Internal sharing for external impact

On September 8^th, at the Blantyre office, ADRA Malawi managers came together for the Project Managers Meeting. The objective of these meetings is to bring all ADRA’s interventions together to share challenges and solutions found as well as the best practices. Other topics of discussion of this specific meeting included the ADRA Malawi Strategic Plan; a presentation of the new Finance and Procurement procedures that directly affect the implementation of the projects; a follow up on the implementation of the new Vehicle and Road Safety Manual; and Human Resources information’s including available employee development opportunities.

On the importance of these meetings, Emanuel da Costa, the Country Director of ADRA Malawi, writes: “These meetings are important as they promote the learning from each other, sharing of challenges/solutions and best practices, but equally important is the opportunity these meetings create to push the team for innovation, relevance, professionalism and transparency…” he continued by adding “…although the agenda for the meeting brings information related to new and updated procedures and systems, the core of these meetings is to promote a common programmatic view of what we do. ADRA Malawi is not an addition of projects but an organization that uses its projects to promote a development agenda, as brought forward in our newly approved Strategic Plan, that is intentionally directed to strengthen the Organization for a greater contribution to the Malawi Development Program and Malawi Millennium Development Goals, and a focus on increasing its reach in improving the lives of people in poverty and distress.”

Emma Jakobo, the manager for the Let’s Fight AIDS in Malawi project, writes: “My short comment is that the meeting was really informative and worthy while. There were indeed issues which needed clarification and that forum just provided a conducive environment for the communication.” on the sharing amongst projects she added, “...above all the sharing of informantion between the projects brings substantial value and allows for an integrated programmatic view of ADRA’s intervention.”

Other participants to the meeting included the ADRA Administrators, all Project Managers, and senior officers such as the Chief Accountant, Logistics and Procurement Officer, and M&E Officer.