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Fundraiser of the Month, May 2017: AECOM100

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Patron firm, AECOM helped to fundraise over £1,700 on behalf of RedR, and successfully accomplished the daunting task of people managing over 200 cyclists

This month we are dedicating our fundraiser of the month title to the AECOM100 team. On the 7 May 2017, over 210 participants from the construction and engineering industries took part in a 100km and 50km bike ride through the Cambridge countryside.

The eponymous AECOM100 has taken place every year since 2010. Over the past three years alone it has raised over £3,000 for RedR, but this year they have smashed all their previous records clocking in a fantastic £1,738. AECOM use their business acumen and industry networks and ask each participant to donate a minimum of £15 to take part in the event.

We would like to thank the organisers, spearheaded by Matthew Palmer, for all their hard work over the years and every participant taking part this year for their dedication and for giving up their time on a Sunday to support RedR.

Matthew had this to say about working with RedR: “With more participants and donations than ever before we are really excited to have held the 2017 AECOM100 event. We have been a Patron of RedR for over five years and fully support the vital work that RedR does. The sense of achievement knowing we have raised over £1,500 is fantastic, and the day was really enjoyable with an uplifting atmosphere.”

Localisation to Meet Humanitarian Needs  

COVID-19 has proved beyond any doubt that local actors are critical to humanitarian responses. As a means of long-term capacity building, and as a method for addressing the power imbalance between international NGOs and the communities they serve, localisation is integral to the success of humanitarian efforts.  

Local and national actors have the benefits of legitimacy, better access, and better understanding of cultural realities in their communities . By empowering these actors to respond directly to crises, aid can be delivered more effectively to those who need it most.  

Although the humanitarian sector remains under the hegemony of the largest aid agencies, the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development makes clear that collaboration, not competition, must define relationships between local and international actors.  

By offering accessible training courses to local and national humanitarian staff, RedR UK will continue to support those best placed to respond to crises in their own communities. 

In the coming years, localisation will shape how many humanitarian organisations operate, as more power is shifted to locally led responses.