Strategising to Promote Self-reliance in Communities across the Globe
[ Zanzibar – 10 February 2023] – Over 40 civil society actors from 15 civil society organisations from Africa, South America, Asia and Europe have converged in the beautiful island of Zanzibar to strategise on ways to promote locally led development and galvanise support for positive social causes within their constituencies.
Under the Change the Game Academy programme, championed by Wilde Ganzen in the Netherlands, the civil society actors met from 6 to 9 February 2023 at the sea Cliff Resort in Zanzibar.
The Directors’ meeting, convened annually, seeks to create a space for leaders of organisations within the Change the Game Academy to reflect on the vision, ambition of the alliance and ensure that all stakeholders have a collective understanding of the vision and ambition of the alliance. It also seeks to deepen the sense of ownership of the goals of the alliance.
The 2023 Directors’ Meeting sought to promote joint ownership, marketing, and fundraising for the alliance. A key objective of the meeting was to affirm the establishment of an operational governance approach for the alliance. It also set out to establish a key framework for the operationalisation of this governance framework in ways that would help the alliance appropriately respond to its constituents’ needs.
“Are we really addressing the needs of grassroots organisations? What types of organisations are we reaching out to?” asked Kees de Jong, Executive Director of Wilde Ganzen Foundation, champion of the Change the Game Academy which has evolved into an alliance.
For Kees, it was imperative for the participants at this meeting representing the 15 members of the alliance to keep grassroots organisations at the heart of their deliberations.
The Directors’ meeting is a critical meeting for all partners. This is an important meeting for WACSI, as it serves as a valuable space to learn and improve on the Institute’s work.
“It provides a lot of benefits for our growth in terms of the way we work and how we work with our partners. It gives our organisation visibility. It gives us a lot of insights on how to strengthen our capacity strengthening approach and strengthen our partnerships with potential donors,” explained Charles Vandyck, Head, Capacity Development Unit WACSI.
Vandyck emphasised that the meeting is of significant added value to the Institute’s work given that much new knowledge is shared from other partners at this meeting.
The Head of WACSI’s Capacity Development Unit explained that the Institute is currently designing a match funding initiative for its partner civil society 0rganisations in West Africa. This initiative will be well designed with insights gained from the Kenya Community Development Foundation, an organisation in Kenya with leading experiences in this field of work.
From Change the Game Academy to Change the Game Academy Alliance
The 2023 Director’s meeting was a vital space that enable leaders of member organisations to validate key working documents that would shape the new governance of the college of partners.
Previously operating as an Academy, a collective of partner organisations from different continents across the globe, members resolved to morph into an alliance – the Change the Game Academy Alliance.
At the 2023 Directors’ meeting, members agreed to put in place a governing leadership council, three committees for resource mobilisation, content development and branding and marketing and a community of practice for members to facilitate learning and sharing of knowledge.
The Change the Game Academy (CtGA) Alliance seeks to advance community self-reliance through local resource mobilisation for sustainable change.
Click here to have more updates from the 2023 Directors’ meeting.
