Mission East has just held a workshop with community members in Nepal. Here, they told us what works well and less well in our relief and development work.

For the first time ever, Mission East is now inviting the people we help to contribute their vision of what Mission East’s activities should look like in the future.

Respect for everybody

Mission East has just held a workshop with community members in Nepal. Here they had the opportunity to express their opinions on what has worked well in Mission East’s activities over the past few years and what has worked less well. At the same time, they had the opportunity give input on Mission East’s new strategy for 2022-2026.

“I am really happy to see that people now have the opportunity to decide to a greater extent what support they need to get on with their lives. In this we show respect for everybody,” says Betina Gollander-Jensen.

Everyone is taken seriously

The initiative has been well received, she says:

“I have received messages that people feel that we are listening to them more and that take them seriously.”

Not only community members, but everyone involved in Mission East, will have the opportunity to provide input to the new strategy:

“I am excited to hear from all our country offices and partners where they see Mission East moving in the future,” concludes the Managing Director, who at the recent annual meeting already shared her thoughts on community members’ influence on Mission East’s strategy:

“We need to listen to the people we provide relief and development programs to.”

“We must give them a voice!”

“I and all employees are responsible for ensuring that we do not talk past each other. The people we help must have the support they need, and we must show with our behavior and activities that we are in solidarity and respect them as equals. We must hear their voice!”

The strategy must ensure that everyone goes in the same direction, “so that there is a clear correspondence between our profile – what we say we do – and what we actually do!”

The final strategy is expected to be approved by Mission East’s board by the end of 2021.