COMPASSION ALUMNI MOVEMENT - AFRICA
Strategic plan for FY16- FY18
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
September 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. DEFINITION OF MAJOR TERMS USED 4
CAM- Africa: Compassion Alumni Movement- Africa 4
Child Advocacy 5
Alumni Membership 5
Strategic Anchors 5
Strategic themes: 5
Strategic Actions 5
Mobilized member 5
III. BIBLICAL FOUNDATION 5
1. CURRENT ASSESSMENT 7
3. CAM- AFR
ICA VISION, MISSION AND CORE VALUES 9
3.1. Vision Statement 9
3.2. Mission statement 10
3.3. Core Values 10
• Servant Leadership 10
• Excellence 10
• Integrity 10
• Partnership 10
4. KEY OBJECTIVES 10
4.1. General objective 10
4.2. Specific objectives. These are based on the Strategic Themes 10
5. THE STRATEGY PLAN 11
6. STRATEGIC ANCHORS 18
1. Geographic Focus 18
8. Implementation plan 19
9. CAM- AFRICA STRUCTURE 20
CONCLUSION 21
I. CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS STRATEGY
This strategy is a result of tireless effort by the Africa Alumni Leadership Team- including the following:
1. Eric Rutabana(Rwanda)
2. Amanuel Assegid(Ethiopia)
3. Sheleme Bekele (Ethiopia)
4. Tesga Hailu(Ethiopia)
5. Mark Okello (Kenya)
6. Anne Stephano (Tanzania)
7. Silas Mwangi( Kenya)
8. Hirwa Sande Gerald(Uganda)
9. Mulualem Getachew Bitew(Ethiopia)
10. Eyerusalem Haile Jerry(Ethiopia)
11. Emmanuel Kwizera(Rwanda)
12. David Okoth (Kenya)
13. Dr. Jacob Kitonsa(Uganda)- as a facilitator and a partner
II. DEFINITION OF MAJOR TERMS USED:
CAM- Africa: Compassion Alumni Movement- Africa
Child Advocacy: It involves standing up for the rights of children who cannot stand up for themselves/ speak on behalf of those who cannot speak for themselves or who have been victimized or mistreated.- Proverbs 31:8
Alumni Membership: It’s the enrollment of Compassion CDSP and LDP program graduates and who are willing to be part of the Compassion Alumni mission. Strategic Anchors: Is a cognitive bias that describes our common tendency to rely too heavily on the first piece of information offered (the "anchor") when making decisions. Strategic themes: Are the strategic focus areas of the Alumni Movement. They serve as our main pillars of the Alumni Movement to help us reach our mission and vision. All Strategic Themes are focused on the end outcome. Strategic Actions: It means to formulate a plan based on the "Big Picture"
Mobilized member: Refers to any alumni member or honorary member who understands and willing to embrace and support the Alumni Mission and Vision
III. BIBLICAL FOUNDATION
Compassion Alumni Movement-Africa (CAM), believes that child advocacy is not a new concept. Child advocacy is at the heart of God-head. In this regard, CAM believes that child advocacy has its foundation in the Scriptures. We view and perceive Child Advocacy as a biblical mandate, a calling and a responsibility for us all. Below are a few Scriptures that inspire our hearts toward Child Advocacy:
John 12:23-24 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.”
Compassion alumni movement- Africa is a group of individuals who have benefitted from Compassion programs and are released from poverty in Jesus’ name. As such, we have a huge responsibility, a calling, and a mandate that spurs us to reach the unreached. It is a movement of like-minded individuals who are willing to lay down our lives (die to self) so that many children might be rescued from poverty. Guided by the above scripture, we are challenged to:
1. Be selfless (die to self and empty ourselves): Dying is multiplying ourselves
2. Act with urgency: Understand that time is critical…we do not have all the time
3. Make Intentional decisions for child advocacy.
4. Advocacy work has to start with us…
5. Make deliberate choices to die or not to die for the sake of children
6. Make intentional investments of our resources; No return without investment.
• It only takes a spark to get deeper and act together seeking and praying to light a fire in love for Jesus. Psalms 24:6 “Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek your face, O God of Jacob.
• Psalms 24:7- We are called to open the gates for the King of glory to come in.
• Being the prophetic voice…
• Psalm 71:18 - “Even when I am old and grey, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come.”
• Acts. 13:36 – “ For David, after he had served God’s purpose in his own generation, died, was buried with his ancestors, and experienced decay.”
These passages ignite and remind us that we must serve God’s purpose in our generation. CAM- Africa believes that this is our generation to serve God by advocating for children in poverty. CAM- Africa is called to declare the power and love of God in our generation. We also acknowledge that through God’s leading, what CAM- Africa can do is limitless. It is a goldmine waiting to be exploited. This reminds us to go through the lengths and the breadths of the land and to leave the rest to God— the result is His business. CAM- Africa are the men and women God has appointed to declare a prophetic voice for the voiceless (Proverbs. 31:8-9).
1. BACKGROUND
Since the introduction of Compassion in Africa over 30 years ago, thousands of children have graduated from the program as fulfilled Christian adults scattered across different countries, regions and with varied cultures and contexts, but who share the same thing: Growing up in poverty. The Alumni is a potential, well-built global network of passionate child champions against all forms of poverty. Compassion Alumni Movement-Africa is a significant force for social transformational change and local mobilization. CAM-Africa has great potential but it needs to be more organized and redirect its potential for the advancement of God’s kingdom. Compassion Alumni Movement-Africa has remained untapped resource particularly for holistic advocacy of children in poverty. The alumni have not only the potential to serve as child advocates, but they also have the first-hand experience given the fact that they were once children in poverty, grew up in poverty, and finally they were released from poverty in Jesus’ name. The most useful asset they have for child advocacy is their personal story. Each one of them has a personal story of God’s faithfulness and what it means to be released from poverty. The goal for the Compassion Alumni Movement - Africa is to consolidate these individual voices into one big voice and who will bring significant impact for children in Africa. CAM- Africa desires to be the champions for holistic child development in local churches, communities and nations. With over 400 million children living in poverty waiting in the wings to be impacted with the message of hope, CAM– Africa, a product of labor of love, has a duty of reigniting the hope of Africa’s children and transforming local churches, communities and nations for Christ.
2. CURRENT ASSESSMENT
As part of the growing effort to establish a Compassion Alumni Movement- Africa, alumni representatives from 5 East African Countries reflected on scripture and prayer, and with a common passion, mission and vision, came up with a three-year plan of building hope for the children in the African continent. We evaluated our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis). We also revised our mission and vision and committed ourselves to be the catalyst of change. As we begin the new day for Advocacy work in Africa, the SWOT analysis we carried out created a better environment for the team to come up with strategic themes and objectives for the coming three years. The process was done prayerfully and tactfully. We recognize that this is an on-going activity, and we will continue to implement our specific country plans as part of the CAM continental big picture. A yearly review of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats will be conducted to inform the ongoing planning and strategic adjustment process. SWOT ANALYSIS
Strengths (internal) Weaknesses (internal)
• Christ centered servant leaders who are well trained and are in good standing
• So many years of personal experience in holistic child development (common experience with Compassion Programs)
• Multi skilled Alumni from different fields of influence
• Alumni members strategically distributed and employed in different countries
• Good working relationship with Compassion, local churches, and other local like-minded organizations. Regional/Global networks
• Strong cultural connection within diversity • Inadequate Resources (financial, materials, facilities…)
• Alumni are scattered without communication and coordination
• Lack of commitment/ passion
• Lack of proper leadership structures
• Lack of proper accountability systems
• Lack of legal registration
• Prospective members not registered. No alumni database
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• Dependency syndrome
• Time constraint. Alumni are so busy and not available to engage. Opportunities (external) Threats (external)
• High number of prospective graduates from Compassions programs with different skills
• Relationship with local churches, ICPs, Compassion Field Offices, and other local organizations.
• Rich personal experiences in holistic child development( Arsenal of success stories)
• East Africa regional political stability
• East Africa Community: Easy movement, trade, jobs opportunities…
• Technological advancement: Easy communication and social media
• Availability of the alumni who are in influential political, government, organizational, and church leadership positions
• Access to Child Development Projects and / ICPs
• • Lack of support because it is a new initiative to some partners
• Differences and misunderstanding between graduates from CDSP and LDP
• Dependency syndrome/ Misunderstanding of t
