REFLECTIONS ON THE STAR-GHANA LEARNING EVENT ELECTIONS 2016

The STAR-Ghana End of Call Learning Event was a shining success. More often than not, whenever a project comes to an end, the main focus is to celebrate the accomplishments without considering the failures. This event was novel in that it provided a space for the Grant Partners, state actors and beneficiaries to not only pat themselves on the back for a job well done, but to take a critical look at what went wrong and why, and the best way to move forward. As a part of the STAR-Ghana program management team I was more involved behind the scenes, holding the seams of the event together, with sporadic free moments to slip into the grand arena of the event and capture some key points. What was most informative to me was the session with the state actors, which included members from the Judicial Service, Electoral Commission, Ghana Police Service, National Media Commission, and the National Commission for Civic Education. I was eager to hear about their experiences throughout the election process as well as their thoughts on how effective and beneficial the projects that were implemented by STAR-Ghana’s grant partners were, however, it was the question and answer section (Q&A) that was most entertaining as there was some strong arguments between the CSO’s and the state actors which raised very potent issues. These issues informed the planning of the way forward and the communique which was subsequently developed at the end of the event as presented to the media in a press conference.

My main assignment was to handle registration and welcome the guests to the event on both days. I was pleasantly surprised at the number of people attending the event, however with more people came more problems. A major component of the registration process was to distribute name tags, however, not all the people who attended the event had had name tags printed due to eleventh hour changes and a lack of communication. This resulted in improvisation, printing in large quantities and a memory game which involved assigning names to faces. Despite the initial chaos, the team was able to distribute all name tags to the attendees with minimal fall outs and an important lesson was learnt; the importance of communication in a timely manner. The culture of waiting till the last minute to make a decision is debilitating not just to the organizers of the event, but to the attendees as well. It is important that as individuals we try to consider the other party involved and the repercussions of our actions. As a STAR-Ghana team however, we must keep in mind that not everyone is capable of keeping to a timeline so it is essential to always have a contingency plan that is quick and efficient, because life will always give you lemons, so we just have to make lemonade.

By Akushika Odunton

REFLECTIONS ON THE STAR-GHANA LEARNING EVENT ELECTIONS 2016

The STAR-Ghana Learning Event was an invaluable opportunity for Grant Partners, beneficiaries and state actors to come together to discuss the 2016 elections; to address not only the triumphs but the disappointments as well. The event was organized to accommodate over 200 guests and for an event on such a large scale, thorough planning was required. As a member of the programme management team of STAR-Ghana, I witnessed firsthand the effort required to build up such an event from the ground up. To ensure a successful event, every detail was considered. The theme for the event was “Highlighting Civil Society’s contributions towards a peaceful and credible Elections 2016 and the way forward” and every session was designed to guarantee that every aspect of the theme was addressed. The event was spread across two days; the first day was designed to establish the foundation of the entire event and consisted of an open session with dignitaries, presentation of the findings of the Elections call, breakout group discussions around value chain areas, a panel discussion, time with the beneficiaries and ended with the global café. The second day started off with a panel discussion with the state actors and continued with a session to discuss strategic issues in breakout groups and what the implications of these issues were for election programming and planning the way forward.

This was the first time I had attended an event of this caliber and the information that I obtained was astonishing, however, the one session that is engrained in my mind is the time with the beneficiaries. More often than not, one hears from the NGO’s/ CSO’s about the impact they have made in a community, it is never truly from the horse’s mouth. This session was exceptional because the impact of the various projects was more tangible as the beneficiaries recounted stories on how their lives have been affected by the projects. It was heartwarming to hear how women have been empowered to vote after gaining an understanding of civic responsibilities and rights through innovative forms of education. Additionally, there were some projects that targeted the disenfranchised in society, specifically the visually impaired and the physically disabled. As a lover of the arts, I must applaud the little sprinkles of creativity in the programme. There were musical performances by MUSIGA as well as a short skit put on by Globe Productions. The mini-productions were not only entertaining but had a potent message behind them, furthermore, the method of delivery through music or stage acting ensures that it remains a pleasant memory stored in the minds of all the attendees.

The presentation of the communique was a fitting end to the Learning Event as it is a document encompassing all issues discussed and agreed upon during the Learning Event. As the saying by Leo Buscaglia goes, change is the end result of true learning. The communique will serve as a powerful reminder of the accomplishments as well the issues that still need working on, so that indeed, change will occur.

By Mabel Viviey and Akushika Odunton