CALP staff share some of their plans for 2025
We know that 2025 will be an extremely challenging year, but we remain committed as a network to maximising choice and dignity for people in crisis, through cash and voucher assistance and more people centred aid. With the challenges of the year ahead very much in mind, CALP staff share below just some of the projects they’re looking forward to working on.
CALP’s Cash Learning Hub hosts online training content on the topic of CVA, developed by a range of organisations. We know there is some great work going on in 2025 with new content being added to the Cash Learning Hub that we can’t wait to share. The ‘CVA and Child Protection Course’ is just one of many to look out for….
Greg Rodwell, Learning and Development Coordinator
I am happy to see the strong engagement and collaboration we continue to foster in the region. Looking ahead, I am particularly inspired by our efforts to unpack the complex reasons behind cash restrictions. These insights will not only help us mitigate risks but also pave the way for innovative solutions to boost the use of CVA. I look forward to deeper collective action, driving impactful change in 2025.
Mirko Tommasi, Regional Representative – West and Central Africa
I am really looking forward to our website refresh! We’re hoping to ‘go live’ in February and once we’ve done this it will be so much easier for our visitors to achieve what they need to do, whether that is looking up training or trainers, finding a course or an event or searching for relevant research, publications or blogs. It’s going to be a lot ‘prettier’, more accessible and easier to navigate too…watch this space.
Monity Odera, Library and Publications Officer
This year I’m excited to take stock of what collectively we have achieved during the course of CALP’s current strategy (2020-2025) and start planning for the next five years. More than ever before cash will be vital in providing choice and dignity to people in crisis against a backdrop of limited resources, political uncertainties and increasing climate volatility.
I’m also looking forward to thinking creatively about the opportunity that cash offers to drive a genuine people-centred response where communities set the agenda, and the humanitarian eco-system evolves and adapts to deliver this agenda.
Cate Turton, Director
I feel positive about the prospects for CVA in MENA, despite the challenges in many countries. Specifically, ensuring that people in Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Yemen get the support that they need to live in dignity. We will be bringing together CVA practitioners from all over MENA to unpack some of the challenges that we face and how we can collectively move forward.
I’m also looking forward to the many discussions we will have in our communities of practice; learning from each other on best practice around CVA linkages to social protection, locally led responses, and how to better design MPCA programmes.
Rana Nassar, Regional Representative – Middle East and North Africa
The need in Sudan is huge, but actors are coming together and collaborating. Working across sectors and industries. There are some very smart people between the Consortium, CWG and OCHA who are working hard to make a real difference. I think we’ll see more change in the next 9 months than we see in many protracted crises.
Rory Crew, Technical Advisor – Data and Digitalisation
Much hard work has gone into the SPIAC-B working group on Linking Humanitarian Cash and Social protection.
Last year, the Working Group, (in line with its remit as a technical community of practice), proposed nine Common Principles to inform actions for more effective progress in linking humanitarian assistance and social protection, with cash transfers as the main entry point to provide better services to affected people – and this March the group will publish a paper called “How to operationalize the Common Principles”.
It should help practitioners to better link humanitarian cash and social protection both globally and at a more local level by proposing practical steps to initiate or strengthen linkages in various contexts.
Céline Sinitzky Billard, Technical Advisor
I am excited about updating our award-winning CALP Online course this year, which is being used by more and more organizations to spread learning and knowledge of CVA!
Steph Roberson, Learning Content Lead
I am keen to see the continued growth of the Community of Practice on CVA and Financial Inclusion. My goal is to generate more engagement and make sure a dynamic, inclusive space where CVA implementers can share experiences, exchange ideas, and collectively advance the agenda of financial inclusion within CVA.
Also on theme I am eager to roll out a series of webinars across different regions each tailored to explore and address the unique challenges in CVA and financial inclusion.
This year promises to be filled with growth, learning, and collaboration, and I am excited to contribute to the collective efforts.
Amadou Diop, Technical Advisor
Listening, hearing, asking questions and acting. I am looking forward to keeping my ears open, and eyes fixed on the horizon, to strengthen connections and enrich our work with the network.
Holly Welcome Radice, Regional Representative – Americas
This year there are many opportunities arising in the region to learn and influence. We will try new ways of convening the community through a series of webinars, and a cash learning event in the Pacific. Meeting people and hearing from them and building meaningful connections really excites me in 2025.
Jerome Balinton, Deputy Regional Representative – Asia Pacific
I am pleased that we’re about to hit 30,000 followers on LinkedIn! This indicates to me the size and appetite of the cash community…cash is certainly not ‘done’, and together we can advance cash further, learn from one another and draw closer as a community. I love planning ahead to work out what our followers will find useful and interesting….if you have any ideas for blogs / videos or other content, please feel free to reach out to me.
Jo-Anne Witcombe, Head of Communications and Digital Platforms
It’s an honour to continue working with local and national actors, as well as networks, in our drive to push more locally led and people centred CVA.
The Global CVA & Locally Led Responses Working group will continue its brilliant work which includes facilitating crucial conversations, sharing and developing evidence and learning as well as actively deepening collaborations and peer to peer exchanges.
The Group Cash Transfer (GCT) working group will continue to strengthen knowledge amongst stakeholders around GCTs, as well as driving strategic and technical developments.
Crys Chamaa, Technical Advisor
I am looking forward to new partnerships and planned collaborations in promoting locally led response and people centred aid in the Asia-Pacific region. We are also planning a webinar series to highlight opportunities to support and strengthen the capacities of local and national actors.
Michael Belaro, Regional Representative – Asia Pacific
I’m extremely pleased that the Anticipatory Cash – Working Group, will finally be launched in January 2025. Co-led by CALP, CashCap and the German Red Cross, this group sits under the Anticipation Hub and is supported by a core group that includes WFP, FAO, and Welthungerhilfe. Activities in the first year will include webinars, workshops, discussion papers, and much more. We are looking forward to strengthening connections between cash and anticipatory action specialists to enable more effective interventions.
Ruth McCormack, Technical Advisor
I am looking forward to our upcoming work with network members to learn, demystify and explore the effective use of Group Cash Transfers (GCTs) and Anticipatory CVA in the region.
Both issues are crucial: Cash and voucher assistance is the most widely used type of anticipatory action, and GCTs are proving an essential part of promoting local action and delivering assistance in hard-to-reach areas.
It is essential that we continue to cultivate joint understanding, develop shared objectives and refine their implementation for improved impact.
Sapenzie Ojiambo, Regional Representative – East and Southern Africa
I am most excited about the upcoming events and trainings in East and Southern Africa, especially the Cash Working Group Leads and co-leads workshop – we’ll be building on success in 2024 to make the workshop even better. Also, the ‘Training of Trainers’ event is a wonderful opportunity to ensure we have a good number of highly qualified trainers in the region.
Wandia Nyaga, Administrative Assistant – East and Southern Africa
What are you looking forward to working on in 2025? Feel free to get in touch with us if you have spotted potential areas of collaboration.