Sunday 18-Jun-2023 to Saturday 24-Jun-2023
We decided to go into self-imposed lockdown this week having tested positive for COVID on Saturday (17-Jun-2023). All the meetings we had lined up for the week, bar one, were one-to-one which we were able to rearrange. The exception was an invitation to speak to the nutrition Cooperating Partners (donors) at their meeting on 22-Jun-2023 but we were able to do this on Zoom via a slightly dodgy internet connection. This presentation quantified the Kit Yamoyo legacy and went on to ask how this legacy was achieved. We believe that the key success factors are:
- That we planned for a legacy from the outset
- Co-creation and learning were iterative throughout
- We engaged intended beneficiaries from the start and throughout
- We worked as part of a ‘smart’ partnership (gathered around a vision not another partner or funding opportunity)
- ColaLife was a catalyst: never a permanent part of the solution
- We did everything through local systems and structures
- We ensured we were invisible
- We leveraged policy to align, embed and institutionalise at every opportunity
Some of these points would have touched a nerve with donors. Point 7 was understood and drew a comment at the end of the presentation; “Perhaps we should think about how we brand things” said Jonathan of GIZ. We used the following two billboards to illustrate how donor branding can completely change, in a negative way, how a development effort or product is perceived locally.
The original Kit Yamoyo billboards without donor branding
The Kit Yamoyo billboards funded by USAID (with donor branding)
For more details on this point and all the others please see the full narrative and slides of the presentation:
The Kit Yamoyo Legacy - presentation to the CP Meeting 22-Jun-23 150dpi
Download presentation with notes
It was very difficult to gauge over Zoom how the presentation was received but afterwards we did get this comment back by email:
“Just to mention the nutrition Cooperating Partners group really enjoyed your presentation and agreed about the value of working in this way in the future.”
We wish to thank Leah Gaffney who heads FCDO’s nutrition effort in Zambia for inviting us to present.
