The power dynamics within donor-funded development and humanitarian aid projects have traditionally favored donors relative to prime implementing partners, and primes relative to sub-partners. To ensure these projects are inclusive, equitable, and responsive to local needs, all parties need to make intentional efforts to disrupt these power dynamics. Projects in the Local Works portfolio strive to catalyze true partnership by encouraging a broad range of locally led development approaches. These approaches shift power dynamics to what blogger Graeme Stuart calls power with (as distinguished from power over), which he defines as “shared power that grows out of collaboration and relationships. It is built on respect, mutual support, shared power, solidarity, influence, empowerment and collaborative decision making…rather than domination and control, power with leads to collective action and the ability to act together.” 

The Local Works-supported PAMODZI project in Malawi provides interesting insights into establishing a power with dynamic with a partner using the Locally Led Development (LLD) Checklist. Even amidst healthy skepticism that accompanies new approaches, the LLD Checklist is shifting power dynamics and equipping local partners to own their development through active listening and inclusivity.

Pamodzi

In the Bantu language Chichewa, the word pamodzi means togetherness. It describes how Malawi Network of Aids Service Organizations (MANASO), the lead of a three local organization consortium, relates to fellow consortium members, Innovations for Change (IFC) and National Association for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Malawi (NAPHAM), who collectively and accountably help local communities. The PAMODZI project, with USAID funding from both Local Works and PEPFAR, advances the response to HIV and AIDS, improves quality and access to sexual and reproductive health services and rights, and provides services to those who have suffered gender-based violence. 

Introducing MANASO to USAID’s Locally Led Development Spectrum and Checklist

The Local Works program created the Locally Led Development (LLD) Spectrum and Checklist as a resource to help USAID Missions and partners jointly examine the extent to which project efforts are locally led, and think about ways to further increase local ownership to achieve shared visions of success.

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Victoria Nazitwere, HIV Operations Branch Chief from USAID/Malawi, was excited to use the LLD Spectrum and Checklist during pause and reflect sessions, believing that critical self reflection would help USAID better support MANASO to further their local ownership of the activity. “We were honest with MANASO that we were doing this for the first time,” Victoria explained, “and we emailed the checklist beforehand to ensure we would all be on the same page.” But radical change, no matter how positive, can be surprising to those involved. Former Chief of Party Mathews Chavunya shared, “Honestly, we were confused and apprehensive about the approach at first.” The MANASO team worried that “it was just USAID looking from their perspective on how MANASO was engaging on the ground,” perhaps to find fault with their implementation. But Collins Mhango, USAID/Malawi's Agreement Officer's Representative, conveyed the Mission’s intention was "to empower MANASO to shape processes that made the most sense in the local context.”

Shifting the Power Dynamics

USAID/Malawi and MANASO first utilized the LLD Spectrum and Checklist in early 2022, followed by a pause and reflect session in July 2022, with a second pause and reflect session in 2023—all part of a commitment to learning and improvement. USAID/Malawi’s Local Capacity Development Specialist in the health office, Hexin Katengeza, realized “When we went into the first pause and reflect meeting, we observed there was still that sense of the usual donor-partner relationship.” Victoria had the same feeling, noticing that “MANASO was hesitant to provide negative feedback. We needed to show that we genuinely wanted to learn how USAID could support MANASO and its consortium partners to further improve implementation.” The USAID team reiterated several times during the session that it was an opportunity to have an open conversation.

The Breakthrough

It took consistent encouragement from the Mission team, particularly at the second session, to assure MANASO that using the Checklist could influence the trajectory of the project and that USAID was genuinely interested in listening to and hearing the perspectives of the MANASO team. Before the second pause and reflect session, MANASO participants submitted checklist responses to USAID. Next, USAID listed out the new responses next to those from the year before. During the session, USAID and MANASO worked together to identify what had or had not changed, and the direction ahead. Matthews said, “We came to understand that we were the main decision makers; it was up to us to decide. USAID was only there to facilitate. During the pause and reflect sessions, we were taken as equals. The questions posed were open questions, so we were able to explain better and express ourselves.” MANASO’s Executive Director Emily Kayimba stated, “The approach will take us somewhere…By the end of it, we will be where we want to be. Together, we can build the capacity of civil society to make decisions and rely upon local organizations to do things on their own.”

Inclusivity was a major focus. Both USAID and MANASO identified new people and organizations who could be brought into the sessions for more robust reflection. USAID/Malawi’s health team brought in more specialists supporting local partners from different offices. MANASO reflected that in the future, they want to involve field staff and get more input from IFC and NAPHAM to inform discussion.

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Understanding Challenges Faced by the PAMODZI Team Regarding Differences in Requirements

One of the big lessons learned through the process was that the team’s experience with Local Works requirements—notably more flexible approaches to programmatic adaptations—was very different from  the more rigid requirements around indicators that PAMODZI was required to report on for PEPFAR. The team rated the PEPFAR-funded aspects of their work as not as far along the LLD Spectrum as the Local Works-funded aspects. Surfacing this issue through utilization of the LLD Checklist sparked frank conversations between USAID and the partner to think through what elements of implementation could be more locally led.

Honest Conversations, Big Impact

“A shift happened,” Matthews said, about the impact of the pause and reflect sessions both in PAMODZI’s implementation, as well as how MANASO’s leadership interacted with field staff and sub-partners. “We’ve started to use the [Locally Led Development] Spectrum to understand how to better engage our other stakeholders.” 

The Checklist created a format to identify new opportunities to capitalize on existing community structures and linkages which had initially been overlooked. From the USAID side, Hexin acknowledged that even with some initial stakeholder mapping, the LLD Spectrum and Checklist “provided the opportunity to clarify which stakeholders they could engage with more at the local and national levels. It empowered MANASO to broaden their engagement with stakeholders [and gain] greater visibility.” Mathews noted, “It was helpful to understand how we can plan better and build on local organization expertise.”

The power dynamic between USAID and MANASO wasn’t the only one to change. MANASO started to make a deliberate effort to learn from and with local consortium partners who now conduct community meetings and monitoring trips together, making sure that communities are key players in the planning.

Checklist Tips from MANASO

Based on their experience, MANASO shared some key suggestions for USAID and partners alike on how to most effectively use to LLD Spectrum and Checklist:

1. Start as early in the process as possible. The design stage would be the best point to start using the LLD Spectrum and Checklist tools.
2. Preface the use of the tools with more explanation of the process to come, and make space for defining shared meaning for each stage.
3. Include all partners and sub-partners. Acknowledge who is and is not in the room, consider marginalized voices, and create opportunities for new participants who can be included next time. Encourage all participants to ask questions, share opinions, and develop shared understandings and collaborative plans.

Managing Power Dynamics During Pause and Reflect Session

To strengthen trusting relationships that move beyond a traditional donor-partner dynamic, both USAID and MANASO took some key steps to balance out power dynamics.

1. Create safe spaces: emphasize and re-emphasize equity, transparently share information ahead of time, and continuously encourage honesty.
2. Embody empathy: pay attention to tone of voice and body language and make adjustments, re-emphasize an open environment, and display this through action.
3. Continuously learn: listen to the experiences of others, build opportunities for collaboration, accept and give constructive feedback, and adapt together based on new findings.
4. Amplify marginalized voices: acknowledge who is and is not in the room, create opportunities for new input, and consider who can be included next time.

USAID aims to shift power toward local actors to support more robust and resilient communities that are more inclusive of diverse voices and backgrounds. By actively acknowledging and continuously addressing power dynamics, USAID and partners can improve their work to achieve more sustainable, impactful development processes and outcomes.

Results and Sustainability

“This is a very good initiative,” shared Emily. “It’s USAID trying to strengthen the capacity of civil society to make its own decisions and USAID can rely on them to do it on their own.” The PAMODZI project is starting to hit its stride, and the full benefits of using the LLD Spectrum and Checklist are yet to be known. However, it is clear that these are effective tools to establish power with throughout the various relationships that exist within the project, and represent a vital tool in including diverse local voices and expertise to meaningfully advance the practice of locally led development.

Looking to facilitate a Pause and Reflect Session to explore how your program can be more locally led? Check out the Locally Led Development Spectrum and Checklist for more information, including the Facilitation Guide.

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