Shifting the Center | Nairobi 2026
A wonderful day of exchange in Nairobi around a question that sits at the heart of our work: what does localization really mean in practice?
Together with the M.A. Program Glocal International Development Program, we brought together practitioners, community leaders, academics and policymakers to explore locally owned development, community resilience, culture, climate and sustainable energy - and the knowledge and capacities that already exist within communities.
A very special thank you to Dr. Reut Barak Weekes and the Glocal team for the partnership in creating Shifting the Center, to Olam Together for their support, and to all our speakers, partners and participants who brought their experience, ideas and openness to the day.
The conversations reminded us that localization is not only about where decisions are made. It is also about whose knowledge is valued, whose experience shapes solutions, and how we build from the strengths already present within communities.
Thank you for shifting the center with us.
#shiftingthecenter #localization #communityleddevelopment #CoCuDi #Glocal #nairobi
A wonderful day of exchange in Nairobi around a question that sits at the heart of our work: what does localization really mean in practice?
Together with the M.A. Program Glocal International Development Program, we brought together practitioners, community leaders, academics and policymakers to explore locally owned development, community resilience, culture, climate and sustainable energy - and the knowledge and capacities that already exist within communities.
A very special thank you to Dr. Reut Barak Weekes and the Glocal team for the partnership in creating Shifting the Center, to Olam Together for their support, and to all our speakers, partners and participants who brought their experience, ideas and openness to the day.
The conversations reminded us that localization is not only about where decisions are made. It is also about whose knowledge is valued, whose experience shapes solutions, and how we build from the strengths already present within communities.
Thank you for shifting the center with us.
#shiftingthecenter #localization #communityleddevelopment #CoCuDi #Glocal #nairobi
One of the driest seasons in recent years - and 138 farming households kept going. 🌱
The latest results from Namutumba Innovation Agriculture (NIA) tell a story that is not simply about bigger harvests.
A prolonged dry spell affected maize, beans and groundnuts, while intense sunshine damaged many pineapple gardens. Cassava proved more resilient, and an important lesson emerged from the fields: pineapple gardens where farmers had applied mulching techniques learned through NIA training survived the extreme conditions significantly better.
At the same time, the longer-term picture gives us reason for confidence.
Since 2019, NIA has grown from 77 to 138 farming households, while farmers have diversified from 7 to 9 crops. Coffee, pineapple, ginger and chilli now grow alongside traditional staples. Most importantly, productivity per acre has improved substantially over the years - including +115% for beans, +48% for groundnuts and +42% for cassava compared with the program's early years.
Agriculture is also connected to a wider system of community resilience. Today, 15 Village Savings and Loan groups bring together 685 members, 94% of them women, providing access to savings, loans, health and emergency funds.
These results remind us why resilience is not measured by whether difficulties occur. It is built through knowledge, diversification, cooperation and the capacity to adapt when they do.
Swipe through for an honest look at the season - the setbacks, the learning and the progress.
Namutumba Innovation Agriculture | Namutumba District, Uganda
#CoCuDi #Namutumba #Uganda #SustainableAgriculture #CommunityResilience #SmallholderFarmers #FoodSecurity #ClimateResilience #VSLA
The latest results from Namutumba Innovation Agriculture (NIA) tell a story that is not simply about bigger harvests.
A prolonged dry spell affected maize, beans and groundnuts, while intense sunshine damaged many pineapple gardens. Cassava proved more resilient, and an important lesson emerged from the fields: pineapple gardens where farmers had applied mulching techniques learned through NIA training survived the extreme conditions significantly better.
At the same time, the longer-term picture gives us reason for confidence.
Since 2019, NIA has grown from 77 to 138 farming households, while farmers have diversified from 7 to 9 crops. Coffee, pineapple, ginger and chilli now grow alongside traditional staples. Most importantly, productivity per acre has improved substantially over the years - including +115% for beans, +48% for groundnuts and +42% for cassava compared with the program's early years.
Agriculture is also connected to a wider system of community resilience. Today, 15 Village Savings and Loan groups bring together 685 members, 94% of them women, providing access to savings, loans, health and emergency funds.
These results remind us why resilience is not measured by whether difficulties occur. It is built through knowledge, diversification, cooperation and the capacity to adapt when they do.
Swipe through for an honest look at the season - the setbacks, the learning and the progress.
Namutumba Innovation Agriculture | Namutumba District, Uganda
#CoCuDi #Namutumba #Uganda #SustainableAgriculture #CommunityResilience #SmallholderFarmers #FoodSecurity #ClimateResilience #VSLA
What happens when design education shifts its center of gravity?
Instead of looking toward familiar Western references, a group of students and faculty from Shenkar Textile Design Dept. המחלקה לעיצוב טקסטיל שנקר שנקר - הנדסה עיצוב אמנות traveled to Kampala, Uganda—engaging deeply with local knowledge, materials, and cultural context through a collaborative program with Makerere University College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology Makerere University and CoCuDi Center.
At the heart of the course is bark cloth—an ancient, sustainable material made from the Mutuba tree. Working with it challenges fundamental assumptions about what textile is, and what it can become. It invites designers to move beyond industrial frameworks and engage with tradition, environment, and community as active partners in the creative process.
This initiative is not about transferring knowledge in one direction, but about building a shared space for learning—where material exploration, design thinking, and cross-cultural dialogue come together to shape new possibilities.
Proud to see this work featured in Portfolio Magazine, highlighting how design can expand when we are willing to shift perspective.
Read more:
Instead of looking toward familiar Western references, a group of students and faculty from Shenkar Textile Design Dept. המחלקה לעיצוב טקסטיל שנקר שנקר - הנדסה עיצוב אמנות traveled to Kampala, Uganda—engaging deeply with local knowledge, materials, and cultural context through a collaborative program with Makerere University College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology Makerere University and CoCuDi Center.
At the heart of the course is bark cloth—an ancient, sustainable material made from the Mutuba tree. Working with it challenges fundamental assumptions about what textile is, and what it can become. It invites designers to move beyond industrial frameworks and engage with tradition, environment, and community as active partners in the creative process.
This initiative is not about transferring knowledge in one direction, but about building a shared space for learning—where material exploration, design thinking, and cross-cultural dialogue come together to shape new possibilities.
Proud to see this work featured in Portfolio Magazine, highlighting how design can expand when we are willing to shift perspective.
Read more:
לפגוש מציאות אחרת: טקסטיל בר־קיימא באוגנדה - מגזין פורטפוליו
בזמן שעולם העיצוב ממשיך להביט ברובו מערבה, לבתי הספר באירופה, אל התערוכות במילאנו ואל המסלולים בפריז – יש מי שבוחר להביט דווקא לכיוון אחר, לא כאלטרנטיבה אקזוטית, אלא...
Bark Cloth Uganda 2026 — now featured on Shenkar's שנקר - הנדסה עיצוב אמנות website 🌿
We’re happy to share this glimpse into the recent international course developed in collaboration with Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art and Makerere University, exploring the cultural and material potential of bark cloth.
The course brought together students and faculty for hands-on learning, collaboration with local artisans, and material experimentation — bridging traditional knowledge and contemporary design.
👉 Read more on Shenkar’s website:
https://www.shenkar.ac.il/en/news-events/students/bark-clothuganda-2026/
Grateful for this ongoing partnership and shared learning journey.
#BarkCloth #Shenkar #Makerere #CoCuDi #DesignExchange #SustainableMaterials #CrossCulturalDialogue
We’re happy to share this glimpse into the recent international course developed in collaboration with Shenkar College of Engineering, Design and Art and Makerere University, exploring the cultural and material potential of bark cloth.
The course brought together students and faculty for hands-on learning, collaboration with local artisans, and material experimentation — bridging traditional knowledge and contemporary design.
👉 Read more on Shenkar’s website:
https://www.shenkar.ac.il/en/news-events/students/bark-clothuganda-2026/
Grateful for this ongoing partnership and shared learning journey.
#BarkCloth #Shenkar #Makerere #CoCuDi #DesignExchange #SustainableMaterials #CrossCulturalDialogue
Planning the CRAFT training for 15 VSLA groups in Namutumba Innovation Agriculture
