Global Campaign Skillshare - Inspiring Learning and Strengthening Partnerships
By Ben Hewitt, Global Operations Director for Save the Children
How do you describe the impact of a global campaign skillshare? I think the best I can do is use the imagery of a pebble being dropped in to a pond. The impact of the pebble produces ripples that grow in size and speed as they travel across the water. There were a few moments at the global campaign skillshare when I saw a pebble being dropped and the ripples starting to emerge.
The first was when Ali Readhead from Sierra Leone shared her experience of mobilising communities to campaign for an increase in the health budget. She completely demystified ‘budget tracking’ and inspired others to follow the Sierra Leone example. I saw the ripples emerging in other countries who said they were going to start running similar campaigns ensuring that political decisions turn in to real money and action for communities in need of basic health care to survive. This is an exciting step forward as we mobilise communities to demand action for better health.
The second time was during a participatory filmmaking session led by the White Ribbon Alliance experts where campaigners identified their ‘most significant change’ and presented it in an inspiring way in a short two minute film. We regularly talk about our activities but challenging ourselves to answer the question ‘what difference did it make?’ is crucial and this opened up new stories of change where campaigners and advocates are making a difference - from India to Nigeria to Kenya and around the world.
The third time I saw a pebble being dropped was at the end of our global campaign skillshare. It was a joint event and an experiment in partnership between Save the Children and the White Ribbon Alliance. Staff were asked to step out of the comfort of their own organisations and share the best ways to mobilise people and campaign. The experiment worked and we saw real partnership in action that will impact how these two organisations work together and with others in communities around the world in the future.
My hope from the skillshare is that delegates work with others to set off even more ripples in their communities when they arrive home. This is the only way we can ensure global action for mothers and children. We cant do this alone.
