NEW YORK , NY, December 14, 2020 — MCW Global held its first virtual Africa Programs Seminar with a total of 8 team members (Country Managers, Finance and Administration Officers, and Program Officers) to support MCW’s affiliate organizations to operate high-impact, independent and sustainable programs in Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia. The seminar launched in September 2020 and spanned 13 weeks with 7 sessions and concluded in mid-December.

The Africa Programs Seminar focused on building a core set of skills needed to advance our shared global mission “to address communities’ pressing needs by empowering current leaders and readying leaders of tomorrow.” In each session, affiliate team members working in country groups had the unique opportunity to pitch a new program idea meant to increase programmatic impact.  Country groups were asked to imagine pitching to donors of various profiles to compete for funding. The exercise provided team members with practical experience and best practices for future funding opportunities.

“The seminar virtually brought together a diverse team from multiple continents to build critical skills needed to advance our shared objectives. While we were not able to be together in person, it was great to see all the team members remotely collaborating and learning from one another,” said Regina Leichner, MCW’s Director of Africa Programs.

Core skills-based topics at the seminar included project management, communications, monitoring and evaluation, and scenario planning. The overall aim was to reinforce the shared purpose of MCW’s impact by cultivating the skills needed to succeed in present day. Country teams also presented their current programs and strategic plans, while engaging in meaningful discussions around improving impact through a collaborative approach.

“The Seminar proved the strength of the relationships that exist among MCW leaders, the power of technology when appropriately used to facilitate leadership development, and the timeliness of the Seminar content for enabling young leaders to continue effecting positive change in their communities during these challenging times,” said Paul Bergman, MCW Global Board Member.

Also in attendance were MCW Global team members including Khalid Elachi, MCW Executive Director, and Anusha Somani, MCW Program Associate, Africa Programs.

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