The programme aims to strengthen the role of local NGOs in humanitarian response. It is in line with Help’s global strategy and localisation policy, promoting the principles of equal partnership, responsibility and sustainable development.
On 7 April 2025, an official presentation of the new global Help Localisation Facility (HLF), implemented by the humanitarian organisation Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe with the initiative and financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office, took place in the conference hall of the Radisson Blu Hotel, Kyiv.
Before the presentation, Dr. Maximilian Rasch, Germany’s Deputy Ambassador to Ukraine, and Dr. Torsten Klose-Zuber, Secretary General of Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, delivered welcoming remarks. They stressed the importance of this programme for the development of humanitarian aid and localisation of international support in Ukraine.
The event also featured a panel discussion on localisation processes in the face of current challenges. We are sincerely grateful to the speakers who joined the discussion, namely:
- Gritt Richter (Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe), who moderated the discussion
- Elizaveta Khabibova (Safe Sky Foundation)
- Mila Leonova (Alliance UA CSO)
- Fredrik Larsson (NGO Resource Centre)
- Dr. Maximilian Rasch (Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ukraine)
The programme aims to strengthen the role of local NGOs in humanitarian response. It is in line with Help’s global strategy and localisation policy, promoting the principles of equal partnership, accountability and sustainable development. HLF aims to set new standards in humanitarian aid by focusing on empowering local organisations that have a deep understanding of the context, community trust and the capacity to make a lasting impact.
The programme is based on two key institutional mechanisms:
▶ Steering Committee, comprising representatives of civil society, including Christian Aid and People in Need in Ukraine, Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, which develops an innovative funding instrument.
▶ Grant Committee, which includes Help – Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe, Alliance UA CSO, NGO Resource Centre and Ukrainian Local Pooled Fund. It is the representatives of the Ukrainian civil society sector who make decisions on funding local initiatives.
At least 20 local organisations will receive funding under the HLF. Applications will be accepted this summer. Help acts as a facilitator, supporting partners in implementing projects, developing their capacities, and ensuring compliance with international standards and transparent procedures.
Together with local and national organisations, the Help Localisation Programme (HLF) is laying the groundwork for a more sustainable, effective and equitable humanitarian system that helps people in need overcome hardship, poverty and social injustice. This can only be achieved through equal partnerships, in which the knowledge and practical experience of local actors is made an integral part of all aspects of humanitarian action.
