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Stories of capacity building
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Policy cycle and portfolio review
Transparent policy cycle and portfolio review
Tear has received a PSO quality bonus. What does Tear do? And how did Tear achieve demonstrable results in improving capacity development quality with its partners in recent years? Martin Herlaar, head of the Programme and Partner department and Caspar Waalewijn, programme staff member, provide the answers.
In cooperation with partners in the south, Tear formulates values and visions for combating poverty. The emphasis is on humanitarian aid and structural development. Using education and information, Tear tries to raise its own supporters' consciousness and create ties between citizens, companies and government bodies in the Netherlands and the south. Capacity development plays an important role in this.
ICT
‘In recent years, we have substantially improved our own ICT system which enables us to monitor our partners better’, explains Caspar Waalewijn. ‘We manage the entire cycle from the assessment of applications, planning, to the monitoring and evaluation using the system. This provides transparency and makes agreements and results more manageable. That has a positive effect on capacity building quality.’
Portfolio process
Some two years ago, Tear was still focusing on too many countries and partners. Martin Herlaar: ‘We instituted a portfolio process in order to reduce the number of countries and partners. To this end, we examined which partnerships Tear could provide added value for. The number of countries and partners has since been halved reduced from 80 to approximately 40. This has led to an increase in scale and more intensive cooperation with the remaining partners.’
Learning
With PSO's advice and support, more attention is currently being focused on learning, both within Tear and at the partner organisations. Herlaar and Waalewijn: ‘On training days, we discussed learning levels and styles. This has given learning a much more clearly defined position within Tear's organisational structure.’
Results
Have the efforts led to concrete results in the field of capacity development? Herlaar: ‘Don't imagine a turnaround, but view the efforts as a gradual process towards fundamental changes. We take capacity reinforcement to its logical conclusion: a structural improvement of capacity development quality based on a clear vision.’
The structural changes are also laid down. Waalewijn says: ‘Portfolio and partnership policy are good examples of this. We have laid down which organisations we are going to continue to work with. We have concluded agreements to this end. In this way, both organisations know what they want to achieve and what to expect from one another. This can be useful for both parties.’
‘To mention a more concrete result: we have submitted applications to reinforce the learning process at partner organisations in two fields: HIV/AIDS and Disaster Risk Reduction’, adds Herlaar. ‘These applications have been accepted. We thereby also examine how partner organisations can improve their outward orientation. Think, for example, of a hospital in Chad, that operated in complete isolation. With our help, the hospital received government recognition which will hopefully lead to government funding.’
David Talima of Acet International on Tear
‘Acet's goal is combating HIV and AIDS infections in Ugandan refugee camps. Alongside improved health and behavioural change, Acet also aims to improve the living environment and living conditions; less poverty, more skills. Tear provides financial and technical support for our capacity development. We jointly formulated points of departure. This enables us to intervene in the community in a more targeted manner. Particularly in northern Uganda which has suffered from the war that has raged there for the past couple of decades. Tear also helps us with direct programmes, for example in the field of education.’
Eddie Mall of Saahasee on Tear
‘Saahasee helps enterprising women in the slums of Indian cities, such as New Delhi and Mumbai to organise themselves in savings and loan groups. The emphasis is hereby on reinforcing capacity. We help them set up small businesses which can provide a full income which, in turn, helps improve living conditions in the slums. To this end, we invest in healthcare and education. In recent years, Tear has provided us with advice on leading our programmes, making contact with external interest groups and structuring the women's groups. Moreover, Tear contributed to the costs. This has had a massive impact on Saahasee itself and on the communities we are active in.’