Shift the Power - my list of organizations rethinking development work (1)

A Paradigm Shift at Eye Level

"Shift the Power" - this is the name of the profound change currently reshaping development work. It is about nothing less than a shift of power and resources: away from large institutions, towards the people who are directly affected. Instead of directives from the Global North, the principle of eye level is increasingly what counts.

In practice, this means: opening up local decision-making spaces, enabling participatory resource allocation, promoting joint reflection instead of external control, and strengthening entire local ecosystems - not just individual projects. Christina Kükenshöner from Joyuntu describes this change in detail in the bcause blog.

From the Exception to the Hope

Already during my time at Ashoka, I encountered many people who embarked on this new path. For a long time, they remained exceptions in a world shaped by state-run and top-down oriented development work. Today, they are the hope of an industry that is reinventing itself – and must achieve greater impact with fewer resources.

In recent months, I have gotten to know several organizations that have particularly impressed me. They all show how "Shift the Power" works in practice.

🔁 impacc

"Using the tools of business for social change" – this is how the non-profit organization based in Germany, Kenya, and Ethiopia describes its work. Instead of putting donations into classic aid projects, impacc invests in African start-ups. Profits are reinvested to support new companies. This creates a cycle that strengthens the local economy and builds long-term independence.

Support impacc on bcause

🔁 fairafric

"Perhaps the most sustainable chocolate in the world" – fairafric keeps the entire value creation where it belongs: with the producers in Africa. From the cocoa bean to the finished bar, everything takes place in Ghana. Anyone who subscribes to a climate bond invests directly in fair production conditions and climate-friendly agriculture. Chocolate that harms neither people nor the planet.

Support fairafric on bcause

🔁 capacity

Founder Lawrence Leuschner calls his vision "Moonshots for biodiversity." The first project: a satellite-based warning app that protects indigenous defenders of the Amazon rainforest from illegal logging. Technology meets nature conservation – and shows how innovation can become a tool for protection.

Support capacity on bcause

🔁 Generation Restoration

"What if we transformed refugee camps into regenerative communities?" – with this question, sustainability expert Tina Teucher founded the Generation Restoration Foundation. Her goal: self-sustaining, regenerative ecosystems in places previously considered hostile to life. The project combines humanity, sustainability, and economic perspectives in a new way.

Support Generation Restoration on bcause

🔁 Landbanking (Earthly Treasure)

"Put Nature on the Balance Sheet!" – Prof. Martin Stuchtey wants to integrate nature into the financial world. With Landbanking, he develops models that make ecological values – such as the benefit of a national park – measurable and tradeable. As a result, nature is no longer exploited, but becomes valuable, protected, and investable.

Support Landbanking on bcause

🔁 GiveDirectly

Hardly any approach is so direct: GiveDirectly transfers money directly to people in extreme poverty via mobile money. No detour through institutions, no conditions – the recipients decide for themselves what they need. Studies show that this form of support is among the most effective strategies against poverty worldwide.

Support GiveDirectly on bcause

A New Understanding of Development

"Shift the Power" is more than just a buzzword. It is a call to not only recognize global imbalances but to actively change them. Anyone who supports this path promotes self-determination, innovation, and respect.

In October, the FOFoundation focused on the topic “Democracy and Journalism - Prosperity for all, Knowledge for all”. Accompanying this, you can find the article “Democracy Worries: State of the 'Prosperity for All' Promise?” on our blog, in which Felix presents his personal selection of donor organizations and digital foundations on this topic.