A Retreat Facilitation

5/13/2012

OGRA Foundation's Strategic Plan Retreat Team

Kiswahili word of the week: Kumaliza. Kumaliza means to finish.

This week and next week mark the beginning of the end of my time in Kenya. Last week I facilitated the OGRA Foundation Strategic Plan Retreat, my last full day of interning at OGRA Foundation is Wednesday, I turned in my last assignment for graduate school last night, and I will soon be going on fantastic adventures with friends and family throughout Kenya and Tanzania.

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Over the course of the past 3 months, I have been evaluating OGRA Foundation's 2007-2012 Strategic Plan, and then developing OGRA Foundation's 2012-2017 Strategic Plan.

I used both a participatory and direct observation approach, based on U.S.A.I.D. guidelines, to evaluate and develop the strategic plans. This included reviewing the past strategic plan, researching current and past OGRA Foundation programs, projects, and policies, interviewing staff members, visiting OGRA program sites, creating multiple S.W.O.T. analysis, identifying OGRA achievements and challenges, researching the United Nation's Millennium Development Goals, World Health Organization standards, Kenyan line ministries policies, programs and goals (such as the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education), and collaborating with OGRA staff to both align our goals with local, national and international stands as well as where OGRA Foundation wants to see itself over the course of the next 5 years.

Last Thursday and Friday, I facilitated OGRA Foundation's first staff retreat, a culmination of our work on the Strategic Plan over the past 3 months. OGRA Foundation very generously hosted the retreat at POA Place, in beautiful Eldoret, Kenya.

The purpose of the retreat was 5-fold:

Review OGRA Foundation’s programs and projects, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, successes, and challenges.
Ensure the accuracy of the Strategic Plan.
Identify and fill program and project gaps.
Refine and finalize OGRA Foundation future direction and goals.
Create buy-in and align staff and board on OGRA Foundation’s future direction and goals.

The retreat was a huge success! There was a lot of discussion, everyone participated, the programs and projects were refined, gaps in the document were identified and filled, and the goals were set. Most importantly, all of OGRA's senior staff feel ownership of the Strategic Plan, ensuring it's future success.

As facilitator, I will say that I was strong, and did a good job in facilitating discussion, openness, and engagement of the group. That said, I identified a couple of facilitation weaknesses, such as managing power dynamics and time, which I can improve upon.

What is most important, is that OGRA Foundation is poised to make a significant impact in reducing poverty in Western Kenya over the next 5 years. I am very proud to say that I have been a part of that process.

Next Wednesday is my last official full-day at OGRA Foundation. I'll be spending the week updating the final Strategic Plan document, based on what was shared at the retreat.

And then freedom!

I have some fabulous African adventures lined up for the rest of my time here!

Next Thursday, I will be meeting my UCSB college roommate Emily, for a week-long adventure through Tanzania. We're kicking off our adventure in Zanzibar, exploring white sand beaches and Stone Town. From there, we fly to Kilimanjaro Airport for a safari which includes fantastic views of the Rift Valley, riding alongside the 1.4 million continually migrating wildebeest, and a walking safari of the Ngorongo Crater.

My parents will be coming to visit me the day I return from Tanzania. I have lined up great experiences for them as well. We will be doing some sustainable charity work for OGRA Foundation, visiting Kisumu's Hippo Point, Impala Center, and Tamiez kuku choma. We are also going on a fabulous 3 day safari to Maasai Mara.

Then, I begin the journey home, spending a few days in London, and then back to beautiful Southern California, to start the job search.

I keep asking myself, how did I get so lucky to lead such a charmed life? I am truly blessed to have been able to live in Africa for 5 months, partner with a fantastic organization that makes such an important and sustainable impact in its community, and complete my masters degree. Not everyone has the opportunity to have such enriching life experiences and to see and experience the problems and solutions of the world, first hand.