, celebrate our shared achievements, and look ahead to 2026 with enthusiasm.  We heard reflections from 16 countries on their biggest initiatives of 2025 with a focus on the themes of policy… Read more: End of 2025 Global Call

On December 2nd, MCLD Latin America & The Caribbean hosted its third session of 2025 with guest speakers. In May we hosted the session with Oswaldo Alvizar Bañuelos from Global Giving Latin America, in July we hosted a session with Felipe Bogotá Rodríguez from Territoria, Colombia and now it was time to introduce Global Changemakers… Read more: MCLD LAC and Global Changemakers

On December 4, MCLD hosted a special call on the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) designed by our members. Inspired by this year’s theme, UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls, MCLD members came together to unpack what GBV looks like, the harmful role technology can play, and the… Read more: 16 Days of Activism Across the Globe with MCLD

The UN General Assembly has resolved that 2026 shall be the International Year of the Woman Farmer — an issue of key importance to MCLD and particularly its rural members. Within the UN, this focuses the energy of FAO, IFAD, UN Women and WFP. Among member states it is chaired by Jordan and Ireland. The… Read more: Launching 2026 – the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF)

In November 2025, MCLD’s Asia region held its first regional meeting, bringing together 12 member organisations from four countries. The conversation reflected the growing strength of the movement in the region, which now includes 17 organisations across five countries (Bangladesh, Syria, Nepal, India, and Sri Lanka) united by shared values and a common code of… Read more: Asia Region: The First Regional Conversation

You have the opportunity to support and strengthen a movement that centers communities in development. Join the Movement for Community-led Development as we stand in solidarity with thousands of community leaders, mobilizing for a more just, equitable and sustainable future. Thanks to a generous supporter, every gift you make until Giving Tuesday on December 2… Read more: Giving Tuesday: Support Community-led Change

Chess Fellowship Empowers Malawi Youth Taskforce Members to Think Strategically for Community-Led Change Thought piece by Yewo Grace Gondwe, MCLD Southern Africa Coordinator It is 7pm on a Sunday evening in Malawi, Amissi Ramazan  is all set up in his room with his laptop and phone fully charged for the weekly chess fellowship. In a… Read more: Malawi Chess Fellowship

Reflections by Dr. John Coonrod, MCLD Founder The Second World Summit for Social Development was highly relevant to the Movement for Community-led Development (MCLD), and we were represented there not just by me but also Jane from MCLD Kenya and perhaps others. The host country, Qatar, was clearly committed to demonstrating that it is a… Read more: WSSD: Toward a new Local Multilateralism

MCLD’s October Global Call explored the issues being discussed in global forums, what is at stake, how it works, and why they matters to our members in the Majority World. We unpacked recent events on UN reform, National Debt, the Sustainable Development Goals, and Climate Change. Featured photo: View of the empty General Assembly hall… Read more: CLD in a Shifting Sector: Engaging Global Agendas

Thought Piece by Cathy Amenya, Manager of Programs and Partnerships at MCLD The Movement for Community-led Development (MCLD) has been advocating for localization and decolonization of aid for the last ten years. We have been pushing for communities to participate in decision-making processes on issues that directly affect them. This work often means being the… Read more: The Table We Deserve 

MCLD was strongly represented at the 80th Annual United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). As you probably know, it is a sprawling occasion spread across Manhattan (New York, USA), with hundreds of parallel events and conferences. MCLD Global Secretary Gunjan Veda hosted two events and spoke at others, and with her colleagues, John Coonrod and Nelly… Read more: Reflecting on UNGA80

In September 2025, Sri Lankan members of MCLD met in person for the first time, alongside organisations exploring membership. The gathering created a rare space for honest reflection on how development is practiced, and how it needs to change. Participants named shared challenges across the sector: development shaped by donor priorities rather than community realities,… Read more: Sri Lanka: Coming Together to Rethink Development

Yewo Gondwe, MCLD’s Southern Africa Regional Coordinator attended the African Women’s Leadership Summit in Lilongwe held under the theme “Reclaiming Power: Feminist Leadership in a changing world.” The African Women Leadership Forum (AWLF) in partnership with ARETE brought together feminists and women leaders from Malawi, Lesotho, Zambia, Gambia, Tanzania, Eswatini, Cameroon, Botswana ,Kenya and Uganda… Read more: Feminism Is Alive and Evolving Across Africa

This year marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations. Now that the UN has recognized that two/thirds of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals can only be achieved at the community level, it is vital for MCLD and all Localistas to focus on the priority actions to build a strong, resilient local ecosystem for development.… Read more: Watch our 2025 UN General Assembly Session

For the past 15 months, MCLD has been co-creating our 2025-29 Strategic Plan with our National Associations and members. We have reconnected with our strengths and our mission, and realigned our strategies based on current realities. At the end of August, we introduced the four pillars that will guide our next four years: policy, practice,… Read more: Unpacking MCLD’s New Strategic Plan: Our Four Pillars in Action

MCLD’s most recent event looked into multilateral processes and why they matter to us as champions and practitioners of community-led development. MCLD participated in two United Nations international events this month – the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development held in Seville, Spain and the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, in New York.… Read more: Multilateral Processes and Why They Matter

At our June Global Call on Equity-focused networks and the structures that support them, we heard from Africa Rising and Teach for All about how they organize their structures to align with their principles. Béranger Tossou (CLD Benin member) shared about MCLD’s global governance structure, including our Global Assembly (GA), which is holding elections this… Read more: Equity-focused networks and the structures that support them

Across MCLD, 2024 was defined by an unwavering commitment to strengthening community-led initiatives across 25 countries, through both established and newly forming National Associations. MCLD’s members worked to advance sustainable development, focusing on youth involvement, gender justice, local governance, and more. In 2024, MCLD US focuses its work around the Movement for Community-led Development’s three… Read more: MCLD US 2024 Annual Report: Solidarity, Policy, and Practice

Sekani Sidira is a civil engineer by training, but her professional path took a transformative turn in June 2023 when she became involved with the Movement for Community-Led Development (MCLD). Her engagement began when MCLD signed a Memorandum of Understanding with World Vision to conduct trainings on the Participatory CLD Assessment Tool. As a lecturer… Read more: Sekani Sidira: Engineering Community-Led Change 

In this new interview, we hear the organic journey of MCLD Malawi’s national coordinator Sothin Ziba, from an accidental start in development to leading the Movement in Malawi. He shares how MCLD Malawi is amplifying grassroots voices, building a regional presence, and pushing for accountability and shared impact. Plus, we get a glimpse into Phukira,… Read more: Movement Matters #26 – Sothin Ziba, Phukira and MCLD Malawi 

An Article by Promise Msampha, Program Manager, Umunthu Plus Malawi Umunthu Plus is a grassroots organization operating in five districts in Malawi, committed to promoting human rights, inclusive development, and social justice. Founded in 2015 by a group of female teachers from Nkhotakota district who recognized the barriers girls face in accessing quality education, the… Read more: Umunthu Plus: Shifting Culture, One Conversation at a Time

By Yewo Gondwe, MCLD Southern Africa Regional Coordinator Over the past 8 months, serving as the Southern Africa Regional Coordinator for the Movement for Community-Led Development (MCLD) has been an incredibly rewarding and transformative experience. This role has placed me at the heart of efforts to empower communities across Southern Africa to take the lead… Read more: My Journey as Southern Africa Regional Coordinator

April 25, 2025 – Launch of the text book “Community-led Development in Practice — We Power Our Own Change” with the editors Elene Cloete and Gunjan Veda, at the InterAction Headquarters. The event was a conversation with the editors and two chapter authors, as well as video clips from other authors.

2025 marks 10 years of MCLD’s collective impact! To celebrate, we organized five virtual celebrations with our global members.

How Makueni County and MCLD are Advancing Participatory Development Through the Kenya School for Devolution and Community-Led Development

APGT is transforming lives across Togo by connecting women and youth to vital health, education, and employment opportunities.

Article by Clifford Mariuson, Director of Égalité de Chances. Discover how Égalité de Chances is transforming the future of Togolese youth through innovative, community-driven initiatives. From offering free training in high-demand skills to empowering young entrepreneurs, this social enterprise is not just changing lives – it’s redefining the path to sustainable success. Please find the… Read more: ÉGALITE DE CHANCES : A Social Enterprise for CLD

We have posted this article in its original French. The English translation is available below. Article par AGBEKA Aku Afefa Georgette, présidente de la coalition des Femmes pour le Développement l’Éducation et la Paix ( COFEDEP). Mon parcours avec DPC Togo et la vision que j’ai de l’avenir du Togo:  En tant que présidente de… Read more: COFEDEP : Influencer le changement et le DPC au Togo

Movement Matters #25 – Delphina CHAKPLA This month, we sat down with Togo National Association (DPC Togo) coordinator Delphina Chakpla. In a new interview, Delphina reintroduces our members to DPC Togo’s growing network across the country with a clear vision for the future. Sera: Can you share a little bit about what DPC Togo has… Read more: Delphina CHAKPLA – AIL and DPC Togo

This International Women’s Day, the Movement for Community-led Development (MCLD) is stepping forward in solidarity to #AccelerateAction for gender equality. Around the world, our members are working tirelessly to ensure that women’s voices, leadership, and decision-making power are not just acknowledged—but prioritized. At the current rate of progress, full gender parity won’t be reached until… Read more: Accelerate Action: Women Leading Community-Led Change

MCLD celebrated the launch of a new volume on community-led development at our January Global Call. This volume, published by Routledge, brings together the work of over 30 community-led development practitioners, academics, NGO leaders, and even community leaders from around the globe. At a time when organizations and institutions are grappling with the “how to”… Read more: Launch of “Community-led Development in Practice”

2024 was the Movement for Community-led Development’s (MCLD) first year in our new structure as a Movement Organization. After seven years of development and strategic growth within The Hunger Project, we successfully transitioned to an autonomous framework, positioning ourselves for an even greater impact in advancing community-led development worldwide.  As we reflect on some of… Read more: MCLD National Associations Celebrate Their Highlights of 2024

The Movement for Community-led Development’s last Global Call of the year was dedicated to celebrating our collective accomplishments of 2024. In addition to hearing from our Regional Coordinators and Secretariat Team, we took the opportunity to hear from our members about their most memorable moments of this year. As we close out the year, we… Read more: Celebrating 2024

We are excited to announce the release of a new edited volume that brings together the insights of over 30 experts – from seasoned community practitioners to respected scholars – from around the globe. The book has been released by Routledge. Key features of the book include: The volume is edited by Elene Cloete (Outreach… Read more: New Book: Community-led Development in Practice

Update by Luana Esquenazi, MCLD Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Coordinator ¡These have been exciting months for MCLD Latin America & The Caribbean! On October 15th, 13 members and friends of MCLD in Latin America & The Caribbean got together for the Movement’s first regional meeting. Organizations from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala,… Read more: MCLD’s Growth in Latin America & the Caribbean

A Journey Led by MCLD Uganda champion Baluku Isaya Article by Baluku Isaya for MCLD’s October 2024 Spotlight on MCLD Uganda members. YAGANET, the Young Agro-Green Africa Network, represents a powerful movement for community-led development in Kasese, Uganda. Founded in 2016, YAGANET was born from a journey shaped by resilience, community care, and a deep… Read more: Growing Community Resilience and Empowerment with YAGANET