Participants being taken through a session of understanding the needs of communities and their experience with engaging the county governments
WESDEP hosted 20 partner organisations from across the Western Kenya to deepen their understanding of strategic engagement with county governments, local authorities, and the communities they serve when advocating for development on climate justice.
The session, held under the allowed the participants to reflect on their experiences applying local resource mobilisation skills in real-world advocacy work.
The Capacity building training, offered under equips civil society organisations with practical skills in lobbying and advocacy, helping them to identify key issues within their communities, develop strategic advocacy plans, and engage effectively with stakeholders, including government institutions, to influence policy and drive change. Through this training, organisations are better positioned to amplify community voices, promote inclusive governance, and contribute meaningfully to sustainable development. The 6 month’s training aims to explore the successes, challenges, and key lessons learned by partners as they implemented advocacy initiatives within their communities. A recurring theme in the discussions is the challenge of building trust within the sector. Partners shared how scepticism from stakeholders and strained relationships with local authorities at times hindered progress.
Despite these challenges, the training promoted a collaborative learning space, encouraging partners to share strategies, strengthen their approaches, and reaffirm their commitment to inclusive, community-led development. It is designed to provoke thought and strengthen the partners’ capacity to navigate the complexities of working with both communities and local authorities.
