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CHAPTER FOUR ONE
will publish a new governance blueprint for international
development.
Governance for sustainability
A key tenet of Camfed’s development approach is the
analysis of power. Top-down governance that excludes
bottom-up decision-making and responsibility cannot
produce systemic change; it is disempowering for those
who are seen as passive beneficiaries, and can put the
safety of children at risk.
Camfed’s child-centered, power-sharing model of
community ownership and partnership requires a different
paradigm for governance — one that is accountable
to every individual and body on whose behalf Camfed
works, from donors, regulators, government ministries and
communities, to each individual child and young woman
it supports. Transparency and accountability are built into
every aspect of Camfed’s operations, from its financial
accounting systems to its information-tracking and impact
measurement, to protect children’s welfare and deliver
relevant, timely information to all stakeholders.
Transparency and accountability are integral to delivering
sustainable change. In a context where African girls,
women and poor rural communities are typically excluded
from decisions concerning what is provided for them,
Camfed’s governance shifts power to them, by making
available all the information that will allow them to hold
Camfed (and others) to account for the resources it raises
and expends on their behalf. Fulfilling its obligations to
clients is the foundation of Camfed’s accountability to
donors.
Community involvement within a transparent system,
coupled with accountability at every level, creates a
safer, more inclusive system and empowers individuals
as active agents. It serves as the best insurance against
corruption, and is a vital tool for implementing Camfed’s
zero tolerance to abuse of any kind.
Child-centered governance structures
The degree to which Camfed’s governance is driven by
the needs of the individual child is exceptional within
the development industry. Camfed’s long-term program
supports identifiable, named individuals, and follows the
progress of each girl and young woman with a dedicated
network to help maximize her opportunities. The large
network of community volunteers who make this
possible are supported by transparent community-based
operational structures. Camfed’s finance system, program
database, and monitoring and evaluation processes are all
based upon the records of individual girls.
The strategic decisions to focus on the individual girl
within her social environment, and to actively involve
all elements of her community in Camfed’s governance,
was taken at the start of Camfed’s work and has been
integrated ever since into all its operational processes and
systems.
All of Camfed’s bespoke operational systems and
processes are designed to help create the culture of
empowerment that is only achieved when girls, young
women and their families are informed of their rights and
feel that the system is responsive to them. This approach
has a profound effect on how girls, as well as whole
communities, absorb that sense of their value; knowing
that the system puts girls’ rights first, and responds to their
concerns, elevates girls’ standing in their communities.
The foundation of Camfed’s partnerships with local
communities is transparency and power-sharing, and
the key to both is accessible and accurate information.
Camfed’s commitment to this responsibility was
highlighted in an external evaluation, which found
“evidence of a high level of transparency at all levels,
from the selection of beneficiaries, to disbursement of
funds and procurement and distribution of materials.
[There is] accountability by everybody involved, (giving)
the community a sense of ownership”. 26 Armed with
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