DEFINING LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP Grace and Healing Ministry Dodoma, Tanzania Tiffanee Wright, MA, MPH

What is Partnership? “If you don’t have time, don’t do development work. For partnership to work, both sides need to have a developmental rather than a strictly administrative approach.” “This deceptively simple term masks a complex reality.” In Tanzania, there are over 10,000 registered non-governmental organizations, many receiving international funds. Grassroot organizations often face challenges in balancing the expectations of outside program funders, while maintaining a unique organizational identity rooted in local culture. In the development field, buzz words such as “partnership” and “collaboration” are often cited and encouraged by funding organizations. However, at the ground level, unraveling the complexities of trans-national partnership can be difficult, frustrating, and taxing. When there is strong collaboration between organizations, the results can be beneficial and enriching for both partners and for the community served.

Grace and Healing Ministry Dodoma is a faith-based organization under the Tanzanian Mennonite church. It was started in 2002 by women in the local Mennonite church reaching out to care for those infected with HIV who were being shunned by both the church and the community. Currently, we serve 230 families. GRACE AND HEALING MINISTRY: Our Vision: A society in Dodoma where people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS flourish and live with HOPE, DIGNITY and PEACE through Christ's love.

What does this look like? 1) Care and Support: Support groups, home based care, medical support through doctor, nurse and medications, nutritional supplements through food distributions, milk and plumpy nut, spiritual and emotional counseling, orphan and vulnerable children care and palliative care. 2) Community education: HIV Prevention days held in town as well in villages with messages of stigma reduction, basic HIV education, and free HIV testing. We also use trained youth peer educators to work in local schools. At our center, we have two HIV testing counsellors that counsel and test for HIV. 3) Empowerment: We do micro-enterprise trainings and offer small loans for business-start ups. The clients have also organized themselves in VICOBAs and have formed group businesses, such as making and selling jam, batik, and cakes. 4) Building local capacity: Because GHMD started as a volunteer ministry, all the staff have come from within the local church community. In order to provide quality care, GHMD has had to invest in training its staff.

CHALLENGES:  Assets  Control  Expectations Challenges: Assets, Control, and Expectations! Often when talking to organizations, whether on the funding or the implementing side, you get a long list of frustrations of what is not working well or could be better. Usually these challenges can be grouped into 3: assets, control and expectations. First, who owns the assets, whether it be cars, offices, computers, and who has access to these assets can be a real challenge, causing strain and frustration for partners. Secondly, who controls the direction of the program. Thirdly, partnerships can break down over differences in expectations of the program. Often the local organization has an unrealistic expectation of its international partner over provision of funds or goods, or vice versa, there are unrealistic expectations on the local partner, such as in the areas of record keeping and reporting.

LESSONS LEARNED: LONG-TERM INVESTMENT By exploring the relationships GHMD has formed with its partner organizations, the following recommendations are offered to build strong, collaborative partnerships: Long-term investment: Recognize that true partnership is a long-term investment by both organizations. Mutual trust, respect, and transparency can only be developed over time and with intentional, direct interaction.

2) FIND VALUE IN EACH CULTURE Find value in each culture: Working trans-nationally can be challenging because of differing cultural values that will intrinsically shape perspectives and, ultimately, program decisions. However, in order to work together productively, not only each person, but even the organizations themselves must recognize the value and beauty of the culture context that they are working within, and often, living in.

3) BE WILLING TO MOVE TOWARDS EACH OTHER Be willing to move towards each other: Partnership involves synthesizing a common vision and purpose, but this often cannot occur until both organizations are willing to move towards each other. Often misunderstood as compromise, closing the cultural divide should not be seen as “giving in”, but rather as cooperation. Mutual respect of each others’ experiences will exponentially enhance trust. 3) BE WILLING TO MOVE TOWARDS EACH OTHER

4) REMEMBER THE BIGGER PICTURE When impasses arise and it seems difficult to reconcile cultural differences, each partner must remember the shared mission that motivates them, and ultimately unites them in serving the community. For cross-cultural partnerships to be successful and enduring, meaningful contributions must be made from both partners, apart from financial resources. Establishing two-way dialogue creates freedom for each partner to express their intentions, concerns, and cultural perspectives. Recognizing that partnership comes in varying forms as well as varying levels can reduce misunderstandings and wrong assumptions and instead foster a healthy relationship. When both organizations are open to evaluate and adjust their own viewpoint, it allows for mutual collaboration to unfold which ultimately has a larger impact on the local community.

THANK YOU TO OUR MANY SUPPORTERS HERE, IN TANZANIA, AND ABROAD!