Fokus v3.0

Enkontru Planeamentu, planning meeting, we need to have one to fokus,’ or so I was told.

Here we go again, I thought to myself.

Having gone through a few Enkontru Planeamentu to date, pardon my skepticism as to their usefulness or effectiveness within the context of the NGO I am working with. When there is seemingly little seriousness and support of the process, the Enkontru Planeamentu becomes a meeting for the sake of having a meeting.

But I plod on, in the hope that this time it will be different…

Prior to commencement of the placement, Esther and I were led to believe that we only needed to fine-tune and codify already established processes and systems within the NGO we were attached to as organisational development advisors. But, lo and behold, when we delved into the inner workings of the organization, we found a problem with their system and processes. They just did not have any!

In previous assessments done by other volunteers, it was indicated that they had a Quality Assurance (QA) system in place. But, we found out, that in spite of being in existence for over 10 years, it had no systems and processes for the crucial areas of accounts, finance, budgets and project management – critical for the backbone of any QA system. We also felt that these deficiencies had manifested themselves in other more disastrous ways. Firstly, the inability to track income and expenditure had cast doubts on the organisation’s transparency and accountability. Secondly, the inability to manage projects properly had caused it to fail badly on service delivery. Perhaps funders pulling out over the years are indicative of this.

We knew change was desperately needed, but we were making no headway. We had to continually contend with the excess baggage accumulated over the years: the fear that change – the addition of checks and balances – might dilute authority; the reluctance to accept responsibility (i.e. more work); and the ever present “we’re doing fine and don’t need fixing” assertiveness. Everything here, we realized, happens in starts and stops with no follow through.

The first Enkontru Planeamentu we had happened a few months into our placement to focus on the capacity development needs of the staff. It was decided that the staff needed to hone their English and business planning skills, and days and times were set for the training sessions. Lesson plans were quickly drawn out and the sessions started. But, after three short sessions, lessons were being cancelled one after another with no commitment as to when they would be resumed. All too soon, they didn’t even bother to tell me there would be no lessons on the scheduled day and time, and I stopped asking when the intended for them to resume. I look back and call that Fokus v1.0, for there were more to come.

Fokus v2.0 got off to a fiery start, by way of a little altercation with the MD [Read ‘Losing Out’ for more]. The two Enkontru Planeamentu sessions with her staff that followed were fruitful sessions, or so we thought.

After two very animated sessions where it was agreed the direction the NGO should take: that they should capitalize on their strengths and re-image themselves as a training agency for the sucos they support and other NGOs, a third session was enthusiastically scheduled to work on the nuts and bolts of the proposed change.

We came to an eerily quiet office on the appointed day and time scheduled for that hopeful third session. Doors were shut and windows shuttered; everyone concerned had to be somewhere else, we were informed by the caretaker. All were also strangely mute on the subject of that failed meeting the next time we met; neither explanations nor apologies were offered. It was as if no plans were formulated and on the verge of execution.

Were they really enthusiastic about the proposed plans or did I only see what I wanted to see? Was I misled – blinded – by hope? Or did I enter 'The Twilight Zone'? I am still wondering to this day.

Fokus v3.0 got a jump start when Esther managed a breakthrough at year’s end. She finally convinced the NGO of the dire need for a proper accounting system; the decider for was when she brought the NGO’s finance officer to the Diocese of Maliana’s office and demonstrated the advantages of the MYOB system she implemented there. After securing a funder’s agreement to sponsor the software required, the system was implemented posthaste. It was an important step; we hoped that this base would allow us to establish other important processes – the operative word being hope.

The follow-up jolt was when the MD was struggling with a funding proposal and asked for help; one where the funder required budget breakdowns, project timelines and milestones, with measurable goals – all alien concepts to the NGO and her staff. I sat her down and explained the expectations of funders presently; the days of funders flushed with cash are gone and the objectivity, specificity and result orientation of modern business are now being applied to ensure good mileage for funds dispersed. All the more so if sustainability of the project is insisted upon. I went on to explain, through a simplified value chain (with pen, paper and freehand sketches), how her social enterprise projects should be managed and where OHM’s focus within that value chain should be. And it was crucial for the NGO to focus on that area, as it had not the ability to do everything required within any value chain.

Seemingly, the proverbial light bulb lit up above her, and she was adamant at the end of our informal session: she wanted the same presentation done for her staff as soon as possible. To fokus their efforts, she enthused.

I structured the discussion on what the MD felt was a project that showed potential and one where they had success with in the past – the production of compost (organic fertilizer). The same simplified value chain was used to show the process from collection of chaff and other suitable material through to the final sale and distribution of the compost; every link in the chain corresponding to an action that adds value to the final product. It was shown that OHM must work in higher value added end of the chain, doing what would be required to ‘grow’ the market. There was no other place for them to be – the sucos they worked with had neither the ability nor capacity to handle the promotion and distribution of the compost. Tasks made all the more onerous as distribution channels would have to be established from scratch [Read ‘Understanding Chains’ for more].

The questions from the staff flew fast and furious: how are they to manage the sucos? How are they going to setup the distribution channels? To find markets? What do they tell potential clients about their product? How are they going to handle the budget and costing? etc. etc. They admitted that these ideas were new and novel to them; they never had to think this way before. But the graphic representation seemed to have lighted quite a few bulbs; they realized why they had a hard time managing projects: they were handling all tasks related to a project from end-to-end.

For the plan to succeed, the NGO’s relationship with the sucos has to change. Presently, it is the customer; buying produce from the sucos and reselling them for a marginal profit to cover cost. The NGO assumes all the risk for the salability of the product in this scenario. The relationship has to be made more equitable. The sucos will be tasked with production through social enterprise agreements, with their roles and income-sharing scheme clarified. The sucos have to understand that if demand is not created at the end of the chain, there would be no need for production at their end, and hence no income. The challenge will be to change the mindset at the suco level, and that would be an achievement for the NGO.

I left them with two documents: a questionnaire where focus questions were asked about every link in the marketing and distribution value chain, and a template for the drafting of a business plan. The process is simple: answer the focus questions which should help crystallize their understanding of what is required of them in the marketing and distribution process. With that understanding, proceed to fill in the blanks in the business plan template. Once they are done with that, we will meet again to fine tune everything. I pleaded with them, just go through the process once, and once they understand it, they wouldn’t need Esther or I here to see them through it again.

Well, they had been at it since December 2014, and I’m now wondering if there is a need for a Fokus v4.0.