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International development is undergoing a paradigm shift, moving beyond the traditional North-South dichotomy of aid to embracing a new category of change-makers: citizen aid actors, often referred to as “everyday humanitarians” or “everyday philanthropists.” These are ordinary citizens who, driven by compassion and local insight, have identified needs within their communities and taken decisive action to address them. Whether formally registered as NGOs or operating independently, they differ from mainstream NGOs by being individual-driven, volunteer-led, small-scale, privately funded, and often spontaneously established by individuals or small groups with little to no experience in the development or humanitarian sectors.
Despite concerns about their professionalism, technical capabilities, sustainability, scalability, and the potential to perpetuate power imbalances—particularly given that many may lack formal experience in the development or humanitarian sectors—their contributions are significant and cannot be overlooked. This is especially true in Nigeria’s remote rural and urban communities, where resources are scarce, and the need is urgent.
At COAL, we recognize the vital role these grassroots initiatives play in Nigeria’s development. Through our “Empowering Citizen Aid Actors” project, we’ve carefully curated series of capacity-building sessions designed to strengthen the organizational systems and processes of citizen aid actors working on development and humanitarian initiatives in Nigeria. We recognize the complex and intersectional dynamics these local initiatives navigate as they strive to make meaningful impact in their communities. The training program is tailored to empower these change-makers, ensuring their work is ethical, impactful and sustainable.
Corporate Governance for Nonprofit Management​​
Date: 5th Sept 2024
Time: 10am -12pm GMT+1
Location: Zoom
Fundamentals of project Project Management
Date: 6th Sept 2024
Time: 10am -12pm GMT+1
Location: Zoom
Resource mobilisation and fundraising
Date: 3rd Oct 2024
Time: 10am -12pm GMT+1
Location: Zoom
Communications for Development practice​
Date: 4th Oct 2024
Time: 10am -12pm GMT+1
Location: Zoom
Financial Management for Nonprofit
Date: 7th Nov 2024
Time: 10am -12pm GMT+1
Location: Zoom
Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Basics
Date: 8th Nov 2024
Time: 10am -12pm GMT+1
Location: Zoom
Tech on a Shoestring: Affordable Digital Solutions for Nonprofits
Date: 5th Dec 2024
Time: 10am -12pm GMT+1
Location: Zoom
Safeguarding and Psychosocial Wellbeing in Development Practice
Date: 6th Dec 2024
Time: 10am -12pm GMT+1
Location: Zoom
Facilitators
Dr. Prince Charles Dickson is Peace Insight’s Local Peacebuilding expert in Nigeria, based in Jos, Plateau State. With decades of experience in media, public policy, psychology, and development practice, he is a seasoned peace practitioner and policy analyst. Currently, he leads the Tattaaunawa Roundtable Initiative (TRICentre), fostering dialogue and sustainable communities. Prince Charles is a certified ADR practitioner with extensive training in journalism and psychology. He is a Henry Luce Fellow, Ford Foundation grantee, and holds multiple certifications in Religion and Global Politics, Gender, Negotiation and Conflict Management and Analysis, Interfaith Peacebuilding, and Conflict Resolution.
An alumnus of the University of Jos, he furthered his studies at the Humanitarian Academy at Harvard and the University of Texas at Austin. He earned a doctoral degree in Psychology (Policy & Human Development) from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Dr. Dickson’s diverse expertise and commitment to social justice and community empowerment make him a respected leader in peacebuilding.
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Iyanuoluwa Fatoba is a development and advocacy communications professional with a wealth of experience across the public, private, and third sectors. She believes in leveraging communications to drive conversations with multiple stakeholders on the role of private and public sectors as well as social systems in driving sustainable development globally.
With a career spanning several high-profile organisations, she has demonstrated a remarkable ability to work across different sectors, delivering impactful campaigns to shape public discourse and drive social change.
Iyanuoluwa currently leads communications for the World Benchmarking Alliance’s Food and Agriculture Benchmark. Drawing on her extensive experience, she is working to leverage communications as a tool for holding the food and agriculture sector accountable for their contributions to SDGs. She is also working to foster stakeholders’ awareness and understanding of how the world’s most influential food and agriculture companies are contributing to healthier, more sustainable and equitable food systems globally.
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Patience Finye Andrew is an international development expert in the field of monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning (MERL). She has led and supported evaluations across various thematic areas including peacebuilding, women’s economic advancement, youth development, education, creative industry, bilateral and multilateral research investments in sub-Saharan Africa and the UK.
Patience is passionate about participatory decolonial approaches to evaluations, emphasizing Africa’s contributions to knowledge and best practices for solving global challenges. Her work combines theoretical and practical applications of alternative and intersectional development approaches. She holds a BA in History and International Studies and a Masters in International Development. Patience is currently a monitoring and evaluation manager at the UK `Research and Innovation (UKRI).Â
Gbenga Oni, a thought leader, highly skilled in training development and delivery, and his work is globally recognized. His motivation is to provide leadership for complex sustainable development challenges, helping to connect the dots and create value. He is a creative thinker, writer, mentor, leadership coach, and enabler. His purpose is to help people and organizations
unlock their potential or strengthen their capacities. Like a waterfall, he believes his influence flows sequentially, nourishing others as it flows along, producing vegetation and cooling effects. He is one of the few people around the world working on a just cause to build a world where the “vast majority of people wake up inspired, feel safe at work, and return home fulfilled at the end of the day.” He lives between Nigeria and South Africa with his wife and daughter. [/showhide]
Samuel Famolu is a cybersecurity professional and qualified solicitor specializing in bridging the gap between emerging digital threats and regulatory frameworks. With a robust background in law, technology, and cybersecurity, Samuel brings a unique perspective that integrates technical expertise with legal acumen. He holds advanced degrees, including a Master’s in Law and Technology and an MBA, alongside certifications like CISSP, CIPM, CIPP/E, and ISO/IEC 27001 Lead Implementer.
His work involves in-depth analysis of malware, cyber espionage, and ransomware, where he develops strategies for immediate response and long-term prevention, ensuring alignment with regulatory standards. His experience includes collaborating with multinational corporations and government agencies to implement cybersecurity measures that are both legally compliant and technically sound.
Passionate about knowledge sharing, Samuel has trained over 22,000 youths across Nigeria as a Google Digital Skills trainer and regularly contributes to publications and academic conferences. His goal is to enhance understanding of cybersecurity risks and legal responses to strengthen the security and resilience of digital infrastructures.
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Yonpan Dariem is the National Program Coordinator at Safer World Foundation (SWF), with over 8 years of experience in post-conflict reconstruction, development communication, peacebuilding, and Mental Health Psychosocial Support (MHPSS). She specializes in designing and implementing programs in conflict management, peacebuilding, and MHPSS, particularly in regions affected by insurgency and farmer-herder conflicts across Nigeria.
Yonpan has expanded SWF’s program portfolio, attracting renewed donor support, and has successfully led Transition and Reintegration Projects in Nigeria’s Northeast and North-Central states.
Her work includes developing PSS curriculums, training manuals, and guides for trauma healing, psychosocial first aid, and community resilience. With a background in development economics and certifications in program management, MHPSS, and conflict resolution, Yonpan combines a solid academic foundation with extensive practical experience. Fluent in English and Hausa, she is skilled in navigating complex cultural environments and is known for her professionalism, multitasking abilities, and commitment to promoting resilience and mental wellness.Â
Allwell Akhigbe has 7 years of experience in delivering high-quality resource mobilization and partnership development services to nonprofits across Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia-Pacific and Latin America. After starting his career as a youth peacebuilder, All well has moved on to work across humanitarian, development and peacebuilding sectors, securing over $7m in funding from the biggest donors including the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), United States Government (USG) agencies such as the US State Department Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL), Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), European Union, the World Bank, other United Nations agencies, and American foundations. His business development career has spanned both local Nigerian and international nonprofits and consulting firms based in Washington D.C and Florida respectively, such as Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, Search for Common Ground, Cadasta Foundation, and Forcier Consulting. Allwell started out in an entry-level role as a Business Development Assistant and worked his way up to a Business Development Manager in an American social impact organization.
Allwell is highly skilled in capture management, fundraising strategy development and execution, prepositioning, developing business development standard operating procedures, proposal writing and donor engagement. He holds an MBA from Nexford University, Washington DC, a Master’s degree in Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria and a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies and Diplomacy from the University of Benin, Nigeria. Allwell is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Travaille Ensemble, a social enterprise that is shifting the power to Global South organizations through grant writing, business development training and donor advisory services, for true and sustainable impact.Â
Favour Udi is a certified finance expert with seasoned work experience in the humanitarian and development sectors. Favour is the Finance/HR and Admin Coordinator with IMMAP France, where she provides operational support to IMMAP France in Nigeria.Â
Favour is tech-savvy and dedicated to fostering exceptional work environments and cultures. She has various certifications that cut across the areas of finance and operations.Â