Bold Solutions Network Member and Racial Equity 2030 finalist Pastoral Women’s Council (PWC) participated in a cohort led by our Social Impact Partner, Rehmeh Kasule. Through training, assessments, and mentorship, Kasule worked with the PWC team to improve leadership skills, assess current funding trends, and strengthen communications efforts.
The Bold Solutions Network is a vital component of our mission to accelerate social change. Our Network includes organizations and ideas that have been vigorously vetted and evaluated by our team, sector advisors, and experts, ensuring that only the most promising initiatives take center stage. Since 2020, we have worked with Rehmah Kasule, a talented consultant with over 25 years of experience advising organizations working in education, women’s and girl’s empowerment, and the future of work. Every year, Kasule provides a select group of organizations 1:1 consultation on topics such as leadership development, communications, and organizational strategy.
Bold Solutions Network Member and Racial Equity 2030 finalist Pastoral Women’s Council participated in Kasule’s 2022 cohort. Through training, assessments, and mentorship, Kasule worked with the team on improving leadership skills and competencies, assessing current funding trends, and strengthening communications and storytelling to raise visibility and support their fundraising efforts. Pastoral Women’s Council left the cohort with tangible goals and plans to continue their push to reach 50,000 pastoralist women in Tanzania and improve economic livelihoods for the women and families in their communities.
We had the privilege of speaking with members of the Pastoral Women’s Council team, including Maanda Ngoitiko, Executive Director and Co-Founder; Njeri Kagucia, Communications and Fundraising Officer; Nalemuta Moisan, Women Leadership and Agency Coordinator; and Grace Scorey, Inclusive Education Program Coordinator, to discuss their experience working with Kasule and how their Bold Solutions Network membership has impacted Pastoral Women’s Council’s ability to move forward.
How did you hear about this opportunity and why did you sign up?
Njeri: We received outreach from Lever for Change to join Rehmah Kasule’s cohort for leadership development. When we first met Rehmah, she had vast experience working with women and girls in East Africa. She understands well the context we are working in. What we first did with her was a leadership training that was engaging and well-structured. We moved from individual reflection to looking at the bigger picture of our organization and our individual roles. Rehmah’s knowledge and patience as well as her facilitation skills made this a great engagement.
"If you move as a team, you will go slower but you will achieve sustainable change."
Maanda Ngoitiko, PWC Co-Founder & Executive Director
What were the key takeaways and how did you apply those to your organization?
Grace: The offering was wonderful because it helped me examine my own life and the organization as a whole. Rehmah always gave us enough time to build partnerships among our teams. We were able to advise each other and share our thoughts for improvement with the larger group. We were also able to examine how we operate within our community and families.
Nalemuta: We have been working as grassroots leaders. Rehmah helped us take the inspiration of our leaders to the lower ranks of our organization to help them envision themselves as leaders at the national level.
Maanda: The team-building exercise was important to me. How do we move as a team? If you move alone, you will reach your goal fast. But, if you move as a team, you will go slower but you will achieve sustainable change. We are currently working with over 200 community facilitators and volunteers. Rehmah helped us reflect on how we are empowering these facilitators to reach their personal visions, support their families and communities economically, and reach their leadership potential. We also worked with Rehmah on communications. We have many programs and departments. We explored how to strengthen our internal communication systems to communicate impact between the board, staff, and leadership.
Nalemuta: We worked with Rehmah on writing case studies. This allowed us to share the work happening in our community and the stories of the women in our council.
Grace: Rehmah would tell us the weakest pen is stronger than the strongest mind. Sometimes your mind can be strong, but we don’t know what you are thinking. You will only be known by how you share your thoughts with others.
How has working with Rehmah Kasule improved your professional development?
Njeri: I was empowered by the leadership training we did with Rehmah. I realized that life had been happening to me. If you asked me if I had a five-year plan before this, I would say “we will see how it goes.” The training allowed us space to reflect on where did I come from, how did I get here, what tools do I have, what skills do I have, and where do I want to go. We all left with a vision for ourselves, our professional development, and how we can contribute to the growth and vision for PWC. It has really impacted how we go about our work.
Maanda: The training helped me reflect on what is next and what is beyond me in PWC. How am I building a team and how close am I to my successor? Rehmah has also helped me reflect on how we are training our interns. How can we take them to the next level?
"We all left with a vision for ourselves, our professional development, and how we can contribute to the growth and vision for PWC."
Njeri Kagucia, PWC Communications & Fundraising Officer
What Would you say to fellow Bold Solutions Network members to encourage them to participate in offerings like these?
Njeri: The quality of professionals that we have engaged with has been great. I would encourage other members to seek out opportunities that suit their needs, because there are some good professionals available. People that we could not afford if we were to engage them elsewhere.
Your team has attended many other offerings from the Bold Solutions Network. What experiences have contributed to your organization’s success?
Maanda: Working with Kristal Frazier from FundJoy was also a highlight of our Bold Solutions Network experience. We were able to review and revamp our communication plan. She helped us to look at the big picture. Her training was very practical and she was open to providing more consulting. She encouraged us to communicate via social media once a week and to open up our mind with our fundraising strategy including targeting the right donors, using media for fundraising, and developing a 10-year vision for our organization so we can reach 50,000 pastoralist women and beyond.
Njeri: We also participated in IMAGO Global Grassroots’ diversity, equity, and inclusion cohort. The work started us on a path to create an inclusion policy and change how we operate for enhanced diversity, equity and inclusion.
Lever for Change and the Bold Solutions Network sincerely thank Pastoral Women’s Council for sharing their valuable insights and experiences. Their work with Rehmah Kasule and the Bold Solutions Network exemplifies the transformative impact that collaborative platforms can have on organizations striving for meaningful change.
This conversation is the second installment of an exciting three-part exploration of the Bold Solutions Network's multifaceted offerings. Stay tuned as we delve deeper into the resources, success stories, and innovative partnerships that define this dynamic community.
