Page 5 - DHCI Magazine

Welcome to this condensed 5-year overview of the history and output of our coalition. Your coalition! It has been an impressive 5 years.
The initiative that started in 2016 has evolved into a global community of over 1200 individuals, businesses, and organisations. Through a series of events and decisions,
and through the collective ambitions and aspirations of many people, the coalition renewed into the internationally-oriented and respected one we as DCHI team recognise today.
Unique commitment to renew humanitarian development
In this magazine, we take you on our journey that we have made so far. The journey began when the Dutch Coalition for Humanitarian Innovation was launched on 24 March, 2016, in the presence of Minister Ploumen (Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation) and its partners; UNICEF, CARE, the Netherlands Red Cross, City of The Hague, VNO-NCW, Philips Foundation, Text to Change, Royal DSM and Capgemini Consulting. Jointly, they committed to share knowledge and experience and offer operational support on development programmes. This cross-sector approach was something that was unique and only occurred occasionally. The formation of DCHI created the momentum that was needed for serious debate at a national level about the value and impact of aid and development.
Beyond COVID-19
Meanwhile, the need for humanitarian aid has been increasing and is becoming more and more complex. The demand for impactful solutions to tackle humanitarian challenges has therefore never been greater. Innovation is needed to come up with new and better solutions, increase efficiency, and make effective use of available resources. Today, at least half of all humanitarian crises are foreseeable and more than 20% are highly predictable. Yet, less than 1% of humanitarian
Dutch Coalition for Humanitarian Innovation
funding* is released in advance of a crisis to mitigate its eventual effects.
To help tackle these challenges and sustain its effect, DCHI has every reason to offer support to solution providers and humanitarian professionals, to match supply and demand by using design thinking and making methods.
The ability to enable customised partnerships at a faster speed is beneficial to all actors in Dutch society working towards the Sustainable Development Goals. This forward-thinking philosophy is represented by hundreds of names and faces today. Your names, you are the coalition!
It makes us proud that, for these past 5 years, DCHI has been empowering future humanitarian innovators. As a team, we are grateful that DCHI has offered outstanding opportunities to make a positive difference; there is room for creativity, true thought leadership, and rich culture of debate and learning in the sector and beyond. This year, in a time of great uncertainty, it is vital to celebrate the coalition’s achievements as we focus on what the future ahead can bring us.
What will another 5 years of innovation have in store for us and the humanitarian sector as we prepare and educate ourselves for the future of humanitarian challenges and online matchmaking?
We hope you will enjoy reading and watching about our journey and that you will never stop learning!
On behalf of all current and previous team members: Lotte Senior and Birgit Ros
* Source: Heba Aly (2021) ‘The push to anticipate crises gains steam’. The New Humanitarian: The Wrap 13/09/2021
About DCHI
The Dutch Coalition for Humanitarian Innovation (DCHI), founded in 2016, brings together humanitarian organisations, research and educational institutes, businesses of all sizes, and governmental actors. The coalition enables them to jointly find, develop, and scale innovative solutions. We see ourselves as pioneers, a driving force behind innovation, entrepreneurship, and partnerships. We aim to transform humanitarian action through innovation and to realise more economic and societal impact at a lower cost.
The current DCHI board members are supported by the DCHI team, working from home or the offices of the The Hague Humanity Hub.
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EDITOR’S NOTE