South-South Cooperation Day: Rethinking Development from the Global South

Sometimes these dates may seem like just another excuse to fill the calendar with events, but at Maisha we believe they make sense if they help us pause for a moment and reflect on where international cooperation is heading—and, most importantly, where it is being built from.

When we speak of “countries of the South,” we are not referring to income or geography. We are speaking of a historical and political position within the international system. These are countries that have lived through colonization, have been relegated in global decision-making, and still carry structural inequalities today. Under this broad label coexist very different realities, yet all share a growing interest in cooperating with each other to break the traditional vertical schemes and challenge dependency on externally imposed dynamics.

South-South cooperation was born precisely as a response to this logic. It is the exchange of knowledge, experiences, and solutions among countries that share similar trajectories. It is not a relationship of “donor and recipient,” but rather a horizontal exercise: I show you what has worked for me, you adapt it to your reality, and through that process, we both learn.

And Maisha in all this?

At Maisha Foundation, we start from the same logic: we understand cooperation as a space to share experiences on equal terms, where communities themselves set the course of their own development. Maisha was born with this idea in mind: to build bridges that go beyond short-term assistance, working horizontally with communities, listening to them, and building solutions together.

From the very beginning, this philosophy has guided our actions. The foundation was born in Kibera and, over time, a team was woven together, combining the experience of the Kenyan community with the collaboration of people from Chile. Today, our coordinators, health professionals, and local volunteers work side by side with the Chilean and international team, always maintaining the same principle: to grow from dialogue and collaboration, with communities at the center.

Challenges of South-South Cooperation

Of course, having potential does not mean being free of challenges. South-South cooperation opens new possibilities, but it also faces significant obstacles that cannot be ignored. Many Southern countries lack robust mechanisms to measure, monitor, and report their contributions, which limits their ability to mobilize resources and demonstrate impact. At the systemic level, geopolitical tensions, economic vulnerabilities, debt burdens, and the climate crisis remain structural challenges that test the sustainability of these forms of cooperation.

In addition, there is a need to move toward a more focused and pedagogical approach—one that goes beyond technical exchange to strengthen political leadership and clearly explain how cooperation contributes to public policy and social innovation.

Toward more horizontal models

In this context, it becomes clear that international cooperation must continue moving toward more horizontal models. Experiences of South-South cooperation show that it is possible to build alliances based on mutual recognition and shared responsibility, overcoming the traditional donor–recipient scheme inherited from the 20th century.

This change in approach does not mean denying the importance of external resources, but rather rethinking their role: instead of directing, they must facilitate processes already underway within communities. This is exactly the case of Fundación Maisha, an institution created to support the work that Domtila Ayot had already begun with women in Nairobi. Only in this way can cooperation respond effectively and legitimately to today’s challenges.

South-South cooperation is not simply one category within international cooperation—it is a different way of looking at development. At Maisha, we experience this every day. The joint work between communities in Kenya and Chile shows us that when cooperation is built on mutual respect and horizontality, the changes generated are much more solid.

That, ultimately, is why we celebrate this day: because we believe in cooperation that listens, that connects, and that builds from the South for the South.