Engage Gathering Brief

MARCH 2026

ENGAGE Gathering: Brief

CAPTION

ENGAGE GATHERING Brief

March 26 – 28, 2026 | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania Purpose The Engage Gathering marked the formal conclusion of the 6.5 year project cycle for Engage: Women’s Empowerment & Active Citizenship.

ATTENDEES: Staff from partner organizations in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, and Tanzania Grassroots women leaders from Ethiopia, Tanzania, and India (and virtually Bangladesh and Haiti)

“Engage” has worked to support the leadership capacity of informal sector women in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, and Tanzania as they address key issues they are facing through asset-based, feminist approaches.

Over three days, partners, grassroots leaders, funders, and regional networks came together for participatory, partner led sessions focused on project impact, innovative practices, and

Coady graduates from East and West Africa regions Representatives from Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian High Commission in Tanzania

future pathways for women’s leadership and participation.

"This gathering comes at a critical time when strengthening women’s leadership and active citizenship is not only important, IT IS URGENT." - Gemma Sware Akilimali (Board Chair, TGNP)

Partners of regional Global Affairs Canada funded projects such as Rural Women Cultivating Change (RWCC) Staff and supporters from Coady Institute in Canada

COADY.STFX.CA/ENGAGE

March 26 - 28. 2026 | Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

TABU ALLY KILONGE & REHEMA MWATEBA (TGNP, TANZANIA)

Themes and Sessions Sessions were facilitated by partners from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Haiti, India, Tanzania and Canada.

Livelihoods, Agency, and Resilience

Early Results and Insights from the ENGAGE Final

Emerging Practices in:

Evaluation

ABCD Gender Transformative Approaches

Solidarity and Network Building for System-Level

South–South Learning

Change: Successes, Challenges, Lessons Learned,

Climate Adaptation and Resilience

and Opportunities

Youth Leadership

Women’s Challenges and Trends in the World Today

Surya (The Sun)| Women

entrepreneurs support green energy transition in rural India

“Until now, under this project, we have TRAINED MORE THAN 1000 PEOPLE, and out of that 1000, approximately 65% of members get a job and start the entrepreneurship in green technology.”

When extreme weather and energy scarcity

- Sagar Junagade (SEWA, India)

began eroding rural livelihoods, SEWA’s Surya (English: sun) program trained grassroots women in solar installation, repair, and maintenance so communities could keep technologies working, earn incomes, and scale local energy solutions.

SEWA first mapped women’s daily energy needs and time lost collecting fuel, then piloted distributed renewable solutions (biogas, household and trade solar). Previously, when equipment failed, long waits for outside technicians meant lost production. SEWA responded by training local women as technicians and entrepreneurs through Surya, creating local service capacity and new livelihoods. The program combines energy budgeting and hands‑on technical training. SEWA has hosted several exchange visits so other country partners could see the model in action.

MEETA SHRIMALI (SEWA, INDIA)

Key Takeaways Integrated problems need integrated responses: challenges relating to gender equality, climate change, livelihoods, and health are interconnected; siloed solutions fall short.

Centre grassroots women as knowledge‐holders in development spaces: platforming community women in ‘professional’ spaces disrupts who is seen as an expert. Their strategies and innovations, shared in their own contexts and languages, make clear that women are not beneficiaries of development — they are its architects.

Invest in South–South learning and exchange: south-south exchange leads to increased localization and greater long-term, sustainable learning opportunities and which last beyond project agreements. Northern partners play an important role in facilitating and resourcing these networks.

Integrate technology with community-led solutions: emerging technologies introduce new opportunities and challenges. It is important to leverage them for accessibility, reach, and innovation while also safeguarding against new forms of gender-based violence and disinformation.

Youth leadership is required for long-term change: youth represent the bridge between tradition and transformation.

Sustained engagement matters: community wins often follow years of persistent effort, engagement, and advocacy.

WE WERE UNDERESTIMATED, but we learnt to repair water pumps, secured local government contracts, and now earn an income while gaining respect."

- Masresha Assefa (Ethiopia) in The Citizen

ASSUNTHA FLEURANT (CLE, HAITI)

In the media (select)

Women turn resilience into economic power across borders – The Citizen (English) Coady hails local women’s leadership gains - Daily News (English) Mradi wa "Engage" umelete tija katika maendeleo ya jamii - ITV (Swahili) City FM Radio Interview with Anna Sangai (TGNP) (Swahili)