Strengthening Local Coordination in Zimbabwe: Reflections from Plan International

As part of my final visit to a Plan International country office, I had the opportunity to meet with Peter van Dommelen, Country Director for Plan International Zimbabwe.

Our conversation centred on how Plan Zimbabwe is working to bring organisations together at both local and national levels to strengthen development outcomes. Rather than operating in isolation, there is a clear emphasis on coordination, alignment, and shared responsibility across the sector.

One initiative that stood out is the Zimbabwe Alliance for Humanitarian Action — a national platform that brings together NGOs and INGOs to coordinate responses, share resources, and strengthen collective action. While coordination networks exist elsewhere across the continent, ZAHA is notable for its focus on nationally led coordination and its emphasis on local ownership.

In practice, this shifts how responses are delivered. National NGOs and community-based organisations are not simply implementing programmes independently; they are working together, exchanging information, pooling expertise, and strengthening preparedness before crises escalate. This approach moves beyond reactive humanitarian response towards a more resilient, system-level model.

It also raises important considerations for how funding is structured. Platforms such as ZAHA have the potential to streamline donor engagement by reducing duplication, improving transparency, and strengthening accountability. By channelling support through coordinated, locally led mechanisms, donors can have greater confidence that resources are reaching communities directly, rather than being diluted through multiple layers of administration.

At a time when global crises continue to place immense pressure on vulnerable communities — particularly women and children — the need for effective coordination is becoming increasingly urgent. Models like ZAHA demonstrate what is possible when local actors are not only included, but positioned at the centre of response efforts.

The challenge now is ensuring that these approaches are recognised, supported, and sustained — not as exceptions, but as a standard for how development and humanitarian action is delivered.