In times of crisis and uncertainty, it’s easy to feel powerless—especially when the systems we’ve worked so hard to build begin to unravel. But what if, instead of retreating into frustration or resignation, we leaned into a different approach?
Confronting Complexity with Care
The scale of disruption caused by the recent cuts from USAID is unprecedented, and the tangible human impacts are alarming. Thirty-six million people are now deprived of life-saving aid, 130 country programmes have been suspended, and over 100,000 individuals have lost their jobs. International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) are facing budget reductions of up to 60%, and the structures that many dedicated organisations have spent decades building are unravelling.
Other countries are also announcing cuts. The UK has recently announced reductions to its development budget, and similar decisions elsewhere signal a broader geopolitical shift - from solidarity to self-preservation. This shift has left many of us feeling frustrated, uncertain, and deeply concerned about the future of global aid and humanitarian efforts.
It can be incredibly challenging to embrace complexity and uncertainty, and many in international development and social impact may feel forced to adapt to or abandon this new landscape. But this moment requires so much more than adaptation - it calls for compassion.
Why Compassion?
While it may feel overwhelming for many of us in the sector right now, a compassionate response can deepen our personal resilience and open the door to new possibilities that might emerge from this challenging time.
By choosing compassion, we reclaim our agency. Compassionate practice enables us to engage with problems that lack clear answers or solutions. It encourages us to face complexity with care and curiosity instead of detachment or despair. Choosing compassion prompts us to pause, reflect, and explore the caring actions we can take for ourselves, our teams, networks, and organisations.
Compassion Fuels Our Sector
Like so many others, I entered global development because of a deep-rooted belief in justice, care, and shared humanity. But over the years, I have witnessed how urgency, a scarcity mindset, and pressure for results can erode the very values of equity and care we want to uphold.
People drawn to international development and social impact are often inherently empatheticand care deeply about building a more equitable world. But the pursuit of change can be tiring, and with experience comes more profound questions like:
- “How do I lead in a system where power imbalances make it hard to stay true to my values?”
- “How do I give my all to the work that I care so deeply about, without compromising my own energy and wellbeing?”
- “As an individual, how can I help influence larger systems to adopt more caring and equitable approaches?”
In a sector where compassion often fuels why we do this work, what if we could also use it to take better care of ourselves, those around us, and the systems we’re part of?
That’s why I started YCompassion: to help individuals and organisations ensure that compassion guides not only the outcomes of our efforts but also the processes that inform them.
Putting Compassion Into Practice
A 2024 YCompassion survey showed that 92% of respondents see a culture of compassion as vital to our work, yet less than 46% felt prepared to build and cultivate that culture. Leadership research from Gallup highlights the growing demand for hope, trust, and compassion in leadership globally. As the global development landscape shifts, cultivating cultures of care will be more valuable than ever.
This month, we are launching the YCompassion Leadership Programme, which is designed to help global development specialists:
- Integrate compassionate leadership approaches into their day-to-day work.
- Reconnect with their purpose and values.
- Advocate for and contribute to a more compassionate and impactful sector.
While the YCompassion Leadership Programme wasn’t created as a direct response to the current crisis, it feels timely to create a space that helps us navigate the increasing complexity of the international development and social impact sector.
Whether you find yourself leading teams through critical transformations, upskilling between roles, or looking for a more human-centric approach to leadership, this programme provides a wide array of tools and practices to explore within a safe and supportive peer community.
As we navigate these uncertain times, let’s consider how compassion can help us navigate them skillfully - not just in our work but also in how we show up for ourselves and each other.
My hope is that we give ourselves the space to pause, reflect, and cultivate cultures of care - so that when we reemerge, we do so with renewed clarity, resilience, and bold new visions of what’s possible.
- 📅 Apply for the YCompassion Leadership Programme or submit your scholarship application for one of the fully-funded spots.
- 📌 Helpful resources: Explore the Global Aid Transition Hub for resources, community and free events.
- 💛 Follow YCompassion on LinkedIn and sign up for the newsletter.
About Signe
Signe is a certified coach supporting individuals and organisations in international development to achieve meaningful impact.
She has over a decade of experience as a program manager and trusted advisor to governments in sub-Saharan Africa through organisations such as the World Bank, Overseas Development Institute, and Collaborative Africa Budget Reform Initiative.