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Pearl Initiative gathers Gulf based institutional donors and philanthropists to discuss impactful giving in emergencies

The event aimed to inspire more donors to take a strategic and evidence-based approach to philanthropy for a greater and more sustainable impact

The Pearl Initiative, a non-profit organisation focused on promoting a corporate culture of accountability and transparency in the Gulf region, recently convened members of the ‘Circle’, a peer-to-peer network jointly established and powered by the Pearl Initiative and Philanthropy Age which comprises regional institutional and individual donors looking to do more with their giving. Members convened for a virtual session titled ‘Impactful Giving in Emergencies’, which explored how donors can swiftly and effectively deploy funds and resources to alleviate the immediate needs of communities facing crises whilst remaining strategic and value aligned.

The virtual session was led by Laura Hughston, monitoring and evaluation specialist at CARE International, who delivered an engaging talk and presentation on the topic, provided insights on the complexities of giving in emergency settings, and shared examples from her own experiences into how giving can be impactful with the long-term goal of developing resilience, rebuilding communities and allowing human dignity to thrive.

With more than 324 million people needing humanitarian assistance and an estimated $51.5 billion needed for crisis response in 2023, there is a great need for giving in emergencies to enable sustainable impact within communities. The session aimed to inspire attendees to take a more proactive and strategic approach to their giving that can then help alleviate immediate needs and build the foundation for future interventions. The session provided attendees with a platform to discuss the challenges and opportunities to rebuild that arise in times of crisis. It also delved into the complexities of giving in emergency settings and the importance of transparency and accountability as key components of giving done right.

Laura Hughston said: “Although typically led by an emotional and reactive response, philanthropic giving in emergencies and times of crises can also be done strategically, allowing communities to rebuild better and more sustainably. We hope this session provided attendees with a new perspective on how to make their giving more impactful and practical ways to cultivate strength and build on the capacity that exists in the communities within which they work.”

Key takeaways from the event included the importance of trust and accountability, the need to understand local needs and capitalise on local expertise and reinforce infrastructure and civil society, and the necessity to develop resilience to guard against future humanitarian crises.

Commenting on the success of the virtual session, Anissa Punjani, programme manager of the governance in philanthropy programme at the Pearl Initiative, said: “We are extremely grateful to Laura for sharing her expertise with us, and are happy to have been able to provide Circle network members with valuable insights to this relevant and pertinent topic. A fundamental component of effective philanthropy is to ensure that reactive giving, similar to proactive giving, is exercised with more intention and strategy. The region has seen many crises in the last few years, and funders must be equipped to rapidly deploy resources that is a response to the crisis itself and also establishes a foundation for communities to thrive in the long-term."

The Pearl Initiative and the Circle Network’s session on ‘Impactful Giving in Emergencies’ was a valuable opportunity for regional philanthropic actors to come together and discuss best practices in supporting emergency relief efforts. Through the event, the Pearl Initiative aims to inspire more donors to take a strategic and evidence-based approach to philanthropy for a greater and more sustainable impact.