The overlooked first responders
When disasters strike, communities are the first to respond. They organise rescue efforts, share supplies and protect each other, long before international aid arrives. Yet traditional humanitarian systems often overlook the power of local action.
At Christian Aid, we believe real change happens when communities lead their own response and recovery. Supporting Community-led Response (SCLR) means shifting power and resources into the hands of those directly affected. It is not about working for communities, but supporting their ongoing efforts.
In Ukraine, we have worked with community responders since the start of the full-scale invasion in 2022. Our experience shows that while locally-led action is vital, supporting it in practice is not always simple. This blog shares three key lessons we have learnt from Ukraine, alongside why we think that supporting locally led response matters more now than ever.
What is locally-led response and why does it matter?
Locally-led responses means that instead of people affected by crisis being consulted or ‘included’ in projects whose parameters are designed elsewhere, they design, lead and deliver their own support.
This approach recognises that people experiencing crises know best what they need. It acknowledges and builds on their strengths rather than their needs, protects dignity, and creates faster, more effective support.
Supporting locally led response also means challenging conventional aid models that can disempower or sideline the capabilities and decisions of those most affected. If we want humanitarian action to be truly effective, sustainable, and just, we must put local leadership and decision making at the centre.
Find creative ways to fund mutual aid
One of the first challenges in Ukraine was how to fund spontaneous mutual aid groups. These groups are often informal, unregistered and deeply embedded within their communities. However, international funding usually requires working through registered entities. This created a real tension: how to comply with legal requirements without undermining the grassroots spirit of mutual aid.
One solution was to link mutual aid groups with trusted registered bodies, like churches. This allowed community responders to access funding for initiatives they designed and ran themselves, without losing their autonomy.
Image credits and information
Image credits and information
Inclusion isn’t enough
Conventional humanitarian action often focuses on ‘including’ marginalised groups. But true inclusion means recognising their right to lead. A locally led approach invests in the power of people affected by crisis—especially those most excluded—to shape their own response.
In Ukraine, we partnered with the Alliance for Public Health (APH), part of a network of civil society groups led by marginalised communities, including LGBTQIA+ people and those living with or at risk of HIV. Rather than simply including them in existing aid, we supported them to lead their own locally led response.
Build flexibility into funding systems
The humanitarian system divides aid into sectors like health, shelter and food. But people’s needs and capacities are interconnected and complex.
Locally led initiatives often don’t fit these rigid categories, making it harder to access or report on funding. One of our case studies highlights the risks of forcing community responses into predefined boxes. To truly support locally led action we need flexible, responsive funding models built around communities—not systems. A promising step is the Disasters Emergency Committee’s new ‘holistic and multisector’ option.
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Looking ahead: learning from Ukraine for future crises
One of our biggest lessons from Ukraine is about learning itself. Real learning means listening to local voices, including those at grass roots level, being honest about challenges, and staying flexible enough to adapt.
At Christian Aid, we are embedding these lessons into how we work across all humanitarian programmes. We remain committed to standing with communities, not extracting from them, and supporting locally led humanitarian response wherever crises occur.
By shifting power and resources closer to where crises happen, we can help build a more just, effective and compassionate humanitarian system — led by the people it is meant to serve.
