BridgingBorders

Introduction

BridgingBorders is aimed at setting up a dialogue with socially and/or culturally marginalised or excluded populations. BridgingBorders seeks to offer space to these marginalised or excluded populations in order to allow them to voice their claims and, thereby,  reduce their marginalisation. BridgingBorders backs partners willing to promote alternative services when the existing ones are inappropriate. 

Our Specificity

While working abroad in international development the founders of bridgingBorders realised that the consulting and monitoring process are of greater value to the beneficiaries of a project, than the material contribution itself. This can be attributed to the longer impact of the transfer of skills on lay initiative and motivation, as well as independence from external funds. 

Very often local NGOs have human and material resources but lack:

·        technical and conceptual expertise to develop projects

·        legitimacy in the eyes of local administration and the population

·        contacts with regional/national organisations or associations sharing similar aims (horizontal & vertical networking)

·        consciousness about their assets

·        additional means to broaden their activities  

BridgingBorders is aimed at being a small bridge between:

·         Local authorities and active lay people that seek to raise socio-political issues affecting their lives

·        NGOs from different regions sharing the same preoccupations and working on similar issues

·        Non Western NGOs and Western donors

·        Western & Non Western donors (private & institutional)  

BridgingBorders focuses on ‘immaterial’ aspects of projects and beneficiaries’ social capital. BridgingBorders is aimed at developing and strengthening abilities of its partners in the following fields:  

-         Increased communication and networking between potential partners at local, regional and national levels

-         Improved relationships between local non-governmental partners and local administrations

-         Design of projects and applying for grants: Networking between Swiss and foreign partners (any organisation or person sharing BridginBorders’ philosophy and objectives)    

Geographical Area: Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) – mainly but not exclusively  

What we Offer: 

 Networking: BridgingBorders offers a position of bridge-building to its partners (horizontal & vertical networking). Russian organisations are usually not used to work in a network. BridgingBorders offers its network of Russian and foreign partners in Russia and in Europe to any organisation interested in building new ties and collaborations with new partners.  

Expertise: BridgingBorders has field experience and developed a good knowledge of international development aid in the Russian Federation.

·        Knowledge of Actors: BridgingBorders is used to work with administrations at local and regional level. The organisation has developed projects with local, regional, national and international NGOs.    

 ·        Knowledge of the Country, its Language and Culture: BridgingBorders’ members have an in depth knowledge of Russian language, history and culture. In addition, they are familiar with Caucasus and Central Asian countries. They also know functioning of post-Soviet civil society. Partnership can be successful only when donors and implementers have a good knowledge of the field. Yet, many INGOs often lack of adequate knowledge of the field for successful partnership with local NGOs.  

·        Knowledge of Western Donors Policy: BridgingBorders’s members have been collaborating for many years with Swiss-based foundations. The organisation knows the conditions for successful collaboration between Western donors and foreign NGOs.  

Technical Assistance: BridgingBorders provides its partners with technical assistance in project designing. It also helps them to applying to donors.