Humanitarian Leadership Academy

28/05/2026

🔊 Launch of new humanitarian AI Kaya microlearning module!

The HLA and Data Friendly Space (DFS) are excited to announce the launch of a new on ethical AI use and decision-making in humanitarian work, developed with and for humanitarian practitioners.

The interactive, scenario-based module is available on the HLA's digital learning platform , alongside a short PDF companion guide. These resources have been developed in response to the clear demand for AI literacy opportunities signalled in our global joint research into how humanitarians are using AI.

✅ Free, flexible microlearning offering 30-40 minutes of learning: take the course in one go or in short blocks
✅ Discuss and reflect on your learning with colleagues
✅ Inspire others and share your Kaya certificate and reflections online using

Read the news article:
👉 https://www.humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/news/launch-of-microlearning-on-ethical-ai-in-humanitarian-work-co-created-with-global-practitioners/

Take the course on Kaya:
👉 https://kayaconnect.org/course/view.php?id=13245

28/05/2026

💬 Opinion | "We need to have our own proper AI contextualised for Africa"

❓ How can education and training play a key role in unlocking AI literacy and opportunities for local humanitarian leaders in ?

Ulrich Assouah, Managing Director of IFP-Humanitarian Studies Studies based in Douala, makes the case that the future of humanitarian AI must be ethical, inclusive, and context sensitive. He argues that AI training is the cornerstone of accessibility to local actors, especially those in low resource settings who are often excluded from technological and transformation discussions.

Read the interview:
➡️ www.humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources/we-need-to-have-our-own-proper-ai-contextualised-for-africa-a-humanitarian-perspective-from-cameroon/

How can education and training be key to unlocking AI literacy and opportunities for local humanitarian leaders in Cameroon?In this interview, we hear from Ulrich Assouah, Managing Director of IFP Humanitarian Studies, based in Douala, Cameroon. With a background in humanitarian leadership developme...

20/05/2026

💬 Opinion | “AI must be built with national systems and local realities in mind”

How can be used to scale and speed up anticipatory action efforts in disaster-prone regions? Meet Shudarshan Hamal, a Programme Manager at NAXA in Kathmandu, where he supports disaster risk reduction, anticipatory action, and climate resilience initiatives.

has long been recognised as a high-risk area for climate-induced humanitarian emergencies. Shudarshan explains how AI is being used in NAXA and also incorporated into its DASTAA platform as part of a broader process - alongside data quality, stakeholder alignment, AI literacy, and institutional coordination - to strengthen anticipatory action efforts in project implementation areas in Nepal, Bangladesh and Malawi.

Read full interview with Shudarshan:
🔗 https://www.humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources/ai-must-be-built-with-national-systems-and-local-realities-in-mind-a-humanitarian-perspective-from-nepal/

13/05/2026

☑ IA y human-in-the-loop en el sector humanitario

¿Te resultan confusos los términos de IA y no sabes cómo aplicarlos en el trabajo humanitario? Esta guía práctica, informada con la experiencia de Data Friendly Space, ofrece una introducción accesible al human-in-the-loop.

We're pleased to share that our microlearning guide 'AI and human-in-the-loop in the humanitarian sector' is now available in Spanish alongside English.

https://www.humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources/ai-and-human-in-the-loop-in-the-humanitarian-sector-an-introductory-guide-from-the-hla-and-data-friendly-space/

06/05/2026

💬 Opinion | "Maybe only AI literacy can solve so many problems for local organisations working with communities."

Humanitarian communications specialist Nour Arab from was one of 1,729 respondents to our January 2026 humanitarian pulse survey with Data Friendly Space (DFS). In the full interview she shares how she is using AI in her work, including her part in a community initiative recognised by MedCities as an example of best practice - and makes the case for why AI literacy is the real lever of change for local humanitarian organisations.

🔗 Link to the full interview with Nour:
https://www.humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources/ai-literacy-for-those-who-are-on-the-ground-is-key-a-humanitarian-perspective-from-lebanon/

05/05/2026

❓ What is "human-in-the-loop" when it comes to the use of AI in humanitarian work?

➡️ Swipe to discover more!

This new guide with expertise from Data Friendly Space (DFS) provides a beginner-friendly introduction to "human-in-the-loop". It has been created to help humanitarians build human oversight into AI-supported work – and to support a culture of responsible AI use across teams and organisations.

Download the guide in PDF format from our Resources Hub:
https://www.humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources/ai-and-human-in-the-loop-in-the-humanitarian-sector-an-introductory-guide-from-the-hla-and-data-friendly-space/

Coming soon in Spanish and French!

01/05/2026

🗨️ HLA Community content and resource round-up with a particular focus on local leadership

✅ Leadership Development Programme –
We're pleased to invite Syrian leaders to take part in a Leadership Development Initiative delivered in partnership with Leadership Circle and @=Save the Children International Syria office. Apply by 5 May. Register in English or Arabic:
https://lnkd.in/eq7z57BC

💻 Webinar | Going local: How communities, open data and tech shape data-driven impact
26 May 2026 | 11:00 - 12:30 UTC | Zoom Webinars
We invite you to join us, Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team and Public Tech Studio for a deep dive into how communities are utilising open data and tech - re-shaping delivery of humanitarian response as the funding landscape shifts.
https://lnkd.in/efQSwffp

🔍 Opinion pieces:

Long read | How are humanitarians using in 2026? The case for governance and local leadership
The HLA’s Ka Man Parkinson reflects on findings from the second phase of humanitarian AI research conducted together with Data Friendly Space.
https://lnkd.in/e_KyckDm

“Don’t just build for us – build with us” – a perspective from Afghanistan
Abdullah Azimi outlines his vision for AI to strengthen community feedback systems and localised tools.
https://lnkd.in/ex2Ne6nH

🎧 Podcasts

language podcast: The road is not easy…but it is possible
How can local leaders overcome systemic barriers to drive meaningful humanitarian change?
Speakers: Faisal Mislit (HLA) and Ali Al Mokdad (independent)
https://lnkd.in/eDJfzJtT

➕ English language companion article: What local humanitarian leaders really need to thrive
https://lnkd.in/ehzurB66

Attention, algorithms and AI: How humanitarian organisations are rethinking communications in 2026
How are humanitarian organisations adapting their communications approaches in the face of rapid and profound change?
Speakers: Amanda Hinkel-Mauceri (Humentum), Gülsüm Özkaya (İHH İnsani Yardım Vakfı) and Ka Man Parkinson (HLA).
https://lnkd.in/e39K83n5

29/04/2026

🎙️ New episode | Attention, algorithms and AI: How humanitarian organisations are rethinking communications in 2026

🌏 The landscape is shifting - including funding and operating pressures, technological developments, and changing audience expectations. In this episode, Amanda Hinkel-Mauceri, Director of Marketing and Communications at Humentum, and Gülsüm Özkaya, International Humanitarian Affairs Coordinator at İHH İnsani Yardım Vakfı (IHH Humanitarian Relief Foundation), join the HLA's Ka Man Parkinson for a candid three-way conversation on what this means for humanitarian communicators in 2026, including:

🔹 How these pressures and rapid changes including are reshaping campaigns, ways of working and audience engagement
🔹 Cutting through the noise and navigating a fragmented, algorithm-driven media environment
🔹 Balancing speed and responsibility in content decisions - keeping the human-in-the-loop
🔹 How communicators - as bridges to communities - can be positioned as generators of new knowledge to inform practice, from AI adoption to the ethics of representation.

Expect an open and honest peer discussion and exploration of what's changing, what's working, and what's not - and how communications can help shape the sector's future.

🎧 Link to the episode webpage in the comments, or search for 'Fresh Humanitarian Perspectives' on your favourite podcast platform. Let us know if this conversation resonates or if you're seeing things differently from your vantage point - we'd love to hear your experiences!

28/04/2026

📖 Développez la maturité IA de votre organisation

❓ Besoin d'aide pour lancer le parcours de votre organisation non gouvernementale? Ce guide de démarrage rapide s'appuie sur notre webinaire, Humanitarian AI: Lessons learned, trends and opportunities for 2026, organisé par la Humanitarian Leadership Academy et NetHope en janvier 2026. Grâce à l'expertise de Daniela Weber, Directrice du Center for the Digital Nonprofit de NetHope, et aux ressources des deux organisations, ce guide propose des prochaines étapes concrètes – depuis la mise en place de garde fous éthiques jusqu'au renforcement des capacités et à la mise à l'échelle des initiatives IA.

***
We're excited to share that our quick-start guide 'Develop your organisational AI readiness' produced by the HLA and NetHope, is now available in French alongside English and Spanish.

With expert guidance from Daniela Weber, Director of NetHope's Center for the Digital Nonprofit, and resources from both organisations, this guide offers practical next steps - from establishing ethical guardrails to building capacity and scaling AI initiatives.

Download all three versions in PDF format from our Resources Hub:
https://www.humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources/develop-your-organisational-ai-readiness-a-quick-start-guide-from-the-hla-and-nethope/

23/04/2026

💬 "In those stressful moments, using AI didn’t just help us work faster – it gave us confidence, relief, and even a sense of hope."

🌏 75% of humanitarians in our 2026 AI pulse survey regularly use tools to support their work. For many, like Abdullah Azimi from , using AI is not just a matter of efficiency: AI tools can represent an operational lifeline during times of crisis.

In this interview, Abdullah outlines his vision for AI to strengthen community feedback systems and localised tools - so that local voices are not only collected, but genuinely understood and acted upon.
➡️ www.humanitarianleadershipacademy.org/resources/dont-just-build-for-us-build-with-us-a-humanitarian-ai-perspective-from-afghanistan