Pamoja West Africa

West Africa Reflect Network

Reflect Best Practices

In October 2011 27 participants from 12 (mainly) West African countries (Sierra Leone, Guinea Conakry, Benin, Togo, Guinea Bissau, Mali, The Gambia, Burkina Faso, Morocco, Nigeria, Spain and Ghana) took part in a workshop in Sierra Leone to share Reflect best practices contributed from around West Africa.

The workshop objectives were to:

  1. Share experiences and best practices of Reflect
  2. Reinforce capacities of Reflect users
  3. Develop basis for publication on Reflect best practices
  4. Identify problems and propose solutions
  5. Strengthen the network

Field Visits

A Best Practice:

  • Is based on the needs & interests of community member's particularly marginalized groups.
  • Is owned by community participants (particularly marginalized groups)
  • Has the active participation of community members including marginalized groups (use of participatory tools)
  • Results in the empowerment of participants e.g. increased income, improved living conditions, more skills including literacy & numeracy
  • Improved governance (opportunity to influence decisions, democratic practice & transparency)
  • Has measureable impact
  • Is replicable through adaption to local conditions
  • Is documented
  • Is sustainable
  • Is tested more than once
The above criteria were identified through small group discussions and used to analyse a series of Reflect based initiaitves from across West Africa, suggested by National Pamojas.

Download the workshop report

pdf logoReport of the West Africa Reflect Best Practices sharing workshop 2011

Shared best practices fell under the following themes:

  1. Training of Facilitators
  2. Action points:
  3. Economic improvements - income generation
  4. Public /Private/Government Collaboration
  5. Operation and Management of Reflect Circles
  6. Reflect and Good Governance
  7. National coordination of Reflect
  8. Training for National Pamoja members
  9. Learning through sharing experiences
  10. Making Reflect visible and advocating for youth and adult education
  11. Monitoring for effective and efficient Reflect programmes
  12. Advocacy for rights and legislation
  13. Working with local authorities to improve service delivery
  14. Literacy
  15. Using radio - competitions, training
  16. Reflect in schools / school governance
  17. Policy analysis and sharing
  18. Training
  19. Networking
  20. Literacy Environment
  21. Learner Generated Materials
  22. Working with Government
  23. Shared learning through exchange visits
  24. National literacy assessment
  25. Monitoring and Evaluation