Culture of learning

The use of the term learning is deliberate. We see the terms ‘training’ and ‘capacity building’ as signaling a ‘banking’ type of education, implying passivity and the reception of information. In fostering innovation, we work with the idea of organizational learning, of learning by doing and of reflection on our actions as well as on the frames and discourses that shape the field. To this end, we run staff learning sessions twice a month, a critical reading club once a month and each year we undertake an immersion experience. We also welcome interns from around East Africa and the world who we learn from and in turn learn from us. 

Immersion

For one week each year Twaweza does home stays in communities outside of the large cities, getting a small ‘window’ into the daily lives of ordinary citizens. Twaweza’s work is based on the belief that the people make change happen. Our programs seek to enhance what ordinary citizens are already doing. We therefore need to ‘tune in.’ Immersion allows us to listen and see how people live and negotiate life, communicate, dream, and aspire. We look at how people experience services such as schools, water and health; and we look at how people solve problems and get things done. We do that through observation and conversation, hanging out and engaging, rather than through formal research or surveys. No clipboards and forms.

From past experience we find that our hosts are just as curious about ourselves and the lives we live in the East African capital cities. We avoid the temptation and hubris of giving advice, and instead share our own stories. We always have our assumptions and thinking challenged, and come back with greater confusion, insight and inspiration.

In 2009, along with partner SNV, Twaweza spent time in nine communities in Tanzania's Lake Zone. In 2010 Twaweza staff spread out across Kenya for Immersion, and in 2012 we were in the southern highlands of Tanzania with partner Daraja.

For presentations on a past immersion experience in Northern Tanzania see ‘Is Policy Practiced? Stories from 9 Villages’ and 'Bridging a Thousand Miles: Development on the ground in the Lake Zone of Tanzania.'

Interns at Twaweza

For information on interning at Twaweza, please visit the Interns page here.

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