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Panel Discussion “Fundraising for Civil Society in Southeast Asia”
14 May, 2019 @ 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
While there is much talk of the shrinking of civic space in Southeast Asia (and the world), public discussion rarely touches on how this also affects (and is affected by) the availability of funding for civil society organizations, in particular those that advocate for human rights. Last February, SEA Junction has launched a series of events and publications focusing on the funding challenges experienced by civil society in the region, with support by the Open Society Foundations (OSF). This initiative named “Wielding the funding strings of civil society in Southeast Asia” is born out of an article with the same title recently written by SEA Junction’s director for New Mandala (https://www.newmandala.org/weilding-purse-strings/). As the article notes:
“Across Southeast Asia, governments’ stiffened oversight is limiting access to international and national funds by CSOs, in particular when directed at financing advocacy and rights-based activities. This occurs amidst an evolving development aid landscape wherein established donor agencies reposition themselves in line with more conservative contexts back home and abroad, and where a new set of funders does not necessarily appreciate the merit of a “vibrant civil society” for democracy and development” (Sciortino 2018).
In the first event of the series, we had an introduction of the issues at stake from the perspective of NGO activists about the challenges they encounter in finding funding for their organizations and what could be alternative ways of finding much needed resources. In this second event on 14 May at 6PM at SEA Junction, we will focus on the same issues, but as experienced by fund raisers, those who try to help raising funds for civil society through various means, as resource mobilization officers, consultants or representatives of intermediary organizations. The panel speakers are:
Sanjay Gathia
Independent Consultant – Institutional & Program Management and Fundraising
Nova Fransisca Silitonga
Program Manager, Tifa Foundation
Emily Perkin
Managing Director, Just Cause Asia
Speakers profiles
Sanjay Gathia
Sanjay is a social justice and advocacy and development practitioner with more than 15 years of experience, and has worked with and engaged NGOs, government institutions, regional bodies, corporate firms and media in the Asia Pacific region. He specializes in capacity building, program management and fundraising. His thematic interests are wide ranging from democratic processes to refugees and migrants, humanitarian responses and media engagement. He completed his PG Diploma in Human Resource Management & Information Technology from Amity University, India and M.A. in International Human Rights from Mahidol University, Thailand.
Nova Fransisca Silitonga
Nova is Program Manager and Acting Director for Tifa Foundation and is responsible for managing programs and staff as well as mobilizing resources. Previously she initiated the implementation of Child’s Rights and Business Principles with UNICEF Indonesia and mobilized resources to support its programs. Nova served in the ASEAN Secretariat; and has had more than 5 years of experiences in managing G-to-G cooperation programs. She holds a postgraduate degree in International Business Administration from University of Indonesia. Thanks to an Erasmus Mundus’ Masters scholarship she earned a Master from the University of Trento, Italy and from Regensburg University in Germany with cum laude, majoring in Comparative Local Development study.
Emily Perkin
Emily has around 15 years of experience in the social sector as a consultant, staff member, trustee and volunteer. She has been based in Singapore since February 2013 and since then has worked with many charities, social enterprises and donors across the region to provide philanthropy advice and impact assessments. Her experience includes conducting large-scale value for money assessments for central government; managing a knowledge network for charities in Japan and Afghanistan; and co-founding an award-winning social enterprise in London. Emily has an MA in Japanese Studies from Cambridge University and a Master’s in International Public Policy from Osaka University.
Source: MSF
The event is free, but donations are most welcome to enable SEA Junction to continue its activities and keep events accessible to the public.
For information/reservation for our events please email southeastasiajunction@gmail.com or phone/wa: +66970024140
Organizers:
SEA Junction, OUR Venue to Connect on Southeast Asia (see https://seajunction.org) SEA Junction aims to foster understanding and appreciation of Southeast Asia in all its socio-cultural dimensions –from arts and lifestyles to economy and development. Conveniently located at Room 408 of the Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre or BACC (across MBK, BTS National Stadium) SEA junction facilitates public access to knowledge resources and exchanges among students, practitioners and Southeast Asia lovers. For more information see seajunction.org and join the Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/1693055870976440/
Open Society Foundations (OSF)
OSF, the Open Society Institute, is an international grant-making network that work to build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people including through provision of financial support to civil society groups. For more information see https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org
