THE SITUATION
A pan-African women’s rights organisation had spent more than ten years establishing a strong presence across the continent, forming deep connections, and creating work that influenced policies and practices in various countries. The challenge now was not deciding what to do next but planning the next decade to stay true to its founding vision, include community voices, and develop sustainable structures that can continue the work beyond the current leadership.
THE WORK
We developed and led a ten-year strategic process based on feminist and participatory principles, involving leadership, staff, partners, and community members across 14 countries. The process was as crucial as the final results, since people are more likely to support what they’ve helped create. The resulting framework covered strategic direction and governance aspects, including succession planning, decision-making structures, and systems designed to sustain the foundation’s impact beyond any single leader or funding cycle.
THE RESULT
The organization owns a ten-year strategy because it developed it. This process resulted not just in a plan but also in a shared understanding of the foundation’s direction, reasons, and decision-making approach. The work still influences governance and programming choices across the foundation’s continental operations.