Projects – 2016

Karrel Cournoyer worked in partnership with the Léger Foundation and the organizations Cindes, in Peru, and Pro-rural, in Bolivia. The goal of the mission was to conduct an internal and external communications assessment of the two organizations and thereby contribute to the successful establishment of the project Food Security Innovation and Mobilization (FSIM). The project aims to improve food security and the production and organizational capacities of more than 7000 farmers and their families.

The channels of communications among local authorities, farmers (associations and individuals) and organization representatives were analyzed, as were the commercial networks and the organization’s visibility and reputation with the general public. Karrel began by analyzing strengths and weaknesses with the teams of the two organizations. He then presented his recommendations to improve communications tools, and guided them in drawing up a communications plan to support the FSIM project.

CONTEXT AND ISSUES

The Union des Groupements Paysans de Méckhé (UGPM) was formed in 1985 in response to a state of affairs making rural life increasingly harsh. The vision of the UGPM involves social development where the economic dimension is not an end in itself, but a means among others to help local families and businesses to achieve their full potential. The main activities in the area are agriculture, animal husbandry, forestry and handicrafts. The UGPM comprises 89 groups that now have over 5000 members, of which 61% are women.

The UGPM is active in five territorial communities and maintains reasonably good relations with decentralized authorities and State departments. However, its image could be improved, both internally and externally. In other words, how can the UGPM communicate effectively to promote itself on a political, social and economic level by basing itself on the cultural norms and values of the relevant area?

PRWB’S ROLE

The mandate of PRWB consists in supporting the UGPM in assessing its institutional communications methods with a view to promoting its image with local, national and international partners and strengthening its economic and social legitimacy with its members.

MISSION

RESULTS

The members of the UGPM team enthusiastically adopted a client approach towards their 5000 members and agreed to communicate with them without delay.

They implemented a coordination of the various programs and a system to support their communications, with the help of a communications plan and various tools adapted to their reality.

CONTEXT AND ISSUES

Following an assessment by the partners in 2015, four partners of Oxfam-Québec in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel expressed a need for a communications plan. Moreover, two other partners, were looking to fine-tune their communications strategy.

PRWB’S ROLE

The mandate consists primarily in supporting the partners of Oxfam-Québec in Jerusalem in drawing up both a communications strategy and plan. In parallel with that first mandate, it is also expected that a certain framework and transfer of knowledge will be provided to the technical communications consultant working on site, in Jerusalem, for Oxfam-Québec.

MISSION

RESULTS

The mission led to the development, with the YWCA , of a communications plan and strategy, while providing coaching to Oxfam’s technical communications consultant in Jerusalem to enable him to accompany other partners in drawing up their communications plans and strategies.

CONTEXT AND ISSUES

One of the main missions of the non-profit association CIFA is to form and to accompany the producers and the leaders of their organizations in the strengthening of their technical, organizational, strategic capacities and management, to make the most of their integration in an economic and agricultural environment. One of the demonstrations of this mission is the partnership The Knowledges of Les Savoirs des Gens de la Terre (LSGT) / Project integrated by development of the agriculture and by capacity building ( PIDARC) between the CIFA, UPA DI and the agricultural professional organizations (OPA), the Union des groupements paysans de Méckhé (UGPM) and the Fédération des périmètres autogérés (FPA); the ambition is to make assert itself the beneficiaries, to strengthen them substantially and to facilitate them the implementation of successful, viable and sustainable individual and collective economic projects.

PRWB’S ROLE

The mission consists globally in supporting the CIFA in the realization of a diagnosis of its methods of communication and capitalization for its training programs. The results of this diagnosis will have to allow the writing of reference terms of two long-term missions and 8 short-term missions which will allow the improvement of the internal and external communication of the CIFA as well as the capitalization of the products of formation – support and the obtained results.

MISSION

RESULTS

The mission head of RPSF listed the practices of the CIFA and realized a diagnosis of the methods of communication and capitalization by leading, on the spot, more than about twenty interviews with all the different intervenants. The final report will be written and issued to the partners in the weeks following the end of the mission. This work is in progress at present.