Synergos 2009 Annual Report

Synergos 2009 Report 2 What We Do 3 Letter from the Chair & the President 5 Where We Work 6 India 7 Middle East & North Africa 8 Southern Africa 11 Canada 12 Latin America 13 Global Networks 15 Synergos Services 16 Special Events 17 Year at a Glance 19 Financial Report Summary 21 Sustainability Report 22 Donors 25 Board of Directors 26 Staff & Offices What We Do The name “Synergos” comes from the Greek root meaning “working together.” We address global poverty and social injustice by working collaboratively to change the systems that keep people in poverty. Bringing together government, business, civil society, and poor and marginalized communities, we help create sustainable systems change. Over the course of more than 23 years, Synergos has supported the development of innovative leaders, organizations, and partnerships in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and the Middle East. Above: Jordanian man who benefits from the work of Rabee’ Zureikat, a Synergos Arab World Social Innovator working to narrow socio-economic divides in his country. Left: Global Philanthropists Circle members explore philanthropy’s role in promoting systemic change to overcome poverty . Cover: The African Public Health Leadership and Systems Innovation Initiative is creating a replicable model for improving public health leadership and systems perfor- mance, beginning in Namibia. 2 Letter from the Chair & the President Dear Friends, The second major change we’ve implemented has involved increasing the impact of our work in reduc- For many people, 2009 was an especially difficult year. ing poverty and promoting social equity. We continue The global economic downturn that began in 2008 to believe that the best way to bring about and sustain slowed progress in fighting poverty, and even increased systemic change is by bringing together leaders from it in some places. According to World Bank estimates, government, business and civil society. Synergos 45 million people fell into extreme poverty as a result taps into the wisdom, knowledge, and experience of Peggy Dulany Robert H. Dunn of the downturn, and an unacceptable number of everyone impacted by the system in need of change Founder and Chair President and CEO children – 400,000 – lost their lives. by bridging the divides that separate them so they can work together to identify and implement long-lasting At the same time, the economic slowdown increased innovations. “ Synergos taps into the wisdom, the challenges faced by organizations in raising knowledge, experience and financial support for programs to help communities Our largest program, the African Public Health Lead- respond to these tremendous difficulties. ership Initiative in Namibia, has focused on strength- aspirations of everyone impacted ening the senior leadership team of the Health Minis- by the system in need of change This is the context in which Synergos operated in try and improving maternal health. The early successes by bridging the divides that 2009: a world of continued, and sometimes increas- from prototypes are now leading to a national roll-out ing, need, combined with a more difficult financial of the change processes we implanted there to reduce separate them.” environment. maternal mortality rates. Our response has been two-fold. The first was to Our longstanding efforts through the Bhavishya implement measures to reduce our own costs and Alliance to reduce child under-nutrition in India also increase our effectiveness and efficiency, including made great strides forward. Participants in the affili- reducing the size of our staff in our New York head- ated Girls Gaining Ground program have already quarters early in 2009, and in our office in Brazil later witnessed tangible improvements in their lives and in the year. We took these actions reluctantly and tried the lives of their families. to lend support to those adversely affected to help them transition successfully to new employment. 3 “ If there is any positive side to the On Vancouver Island, in Canada, the Aboriginal If there is any positive side to the challenging financial challenging financial environment Leadership Initiative has leveraged business and gov- environment we’re in, it has been in the wider recogni- ernment resources for development priorities identi- tion that we need to focus greater attention on long- we’re in, it has been in the wider fied by local communities, and the approach taken term, systemic interventions. recognition that we need to focus will serve as the basis for a national conference in Ottawa in 2010. As you can see in the following report, that is the greater attention on long-term, approach that we and our partners are taking in systemic interventions. Work in South Africa with leaders of the children’s working to overcome poverty and injustice. sector has resulted in numerous collaborative efforts and policy changes. Our initiative in that country and We want to express our gratitude and appreciation As you can see in the following report, Mozambique to strengthen community capacity to to the many partners and supporters we have worked that is the approach that we and help isolated children in distress will also be expanded with in 2009. They continue to inspire us and help our partners are taking in working to and serve as the basis for an advocacy campaign affect- us help others to meet their basic needs, enjoy their ing care givers and public policy in the region. fundamental rights, and achieve their full potential. overcome poverty and injustice.” We have grown, deepened our relationship with Warmly, members, and increased the interactions among our three leadership networks – the Global Philanthropists Circle, Synergos Senior Fellows, and the Arab World Social Innovators. Participants in these groups tell Peggy Dulany Robert H. Dunn us the benefits of their affiliation with Synergos have Founder and Chair President and CEO enabled them to be more strategic, scale up existing efforts, collaborate more effectively, and better mea- sure the return on their social investments. Members of these networks are also increasingly launching, leading and supporting cross-sector partnerships to change the systems that keep people in poverty. During 2009, we also stepped up our work with businesses and foundations, launching a new services group to support these organizations’ efforts to work to address global poverty. 4 Where We Work Senior Fellows Key Program Countries Global Philanthropists Circle Families Synergos Offices Arab World Social Innovators Board Members As of June 1, 2010 5 A Partnership for India Child Nutrition Synergos’ work in India focuses on addressing child under-nutrition through our work with the Bhav- ishya Alliance, a multi-sectoral partnership we created with Hindustan Lever, various Indian governmental agencies and non-governmental organizations, and UNICEF. A key Bhavishya initiative is Girls Gaining Ground, which empowers girls (between the ages of 11-19 years) to become more confident, aware and respon- sive toward the health and nutrition of their families and themselves. The program, which is supported by the Nike Foundation, is reaching about 10,000 girls from over 100 communities in the state of Maha- rashtra. Girls from Latku village provide an excellent example of the impact of Girls Gaining Ground. With confidence and learning acquired from a training workshop, they confronted Latku’s sarpanch (elected leader) about inaction in spending money allocated for water sanitation. The result was government action to provide a clean water tap. Other Bhavishya achievements include improving the quality of food in supplementary feeding programs “ GGG teaches us how to make decisions about at daycare centers through a partnership with the our own rights, maintain cleanliness, and Taj Group of Hotels; teaching mothers of infants improved breast-feeding behaviors and comple- communicate with others.” mentary feeding practices; the provision of literacy, — Girls Gaining Ground participant from health and nutrition training to over 1,000 women in thirty villages; and getting the Indian government to Thane district, India provide day care facilities for migrant workers at three construction sites in Mumbai. 6 Middle East & North Africa Strengthening Synergos entered into partnerships with consulting firms and international organizations to deliver Entrepreneurs in the professional development training to the innovators. For example, the Social Entrepreneurship Assistance Arab World Program (SEAP – affiliated with consulting firm Booz Allen Hamilton) connected each Social Innovator with Synergos’ Arab World Social Innovators (AWSI) pro- a dedicated consultant who provides advisory ser- gram supports high-impact social entrepreneurs who vices on strategic planning and organizational design. are each transforming a powerful idea into a grow- Through this support, each of the 22 Innovators has ing social venture – in fields such as education, youth crafted a strategic plan, outlining the vision, mission, employment, women and girls, civic engagement, and and goals for their project. technology. With support of the US Agency for Inter- national Development and other donors, the program “ The relationship between the initiative and provides seed funds, professional development training, and access to global networks so that the Innovators Synergos is based on trust and a common can scale-up their initiatives and increase their impact. belief in the ability of community-based initiatives to bring about even a small part The inaugural class of 22 – from Egypt, Jordan, Leba- non, Morocco, and Palestine – were welcomed into of the change required to make a hole of the Synergos family in February at an orientation in hope in the wall of obstacles to human Amman, Jordan. Collectively, they serve over 300,000 women, children, youth, and people with special needs. development in Palestine, and the fight against poverty in this society.” Members of the AWSI program participated in a — Jehad Shejaeya, Founder, number of global events to present their work, network with influential individuals, and share their experi- From Student to Student, Palestine ence addressing development challenges in the Arab world.

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