SAVE THE AFCOP! Tell Us What It Means To You!

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Permalink Reply by Zaam Ssali on September 21, 2009 at 8:23am

Dear Colleagues,

I am not sure I can concretely put the benefits that I have realised from my association with the CoP in a few lines but I will try. Where previously I was an island, the AfCoP provides opportunity to share ideas with other practitioners who I now consider colleagues across the African continent and the globe. I would say, re-invention of wheels is no longer an option when colleagues always rise to occasion to share ideas, examples which I have applied to home situations. The on-going Back-to-Basics discussion is one important example.

In my opinion I would say, MfDR was previously a preserve of Public Sector discussions. In this vein, I consider the AfCoP a common ground for all, it brings into the fold practitioners from other sectors (NGOs, CSOs, Academia etc) with a common goal. Results! This is most important as we all work to entrench MfDR and keep it on the agenda in Africa. We should all work together as we head into the future of development for Africa!


Regards,

Zaam

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Permalink Reply by Ledule Bosch on September 21, 2009 at 12:47pm

Dear AfCoP on MfDR members & colleagues,

Words cannot describe how being a member of this COP has enhanced my knowledge and perspective of managing for development results. The Live Sourcebook has significantly attested to the notion that no development change can ever be achieved in isolation, which is why SASSA has to work closely with this COP in pursuit of common outcomes. The advocacy role that this COP has played in this case study has assisted SASSA with a paradigm shift on how human development agenda at the global, regional and national level, through issues as diverse as poverty eradication is to be promoted.

My engagement with all the the participants who replied and commented on my case study has taught me that, to support the strategic focus towards results, SASSA needs a strong and coherent monitoring and evaluation framework that promotes learning and performance measurement. Several elements of our framework had to be reviewed to call for changes in the mind-set and approach of staff to place a premium on coherent and long-term planning around results; partnering for development change; capacity development for ownership of monitoring and evaluation; promoting knowledge as well as learning and the use of evaluative evidence.

The bottom line is: ALL WHAT I HAVE LEARNED FROM THIS COP WILL NEVER BE TAKEN AWAY FROM ME BY ANYBODY. ITS A BODY OF RICH KNOWLEDGE I WILL LIVE WITH WITH, AND I WILL PASS THE MESSAGE OVER TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE. AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT AGENDA CANNOT THRIVE WITHOUT THIS COP.

This COP needs to be sustained over a long period of time.

Regards,

Ledule

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Permalink Reply by Dr. Rosa Muraguri-Mwololo on September 22, 2009 at 5:06pm

Dear Colleagues,
I want to say that AfCoP discussions and network has enriched my life immeasurably and broadened my professional network beyond the beyonds. I have met incredibly enthusiastic and gifted people with radiant ideas, luminous minds, and very hands on experiences in MfDR. Well, being a consultant- believe me can be very lonely, and my almost daily interactions with AfCop members in discussions have given me a place in a big global virtual office - and i cannot begin to describe the wealth of knowledge this very inclusive experience has given me. More importantly, I have been able to benefit from the invaluable tacit knowledge shared among the members; knowledge which often does not find its way into reports or books.

The web discussions have reassured me and many times I have used the platform to validate my ideas. The discussions have demystified MfDR processes and clarified notions- and have in deed closed the distance between governments (public sector) and the rest of us. The world has shrunk right before my eyes- bridges and knowledge circles have been built for me that would otherwise not exist .
By and by- I cannot think of a more ingenious and inexpensive way of creating a culture of results across Africa than what AfCoP is doing. As a consultant- I am transfering the many shared Good Practices and Lessons Learnt to my new assignments and a lot of the new insights and knowledge are continually informing my work.

Finally finally, the bonding among members is real. It is gratifying to report that only this weekend, I met an AfCoP member from Norway (Inger Skoll). We just recently met visually through the LIVE web discussions- and its amazing just how much we exchanged on MfDR best practices in one afternoon before she left for Oslo. These kinds of knowledge linkages and networks created by the AfCoP have been transformative for me. I have witnessed my own tremendous growth and development.

Need I say more?

Warm regards,

Rosa

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