Sentebale Strategy 2020 - 2025

SENTEBALE STRATEGY: 2020 – 2025

Introduction Sentebale was founded by Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso in 2006 as a response to the needs of children and young people in Lesotho. The name means ‘forget-me-not’ in the Sesotho language, representing a pledge to remember the most vulnerable children in the region.

The organisation has retained a primary focus on children and young people, but its working methods have evolved to maximise its impact through increased specialisation.

Initially, Sentebale supported vulnerable children through community partners and grassroots organisations, and funds were raised to meet their basic needs. Over time there has been an increasing focus on HIV and AIDS as one of the key challenges facing young people in Lesotho. Sentebale developed focused psychosocial support interventions, with outreach programmes across the country through clinics and support to young people and their caregivers. In 2008, the first Sentebale camp was held and its flagship model began to take shape. In 2015, the Mamohato Children’s Centre, at the foot of Thaba Bosiu just outside Maseru, was opened. This is the only centre of its kind in Southern Africa and enables vulnerable groups, including children living with HIV, to attend week-long camps and receive in-depth psycho-social support.

In 2016, Sentebale expanded into Botswana with its model of camps, clubs and caregiver days and, in 2018, Sentebale joined forces with the Global AIDS Interfaith Alliance (GAIA) to launch a pilot programme in Malawi. In recent years, Sentebale has won increasing amounts of institutional funding, enabling growth and increased reach of its programmes.

Sentebale has used its high profile and influence to give young people a platform to campaign for change, fighting the stigma faced by people living with HIV. In 2017, the Let Youth Lead initiative was launched at Youth Summits in Lesotho and Botswana. Sentebale advocates spoke out at the Global HIV/ AIDS Summits in Durban and Amsterdam and now, in Lesotho and Botswana, their voices are increasingly sought and heard by decision makers. In Botswana, Radio Positive enables young people to broadcast across the country through Duma FM. Sentebale has supported those living with, affected by and at risk of HIV and AIDS, helping them to tackle both its symptoms and root causes. In both Lesotho and Botswana there continue to be high prevalence rates of HIV but incidence rates are falling. This is positive but, whilst the demographics of the epidemic will change over time, there will continue to be a high number of young adults living with HIV who will need support as they grow into adulthood.

We are ready for and eagerly anticipating the next stage of our development, building on the platform established in recent years. We expect to use our experience to adapt and respond to new challenges, such as the huge risks to progress posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. We will listen to and be led by children and young people as we shape and evolve our work, ensuring we remain relevant and innovative.

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The Country Context Lesotho is a small land-locked country, with a population of 2.2 million, made up mostly of highlands where many villages are difficult to reach. Resources are scarce – a consequence of the harsh environment of the highland plateau and limited agricultural space in the lowlands. Over the decades, thousands of workers have been forced by the lack of job opportunities to find work in South Africa, and youth unemployment is high at 23.6%. In recent years the country has suffered from political fragility. The coronavirus pandemic is likely to lead to major economic disruption, with the economy predicted to contract by 4.1% in 2020.

Lesotho is a lower-middle income country where poverty and income inequality remain high. Lesotho is 164th out of 189 countries in the Human Development Index and the impact of poverty and HIV/AIDS has led to the country’s low life expectancy of 55 – the third lowest in the world.

Lesotho has the second highest HIV rate in the world; HIV prevalence among adults was 23.6% in 2018 and has been at about this level since 2005. An estimated 340,000 people are living with HIV and 6,100 died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2018. Overall, HIV incidence is declining, from 23,000 new infections in 2005 to 13,000 new infections in 2018. There has also been progress in the number of AIDS-related deaths since 2010, with a 16% decrease, from 7,200 deaths to 6,100 deaths. In 2018 in Lesotho, 86% of people living with HIV knew their status, 61% of people living with HIV were receiving treatment and 57% of people living with HIV were virally suppressed.

Women are disproportionally affected by HIV in Lesotho, with new HIV infections among young women aged 15-24 years more than double those among young men. Of pregnant women living with HIV, 77% accessed antiretroviral medicine and mother-to-child transmission is 12.65%.

Young people are significantly affected by the HIV epidemic in Lesotho. The Lesotho Demographic Health Survey conducted in 2014 found that 13% of young women and 6% of young men (aged 15-24) were living with HIV. Increasing efforts have been made to provide adequate youth-oriented support and services across the country. Despite the proportion of young people with comprehensive HIV and AIDS knowledge increasing, still only 37.6% of young women and 30.9% of young men could demonstrate comprehensive knowledge in 2014.

Botswana is one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, with just over 2.3 million people.

Since the late 1960s, it has transformed itself into an upper middle income country, with a fast growing economy and one of the highest per capita incomes in Africa. The economy is dominated by mining, cattle and tourism, and it has stable, transparent and strong government and institutions. Botswana’s Human Development Index has improved every year since 2000 and it is ranked 94th out of 189 countries. However, its overall progress on the HDI has been hampered by the impact of the HIV/AIDS crisis on life expectancy, and its mineral-dependent economy is expected to contract by 7.8% in 2020, due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Unemployment among young people is high at 37.35%.

At 20.3%, Botswana has the fourth highest HIV prevalence in the world, down from a peak of 26.3% in 2000. Botswana has demonstrated a strong commitment to respond to its HIV epidemic, and has become an exemplar within sub-Saharan Africa, but still the epidemic is firmly established in the general population.

It was the first country in the region to provide universal free antiretroviral treatment (ART) to people living with HIV. New infections have decreased significantly, from 18,000 in 2005 to 10,000 in 2010, and then 8,500 in 2018. AIDS-related deaths have also dramatically decreased, from a peak of 18,000 recorded in 2002 to 4,800 in 2018. Of the estimated 380,000 people living with HIV in 2017, 320,000 have access to treatment to keep them well. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV is very low at 2.54%. There are, however, huge challenges in sustaining this impressive HIV response, partly because donors increasingly focus on low-income countries.

More remains to be done in targeting HIV prevention programmes towards young people. Over the last decade, HIV prevalence among young people has made little improvement, with reports of 6% prevalence in 2005 among young people, compared with 5.4% among young men and 10.2% among young women in 2016. This lack of progress reflects dangerously low levels of HIV knowledge and/or behaviour change among young people, with less than half (47%) of those between 15 and 24 able to answer basic questions about HIV. In 2018, almost one in four new HIV infections in Botswana occurred among young women and adolescent girls aged 15-24.

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The context for children and young people Children and young people in Lesotho and Botswana often face multiple barriers to their ability to develop and thrive.

The challenges they face can start very early in life: due to high levels of poverty, family structures can be compromised or non-existent. Parents and carers may be unable to provide basic care, nutrition and/or emotional support. Many parents and grandparents do provide loving environments, but may need additional support and services, and many children are doing their best to survive in child-headed households.

Practices and beliefs that have become established over years can provide support but may also have an adverse impact. For example, the extended family and the belief that ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ means there is widespread help within communities for vulnerable children. On the other hand, girls and boys can be treated unequally, and early marriage can reduce girls’ opportunities.

Governments in both countries provide free primary education and, to a greater or lesser extent, extra support to vulnerable children though secondary education, but this may not be sufficient to ensure continued education. As a result, many vulnerable young people find that their attendance at school, as well as their performance and/or ability to complete is compromised. They may drop out altogether and this is a significant risk factor.

HIV is one of the biggest challenges facing young people, but if progress is to be made it needs to be tackled in an integrated and multi-faceted way that addresses both the symptoms and root causes: Young people tell us that they no longer want to be defined by their HIV status . They say that, due to increased access to ARVs and adhering to them, they can now live healthy AIDS-free lives. They tell us that they now need to address the other challenges that prevent them from thriving.

Children and young people can have limited or inaccurate understanding of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), leading to vulnerability and risky sexual behaviours. They may lack the knowledge to be able to protect themselves or access relevant health services. Young girls can be vulnerable to gender-based violence. All of this increases the risk of becoming HIV positive, as well as early and unintended pregnancies and poor mental or physical health.

Children and young people who are living with HIV face stigma, which can impact negatively on education and job opportunities. Their fear of being discriminated against leads to feelings of isolation and they may be reluctant or afraid to go to clinics for ARV treatments. Lack of opportunity and hope can lead young people to turn to alcohol or drugs, compounding already existing problems and putting them at increased risk.

Many young people find themselves trying to live without financial support, with no training, marketable skills or ability to access necessary legal documents. They lack the self-confidence and the know-how to address these issues.

At a national level, policies may not be joined up, resulting in a lack of consistency in young people’s access to comprehensive services. Donor support to young people is not always coordinated, so programmes are too generic and not context specific. Funds may dry up before impact and change can be achieved.

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What children and young people want The children and young people who attend our clubs and camps have articulated what a good quality of life would mean for them. They say they want to feel valued, happy and hopeful about their futures. They want to feel self-confident and to be able to make informed choices about how to lead their lives. This means they want to: • feel safe and live in spaces free from any sort of violence or fear of violence • be included and treated as equals in all aspects of social, educational and work opportunities • have the necessary academic and life skills, both to be able to protect themselves and to find fulfilling ways to earn their living • be able to access and benefit from youth-friendly health services – including in areas of mental and physical health, substance abuse, gender-based violence and violence against children • be able to access youth empowerment programmes, grants, vocational and other forms of training and education • have the confidence and skills to stand up for themselves when they or their peers are not being treated fairly, to speak out against injustices and campaign for better access to services and treatment.

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How we believe these changes will come about Sentebale’s experience of working with children and young people has given us deep insight into their needs and expectations. We know that the starting point for our work and any successful response must be grounded in their reality and informed by their own expressed needs, desires and ambitions.

In line with current global thinking, perspectives and research, we believe that a multi-sectoral approach to addressing HIV issues in young people is critical for success and sustainability. If sustainable change is to come about in tackling HIV/AIDS, other infectious diseases and public health challenges, then we must tackle both the symptoms and root causes. Children and young people are very much part of their local and wider communities. Any efforts to work with children and young people without addressing and involving these communities will be compromised.

The starting point for developing our new strategy was listening to the needs and expectations of children and young people. We have identified changes, at a number of levels, that we believe need to happen if children’s hopes are to be met. These include changes in behaviours, the quality and provision of services, and in policy and legislation. Many of these changes are beyond the reach of Sentebale, but we believe it is important to take them into consideration when making strategic choices.

For our vision to be achieved the following will need to happen: • children and young people have useful, life-enhancing knowledge and skills and have the confidence to speak out against injustices • parents and guardians provide a supportive and caring environment, act responsibly and are able to sustain the basic needs of their families. Girls and boys will be treated equally – their opinions, needs and aspirations listened to and respected • local and traditional leaders will be aware of practices detrimental to child and youth well-being. They will be respected leaders and role models, advocating against harmful cultural practices and promoting safe and appropriate support. They will work well with local government and the community to promote best practice • local government officials will be well trained, conversant with policies on youth-friendly standards and work within an established structure of accountability and good governance. Local government officials will actively coordinate information, opportunities and the provision of guidance on funding • national governments will provide comprehensive interventions that help protect vulnerable children, young people and their families. Children will access youth-friendly health services, psycho-social support, and adequately resourced, quality education in safe and secure environments • health professionals and social workers will be well trained and motivated, with access to the resources they need to provide good quality services for children and young people. They will seek new knowledge and adopt best practice interventions, recognising and advocating for children’s urgent and emerging needs • teachers will create a physically and emotionally safe environment for learners, treating boys and girls equally and acting as role models in their communities • donors in-country and internationally will have a shared understanding of contexts and how change will happen, setting realistic targets with a focus on responding to local needs, sustainability, impact and quality. Efforts and responses will be coordinated • international organisations will support country-specific programming, with funding matching expectations. They will harmonise data, reporting protocols, evaluations and learning, as well as advocating for and promoting local and national leadership • social media will play a positive role in the health and well-being of young people. Young people will use it as a way of sharing factual information and providing mutual support, as well as a campaigning tool in partnership with key allies.

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Sentebale’s strategic choices These changes cannot be, nor should they be, achieved by one organisation alone. Along with many other organisations working to address these issues, Sentebale has a valuable role to play. If we make wise strategic choices, we can make meaningful changes in the lives of children and young people in Southern Africa. These choices are informed by our own vision, mission and values, together with an analysis of how and where we work and what we believe to be our own strengths and best offers.

OUR VISION All children and young people in Southern Africa are empowered, healthy and resilient.

OUR MISSION To enable vulnerable children and young people to thrive.

OUR VALUES Our values inform the choices we make, shaping and guiding our external and internal relationships, our programme and funding decisions.

• Compassion: We strive to be kind, thoughtful and caring in all our interactions.

• Respect: We treat children, young people and their families, communities, our partners and each other with respect, maintaining dignity and inclusiveness in everything we do.

• Sustainability: We work in partnership to foster independence, resilience and develop a generation of children and young people who are catalysts for change.

• Accountability: We are accountable and transparent to people we work with, and those who support us. We monitor and learn from our work to achieve better impact.

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Who we work with Sentebale aims to reach children and young people living with or affected by HIV, especially the most vulnerable who are additionally challenged by issues of deprivation, exploitation, abuse or neglect. They may be orphans, living with disabilities, and/or herd boys. They may also be disadvantaged or marginalised due to mental health issues, sexual and gender based violence (SGBV), alcohol or substance abuse, sexual orientation, stigma or other challenges that affect their health and well-being.

Our core approaches that characterise our support • Children and young people are at the centre of everything we do. We listen to and are led by their needs and expectations and we protect their rights at all times.

• We empower young people, ensuring they are safe and confident, able to lead and advocate for themselves and their peers.

• We work in ways that build trust and respect in the communities we work and with our partners.

Our strengths • We are passionate, committed to doing our best and ready to adapt in the light of changing contexts, new learning and evaluations.

• Our multi-country teams are skilled, experienced, proud of our strong reputation and high visibility and work together as part of a coordinated whole.

• Our reputation and visibility enables us to create wider change beyond our immediate programmes.

• We collaborate and build partnerships with a range of actors including civil society, local and national governments and international organisations. We build learning through sharing and convening.

• We access diverse funding streams, both in country and internationally, that enable us to act independently and innovate.

Lessons learnt across programmes Over the years the lessons learnt have fed into adapting and changing our programmes and have now informed our strategy development, and the assumptions and learning questions that we will explore over the next few years. Some of the key lessons are: • Collaboration with community-level structures and building of effective relationships, prior to and during project implementation, is essential. It ensures local level collaboration and successful implementation of programmes.

• All the different programmes need to work together much more deliberately, ensuring there is no duplication and each one delivers to its objectives whilst helping meet common organisational goals.

• Documentation of Sentebale’s programme approach is essential. Good quality data needs to be gathered efficiently and used to support learning and decision-making for all programmes.

• The use of residential camps has been an important part of Sentebale’s approach to care.

It needs reviewing to assess its impact on different children and how it can be developed further.

• Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) has successfully reduced the number of children born with HIV. Sentebale’s future approach will need to take account of this change, and other potential trends, so ensuring the needs of 10 to 15-year-olds can best be met.

• The more Sentebale can facilitate comprehensive care and well-being – linking children to other services – the more effective its approach will be.

• Investment in supervision, training, monitoring and reward of local level staff and volunteers reduces turnover, improves motivation and supports effective and high-quality programme delivery.

• The approach to caregivers – how often they meet, how best to support them, and what resources to provide them with – needs to be reviewed to ensure it is meeting needs and supporting change.

• Training for Sentebale staff needs to happen before and during implementation of programmes, to ensure continuing professional development and following of best practice.

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• Mainstreaming of pyscho-social support (PSS) can be best supported through a formal affiliation with a leading PSS institute, such as REPPSI. • Local boards, with a clear remit, could help improve local accountability, national resource mobilisation and develop strategy.

How and where we work We work directly with communities and partners in Lesotho and Botswana. We create wider impact through sharing insights and experiences, convening and working with like-minded organisations – across the Southern Africa region – and through global advocacy. In our regional approach we will incorporate the lessons from the recent Malawi pilot project but will not continue to work directly there.

Our offices in Lesotho and Botswana lead on national programme delivery, local advocacy, communications and fundraising. Our UK office leads on global fundraising, advocacy and overall governance and support.

Our aim is to build strong, high quality, nationally led programmes that are resilient and self-sufficient.

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Strategic programme objectives In order to develop and prioritise our strategic choices, we developed a Theory of Change for Sentebale.

This diagram below enables us to see and agree how a menu of interventions with different stakeholders inter-relate and support the achievement of our overall vision. We will continue to review and adapt this as contexts change and we develop new insights.

Theory of change

The changes we want to see

Families, communities and local professionals are more aware of challenge and issues that face children and young people. They work together to create a more protective supportive and inclusive environment.

Young people successfully influence access to, provision and evolution of relevant services.

Who we work with and for

Within local communities • Parents and carers • Community members and volunteers • Teachers, health and social workers • Community based organisations

What we do

We raise awareness about HIV and how it affects children and young people. We promote changes in attitudes and behaviours towards children living with HIV.

All children and young people living with HIV are engaged in care, virally supressed and in good physical and mental health.

Fewer young people become newly infected with HIV.

Globally, nationally, locally • Leaders/influencers • Government ministries and councils • Organisations supporting children living with or affected by HIV/AIDS • Donors

We empower and support young people to advocate for their own rights and needs. We advocate nationally and globally.

All young people feel safe and secure in their childhood and adolescence. They have the life skills to make informed choices and have the confidence to speak out against injustices.

Our key stakeholders Children and young people living with, affected by or at risk of HIV, especially those: • living in extreme poverty • living with disabilities • With mental health issues • Experiencing significant challenges in their lives

We ensure that children can access relevant psychosocial services, protection and support. We offer direct support through clubs, camps and outreach in communities.

With our partners, we equip young people with knowledge (beyond HIV), skills and resources that will enable them to become more resilient and valued members of their communities.

Review... Reflect... Learn... Adapt

All children and young people in Southern Africa are empowered, healthy and resilient.

OUR VISION

How Sentebale proposes to address these issues Challenges that children and young people face

Poverty

Limited or no access to formal education

High levels of HIV and associated stigma and discrimination

Feeling unsafe/ vulnerable

Power and/or gender imbalances

Poor understanding of SRHR & challenges in managing HIV status

Fragile or non existent family structures

Poor mental and/or physical health

Lack of knowledge of services and rights

Little or no financial support, training, marketable skills

Through this analysis, we have identified four overarching and mutually reinforcing programmes to take us through the next five years: The first three programmes continue to evolve. The fourth programme area is designed for us to experiment with alternative ways of building agency and resilience in our target groups.

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Our four programmes provide support and awareness, enable advocacy and promote empowerment for children and young people.

1. Strengthen health and psycho-social wellbeing of the most vulnerable children and young people, those living with HIV/AIDS and those who are at the highest risk of HIV and AIDS due to deprivation, exploitation, abuse or neglect.

We support children living with HIV and their families in order to motivate and enable them to manage children’s health status and improve their quality of life.

We offer camps, monthly children’s clubs and caregiver support in order to create opportunities for children to connect to each other, their caregivers, their medical care providers, as well as other responsible adults in their communities. These connections are instrumental in making children feel supported and thus more likely to take their medication and be retained in care.

We are also looking at new ways to stay connected with the households and care systems of children and young adults, including learning from the recent ‘lock-down’ in response to Covid-19 and finding new and more flexible ways to continue to support them.

2. Raise awareness and promote behaviour changes through information, education and communication We provide adolescents and young people (both in and out of school) with factual information on Sexual Reproductive Health and HIV prevention and community based HIV testing services, identifying those with HIV and linking them to treatment – all through peer-to-peer support and trained peer educators and lay counsellors.

We also facilitate parental engagement sessions in the communities and work to de-stigmatise HIV by sharing realities of young people living with HIV. We are continually exploring ways to make this work more accessible and appealing to young people.

3. Enable young people to voice their own challenges and to advocate for improved health, education and protection services We identify, train and support young people to become activists who engage decision makers, and advocate for improvement in services for young people. They represent youth interests on regional, national and international platforms.

It enables young people to know and manage their own HIV status. They create platforms – including social media and radio programmes – for meaningful engagement where they are able to share their realities/experiences as well as ideas and solutions on programmes that best meet their needs.

We also equip young people with methodologies for monitoring and reporting on the quality of adolescent and youth health services.

4. Enable young people to better support themselves and their families and become valued members of their communities This is a new and evolving programme responding to the expressed needs of young people, especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged. It includes providing them with the necessary knowledge, skills and confidence to transition successfully from adolescence to adulthood. It encourages and supports young people to become valued members, and drivers of positive change, within their respective communities.

Currently we offer livelihood support and leadership training, and we will explore new ways of working as part of the strategy development.

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Strategic objective 1: Children and young people living with and affected by HIV in Lesotho and Botswana will be able to access and benefit from youth-friendly support and services for both their mental and social well-being.

Outcomes that will support this objective 1.1 Increased number of young people who have knowledge of their HIV status 1.2 Improved uptake of care and treatment 1.3 Improved mental and social wellbeing 1.4 Improved retention on treatment

Strategic objective 2: All relevant stakeholders are more aware of issues that children and young people are facing, and ensure a more protective, supportive and inclusive environment for them.

Outcomes that will support this objective: 2.1 Improved understanding of Sexual and Gender Based Violence and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights among parents, teachers and community members 2.2 Children and young people living with or at risk of HIV and other health challenges feel adequately supported to access youth friendly health services 2.3 Communities are collaborating to ensure greater support, protection and inclusion of children and young people in their communities

Strategic objective 3: Policies that guide provision of services for children and young people are implemented and are continually adapted to be more relevant to their evolving needs.

Outcomes that will support this objective: 3.1 Young people are more confident to speak out against injustices 3.2 Young people are successfully engaging/motivating peers and others in their communities 3.3 Evidence of changes in revision to policies and ways they are implemented 3.4 Evidence of improved conditions and/or opportunities for young people

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Strategic objective 4: Young people are more resilient, self-confident and valued members of their communities.

Outcomes that will support this objective:

4.1 Increased access to livelihood support and opportunities

4.2 New and more ways to building social assets

4.3 Improved capacity to address existing and new health and social challenges

4.4 Other (evidence based) successful strategies that build resilience in young people.

We will develop a results framework to help us measure progress against our objectives.

Assumptions and learning questions we will continue to explore In developing our strategy we have made a number of assumptions about how we can realistically ensure positive changes. We have prioritised four assumptions which we will plan to test over the next two years.

Results of this research will inform how we adapt our strategy through its second phase.

• Attendance at clubs and camps is the most effective way of ensuring improved psycho-social well-being of children and young people, resulting in improved retention in care and treatment adherence.

• Raising awareness with local communities about the consequences of HIV and AIDS on young people is enough to motivate them to change their attitudes and behaviours and reduce incidence of stigma and discrimination.

• The efforts of youth advocates result in positive changes to the services and support that they need.

• Improved access to livelihood support leads to increased resilience and well-being of those living with or affected by HIV. There are elements of our strategy that we know we want to improve. In order to do this, we will invest time and resources to explore and address the following learning questions: In Lesotho and Botswana, what are the best ways to enable young people affected by HIV to live happy, hopeful lives?

• What do they say?

• How well have we been able to incorporate their priorities into our programming?

• What should we add, improve or even stop doing to better respond to their expressed and emerging needs?

How can we improve collaboration across all stakeholders?

We need to be working with all stakeholders and ensuring that they are fully involved and engaged in supporting the changes that they want to see • How can we engage children, young adults, families, communities and partner bodies more in the design, delivery and continuous improvement of our programmes?

• How do we work with them to ensure that expectations that we and they have of each other are agreed and met?

What can we learn about the ways we work as a result of Covid-19?

What have we learned to do differently as a result of the Covid-19 crisis? And how can we embed the most positive aspects into our working practices going forward? This will consider use of technology; flexibility in responding to changing priorities; ways of communicating; staff working relationships; impact on finance and budgeting.

How can we ensure that Sentebale is responding effectively to messages and demands that inform the Black Lives Matter movement?

As we developed this strategy the Black Lives Matter movement challenged us all, including the international development sector, to think more deeply and act much more strongly on racism at all levels in society.

Sentebale will reflect on these challenges for our work and ways of doing business and take action accordingly.

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Supporting our strategy delivery COMMUNICATIONS Our communications strategy aims to support both our fundraising goals – reaching donors, supporters and the wider public – and to amplify key change messages. We will: • Tell the story of our work through engaging content about the children and young people participating in our programmes.

• Offer a platform – both national and global – to the children and young people we work with to change attitudes towards HIV/AIDS, stigma and other challenges they face. We will ensure that communications are respectful and dignified, whilst safeguarding the rights of children.

• Enable country teams to have their own space for targeted communications to engage nationally with young people, partners and future donors. This means posting content in local languages or targeted national fora, ensuring cohesion to strengthen messages across all platforms.

• Design and launch a new website and increase our social media following.

• Grow our limited supporter database and send all supporters regular updates.

• Develop content and branding guidelines.

• Support effective internal communications to develop team cohesion and understanding.

MAMOHATO CHILDREN’S CENTRE This is a key resource for the organisation and, by the end of the strategy period, it is hoped that the centre will be self-supporting, with increased levels and means of utilisation. This will be through: • Continuing the current programmes of camps for vulnerable children.

• Developing new courses, aligned to the strategy, which can run during term-time.

• Renting out the centre on a commercial basis for income generating opportunities.

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ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT We will conduct an overall organisational assessment to inform what we need to strengthen and prioritise.

We will develop a quality assurance framework that will help us organise, monitor and systematically improve our work. Our organisational development efforts will include, but are not restricted to, the following: Ensure a systematic approach to Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) - This will build on current Monitoring and Evaluation efforts and will be strengthened to include: - A programme quality framework setting out standards and performance measures for our programme.

- Ongoing monitoring and reporting on projects and programmes.

- Evaluations as required by our donors.

- An annual impact report.

- An annual review and reflection process which will enable us to • Update our understanding of evolving contexts • Assess progress against plans and intended changes • Conduct a learning review with staff and stakeholders • Adapt our priorities and strategic objectives accordingly.

Strengthen overall staff capacity and capability to deliver on our new strategy: - Undertake a skills assessment and mapping.

- Support professional development and capacity building for teams and individual staff members.

- Ensure performance monitoring and progression.

Review, strengthen and update current systems processes and policies: - Review current policies and update or develop as required.

- Develop our financial model to maximise allocation and mobilisation of our resources.

- A robust annual budgeting process, informed by our priorities for the year ahead.

Strengthen governance, risk and compliance - A framework for monitoring, reporting, and mitigating current and emergent risks.

- Develop national boards to support local accountability and resource mobilisation.

- A system of internal audit and control that underpins the quality assurance framework.

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Sentebale 17 Gresse Street 6 Evelyn Yard Entrance London W1T 1QL I sentebale.org CHARITY NUMBER 1113544