Shabaka Strategic Framework 2026-2030: Centring Diaspora and Mutual Aid Leadership in Humanitarian Action

20 October 2025

For over a decade, Shabaka has supported locally led mutual aid networks and diaspora groups in their responses to emergencies. Today, we launch our Strategic Framework 2026-2030—a roadmap for advancing humanitarian reform that centres people affected by crises.

Why This Strategy Matters

Traditional humanitarian systems, rooted in colonial-era power structures, continue to sideline the communities they serve. Meanwhile, mutual aid networks and diaspora organisations demonstrate daily that effective, dignified crisis response exists outside formal systems—often despite institutional barriers.

Three interconnected shifts create unprecedented opportunity for change:

• Localisation and decolonisation are imperative as colonial-era systems prove insufficient, with Global South-led alternatives emerging
• Intersecting crises demanding responses that recognise diaspora and mutual aid networks as critical actors bridging resilience strategies
• Recognition of community-led models as traditional funding declines and institutional approaches struggle to meet needs

Our Approach: Three Strategic Pillars

Partnership facilitation is central to all our work—systematically analysing power imbalances and working towards models that genuinely redistribute power and resources to locally led actors.

1. Insights & Evidence Generation
Community-centred research through approaches that treat communities as partners, not subjects. We co-develop research questions with community partners, recognise diverse knowledge systems, and apply data protection principles.

2. Strategic Advisory Services
Organisational development for community actors, building on existing strengths; transformation strategy and power analysis for institutions. We reject narratives positioning communities as lacking capacity, challenge extractive practices, and support boundary-setting that protects autonomy.

3. Capacity Strengthening & Knowledge Exchange
Reciprocal learning programmes, including our annual mutual aid and diaspora humanitarian action summit, recognise that communities hold expertise institutions need.

Our Geographic Focus

East and North Africa and West Asia—crisis-affected regions where diaspora and mutual aid networks demonstrate strong humanitarian engagement, yet traditional approaches struggle. These contexts demand community-led alternatives.

Expected Impact by 2030

• 50+ organisations strengthened whilst preserving autonomy and cultural practices
• 25+ authentic partnerships based on power-sharing and mutual accountability
• Policy frameworks in 5+ government departments recognising and enabling locally led action
• Annual summit established as key convening space
• Resource flows are increasingly bypassing extractive intermediaries
• Systemic integration of justice-centred responses to intersecting crises

Partnership Opportunities

We welcome collaboration across a continuum—from service delivery partnerships through collaborative and equitable to transformative partnerships. We seek partners committed to genuine power-sharing, challenging extractive aid models, placing crisis-affected people at the centre of decision-making, and valuing diverse knowledge systems.

Download the Full Strategy

Our Strategic Framework details our three strategic pillars, operating model, value propositions for diverse partners, and our commitment to transforming humanitarian action through evidence, advisory services, and capacity strengthening grounded in authentic partnership