Lessons Learned
Insights, reflections, and knowledge gained from our development work across Africa, helping us improve our impact and share best practices with the global development community.
Our Learning Approach
Continuous Reflection
Regular project reviews and evaluations to identify what works, what doesn't, and why, ensuring continuous improvement in our programming.
Evidence-Based Learning
Systematic data collection and analysis to generate robust evidence about the effectiveness of different development approaches.
Participatory Evaluation
Involving communities, partners, and stakeholders in the learning process to capture diverse perspectives and experiences.
Knowledge Sharing
Actively sharing our lessons learned with the broader development community to contribute to collective learning and improvement.
Key Lessons Learned
Local Ownership is Critical
Projects with strong community ownership and leadership from the outset show significantly higher sustainability rates and better long-term outcomes.
Invest in Local Systems
Building local institutional capacity takes time but yields better results than creating parallel systems or relying solely on external expertise.
Inclusive Design Matters
Projects that actively include women, youth, and marginalized groups in design and implementation achieve broader and more equitable impact.
Context-Appropriate Solutions
Technology solutions must be adapted to local contexts, infrastructure, and user capabilities to be effective and sustainable.
Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
Complex development challenges require coordinated responses involving government, civil society, private sector, and communities.
Real-Time Feedback Loops
Regular feedback mechanisms and adaptive management approaches enable course corrections and improve project effectiveness.
Learning Case Studies
Community Health Worker Program - Ghana
Challenge: Low healthcare access in rural communities
Approach: Training and supporting community health workers
Key Learning: Integrating traditional healers into the program increased community trust and participation by 70%.
Read Full Case Study →
Women's Agricultural Cooperative - Kenya
Challenge: Limited market access for smallholder farmers
Approach: Forming women's cooperatives for collective marketing
Key Learning: Mobile money integration was crucial for transparent financial management and member trust.
Read Full Case Study →
Youth Skills Development - Uganda
Challenge: High youth unemployment in urban areas
Approach: Market-driven vocational training with job placement support
Key Learning: Employer engagement from program design phase increased job placement rates from 40% to 78%.
Read Full Case Study →Thematic Learning Areas
Social Protection Systems
- Cash transfer program design and implementation
- Targeting mechanisms and inclusion/exclusion errors
- Digital payment systems and financial inclusion
- Graduation approaches and livelihood support
Health System Strengthening
- Community health worker models and sustainability
- Health information systems and data use
- Public-private partnerships in health
- Emergency preparedness and response
Economic Empowerment
- Microfinance and savings group effectiveness
- Value chain development approaches
- Youth employment and entrepreneurship
- Women's economic participation
Governance & Accountability
- Citizen engagement and social accountability
- Local government capacity building
- Transparency and anti-corruption measures
- Participatory budgeting and planning
Learning Resources
📚 Publications
🎥 Webinars & Videos
🛠️ Tools & Frameworks
Learning Events & Workshops
Join Our Learning Community
We regularly host learning events, workshops, and peer exchanges to share knowledge and build capacity across the development sector.
Upcoming Events
Community-Led Development Workshop
Virtual workshop on best practices in community engagement
Digital Innovation in Development
In-person conference in Nairobi, Kenya
Contribute to Our Learning
We believe in collaborative learning and welcome contributions from practitioners, researchers, and communities across Africa and beyond.