11 projects have been granted funding for international partnerships in this year’s application round. The funding supports mutual exchange across a wide range of sectors.

Norec received a total of 19 applications, of which 11 were approved for funding in 2025.

“We look forward to following the progress of these projects,” says Sille Lukowski, Head of the Civil Society Section at Norec.

Partnership Agreements

In the overview below, the coordinating partner in the partnerships are marked with bold letters. However, all parties in the project are involved in designing and carrying out the projects in cooperation with each other. The number of participants and the amount refer to the first round only, not the entire agreement period.

1. Strengthening nursing and rehabilitation services through collaboration

Nurses and doctors from Norway and Malawi exchange knowledge to improve patient care in fields such as nursing, rehabilitation within physiotherapy and occupational therapy.

Partners:

  • Helse Bergen HF, Norway
    • Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH)/ Lilongwe Institute of Orthopaedics and Neurosurgery (LION), Malawi
      • Duration: 2025–2028
      • Participants: 8
      • Amount: NOK 2,209,768

2. Better trauma and emergency care through cross-continental training

Nurses and doctors from Norway and South-Africa exchange knowledge to strengthen services in trauma and emergency medicine in both countries.

Partners:

  • Helse Bergen HF, Norway
    • Dr. George Mukhari Academic Hospital / Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, South Africa
      • Duration: 2025–2028
      • Participants: 4
      • Amount: NOK 1,341,360

3. Strengthening healthcare through international hospital collaboration

Nurses and doctors from Norway and Tanzania exchange knowledge to strengthen healthcare workers’ skills in internal medicine, paediatrics, and psychiatry.

Partners:

  • Helse Bergen HF, Norway
    • Mmazi Mmoja Hospital, Tanzania
      • Duration: 2025–2028
      • Participants: 8
      • Amount: NOK 2,138,092

4. Climate-smart farming to improve food security

Staff are exchanged between Malawi and Zimbabwe to share expertise in climate adaptation and sustainable agriculture. The goal is to enhance food security and promote climate-smart farming among youth and vocational schools.

Partners:

  • Development Aid from People to People (DAPP), Malawi
    • DAPP, Zimbabwe
      • Duration: 2025–2027
      • Participants: 6
      • Amount: NOK 1,400,000

5. Advocacy for climate justice and food security

Throught mutual exchange, the organisations aim to develop effective advocacy strategies to tackle food insecurity and climate issues at the organisational level.

Partners:

  • Point of Progress, Malawi
    • Spire, Norway
      • Duration: 2025–2028
      • Participants: 6
      • Amount: NOK 2,700,000

6. Inclusive and sustainable sports environments for youth

This partnership works to create accessible and sustainable sports spaces for children and young people, with and emphasis on gender equality and inclusion of people with disabilities.

Partners:

  • Norwegian Olympic and Paralympic Committee and Confederation of Sports (NIF), Norway
    • Zimbabwe Volleyball Association, Zimbabwe
    • National Organisation for Women in Sport Physical Activity and Recreation (NOWSPAR), Zimbabwe
    • Sport in Action, Zimbabwe
    • Response Network, Zimbabwe
      • Duration: 2025–2028
      • Participants: 15
      • Amount: NOK 4,544,927

7. Preventing human trafficking through education and awareness

This project works to prevent human trafficking by educating and empowering marginalised girls. The organisations also collaborate on rescue and rehabilitation of trafficking survivors.

Partners:

  • Peace Rehabilitation Centre, Nepal
    • Milaan Be The Change, India
      • Duration: 2025–2026
      • Participants: 10
      • Amount: NOK 1,200,000

8. Agroecology for rural food security

Personnel from Kenya and Colombia exchange knowledge on agroecology and sustainable farming practices aimed at improving food security in rural communities.

Partners:

  • ForumCiv, Kenya
    • ForumCiv, Colombia
      • Duration: 2025–2027
      • Participants: 4
      • Amount: NOK 1,700,000

9. Boosting sustainable aquaculture through innovation

This collaboration focuses on digital tools and sustainable aquaculture practices to improve the efficiency of the aquaculture value chain.

Partners:

  • Val Skoler AS, Norway
    • Jumbo Fish Farm, Kenya
    • Aquafind AS, Norway
      • Duration: 2025–2027
      • Participants: 6
      • Amount: NOK 1,694,902

10. Strengthening regional integration and sustainable growth in Latin America

The project fosters cooperation between Brazil and Colombia to stimulate regional economic initiatives and implement sustainable development projects across three cities.

Partners:

  • São Caetano do Sul Municipal University, Brazil
    • Formulación y Gestión de Proyectos (FYGP), Colombia
      • Duration: 2025–2027
      • Participants: 6
      • Amount: NOK 2,490,590

11. Creating health jobs and improving access to care

The organisations exchange staff and work on healthcare services and medical equipment production. The goal is to establish a production facility in Kenya to create sustainable jobs and improve access to healthcare. The project also addresses youth unemployment and high maternal mortality rates in Kilifi, Kenya.

Partners:

  • Malsen Medical, Norway
    • Malsen Medical Kenya, Kenya
      • Duration: 2025–2026
      • Participants: 2
      • Amount: NOK 1,052,208 (conditional approval)