 |
Developing relationships is a critical component
in capacity building and poverty alleviation |
This
week’s Social Impact Lab created a great deal of spirited discussion prior,
during and after our class meeting. We
have been working on this new method of working in the world in a more
sustainable, and impacting manner for seven years and our lab group is made up
of people who have varying perspectives, experiences and length of time within
the think tank – so we are well-rounded and all have opinions. As well, we are
willing to listen to what is being said and what is not being said because
despite our variation in perspectives, we are all grounded in the vision.
The
vision has shifted and changed as we have grown, learned and experienced over
the years, adding partnerships, knowledge and resources. This week’s lab class
gave us a framework around which to articulate some of the shifts as we shared
our ideas, insights, and frustrations with charting all of the impact and
outcomes that we have seen and captured. And interestingly enough it was the
model case of d.light.com that brought much of the discussion to a head, and
got me to my ah-ha moment.
This
reflection is my own, although I have shared it with the group for feedback and
clarity, and I think I am onto a critical understanding of how to articulate
our greatest struggle – what are we really trying to do – what is our real
impact?
It
is so easy to start calculating the social impact of our investments in the
roads and bridges, schools and books, water delivery systems and health centers
and that is exactly what we did not want to do – invest in a top-down,
project-driven, imposition of our own strategic priorities. Yet, every time we
look at what is happening in the community in which we are actively engaged, we
start problem solving about using those successes (outputs) to tell our story.
 |
| The leadership of El Corozo prepares for a community meeting |
So
backing up from the roads and bridges is the real story – how did the community
get to the point where THEY were
empowered to organize their community; developing their own strategic plans, building
capacity to train others, learning about choices and options so that they could
identify and select those choices which would most closely align with their vision.
And probably most importantly develop enough confidence in their competence
that they could collectively as an organized community say no to aid offered
which did not fit their strategic plan (despite the good it could provide.)
In
a recent response about developing capacity, there was a question related to “people
development” and Acumen’s response alluded to people development not being a
strategy to alleviate poverty and I had a physical reaction as did several
others in the think tank with whom I am working. That response stirred me to
finally be able to articulate exactly why capacity development is the most
critical component to sustainable poverty alleviation strategies.
Without
empowered leadership within the organization, community or group with whom you
are trying to alleviate poverty, the projects (regardless of the financial
return on investment) will be an imposition of someone else’s strategic
priorities. Projects don’t eradicate poverty. In a recent TEDx, TEDxHoracePark,
I outlined this very problem and some solutions. You can view my opinions about
this by clicking here: Kathy Stutzman - TEDxHoracePark
Creating
the environment where a community is organized, empowered and has confidence in
their own competence – that is capacity building – that creates opportunities
for choices and options to be identified and selected – that is where we will
see a more efficient and greater return on our investment. That part of social
impact investing is critical, expensive and time-consuming and that is what we
are working to develop, evaluate and replicate. For purposes of this study, I
am going to call this a Tier 1 Impact.
Here
is my synopsis of my ah-ha moment from Lab 2 of the +Acumen Course of Investing
for Social Impact:
The
Assumption:
We
(District 5960 Rotarians and friends) will explore and develop a process through
which we could engage in creating sustainable choices and options for economic
well being in a poverty-stricken community in Nicaragua, with whom we had no
prior existing relationship.
The
Tier 1 Impact:
Empowered,
focused leadership within the community will be active and instrumental in
organizing, and directing the community to discover and explore new
opportunities and options and work with partners to articulate the community’s
choices, not simply accepting someone else’s strategic priorities imposed upon
them. (Demonstrated Readiness)
As
a Result:
The
community will efficiently and sustainably incorporate, and implement
appropriate economic initiatives and will actively participate and be vested in
the investments chosen. (Higher and more efficient returns on investments)
How we are accomplishing this is another chapter, however,
as a demonstration of the impact of building capacity please view this video
which was recently produced by our local NGO partners and features the leaders
of the community of El Corozo. Capacity Building and Leadership in El Corozo Nicaragua
For more information about the work of our think
tank, please feel free to contact me, or any of the members of our group.
.jpg)