by Joan Letting, Drylands Learning and Capacity Building Initiative, Linking and Learning Facilitator, Voice in Kenya

The Drylands Learning and Community Building Initiative (DLCI) held its year-end Linking and Learning e-meet for Voice in Kenya, which brought together 26 participants from 23 Voice grantee organisations in the country.

Throughout the session, partners exchanged success stories, discussed challenges and shared valuable learnings from their organisations. They also highlighted their distinct experiences with linking and learning, expressing their appreciation for the Voice project.

Here are some shared reflections and insights from grantee partners:

“I have always been impressed by the way the linking and learning sessions have been conducted. It has been nothing short of impressive. You go to a meeting, and you find that everything is where it is supposed to be, from the meeting infrastructure to [Information, Education and Communication] materials, ensuring the inclusion of persons with disability. The content of the linking and learning events has always been well thought through.”

– John Wambua from the United Disabled Persons of Kenya 

“The linking and Learning concept is great as you can still link and learn with other organisations even when you do not have funding, using online spaces.”

– Yasah Musa from the Nubian Rights Forum

“The linking and learning concept is an intentional platform where we can meet and interact with other grantee partners and find ways of collaboration.”

– Nancy Nyaleso from Empower Her Initiative 

All grantee partners lauded Voice for its flexible grant system, user-friendly reporting and its ability to support unregistered organisations under their hosts. They highlighted Voice’s dedication to empowering grassroots organisations that typically struggle to secure funding. The Linking and Learning concept as the heart and soul of Voice, was noted as a very innovative approach that sets Voice apart from other donors.

“Voice understands grantee partners and gives them space to think through their project ideas and gives us room to implement because the understanding is that what Voice needs to see is the change,” Wambua said.

Mzungu Ngoma from the Institute of Participatory Development Kulamusana IPD-K, in Kilifi County, also shared that “Voice reporting is very friendly as you can have conversations with the Voice country team at Hivos making reporting easier. The outcome harvesting concept is also important as it enables organisations to report on all outcomes from the project as opposed to just the expected ones.”