[afro-nets] Grassroots Initiative (2)

[Emeria Mugonzibwa <emugonzibwa@yahoo.com>]

Grassroots Initiative (2)
-------------------------

Dear colleagues,

I wish you fruitful discussions on the initiative. I can not be
in Boston on the 3rd March, therefore, am contributing to your
discussion as you requested.

I am a Rotarian for a couple of years now. Let me share with you
what Rotary is partly about and probably how it could give a
hand with regard to Grassroots Initiative.

Amazingly, Rotary's grass root projects succeed to reach the
grassroot targeted beneficiaries at a rate of 95-99%. This is
through its well organized organogram, strict rules, members'
qualities and the organization's global web. Usually the grass
root project supervisors are the local Rotary Clubs which are
almost everywhere worldwide. The Rotary Clubs can collaborate
with any organization on and above the ground worldwide.

The condition which may be difficult for some international
development funding organizations is that project funds are
usually held by clubs and any payments to relevant service
providers are made after thorough evaluation of the prospective
projects by the Rotary Clubs. Strictly no Project on site no
payments. The Clubs are held accountable for anything going
wrong and at times, clubs have to refund in case of misuse and
poor project supervision. Therefore, I invite many
donors/partners to consider collaborating with Rotary Clubs
wherever they are working in the world.

Rotary rules are optimally strict while Rotarians are out there
for service above self, leading the way while sharing whenever
possible. In my view, these qualities of Rotary also makes
international development funding amazingly cheap. Most of the
work in terms of planning and supervision reporting is done
online with very limited movements. On the other hand, the local
beneficiaries trust the process, own the projects, short project
implementation time frame, projects sustainability is improved
and international donors are satisfied leading to reduction of
donor fatigue phenomenon just to mention some of the positive
points. It also instills the sense of collective participation
by all partners in the projects however far apart you may be.
Mainly just sending/exchanging projects' outcomes photos.

My friends and colleagues, whoever tries to collaborate with a
Rotary Clubs network in implementing any grassroot project
anywhere in the world will not regret.

Thanks and regards,

Dr Emeria A. Mugonzibwa-Mwanga, DDS, PhD
MUCHS, P.O.Box 65104, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel: +255-22-215-1135
Cellular: +255-713-606581
Fax: +255-22-215-0465
mailto:emugonzibwa@yahoo.com