As part of the project entitled: Strengthening CSOs’ Capacities for Effective Stakeholder Engagement in Biodiversity Conservation funded by the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF); on Monday 9 November 2020, the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) launched a series of training for 17 participating organisations.
These 2-year project began in January 2020 and aims to strengthen the institutional and organisational capacities of CSOs working in the field of biodiversity conservation in Sierra Leone, Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea.
Based on the analysis of learning needs assessments carried out by WACSI and action plans developed by the participating organisations; WACSI has started the first series of training. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic currently sweeping the world, WACSI has put in place a new strategy to facilitate the organisation of the first series of training virtually. This strategy is adapted to the needs of each organisation, based on a careful analysis of their needs.
The institutional training of the participating organisations has been spread over 4 different modules which include (1) resource mobilisation and sustainability, (2) organisational governance, (3) results-based monitoring and evaluation, and finally (4) project management. To cover all the important aspects of the training, each module was subdivided into 2 sessions of 2 hours each.
Thus, on Monday 09 November 2020 and Tuesday 10 November 2020, representatives of each of the participating organisations took part in the two sessions of the first module of the training entitled Resource Mobilisation and Sustainability. A total of 50 participants from 17 different organisations took part in the training. 5 organisations from Sierra Leone, 6 from Guinea and 6 from Cote d’Ivoire.
WACSI has a very high bilingual capacity and was able to adapt its strategy in both English and French. Indeed, working with organisations such as Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea, which are organisations operating purely in French, and organisations in Sierra Leone, which operate purely in English, sessions were organised and delivered in English for the English-speaking participating organisations and sessions in French for the French-speaking organisations. This was an opportunity for sharing and learning. The English sessions were facilitated by one of the experts in the field Mr Jimm Chick Fomunjong, Head of Knowledge Management at WACSI and the French sessions by Mr Leandre Banon, Programme Officer of the Capacity Development Unit at WACSI.
The participants expressed their appreciation of the methodology adopted and the content of the training.
“I enjoyed the sessions very much because it was in the form of experiences sharing and mutual learning. It allowed me to deepen my knowledge of sustainability and the strategy of resource mobilisation as a leader.” Explains one of the participants.
For the facilitators, the contribution and active participation of the participants was a key point of the training. The first module – Resource Mobilisation and Sustainability ended in a good atmosphere and with the participants appreciating the module. It is the beginning of a long
adventure. Monitoring and evaluation will be carried out and increased assistance will be given to organisations to implement the lessons and new strategies acquired during the two sessions of the training.
“The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is a joint initiative of l’Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan and the World Bank. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation.”