HIVOS partnership – dream building:

[Bobby Zachariah]

The HIVOS partnership of organizations responding to HIV in East Africa, Southern Africa and India was initiated with the following objectives:

 

1.         To assist partners to identify issues which they want to share with others

2.         To train partners in methods and strategies for sharing and linking

3.         To assist partners in developing and implementing concrete plans for doing joint activities with other partners.

 

The way we approached the objective was by initiating conversation in small groups regarding our common foundations – that we are vulnerable, have hopes in our life and can learn and become better.  An instant human connection developed, which left its impact through out the workshop.

 

Nokhwezi (TAC): “Initially, I felt a bit distant from the coaches, but once we shared our concerns and hopes, I realized that we share a lot in common”

 

The group then thought about their individual and organization dreams which they merged together to create a powerful dream for the learning and sharing partnership for HIVOS partner organizations.

 

https://aidscompetence.ning.com/photo/crispin-naomi-and-nokhwezi/next?context=user

 

https://aidscompetence.ning.com/photo/peter-onesmus-and-michael/next?context=user

 

13 practices have emerged from the dream and the groups realizes that the depth of experiences on these practices vary within the group, which offers opportunities for learning and sharing.

 

https://aidscompetence.ning.com/photo/april-presents-possible

 

https://aidscompetence.ning.com/group/hivos/forum/topics/hivos-part...

 

Crispin (SAfAIDS): “When I looked at the organisations and their core business, I saw that there were so many commonalities and much to learn from each other.”

 

Salome Nduta (CRECO):  “Looking at all the partners in this meeting, I think we are the youngest in working with HIV and AIDS. I’ve really appreciated that I’ve learnt a lot – I used to think there were things that we couldn’t do.  But listening to the other partners, I’ve learnt that there are things we can do, that our members can do.  The forum came at the right time – without partnership, many of the things we had planned to do we would not be able to do”

 

Indumathi (SIAAP):  “One person at a lower level need not reinvent the wheel to get to a higher level in a certain practise.  They need only connect with someone with higher experience”.

 

The participants also expressed their desire to share this dream with organisations in their neighbourhood (outside of HIVOS partner network).

[Laurence Gilliot]

Excellent overview of what happened, Bobby. Thanks a lot. I get a much clearer picture of what happened at the Hivos meeting. I think the process you used is very interesting. Connect as human beings, build our organisation's dream and common dream, then identify the practices for learning and sharing.
Did you then also have time to start sharing or is that for next time?

Laurence

[Ricardo Walters]

Hey, Laurence...

Full meeting report just posted. Actually, the partners did incredibly well, and we were able to progress quite far with sharing from a broad range of perspectives and experiences.

R

[Bobby Zachariah]

Hi Laurence,

Knowledge Assets were one specific tool where the participants were able to capture their learning after the sharing of stories/ strengths in response to specific practice areas capture in the Self Assessment frame work.

The idea is that this sharing will be ongoing as each participant deepens their practice in their own locations and contribute to others in the HIVOS network and beyond.

Bobby