Mission de diagnostique organisationnel et de la planification stratégique de l'ODEB

This project is directed to a capacity building trajectory for our partner ODEB in Burundi. ODEB has been funded several times in the past by EGP: to be more precise two times. In September 2008 after several months of negotiations EGP decided not to fund ODEB’s new project proposal. This decision was due to several reasons. One of the main arguments was that the objective of the EGP is to strengthen local NGOs, and when we fund the same NGO several times, amongst others, we need to show our own donor that these organizations are growing and developing through their partnership with EGP. ODEB was supported twice in the past by IUCN NL, and exists since 1992. We did not see the growth and development of the organization that we had hoped to see by now. As it stands ODEB was not very convincing to us in terms of institutional capacity, core support and strategic added value. Altogether, ODEB seems to be active on a project basis only, lacking a strong core of people committed to the organization and its objectives, beyond the scope of separate projects. Due to our long standing relationship (partnership) with ODEB, EGP decided to propose ODEB with an institutional and organizational diagoniostic. The aim of this diagnostic is to offer ODEB a moment, think in terms of time and opportunity, where they can reflect back on their vision, mission and structure. One of the expected results of such a trajectory is that ODEB will be able to redefine its position within the civil society realm in Burundi, to find its niche, if there is one.

This project was directed to a capacity building trajectory for our partner ODEB in Burundi. ODEB was able to step back from its ‘project mentality’ and take the time to think about the future, about its on organization sustainability. Several key products have been delivered: An organisational diagnostic and internal analysis. A strategic plan for the period 2009-2012 with specific choices and orientations Concrete recommendations and propositions on how to go on. Most important aspect here is that ODEB, for the first time in its 15 year existence, did stop and think about its organizational basis. About the importance of some structures and procedures, about its position in Burundi and its possible added value. This kind of reflection, if not facilitated and encourage by donors, is not always evident for organisations that have to survive from short term projects.