ICA-USA IN TANZANIA

The International team at ICA-USA has been busy planning for three productive weeks in East Africa. Starting the second week of May, ICA-USA staff member Seva Gandhi, (treasurer of ICA-International (ICAI)), will be participating in a face to face ICAI board meeting in a town outside of Arusha, Tanzania. The following week, ICA-USA  volunteer Richard Alton and other colleagues from around East Africa will come together for an East African Conference. The final week, Richard and Seva will travel to Uganda and Kenya to meet with local partners.  ​

The board meeting will allow for the new board (comprised of 3 returning and 5 new members) to meet together for the first time. The plan for the board meeting will roughly follow ICA methods around strategic planning; the board will take stock and get clear on ICAIs governance and vision, discuss underlying issues keeping the ICAs and ICAI from reaching that vision, and create strategic ideas and action steps on how to move the board itself, and all ICA’s forward. 

Two virtual meetings about global communications are also scheduled, and will include the editorial and technical teams related to the Global Buzz, Winds & Waves and the ICAI website.

From May 17-23rd of 2015, ICA-Tanzania and ICA-USA are co-hosting a ‘Sharing Approaches that Work’ gathering with over 20 colleagues from Africa. The focus will be on ICAs sharing current programs and practices, discussing the future of African ICAs, and what has been promising in their work and what hasn’t. The conference will include trainings and workshops on ICA methods and other skills the group would bring to the event - i.e. youth leadership curriculum, permaculture workshops, and farmer-based self-help groups.

Expected in attendance are ICA-Zimbabwe, ICA-Kenya, Safe Neighborhoods, ICA-Uganda, OPAD, ICA-USA, ICOD Action Network, a representative from the IAF, and other ICAs and colleagues currently assisting with programming in East Africa. ICA is grateful to make this conference possible through financial support from an ICA-International mini grant, as well as funds from legacy donor Ruth Reames specifically dedicated towards international initiatives. ​