When civic space shrinks, democracy doesn’t vanish—it can be found in “pockets of democracy”: resilient, everyday spaces existing around bread&butter issues. Examples are community radios, informal traders’ groups or community gardens where participation and accountability are quietly practiced. The publication shows how these pockets can connect and grow via three avenues—diagonal (development cooperation that actively “does good” instead of only “doing no harm”), vertical (stronger local politics), and horizontal (new actors and cross-sector networks). It also outlines how allies can support without suffocating — by strengthening internal capacity, creating inclusive dialogue platforms and building alliances — so that many small pockets add up to overall democratic renewal from below.