The Network of Participatory Methodologies Practitioners (NPMP), has resolved to strengthen collaboration among themselves and with government, Tango, NGO Affairs Agency and all other partners. This resolution came at the end of a two day training workshop organized by ActionAid-The Gambia with a view to harmonizing participatory methodologies used by partner organizations, deepen their understanding, and improve and maintain partnerships among the network’s various members.

The methodologies employed by the network are tools that are used in the planning, implementation and monitoring of programs with the active involvement of the communities. These include Societies Tackling Aids through Rights (STAR), Participatory Vulnerability Analysis (PVA), Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), REFLECT and Territorial Development Initiative (TDI). Other resolutions by the Network include the expansion of the membership base of the Network, capacity building programs, and fundraising.

At the end of the two day meeting, which was held at NaNA headquarters from the 22nd to the 23d of April, Action Aid’s Head of Programs, Omar Badjie, who represented the Country Director, stressed the importance of ActionAid’s partnership with the Network, which he said is based on ActionAid’s core values of trust, mutual respect, transparency and accountability. “Development requires a lot of sacrifice from partners. I therefore urge you to put the affairs of the network at the top of your priorities, and not to let these suffer when they clash with those of your individual member organizations”, said Mr. Badjie. He advised them to embark on fundraising activities in order to supplement funds received from ActionAid.

Speaking earlier, the acting Head of Policy at ActionAid, Almamo Barrow, re-iterated the need for participatory practitioners to come together. “Participatory Methodologies facilitate effective and efficient coordination, promote greater understanding, and help in resource mobilization”, noted Mr. Barrow.

Almost forty participants drawn from partner organizations of ActionAid attended the two day workshop, which was facilitated by the Partnership Manager at ActionAid, Momodou Wuri Jallow.

The NPMP was jointly established in 2005 by a number of NGOs in The Gambia to bring participatory practitioners under one umbrella with a view to harmonizing the tools, facilitate better coordination of activities for a better impact on the lives of poor in the Gambia.