Without our partners, we would not have stories of hope, health, and lives changed to share with you each quarter. Blood:Water strives to help our partners achieve a high level of proficiency as organizations, which allows for the greatest impact in the communities they serve. Time and time again, we watch our partners’ imaginations awaken and passions ignite through the affirmation of dignity that comes from intentional capacity building.

Our success as an organization is equally measured by and dependent upon our partners’ success as organizations as it is measured by and dependent upon each individual who is impacted by our work in Africa. Individual success stories start at the organizational level; a truth that one of our partners recently learned firsthand. After taking part in a Blood:Water conducted assessment to identify areas where help or growth was needed, this local partner* saw that nearly 40 percent of their staff had been promoted from within the organization. This observation led them to take inventory of the leadership’s ability to create the best working environment that would attract new employees and make current employees more engaged in the work they’re doing.

Our partner found that they were lacking in human resources and people management skills. Without these skills being properly developed, they were at risk of diminishing the performance of their workforce, resulting in a deeper lack of engagement. Thus, our partner decided to have staff members take part in a three-day, people-management training course. The result of our partner’s investment in furthering their skills continues to inspire their workforce. Because this partner chose to focus on strengthening themselves at the organizational level, they are not only better prepared to impact local community members at the individual level, but they are also able to share what they have learned with Blood:Water and our other partners to improve the success of our work throughout Africa.

*Organization name hidden for privacy purposes.