It was an enriching and challenging experience for 30 sisters and colleagues from the Daughters of Charity services in Nigeria who assembled at the Provincial House in Eleme, for the workshop entitled “Self-Assessment Tool based on a Missionary Approach to Development” facilitated by Sr. Geraldine Henry from the Irish Province. This was the third of three workshops, the others were held in the north of Ghana at Umunede, Delta State Nigeria.
Participants enjoyed the practical sessions offered during the workshop like doing the web self-assessment. Photo: Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
The Self-Assessment Tool is based on five core values; justice, commitment, respect, compassion and integrity. The workshop was challenging and thought provoking, as the participants could identify areas where they needed to improve. The participants were empowered to go back to their various projects and practice what was shared and the need to be transparent, flexible and more efficient in their different services. The emphasis on the role of our different stakeholders most especially that of our beneficiaries cannot be over emphasised as they play a vital role in the sustainability of our services.
We identified the need to commit ourselves to upholding and promoting the dignity of the beneficiaries through holistic development; enabling the direction of their own development and being sensitive to cultural/ religious differences. The tool will also help us to practice transparency and accountability.
The whole group enjoyed drawing their own project webs which portrayed vividly areas of weakness and strengths. Indeed this exercise led to a lot of discussion and indeed some rivalry!! At the end of the workshop, we all drew up action plans for the implementation of the tool at project level. We left energised and enthusiastic to share what we had learnt with our colleagues at home in our various projects.
We would like to thank Sr. Geraldine Henry and also Misean Cara for sponsoring this very important and life-giving workshop.
The following are some of the comments that the participants wrote about how they felt at the end of the workshop: happy; enlightened; challenged; enriched; Confident; empowered; satisfied; relaxed grateful; more aware; capable of managing my work; motivated; inspired.
Special Report from Sr. Teresa Eke DC, sister with the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul in Nigeria.