Abstract
The South-South Development Cooperation (SSDC) model empowers development organizations in the Global South through grassroots approaches that challenge top-down donor-recipient frameworks associated with Global North-led initiatives. This study highlights the significance of local agency and empowerment in achieving sustainable development outcomes. Drawing on document analysis and semi structured interviews with SSDC participants in Brazil, India, and South Africa, the findings reveal that empowered organizations foster inclusive and sustainable results, despite structural and governmental challenges. Introducing an empowerment framework based on domains such as ownership, horizontality, and accountability, the research underscores SSDC’s potential to promote egalitarian development. By emphasizing the practical implications of grassroots SSDC models, this study advocates for policies that enhance local agency and reduce dependency on external support, contributing to the broader discourse on democratic and equitable development practices.
