Marie Claire Ingabire: Exemplifying ‘capacity building’. . .

Marie Claire Ingabire:

Exemplifying ‘capacity building’. . .

The wide use of the phrase ‘capacity building’ has become well established in the lexicon of international development, becoming a catch-all term for multiple entities: individuals, communities, institutions, and societies. One definition summarizes the concept generally and simply, “Capacity and capability building is defined as the empowerment which encompasses the ability, will and skills to initiate, plan, manage, undertake, organize, budget, monitor/supervise and evaluate project activities.”

http://www.adf.gov/SD&PWDch1.htm Chapter 9. The term also relates to individuals in developing societies overcoming the causes of their exclusion and suffering.

At Gardens for Health (GHI), capacity building is an intrinsic part of the organization, giving all staff an opportunity for self-empowerment: learning, adapting to change and offering opportunities to share opinions and perspectives. A recent example includes staff training in health and agriculture topics for ten new field educators participating in an intensive six week training session. (These individuals were hired from a pool of over 200 applicants after a rigorous interview process.) These field educators are at the ‘frontline’ of the work involved around the recent expansion and partnership at four new partner health centers in the Musanze District.

Over my time volunteering at GHI (currently on my fifth stint since 2011), I have had the honor of working with a plethora of extraordinary people, including Marie Claire Ingabire, recently promoted to the new role of Field Supervisor in Gasabo District. Prior to working for GHI, Claire was a community leader and instrumental with HIV/AIDS community education. The power of her expertise stems from her personal story of being diagnosed with HIV when she was pregnant with her third child. Upon joining the GHI team, Claire was one of the original ‘mamas’ learning the health curriculum. She then helped develop health training content. Her input regarding the presentation of the content via pictorial materials and writing scripts for educational skits has been invaluable. Her recent promotion entails planning, management, supervision of three health educators, eight field educators and a team of eight monitoring and evaluation staff. She must also liaise with health center staff and nutritionists in the district.

Claire was profiled in the book, The Other Side of War: Women’s Stories of Survival and Hope by Zainab Salbi (National Geographic 2006)  Excerpts from her story include:

“Surviving the genocide, I did not believe that living with HIV/AIDS would be my fate,” she says. ”But I have to live with the consequences of our relationship. It doesn’t help to be angry now. He is dying. We are dying. If I am angry, I will be paralyzed. There is no time for me to be angry. There is too much to do.”

“I have to go on living, despite knowing death is a certainty….Death is a certainty for all of us. My fate is just clearer.”

She is a woman with profound insight and wisdom.

I greeted Claire in Boston in April 2013, as she began a fortnight USA cross-country tour to increase awareness and raise funds with Gardens for Health staff. It was a privilege for me to guide her in Boston during the first two days of her journey. Her excitement and curiosity were infectious as she was introduced to ‘firsts’, including travelling beyond Rwandan borders, travelling by air, going on an escalator, attending a movie (IMAX Deep Sea), eating outdoors at a sidewalk café, seeing horses (and patting them), riding the subway, trying a wide variety of new foods and observing a professional dog walker with a dog bouquet of eight!

At a fundraiser Claire spoke with aplomb and eloquence (in English), sharing her compelling story. Her moxie and resilience, complementing her self-effacing manner, were inspiring for the entire audience.

Claire epitomizes self-empowerment (capacity building) as she expands her confidence and competence. It has been wonderful to witness her personal and professional growth. Being her colleague and friend is one of the reasons why working at GHI is such an honor.

 Claire 2004

 

 Claire 2013

 Claire with Boston Police horses

 

 Claire & Helen