Australia Africa Community Engagement Scheme (AACES) Annual Report 2011-12
Overview
Partnerships among NGOs and between NGOs and AusAID have enabled AACES to achieve greater impact through learning and synergies across the program. The partnership approach has been a central feature of AACES from the concept stage of the program.
In October 2011, a joint partnership agreement was signed by AusAID, the 10 ANGOs and their Africa-based partner NGOs. The agreement commits AACES partners to a set of partnership principles in order to fulfil the objectives of AACES.
The key principles of the AACES partnership are trust, flexibility, accountability, mutual respect, collaboration, transparency, learning and a commitment to the cause of poor and marginalised people.
Sectoral partnerships
Partnerships amongst NGOs working in the same sector enabled them to capitalise on each other's strengths. For instance, in Kenya, Marie Stopes International, Plan International, and World Vision produced an integrated plan for maternal and child health outreach and referral services that resulted in communities benefiting from a wider array of coordinated services.
AACES partners also participated in joint training activities. Australian Foundation for the Peoples of Asia and the Pacific Ltd (AFAP) staff gained skills in WASH through participating in a course offered by WaterAid. Oxfam commissioned research on Community Led Total Sanitation which uses a participatory approach to encourage communities to construct toilets and thereby reduce open defecation.
AACES partners working on WASH in Southern Africa were involved in this research and Oxfam will share the research report with AusAID and other AACES partners to explore further issues and recommendations for policy and practice.
Country partnerships
As part of CARE's women's empowerment project activities, AACES has been teaching women numeracy and literacy skills. Here, a community member in Thondolo village in Lilongwe, Malawi, reads to a group. Photo: Tsitsi Singizi/AACES Resource Facility.
AACES NGOs formed networks in a number of countries. These meet regularly to share experiences and allow NGOs to review project progress, share challenges and jointly plan and deliver activities. They enable partners to maximise the number of areas and beneficiaries they are able to reach. Examples are as follows:
Malawi
Caritas's partner CADECOM, CARE, WaterAid and AFAP's partner Concern Universal have a robust AACES country-based partnership in Malawi. CARE and CADECOM jointly organised and launched the AACES program in Dowa district where they are implementing food security and WASH programs. Field visits were organised for cross-program learning. Importantly, the partnership has encouraged joint advocacy activities at national level for example engagement in policy dialogue with the government and bilateral donors through the Water and Environmental Sanitation Network which is composed of NGOs in the water and sanitation sector.
Kenya
Marie Stopes International and World Vision joined the local District Health Management Team in Kilifi to relaunch an awareness campaign on Sexual Reproductive Health and Maternal and Child Health services in the district. World Vision provided logistical and mobilisation support to clients and Marie Stopes International provided the services, including family planning, cervical cancer screenings and gynaecological consultations.
Tanzania
Caritas, WaterAid, World Vision and CARE are working together to form a National Development Platform, sharing information and liaising on joint advocacy opportunities. These partners have shared different approaches to promoting WASH. In the health sector program, World Vision refers people to Marie Stopes International for long-term family planning services. This is a 'significant change in practice,' according to World Vision.
Partnership survey
A survey of the status of partnerships within AACES was conducted in August 2012 to capture views and perceptions on how partnerships operate in practice. While recognising challenges, mostly in terms of the time needed to nurture and build partnerships, the majority of partners see partnership as a valuable asset to their organisations and activities. It offers increased opportunities for learning and knowledge sharing, networking, and accessing resources. Results of the survey are helping partners to identify where and how the partnerships can be strengthened. The survey will be conducted annually to track progress.