1. New Partners Initiative (NPI) End of Project Meeting Looking Back, Moving Ahead; The NPI Capacity Building Experience Barbara Durr, NuPITA; Kumkum Amin, TA-NPI; Folami Harris, FHI 360 16 January 2012 Johannesburg, South Africa 1

2. Presentation Overview The Context of Capacity Building Building Blocks for Sustainable Growth and Impact The NPI Model Partner Perspectives Challenges and Opportunities Moving Forward 2

3. The Context of Capacity Building Organizations responding to the HIV and AIDS pandemic are often in low- resourced communities In many communities of need, access and quality of services remain sub- standard Many communities experience brain drain due to unstable socio-economic conditions Yet, over the past decade six of the world’s ten fastest-growing countries were African and the IMF expects Africa to grow by 6% this year and nearly 6% in 2012, about the same as Asia While not yet the standard, in some instances (Rwanda) national governments are taking a lead in health service delivery; and Donors value the contribution of local organizations and have supported capacity building on an impressive scale 3

4. Capacity Building: Our Starting Point “In Africa there is a concept known as Ubuntu, the profound sense that we are human only through the humanity of others; that if we are to accomplish anything in the world, it will in equal measure be due to the work and achievement of others.” Nelson Mandela 4

5. Building Blocks for Sustainable Growth & Impact 5

6. Holistic: Maintain organizational focus Respectful: Recognize organization’s independence and autonomy Responsive: Needs based; meet partners where they are Focus on Quality: Promote best practice; contextualized/customized TA Innovative: Doing things differently and doing different things Inclusive: Partner, donor, TA provider NPI TA Model – Guiding Principles 6

7. NPI TA Model - Art and Science Meet Adapting tools to people, not people to tools Developing resources and tools designed to meet community needs Learning and discovering together - mutual facilitators of innovation and change 7

8. NPI TA Model – The How Capacity Assessments Detailed Action Plans Group Trainings One-on-One TA NPI Advisors Structured Learning Visits Learning Modules NPI Connects Ticketing System 8

9. Strengthened Leadership - Vision and Mission - Board-Management Relations - Strategic Planning - Resource Mobilization Generates confidence; ensures coordination; facilitates effective communication; motivates employees NPI TA Model – The What & Why 9

10. Built Systems - Human Resources policies and procedures - Financial Management procedures - Monitoring & Evaluation systems - Communications materials Clarifies roles and responsibilities; ensures accountability; builds robust organizations 10

11. NPI TA Model –The What & Why Designed Evidence-based Programs - Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in 5 areas - Program response to SOPs - Best practice opportunities - Educational materials Improves quality of services provided; ensures consistency in quality and standards 11

12. Broadened Influence - Community-level Structures - Program-level Referrals and Networks - National-level Technical Working Groups - International Conferences - Other Implementing Partners and Donors Impacting national policy discussion; contributing to body of knowledge affecting the epidemic; motivating commitment of partners NPI TA Model – The What & Why 12

13. …in order to build capacity that contributes to bringing about the best health and development outcomes in communities by communities. So What? 13

14. One Partner’s Experience 14

15. The technical assessment was very useful and it helped us think about our level of technical capacity and we realized our gaps and have developed tangible action plans that are being followed up. It was a positive experience Our sub-grantees have also benefited from the TA thus extending the reach to the communities we serve They have helped to invest in the community and this investment isn’t going to perish tomorrow. We are grateful for that! Training in data quality resulted in the development of a team that understands data requirements; the task no long depends on one person Other Partner Perspectives 15

16. . Some of the trainings could have been planned for earlier and been sequenced more logically The role of the TA provider could have been clarified better from the onset of the project Sometimes follow-up on the action plans after the OCA and trainings was slow to come It would have been good if they had started with the end in mind and helped us to develop a resource mobilization plan from the beginning More Partner Perspectives 16

17. Challenges Remain Motivating adequate national investments for building capacity for more effective response to fight the epidemic Strengthening civil society to influence national actions that impact health and development Adapting new capacities to fit the unique challenges within the communities served Expanding resources for HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support 17

18. Moving Forward: Opportunities Integrate local knowledge and resources into capacity building to improve country ownership and sustainability Align capabilities/capacities built with local development imperatives Move beyond technical skills acquisition to include other pre-requisites for healthier empowered communities 18

19. “Maybe knowledge [is] nothing more than the art of looking at what we already know with different eyes and asking different questions.” Wizard of the Crow by Ngugi wa Thiong’o 19