We are proud to present our 2016 global Annual Report (pdf). It describes what we achieved with our partners in 2016 through programmes and projects that aim to make our societies greener and more open.
Citizen agency, government responsiveness, energy and health access
For example, one of our largest programmes, Making All Voices Count, has worked with citizens, tech companies and government institutions in twelve countries in Africa and Asia to improve interaction between citizens and governments, and to make governments more effective and accountable. Citizen agency and government responsiveness is also at the heart of our contribution to the Civil Society support unit of the Open Government Partnership and its regional activities. See for example the inspiring case of Bojonegoro on page 34.
Also in Indonesia, one of our new initiatives aimed at making the island of Sumba 100% sustainable is setting up a social enterprise that provides essential services to potential consumers and investors in off-grid renewable energy systems.
In our six HIV/AIDS and Human Rights programmes in Latin America, Southern Africa and Southeast Asia, we succeeded in increasing access to health services for key populations, such as LGBTI persons, sex workers, and people living with HIV/AIDS.
Government co-funded programmes finalised
In 2016 we also finalised the last in a series of five-year MFS (government co-funded) programmes. This €272 million multi-theme funding enabled Hivos over the years to support civil society in 26 countries in their struggle for human rights, economic empowerment and equality. We are building on this track record in our new Strategic Partnership with IIED, ARTICLE 19 and the Dutch Foreign Ministry. This strategic partnership is just one of the 40+ new programmes and projects that Hivos started in 2016.
Innovation for social change
Innovation for social change is at the core of our work, as you will see if you read about our innovative Food Change Labs (pages 74 and 75) that invite diverse stakeholders to identify the most pressing problems in their local food systems and jointly come up with new, sustainable solutions. In 2016, we also started an innovation fund and prepared the idea accelerator. Both offer funding opportunities to find innovative solutions to persistent global problems, bring them to scale and share their knowledge. We expect these investments to start bearing fruit in 2017.
Hivos Triodos Fund to address sustainable food and energy
The Hivos Triodos Fund (HTF), a joint initiative of Hivos and Triodos Bank, had great impact again in 2016, reaching millions of people and showing very good returns. Nevertheless, micro-finance has matured, and Hivos has decided that after more than twenty years of successful investment in micro-finance, the sector no longer depends on our support. Therefore, in the search for new solutions and social innovation in renewable energy and sustainable food, Hivos and Triodos Bank decided to shift the focus of the HTF to invest in loans and equity for small and medium-size enterprises in sustainable food and energy. We also agreed to withdraw part of our HTF funding to invest in innovation and programme development, as explained in our annual accounts.
Thank you
We want to thank our donors, partners, stakeholders and advisors for your support, without which Hivos would not have been able to achieve our many goals.
