Capacity development is the process of providing support, knowledge transfer and training for institutions and organization through strengthening, adapting and sustaining their capacity to implement change. It ensures the change achieved is effective, long lasting and continually reviewed to account for any alterations in the local context.
Our work involves developing local, sustainable capacity to manage the changes required for the country to move forward towards its economic and social development goals. Capacity development for sustainable change within government, civil society and private sector is fundamental in ensuring that any development project not only has an impact during its implementation, but it also has long-lasting impact.
It should leave an in-country capacity to further the work of the project once the consultants have left. If this does not happen then, no matter how much donor funding is allocated to a country, the impact will be short-lived.
Our projects are designed and executed around our belief that capacity development and change are in-country programs, tailored to take account of, and address, local requirements. This approach has reinforced the success of many of our projects and enabled our work to make a significant contribution to international development worldwide.
Through experience in numerous projects, we recognize, that capacity is not just about skills and procedures – it is also about incentives, governance and a willingness to accept and welcome change through recognizing the benefits.
Thus, our approach to capacity involves more than enhancing the knowledge and skills of individuals; it depends crucially on the quality of the organization and its effectiveness, both externally (its clients and related stakeholders) and internally (the employees who assist in day-to-day operations).