Dar es Salaam, TZ – Molly’s Network provides valuable training – 22 Oct 2014

The main focus of this quarter has been capacity building for Molly’s Network partners. We have designed and started implementing tailored plans with six partners, and held our first members’ meeting since we conducted their assessments.At the end of Quarter 2 we met with the six local partners that needed tailored capacity building plans following their assessments. We spent a day with each partner to develop the capacity building plans, built on the needs highlighted in their assessments as well as any additional needs the organisations were aware of.

Five of these partners are funded by Children in Crossfire (CiC), and on 2nd July Molly’s Network met with the Country Director and Senior Manager of CiC to present the final plans. Both were impressed with the plans, and after some small additions, they were happy give their approval.  Sandvik funded the sixth capacity building plan and gave their approval without any further changes.

Each plan is broken down by month with the goals for that month, the planned activities, and the corresponding budget. The progress for each of the six organisations is tracked quarterly during the year.

Part of the capacity planning was a two day Board structure training that was very well received. Felistas Karomo Executive Director, Cdtfn found the course very helpful, and communicated that the immediate changes this training has enabled are “a workable way forward, with a plan which will start straight after this training, e.g. Board orientation, establishing sub-committees, project proposals, NGO publicity – it’s just amazing.  NB, I give a big thumbs up to her professional style of training.”The member’s meeting was also a great success. So much so that Dunstan Kishekya, Executive Director, Maarifa ni Ufunguo commented that “the meeting was enlightening in many aspects of fundraising with insights of PESTLE and SWOT and processes of prioritization and using rapid planning methods. It enlightened me on structuring the fundraising strategy and inclusion of useful information starting with “why” [do we exist], then “how” [do we work], then “what” [do we do].”

Mary Kabati, Project Coordinator, TAHEA Mwanza would like more training, and shared “I enjoyed the Molly’s Network’s members’ meeting and I find it useful to be in the organisation.  I would like more group training sessions.”