Rapid Results leads to 90% of staff going for testing in Addis

[Geoff Parcell]

Lou Compernolle sent us this as it reflects our principles.

An enterprise in Addis managed to get 90% of its staff to test for HIV in 120 days by using Rapid Results. The head of the consultancy says: 

What’s missing to turn poor places into rich places isn’t more information, money, technology, workshops, programs, evaluation or any of the other things that development organizations normally provide.  What’s missing are motivation and confidence.

See New York Times for the article

[Gaston]

Thanks Geoff. I also just read the article. 

I like how they also concluded that motivation and confidence are the missing links. This is the foundation of our approach as well. More specifically, our steps and tools (e.g. dreambuilding, self-assessment etc) focus on fostering local ownership or motivation. SALT as a way of working focuses on nurturing confidence that the group can do it and using primarily their own strengths. But I do think that we have a different way to get to motivation and confidence than Rapid results which includes offering a starting grant and a deadline. 

I have to recognize that setting an almost unrealistic timeline can indeed ignite people into action. For example, we worked in DRC with a delayed World Bank project timeline due to external factors. Suddenly we had to facilitate the full processin 650 communities in 15 provinces within 9 months! It seemed impossible, but especially the Congolese facilitators somehow managed to do this. I was there for 4 months and experienced an unparalleled leap in self-organization, reflection and action of the national team.

Two questions though:

1. Why 100 days?

2. Do people jump into action for the right reasons or for a financial reward? In the last case, I think the sustainability aspect will be important to consider.