The Next Generation of Civil Society Engagement: Boldly Going Where No NGO Has Gone Before

Event Information

For USAID and other international development donors and practitioners, the "why" of forging strong collaborations with civil society is clear: Partnerships with civil society organizations provide critical input on project design and priorities, and empower individuals on food security and nutrition issues. Additionally, they often act as drivers of change in their local communities. But, the "how" of partnering with civil society organizations can be murkier.

This Ag Sector Council webinar will explore two case studies from the Mwanzo Bora Nutrition Program in Tanzania and the Cambodia HARVEST program in order examine effective ways to engage civil society, and specifically discuss:

1) What is the “next generation” of successful civil society engagement steps needed to take CSO partnerships into new development frontiers?

2) What skills are needed with implementing partners to implement the “next generation” of civil society engagement steps?

Dr. Nene Diallo, Director of Health, Africare, and Jessica Padron, USAID Tanzania, will also be joining the event from Washington D.C. and Tanzania respectively.

Please note that this Ag Sector Council will be a webinar-only event. Please register ahead of time and circulate to your networks!

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Speakers

Susan Pologruto

Susan Pologruto, USAID/ Bureau for Food Security

USAID/ Bureau for Food Security

Susan Pologruto is a Senior Democracy Advisor for USAID's Bureau for Food Security leading the effort to implement the Feed the Future Civil Society Action Plan to strengthen civil society engagement efforts. Previously, she worked in USAID's Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance where she managed the Complex Crisis Fund to provide support and resources to mission-critical international development programs. Formerly, she served as a Rule of Law Advisor in USAID's Democracy and Governance Office where she designed projects and developed the rule of law training curriculum. She received both a J.D. and an M.S.W. from the University of Pennsylvania, and a B.A. in Women’s Studies from Rutgers University.

Winstone Bohela

Africare

Mr. Bohela is responsible for planning and coordinating implementation of all institutional capacity strengthening interventions at relevant Government institutions and Civil Society Organizations at national and sub national levels in Program Zones of Influence both Tanzania mainland and Zanzibar. A Tanzanian with professional background in cooperate law, engaged in development work specifically on capacity enhancement and service improvement for the poor for the past twenty years. Through various training and continuous practice, amassed competitive skills and experience in participatory management, Human Resources and Organizational Development training, workshops/meetings/seminars facilitation and general process facilitation. Have in various occasions, facilitated planning workshops and association formation/registration and coordinated meetings/workshops/trainings on change and governance for Local Government Authorities, Civil Society and Private Sector Organization.

Adam Keatts

Fintrac

Adam Keatts is an agricultural economist with over 12 years’ experience designing, managing and monitoring market development initiatives in 18 countries across Asia and Africa. On the USDA Rural Business Services Development project based in Vietnam he facilitated entrepreneurial investments in the coconut and rice sectors. With ACDI/VOCA, he designed an Organizational Assessment Tool for USAID Food for Peace; and later served as a Regional Director for Southeast Asia based in Lao PDR. As the Economic Team Leader for Conservation International based in Cambodia, Adam designed and managed several field projects at the complex nexus of market system development and ecosystem management – including the USAID New Partners in Value Chain Development project, and the Women’s Fish Processing project, a sub-contract under USAID HARVEST. He is now Fintrac’s Agriculture Knowledge Manager where he leads evidence-based learning across a global portfolio of smallholder market development programs.

Janeth Said

Janeth Said

USAID

Janeth Said is a nutrition advisor and public health specialist for USAID with extensive work experience of more than 10 years ​in different capacities.​ Currently,​ she is serving as a champion for Health-Agriculture-Nutrition linkages​ while coordinating cross-sector nutrition activities in Tanzania. ​In addition, she manages Mission's global health and Feed the Future ​​activities in improving nutrition status among women and children under five​ in ​the ​country. Prior ​to​ joining USAID​, Janeth worked in refugee camps with hands-on programs that address​ed​ severe and acute undernutrition ​among women and children ​in camps.

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