Transforming humanitarian leadership with the IFRC-Wedu Mentorship Model

In 2025, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and Wedu completed their second mentorship cycle that supports women humanitarian leaders across the Asia Pacific region. Building on the success of the inaugural 2023–2024 programme, this year’s cohort reaffirmed a powerful lesson: when women leaders are supported with intentional, personalised mentorship, they not only strengthen their own leadership journeys—they strengthen the humanitarian sector as a whole.

High-impact support rooted in trust and context

Across 24 active pairs (17 mentors and 10 mentees), the programme saw exceptionally strong engagement and outcomes. All mentees reported satisfaction with both the programme and their mentor, and every respondent confirmed a successful match, which reflects the effectiveness of Wedu’s needs-driven algorithm and culturally attuned approach.

Over eight months, most pairs met seven to eight times, with 80% of mentees receiving support during a significant professional or personal challenge. The impact was profound: Communication skills improved for 100% of mentees, with further gains in Collaboration (80%) and Decision-Making (70%). Many described their mentors as grounding forces during burnout, career uncertainty, or cross-cultural communication barriers. As one mentee shared, “Talking with my mentor made me feel I want to continue working again.”

These results underscore Wedu’s long-held belief that leadership growth is both professional and deeply personal. Whether through shared sector experience, aligned life stages, or simply genuine human connection, mentorship offered women a space for clarity, confidence, and renewed purpose.

Strengthening the path forward

The programme also surfaced insights to strengthen future cycles. A small number of mismatches, often related to seniority or unaddressed cultural dynamics, highlighted the need for more explicit screening, clearer communication, and earlier check-ins. Mentors and mentees alike expressed interest in more practical case studies, greater access to strategic discussions, and optional peer-learning spaces to deepen cohort connection.

To build on this year’s success, IFRC and Wedu plan to enhance seniority alignment, introduce mandatory early engagement check-ins, refine communication protocols, and offer expanded training on cultural competency and power dynamics. These refinements will help ensure that mentorship continues to be both impactful and inclusive for women at different stages of leadership.

This partnership, rooted in a shared commitment to gender equality and humanitarian impact, continues to model what intentional investment in women’s leadership can achieve. As mentorship relationships extend beyond the formal programme, their collective effect grows, strengthening confidence, expanding opportunity, and shaping a more representative humanitarian leadership landscape for the future.