Tedi Africa on the recognition and cordial invitation by Pamoja Trust attended a very intense capacity-building workshop on institutional governance held at the Grace House Resort at Hurlingham, and Ngong Hills Hotel on 12th, 15th, 16th and 17th November, 2021 respectively. The training was part of the ongoing institutional building for Refugees-led Organizations (RLOs) serving urban-based refugees. Tedi Africa joined a dozen of RLOs representatives who graced the occasion to learn about various institutional governance aspects critical for RLOs operational growth. The program also formally introduced the community Resilience Building in Livelihood and Disaster Risk Management (ReBuiLD) project, a joint program by the International Rescue Committee and the IKEA Foundation that supports urban refugees and host communities in East Africa to secure livelihood opportunities.
The one week-long training workshop provided participants with crucial knowledge and applied skills in areas of effective governance, vision and mission setting, proposal development, systemic and structural documentation (procurement & logistics policy, HR policy manual, performance management, risk management plan, M&E), organizational profiling, effective community engagement, basic regulatory requirements for RLOs and Community-based Organizations among others. Of utmost takeaway was the discussion on public finance management (PFM) where the facilitator introduced various PFM documents, tools and reporting. These included the County Fiscal Strategy Paper (CFSP), the Appropriation Bill, the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP) which left the RLOs representatives with new substantial knowledge in terms of approach and effective public engagement particularly with Nairobi County government. Furthermore, the participants were introduced to petitions and submissions drafting as formal channels for raising the refugee community’s concerns. Through the hand-on facilitation style, the RLOs were able to articulate issues of importance and pledged to keep in touch on these matters.
Esther Keji, one of Tedi Africa’s representatives at the workshop described the training as “so educative and fun” while James Yien Dak, Tedi Africa’s Community Mobilizer who also took part in the workshop said that the training was “good” however, he also acknowledged that the session on legal requirements of RLOs and the relevant constitutional provisions was “complex.” Overall, the workshop was a success and we were privileged to have been part of the program. It has greatly improved our capacity to lead effectively, manage resources efficiently and deliver our services responsibly as well as broadening our network.