The IMPALA collaboration and LSTM's Department for International Public Health supported a proposal writing workshop in Liverpool, the aim of which was to pre-finalise a full funding application to the Global Research Capacity Challenge fund for a multi-disciplinary research Hub, named ARISE. Partners from Bangladesh, India, Kenya and Sierra Leone joined those from the UK to tackle the bid collaboratively and build on strong synergies within the group.
The aim of ARISE Hub will be to tackle intersecting inequalities and vulnerabilities in health, well-being, governance and livelihoods in informal urban settlements in low and middle income countries.
Principal Investigator Professor Sally Theobald said “More than half of humanity lives in urban areas and 90% are projected to do so by 2050. Cities present huge opportunities for economic development, but also demonstrate the world’s most obvious income, health and well-being disparities. This bid enables us to consolidate and take forward important and timely partnerships and research agendas within the Gender and Health group and Health systems strengthening group in LSTM and with key partners in the UK and Low and Middle-Income Countries.”
The workshop involved discussions on partnership building and management, theories of change, empirical research approaches and methodologies, engagement with the full range of stakeholders, and capacity strengthening. Small groups were encouraged to break-out and work on ideas throughout to week before bringing everything together to consolidate key ideas and create one comprehensive proposal.
Dr Rachel Tolhurst is leading proposal development, she commented: “This bid will cement our strategic relationship with a range of excellent partners who have strong track records and relationships within informal urban settlements to address intractable challenges both within and beyond the health sector.”