GLOWA Strategic Planning Workshop Final Report
March 2011
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Workshop Overview
Global Welfare Association, GLOWA, held its first Strategic Plan workshop in March
2011. The workshop’s main purpose was to formulate GLOWA’s Three-Year Strategic
Plan for 2011-2013.
GLOWA’s small staff of three attended the Workshop as participants, which included the Executive Director, the Program Office for Professional Rehabilitation, and the Program Office for Human Rights Education. The sessions were facilitated by a U.S. Peace Corps Volunteer. The participants gathered at GLOWA’s headquarters office in Bamenda, Cameroon for five meetings.
Design
Since GLOWA is a young organization, it was decided to focus on its internal structure
and programs for the upcoming three years rather than installing a traditional five year
strategic plan. Stakeholders should be invited to the next Strategic Plan workshop as
participants after GLOWA initiates a monitoring and evaluation system. The
participatory approach was emphasized as both the Executive Director and staff members
expressed their thoughts and provided input for each of the sessions.
The sessions were conducted as follows:
Session and Dates Topics Discussed
Session 1: March 8, 2011 1) Introduction to Strategic Planning (SP)
2) Expectations for SP
3) Environmental Scan and SWOT Analysis
4) Brainstorming for the next three years
Session 2: March 9, 2011 1) Revising Statements of Purpose (Do Mission, Vision, Value
statements reflect direction for the next three years?)
2) Stakeholder Identification for funding/partnership, relationship
building, and marketing opportunities
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March 2011
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Session 3: March 10, 2011 1) Problem tree and overall goal statement
2) Program objective statements
3) Logframe charting
Session 4: March 11, 2011 and
March 12, 2011
1) Operational plan for programs
2) Internal operational plan
Session 5: March 15, 2011 1) Implementation
2) Monitoring & Evaluation
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Session 1 Findings
Expectations for Strategic Planning
GLOWA recognizes the importance of SP and wants to use this report to increase the
NGO’s legitimacy, to refine its Statements of Purpose, and to implement its Operational
Plan. GLOWA also hopes that this initial SP training, after three years, will direct them
towards their next Strategic Plan.
Environmental Scan/SWOT Analysis
After analyzing GLOWA’s internal and external factors, the following strengths,
weaknesses, opportunities, and threats were discussed for the SWOT analysis.
Strengths
1) Committed and skilled staff to GLOWA’s mission and work
2) Headquarters office in Bamenda has large office space
3) Location is close to Bamenda center; near victims, general population, and international volunteers
4) Mission and goals appeal to global human rights and is a non-partisan and apolitical organization
5) Connected to various networks and collaborators in Northwest Cameroon region
6) International support and general interests; connected to international volunteers
7) Satellite offices in Ngie and Kumbo to reach victims closer to their villages
8) Information resource access (publications)
9) Support from authorities, traditional fons, and councils
10) Peer counselors (former victims) are part of GLOWA
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Weaknesses
1) Limited capacity for resource mobilization (financial)
2) Slow communication between GLOWA and its partners
3) Inactive Board of Directors
4) Staff instability – small staff, high turnover rates, low salaries
5) Lack of documentation
Opportunities
1) Favorable media environment within Bamenda and Cameroon (radio, television, print)
2) Strong civil society and network opportunities
3) Collaboration with international volunteer organizations (U.S. Peace Corps, Volunteer Service Overseas, DED, Helvetas, etc.)
4) Large youth population for volunteers and interns
5) Available legal framework; GLOWA operates as a non-governmental organization
6) Country receptive to receiving independent international volunteers
7) International donors and grants
8) Democratic government – relative peace and stability
Threats
1) Lack of infrastructure (bad roads limits access to schools) and technology
2) Unstable relationships with administrative authorities and potential conflicting interests (i.e. not enforcing the law)
3) Inter-tribal conflicts put rural children at greater risk as victims
4) Lack of incentives for youth to volunteer
5) Limited government support (finances)
6) Corruption
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Organization Chart
GLOWA’s programs and general structure was recently constructed by an independent
American volunteer. The staff reviewed and approved the organization chart.
See Appendix A for the Organization Chart.
Brainstorming for 2011 – 2014
GLOWA was asked to brainstorm programs and activities for the next three years. The
staff discussed enhancing programs; reaching out to victims in 5 subdivisions throughout
the Northwest region; strengthening relationships with other NGOs and networks;
launching advocacy efforts through the councils; creating community observatories (or
neighborhood watch groups); training young peer campaigners; creating a filing system
in the office; documenting GLOWA’s work; accurate budgeting; establishing a Monitoring
& Evaluation framework; creating a resource center within the office; standardizing a
general cash flow mechanism for finances; organizing fundraising events; and generating
a generic “canned response” format for writing grants.
Many brainstorming ideas were contributed and the staff believes they are feasible to
implement in three years’ time.
Session 2 Findings
In this session, the GLOWA staff reviewed and revised their Statements of Purpose to
reflect its direction for the next three years.
Vision
GLOWA believes that every child has the right to grow in an environment where s/he feels free, valued, and given the opportunity to maximize their potentials without succumbing to domestic and sexual servitude. We aspire to build child-friendly and abuse-sensitive communities where children are empowered as claim holders and promoters of their basic human rights. We are committed to upholding these rights as a way of preparing future generations of Cameroonians to become productive citizens of society.
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Mission
GLOWA combats human trafficking and the damage it creates in communities
throughout the Northwest region of Cameroon through raising awareness, rehabilitation,
and advocacy. Our work aims to nurture a culture of respect for human rights,
particularly those of children and women, and fight against the systematic abuses faced
by the most vulnerable.
Value Statements
DO’s:
-Treat everyone with respect and love, regardless of age and/or gender.
-Be committed and dedicated to your work.
-Always be honest.
-Be another one’s keeper.
-Always be receptive to working with others.
-Listen to each other with an open heart and an open mind.
-Be friendly and courteous.
-Be supportive.
DON’Ts:
-Harm women and children.
-Take advantage of the needy and those vulnerable.
-Hesitate to give information to anyone at any time.
-Be lazy.
-Stray from your values and mission.
-Give out confidential information about clients.
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Stakeholder Identification
Next, the staff identified and categorized primary and secondary stakeholders. This
reinforced GLOWA’s assessment that existing NGOs, networks, international
organizations, and international volunteers present significant opportunities for
collaboration efforts and future donors. GLOWA will continue to nurture and strengthen
relationships with the following stakeholders identified:
PRIMARY STAKEHOLDERS:
Children, parents, communities, traffickers
SECONDARY STAKEHOLDERS:
Community institutions
Schools, hospitals, orphanages
Government
Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Scientific Research &
Innovation, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Territorial
Administration, municipal and traditional councils (chiefs, fons, quarterheads, lamidos),
U.S. Department of State, U.S. Embassy, UNFPA, U.N. Sub-Regional Center for Human
Rights, U.N. Human Rights Council
NGOs, community groups, other agencies
Cultural & Development Associations, Justice and Peace, Union of Northwest Human
Rights Organizations, Women in Action Against Gender-Based Violence (WaCameroon),
Community Human Rights and Advocacy Center (CHRAC), Cameroon Alliance of
Voluntary Organizations for Development (CAVOD), International Forum for Child
Welfare, Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights, Plan International, U.S.
Peace Corps, U.N. On-Line Volunteers, UAF Nairobi, Herperian Foundation, Amnesty
International, Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights, Counterparts
International, SNV, individual volunteers
Program Donors
MTV Staying Alive Foundation, Mensen met een Missie, Hearts for Cameroon Los
Angeles, World Association for Christian Communications (WACC), Free to Charities,
Idealist, Foundation Center, Amando
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Session 3 Findings
Problem Tree
In order to acknowledge the focal problem that GLOWA is addressing, a problem tree was
constructed to understand the causes and effects that relate to child trafficking. GLOWA’s
focal problem:
High rates of child trafficking in Northwest Cameroon
See Appendix B for the Problem Tree.
Overall Goal
Once the problem tree was analyzed, GLOWA proposed the following overall goal to
address the focal problem statement:
The rate of child trafficking in NW Cameroon will be lowered by 50% within three years.
This is a “SMART” (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound) goal that
GLOWA believes is feasible in the next three years after its programs are officially
launched and implemented.
Program Objectives Statements
Once GLOWA’s main programs were confirmed in its organization chart, the staff visited
the general objective statements for each program. The following were confirmed:
1) Trafficking Awareness Program To raise awareness on child trafficking and its impact on rural and urban communities.
2) Counter Child Trafficking Resource Center To provide information and resources to the general community towards anti-child
trafficking activities.
3) Support Programs for Victims of Trafficking To provide rehabilitation services to current and potential victims.
4) Advocacy To encourage policy at local and national levels that will contribute to reducing child-
trafficking rates.
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Logframe Charting
In preparation for completing GLOWA’s Operational Plan, logframe charting was deemed
important to streamline how their activities will contribute to the Program Objectives and
lead to the Overall Goal. The traditional logframe structure for goal, purpose, outputs,
activities, indicators, means of verification, and risk and assumptions were considered,
but a more general logframe chart was executed for GLOWA’s first Strategic Plan, which
focuses on objectives, results, and activities. The emphasis on these components will help
realize the Monitoring & Evaluation process for each of its programs. Once GLOWA’s
programs are fully implemented, the Executive Director may wish to conduct the
traditional logframe model for its next Strategic Plan process.
Four separate logframes were devised for each of GLOWA’s programs. See Appendix C for
these four logframes.
Session 4 Findings
Operational Plan for Programs
The operational plan serves as the next step to prepare for implementation. GLOWA took
the program activities from the four logframes and placed them into the operational plan.
This provides the staff a panoramic view of their programs for the next three years in a
chronological time frame, time frame for activities to be completed, ongoing activities,
staff members responsible for the activity, and resources needed. The staff seemed
relieved to have these priorities documented.
See Appendix D for the Operational Plan for Programs.
Internal Operational Plan
In addition to the OP for programs, the facilitator and GLOWA’s Executive Director felt it
was necessary to implement an internal operational plan to address the needs and
weaknesses within GLOWA, such as creating by-laws the Boards of Directors and
Advisory Board, improving the annual budget and annual report, marketing, and human
resources strategies. The Executive Director and the Peace Corps Volunteer will be
responsible for implementing this internal OP.
See Appendix E for the Internal Operational Plan.
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March 2011
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Session 5 Findings
Implementation
After drafting the Operational Plans, GLOWA’s staff devised individual actions plans for
each program in which they are responsible. This holds everyone accountable to complete
specific activities towards each program objective. The Executive Director will monitor
the OP for Programs and the Peace Corps Volunteer will oversee the Internal OP to
ensure deadlines are met within the time frames.
Monitoring & Evaluation
Here, monitoring activities was emphasized in order to do proper evaluation and decide if
GLOWA’s work is efficient, effective, and impactful. This session noted the importance of
collecting information documents as part of the monitoring process, such as letters,
reports, plans, contracts, attendance lists, forms, invoices, receipts, and meeting minutes.
This is essential as GLOWA’s programs develop and progress according to the
Operational Plans. In the future, focus groups and questionnaires should be conducted to
gather more information. For now, GLOWA agreed to abide by the implementation
process and revisit M&E in upcoming months.
A general, tentative schedule for evaluation was remarked for the next three years:
May, August, and November 2011 – Self-Evaluation (quarterly per year)
February, May, August, and November 2012 – Self-Evaluation (quarterly per year)
June 2012 – Participatory Evaluation
End of 2012 – Interactive Evaluation
February and May 2013 – Self-Evaluation (quarterly per year)
June 2013 – Participatory Evaluation
M&E will be addressed in the Internal Operational Plan as it approaches these evaluation
dates.
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Conclusion
GLOWA recognizes its work can significantly reduce child trafficking rates in Cameroon.
By fine tuning its Statements of Purpose, understanding its internal
strengths/weaknesses and external opportunities/threats, acknowledging its full range of
stakeholders, devising and implementing operational plans, and monitoring and
evaluating its work for the next three years, GLOWA is better prepared to fulfill its
mission and vision. This Strategic Planning workshop served as the first step in the
documentation process so the staff remains focused in reaching out to donors and
organizations relevant to its core values.
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March 2011
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Appendices
Appendix A: Organization Chart
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Appendix B: Problem Tree
Effects Causes
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Appendix C: Logframes
Overall Goal: The rate of child trafficking in NW Cameroon will be lowered
by 50% within three years.
Trafficking Awareness Program
Objective: To raise awareness on child trafficking and its impact on rural and urban
communities
Results: child trafficking cases
peer educators
cases to court
Activities:
Campus Tour Campaign
Community education
Community observatories (including Young Campaigners manual)
Promotional materials
Media appearances
Documentary screenings
Child trafficking drama
Social media campaign
Counter Child Trafficking Resource Center
Objective: To provide information and resources to the general community towards anti-
child trafficking activities.
Results: access to resources
partnerships with academics, media outlets, lawyers, authorities, NGOs, etc.
Activities:
Material acquisition
Internet
Staff training
Workshops/seminars/forums
Internships
Information exchange
Donations
Research
Publications
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Support Programs for Victims of Trafficking
Objective: To provide rehabilitation services to current and potential victims.
Results: professional reintegration of victims into society
number of survivors returning to school
collaborators in various sectors
cases taken to court
victims seeking legal redress
Activities:
Scholarships (Survivors Academic Rescue Fund)
Counseling
Vocational training (tailoring and embroidery)
Referral services
Partnerships with small, local businesses
Paralegal cases
HIV/AIDS trainings
Advocacy
Objective: To encourage policy at local and national levels that will contribute to reducing
child-trafficking rates.
Results: child trafficking cases in court
local authority involvement
lawyers representing victims
traditional authorities enacting the law
Change in legislation
Change in U.S. Tier classification
Activities:
Research on existing policy at local, national, and international levels
Client cases
Lobbying to local and traditional authorities
Lobbying to enforce current law with U.S. Embassy
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Appendix D: Programs Operational Plan 2011-2013
Activities Time Frame
(begin by, completed by)
Person Responsible Costs/Inputs
(finances, people, materials,
services, transport)
Promotional Materials Ongoing Richard $, paper, art design
Campus Tour Campaign Ongoing Richard/Ferdi Time, transport, promo
materials
HIV training 1/4/11 – ongoing Richard/Valerie HIV manual, transport,
food
Community education Ongoing All Time, promo materials,
transport
Documentary Ongoing All Documentary, laptop,
transport
Vocational training Ongoing Ferdi/Fridoline Materials, machines, $
Counseling Ongoing Ferdi/Mado Time, staff training
Paralegal services Ongoing Richard/Mado/Ferdi Time, $, lawyer
Referral services Ongoing All Materials
Media appearances Ongoing Richard Time, transport, research
Social media campaign Ongoing Carmen Time, research, internet
access, materials, $
Resource center material
acquisition
1/6/11 – 30/9/11 Richard/Ferdi Internet, materials
Survivors Academic
Rescue Fund
March 2011 – 30/6/11 Richard/Ferdi Time, $, internet
Community observatories March 2011 – 31/12/11 Richard/Ferdi $, transport, materials,
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UN Volunteer services
Drama March 2012 Ferdi/Mado GTC Sabga contact,
transport, materials
Internet box (Livebox) 1/10/11 – 31/12/11 Richard/Carmen Internet
Donations Ongoing All Time, internet, materials,
website
Publications Ongoing Richard $, paper, art design
Workshops March 2012 Richard/Carmen Guest speakers, space,
materials,
food/refreshments
Interns for resource
center
2013 Richard Internet, time to train
Volunteers Ongoing Richard Internet, marketing
documentary, social
media
Policy research June 2012 – December
2012
Richard Research materials,
internet, lawyers,
activists, journalists,
social workers
Client cases June 2012 – ongoing Ferdi/Mado Lawyers, journalists,
policy research and
materials
Lobbying 2013 Ferdi/Mado Policy research,
materials, lobbyists
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Appendix E: Internal Operational Plan 2011
Activities Time Frame
(begin by, completed by)
Person Responsible Costs/Inputs
(finances, people, materials,
services, transport)
Establish rules for Board
of Directors and Advisory
Board
15-3-2011 to 15-3-2011 Richard and Carmen Time, research
Recruit Board of Directors
and Advisory Board
16-3-2011 to 16-5-2011 Richard, Carmen, and
Hannah
Time, research,
interviews
Budget 2011 and Annual
Review 2010
21-3-2011 to 30-4-2011 Richard (Annual Review)
and Carmen (Budget)
Time, previous Annual
Review and Budget notes
Marketing Plan and
brainstorming income-
generating ideas (newsletters, website, calendar,
documentary, t-shirts, etc.)
May 2011 Carmen Time, research,
brainstorming
Independent auditor for
audit report
May 2011 Richard and Carmen Time, research,
interviews
Wish list for resources
(filing system, record keeping, HR
files)
Now – 31-3-2011 Richard Time, research, budget
Potential grantors
(due dates, match existing
programs with potential grantors,
find overhead cost grantors)
May 2011 Richard Time, research
Website April 2011 – ongoing Carmen Time, research, printed
materials
Year-long schedule for
grantors (due dates)
May 2011 Richard and Carmen Time, research, potential
grantors list
Two year calendar for June 2011 Richard and Carmen Time, research, potential
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funding end dates grantors list
Staff job descriptions and
Performance Reviews
May 2011 Carmen Annual Review, action
plan
Field work report forms May 2011 Carmen Annual Review, action
plan
Employee handbook May 2011 Carmen Staff job descriptions,
work report forms, action
plan
Volunteer application
form (on-line and paper
copies)
July 2011 Carmen and Richard Website