Creative toolbox: cards and objects
I have taken my creative cards and objects box all over the world. The trick is to ask people to pick the card/object first, and then only after they pick it, we ask the question of how that represents and describes whatever it is you want to discuss. At first, there is always a strange reaction from participants and a level of scepticism, which is normal. But then people get into it. Continue reading→
Beyond participatory approaches
At the extreme end of the engagement spectrum, where the Whole Person Approach lies, all stakeholders have the same power. This means that the “client” who commissioned the work will “die” and the “expert” delivering the work also “dies”. Both will co-exist with other stakeholders as equal and peers. Continue reading→
Whole Person Approach: the power of combining mind, heart, body and soul
The Whole Person Approach (WPA) enables people to bring more of themselves to their lives, work and communities. WPA works with all aspects of the person (intellectual, emotional, physical, spiritual), the system they operate within, and the inter-relationship between them, including people and planet. Continue reading→
Fly-in/Fly-out development model noticeable on the plane to Sierra Leone and Liberia
I thought I had misheard a fellow passenger taking about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how SDG 16 on peace and access to justice has been the least developed. It turned out that the flight was full of international development consultants. By my right side a lady from the USA (Johns Hopkins University) working with Malaria. On my left side a German lady sharing stories of how Cameroon dealt with HIV amongst sex workers. Continue reading→
BEAR: a verb intrinsically associated to women
In Sierra Leone, I kept hearing people had “bear”… I kept wondering, where has the word come from? Is it related to the animal bear? If so, does the word encapsulate the characteristics of the animal? Krio is a “fascinating mix of English, African, Portuguese, French and other influences, reflecting a unique history of imperialism, slavery and migration.” We have to bo beyond Google Translate to get the meaning of the words. Continue reading→
When gender and immigration biases come together…
“When it is very hot, the water evaporates and then meets cold air in the sky forming the clouds and then it all comes back in the form of rain drops.” By the time my cross-country coach finished his lengthy explanation, I realised he thought that I had never seen rain before! Continue reading→
Quasi-independent evaluation: a hybrid model inspired by ExxonMobil’s OIMS
Whenever I disclose that I started my career as an engineer at ExxonMobil, I get odd looks. But, there is always a bright side to every shadow. I dare to say that OIMS is ExxonMobil’s environmental treasure. Continue reading→
What difference does being different make?
Everyday we are bombarded with mixed messages about our differences. On one hand, we are encouraged to “think out of the box!”, “find your unique selling point!” and “be who we want to be”. On the other hand, we are told to “fit in”, “adjust our language and message to fit the occasion (or client style)” and “integrate with the society we live in”. Continue reading→
First steps in the long journey of mass virtual education
One Monday in early March 2020 I was taking my class of American students on a field trip to the Olympic Park in London. By the next Monday, COVID-19 pandemic had reached the UK. From one week to the other, all my students had gone back to the USA. The rest is history in the very long journey of mass virtual learning. Continue reading→
Why Learning from Women to Reimagine the Future?
People say that if you really want to get to the core reason for something, you should ask (and answer) why five times. We reflect why we created Learning from Women to Reimagine the Future. Continue reading→