Organizational Strengthening
4 Key Characteristics of an Empowered Community
A lot of organizations want to help communities in need, but what does it mean to empower a community for sustainable progress? In this article, we’re laying out four key characteristics that define an empowered community. We’ll also talk about how Blood:Water works to provide grassroots organizations with more tools to give people what they need to take hold of all the ways they can improve their families’ lives.
Organizational Strengthening: The IDF
We want our partners to be strong enough financially, technically, and internally, to continue the work long after their partnership with Blood:Water concludes. So, our OS program aims to provide insight, support, and resources so that organizations can strengthen their efficacy, longevity and health based on how they report they can be best served.
Measuring Success of Water Projects in Africa
Keeping track of things like distance, family members in a household, and how long someone may have to wait in line, paints a clearer picture of the sustainable, transformative work that is being done.
What Causes Poverty in Africa?
Who knows better than they do what will make a difference in their village? Change and progress require local buy-in and a sense of ownership throughout the community in order to be sustainable.
What Water Wells and Kidney Transplants Have in Common
We as a culture have looked at the local organization as the younger sibling to the large international organizations. In doing so, we have fueled a long, solutionless investment that has done more to build a western hero complex rather than truly help solve the challenges that continue to burden our world. It is time to change.
The Experts Are Not Who You Think
The question that should pop up in your brain at this point is, “Has the international development community largely operated without elevating the importance and integral role of local expertise?” And the answer to your question is a resounding and painful, “yes.”
Exciting Developments from the East Africa Philanthropy Conference
Aside from being able to provide our own insight to other organizations, we look forward to learning more about the region and pursuing the connections we made through the conference. We have been formally invited to be a member of the Africa Philanthropy Network (APN), which will expand our accessibility to other philanthropic organizations into the Southern African region.
Check Out Our Partner, COPRED!
In partnership with COPRED, Blood:Water has committed to contributing to the improvement of personal and family hygiene, sanitation, early childhood development, and HIV/AIDS prevention and care in the Neno District of Malawi. Through organizational strengthening, Blood:Water empowers…
If You Want to Go Far, Go Together (PART II)
THREE YEARS AGO, WE BEGAN HOSTING AN ANNUAL PARTNER SUMMIT, WHERE WE GATHER REPRESENTATIVES FROM EACH OF OUR PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS FOR A WEEK OF COLLABORATIVE LEARNING. THROUGH TRAINING AND PEER LEARNING SESSIONS, OUR PARTNERS HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO…
If You Want to Go Far, Go Together (PART I)
Three years ago, we began hosting an annual Partner Summit, where we gather representatives from each of our partner organizations for a week of collaborative learning. Through training and peer learning sessions, our partners have the opportunity to…
