Paper short abstract:

This paper explores the epistemological and methodological challenges of undertaking partnership-based research on the third sector’s COVID-19 crisis response. The research aims to understand how emergency responses have differed by location, and have adapted to their different contexts.

Paper long abstract:

Unlike most humanitarian crises which occur in specific areas, COVID-19 has affected every nation at the same time since January 2020. Across the world third sector organisations have responded to the crisis differently. This is an opportunity to understand how emergency responses to the same crisis have differed by location, and how providers of aid have adapted their responses to the different areas where they operate.

To-date there has been scarce mapping of these responses or chances to share learning and influence good practice on effective responses. This paper explores the trajectory of building an international research network to respond to this opportunity. Two research questions were constructed in initial conceptualisations of the research. 1. How have third sector international and national organisations in different contexts/areas responded to the emergency situation posed by COVID-19? 2. What are the implications of third sector responses for the ongoing COVID-19 response and for rapid responses to future emergencies? However, subsequent discussions with international colleagues led to the formation of a network of researchers based in universities in Brazil, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Malawi, Palestine and the UK.

The paper draws on calls for development studies to embrace a broader range of types of knowledge (Lewis, Rodgers and Woolcock, 2020). It builds on evidence that the co-production of knowledge through equitable partnerships situated across complex contexts are fundamental requirements for ethical research (Fransman et al, 2020), reflecting on the epistemological and methodological challenges of undertaking this partnership-based research in practice.

Paper short abstract:

Following a popular uprising that was led by the 'Neighbourhood Committees (NCs)' among other players, the Transitional Government of Sudan challenges were significantly exacerbated by COVID-19. Yet, the NCs stepped up and played a crucial role in supporting vulnerable citizens during this crisis.

Paper long abstract:

Sudan is currently navigating a very complex transitional period, which started in September 2019 following a momentous popular uprising. The peaceful uprising was led by -what is now known as- the 'Neighbourhood Committees (NCs)' among other key players. NCs have emerged during the uprising as a new form of informal CSOs, and quickly claimed a central role in both governance and development arenas. Comprising of young people, these committees are spread across the country, with state and locality level coordination bodies. Their role began as community mobilisers during the revolution to a monitoring body or what is known as ‘revolutionary watchdogs’. As the transitional government was facing immense challenges in building comprehensive peace and addressing the economic crisis, the COVID-19 crisis posed an additional burden that was beyond the government’s capacity. Despite not having previous experiences in services provision, NCs (supported by traditional NGOs) played a crucial role in responding to the crisis, focusing on supporting vulnerable citizens in a context of a collapsing health system and flawed social protection networks. They worked on forming a link between COVID-19 interventions’ providers and the local communities, customising prevention methods to fit the diverse local context, and mobilising local and national actors towards easing the negative effects of the preventive lockdown. This paper will look into the remarkable achievements (and challenges) of the NCs response to COVID-19. Insights and findings are drawn from a learning review that studied COVID-19 response initiatives implemented by NCs and other NGOs and CSOs.

Paper short abstract:

Arguably, COVID-19 has orchestrated a shift in the mobilisation of assistance to and by local NGOs. This study seeks to situate the roles of digital technologies in driving resources (financial and human volunteers) to destinations (local NGO accounts or endpoints of need).

Paper long abstract:

Donors, humanitarian organisations and governments are central to mitigating the impacts of any humanitarian crisis. In the face of COVID-19, the aid responsibility has been widened, inviting the resources of these actors in its many forms to reinforce efforts by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and other principals to whom the responsibility of global health security has been saddled. However, the perceived capacity of global health response has been severely challenged by stretched human, financial and infrastructural resources. Public awareness about this informs local volunteerism of resources to bolster national and global efforts, largely attributable to the uptake of digital technologies. While existing studies have appraised correlations between emergency assistance and factors such as, media (coverage), foreign aid and donor concerns, this study identifies the need to investigate extant dynamics of assistance mobilisation and volunteering during COVID-19. What does resource volunteerism, via digital platforms, outside the local NGO space tell us about the capabilities of such NGOs to drive their COVID-19 related objectives? What are the drivers of volunteered assistance and their destinations (end points of need or local NGO accounts)? Lensed through the resource mobilisation theory and digital innovation theory, this study explores the shifting norms in rendering assistance and the roles of digital technologies in driving resources and donations to certain endpoints during the pandemic. This will further frame an understanding of the extent to which digital innovations in the Nigerian landscape empowers or disempowers local NGOs in the provision of relief and their broad aid enterprise.

Paper short abstract:

Study focuses on women’s adaptation and response including awareness programmes about sanitation/health, and initiation of food and mask distribution in the communities. Meanwhile NGO deals with decreased funding and learning to work remotely and virtually in an area that requires field immersion.

Paper long abstract:

NGO RGMVP organises rural women in Uttar Pradesh, India, into Self Help Groups for initiating financial inclusion using the platform for layering health and livelihood interventions. COVID-19 impacted the activities and scope of SHGs, the larger context of its functions, and the operations at the organisational level. Social distancing measures made group meetings, the mainstay of the programme, untenable. Severe lockdown restrictions with curb in movement of goods and services, closures of factories and construction activities, decline in service sector, severely impacted livelihoods and incomes, and resultant male urban to rural migration changed gender dynamics in villages for women otherwise operating as heads of households in absence of husbands.

SHGs were able to reorganise quickly to attend to the new normal. This included mask making and distribution, women taking the role of spreading awareness (in person and through telephone helplines) about hand washing, social distancing, about COVID-19, its prevention, symptoms, and testing. Grain banks and donations of meal packages were initiated for vulnerable families. Women rural frontline health workers (the Accredited Social Heath Activists) played a pivotal role in testing, screening and provision of drugs during pandemic along with regular reproductive and child health services.

New challenges emerged for the organisation. Field research and evaluations became difficult due to restrictions in travel. National economic depression limited donor funding, closing down several projects and prompting layoffs. When immersion in the field is key to learning and outcomes, virtual connections and distance/remote working for NGOs will take time to develop effectively.