Workshop on Humanitarian Finance, Logistics and Advocacy in Emergencies for Master HOPE Students
Last weekend, Social Change School organized an intensive weekend workshop for the participants of the Master HOPE program at the ENGIM headquarters in Rome.
The workshop focused on the vital aspects of humanitarian finance, logistics, and advocacy in emergencies and featured expert speakers in the field, including Cristiano Gavarini, Deputy Finance Director at INTERSOS, Alexandra Matei, Regional Humanitarian Advocacy Adviser at CARE ASIA region, and Giuseppe Linardi, WFP Logistics Cluster Global Preparedness Lead.
Day 1: Humanitarian Finance in Emergencies with Cristiano Gavarini
The workshop kicked off on Friday with an insightful session on humanitarian finance.
Cristiano Gavarini, Deputy Finance Director at INTERSOS, led the discussion, shedding light on crucial aspects such as humanitarian funding mechanisms and the difference between restricted and unrestricted funds.
Gavarini also discussed the main donors in the humanitarian sector and explored funding mechanisms and contracts. The students engaged in a practical exercise centered around budgeting and financial planning, drawing examples from ECHO’s budget template.
Day 2 (Morning): Auditing, Evidence Collection, and Procurement in Emergencies
On Saturday morning, the workshop delved into the critical topics of auditing, evidence collection, and procurement in emergencies. The participants gained valuable insights into the importance of auditing procedures to ensure accountability and transparency in humanitarian interventions. The session also highlighted the significance of evidence collection for effective auditing reports and explored best practices in procurement to address urgent needs during emergencies.
Day 2 (Afternoon): Advocacy in Humanitarian Intervention with Alexandra Matei
In the afternoon, Alexandra Matei, Regional Humanitarian Advocacy Adviser for CARE’s Asia region, shared her expertise on advocacy in humanitarian intervention. The participants learned about the strategic role of advocacy in influencing policy, mobilizing support, and raising awareness about the needs of affected populations.
Day 3: Logistics in Emergency with Giuseppe Linardi
The final day of the workshop focused on logistics in emergencies, with Giuseppe Linardi, WFP Logistics Cluster Global Preparedness Lead, leading the session.
Linardi provided a comprehensive overview of the logistics aspect in humanitarian interventions, covering the roles and responsibilities of logistics families, the support function, and the crucial role of the logistics project manager. The discussion also explored the IASC structure and the cluster approach, emphasizing the importance of coordination and collaboration. Linardi further emphasized the significance of logistics preparedness frameworks in ensuring timely, efficient and effective response in emergencies.
The weekend workshop hosted by Social Change School was a resounding success, equipping the participants of the Master HOPE program with essential knowledge and skills in humanitarian finance, logistics, and advocacy.
The main thing that I take from this workshop is the deep exchange of ideas, notions and personal experience that we had with our lecturers, all outstanding professionals.
Mattia Masili, HOPE Student
Each session helped us boost our knowledge and better understand finance, advocacy and logistics in emergency settings, also stressing the foremost importance of those areas for the success of any humanitarian projects. Throughout the workshop, I also valued the tips and pieces of advice that the lecturers shared with a view to helping us navigate the sector.
