Advocacy Mini Case study
Zambia
Developing an Advocacy Strategy in Zambia
In 2007, the Evangelical Fellowship of Zambia
designed a Rights based advocacy program on food
security and HIV/AIDS, based on work with
communities with whom EFZ has a working
relationship. Key to the program was the
development of an advocacy strategy targeting the
need for the effective development and
implementation of government policy towards the
sustainability of food security and HIV/AIDS work
in Zambia.
Mwiya Mwandawande, Advocacy officer at EFZ,
was instrumental in driving forward the development
of this advocacy strategy. Here, he answers
questions regarding the challenges that he faced and
continues to face as work progresses and shares with
us the benefits of strategizing in advocacy.
Interviewer: Hi Mwiya. Thank you for this opportunity to learn more about your work in developing an
advocacy strategy. Could you please describe your role at EFZ and what it involves on a daily basis?
Mwiya: My role at EFZ is to co-ordinate the advocacy program. This involves fundraising for the program
through proposal writing and strategic planning. I also build local coalitions and network with civil society
organizations and member churches on governance and economic justice. I am responsible for
programmatic reporting, monitoring and evaluation and we also conduct research and policy analysis on
economic justice.
Interviewer: What was the driving force behind developing the EFZ strategy?
Mwiya: There are three main driving forces behind this strategy: The willingness for community
participation, the availability of resources to convene the community meetings and the biblical basis of
advocacy.
Interviewer: How much time and resource did EFZ put into developing it?
Mwiya: I spent 6 months developing the national strategy. Prior to that, we conducted an evaluation of
EFZ programs and their impact on advocacy, community sensitization and consultative meetings, however
the community strategies will take a year to be finalized. In terms of cost, developing the national strategy
cost the organization about £3000 in travel, participants meal, communication and stationery.
Interviewer: What are/were the benefits of developing a strategy?
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Well planned and timely implementation of the activities
Effective progress on reporting, monitoring and evaluation
Clearly defined roles
Prioritization of project resources
Target actual stakeholders
Community participation in decision-making
Well-defined networks and coalitions
Interviewer: What has the process of developing the strategy involved and how long has it taken you to
develop it?
I carried out a needs assessment within the communities where EFZ has been doing community
development work. This was followed by stakeholders consultative meetings and community participatory
advocacy meetings. This was carried out over a period of six months.
Interviewer: Do you conduct research and policy analysis on your own, do you have the resources for
this?
Mwiya: We conduct policy analysis and research on our own however there is some joint national policy
analysis and research we carry out as a network of civil society organisations through CSPR (Civil Society
for Poverty Reduction). For instance the government provides civil society, through this organisation, with
various national policies such as about HIV/Aids, the national budget , the national development plan,
poverty reduction strategies, youth policy, disaster management policy, gender policy and the auditor’s
general report so that we can have an input before these polices are finalised by government. Similarly we
have also engaged academics and independent consultants to ensure quality in the analysis and the research.
We don’t really have resources for this analysis and research because its not budgeted for, we only have
resources for HIV/AIDS and food security funded by a donor.
On national programs we work with civil society networks through basket funding by local donors such as
DFID, GTZ, Dan Church Aid. We have also developed uniform tools for monitoring such as the
participatory methods of research and expenditure monitoring manuals. We collaborate through the
provision of voluntary human resource, financial resources and using existing organisation structures.
Interviewer: What is the time frame for this strategy?
Mwiya: 3 years.
Interviewer: What support did you require to start the process?
Mwiya: I had the support of top management from EFZ. I required support from the Executive Director to
win various stakeholders support. I have to integrate the strategy into program’s already implemented by
EFZ for example food security and HIV and AIDS. We used the already existing church structures and
volunteer church members to help with the process. Different ideas were gathered from the organization’s
existing programmes. The information was collected from other church mother bodies and civil society
organizations involved in advocacy work. Material and financial resources were received from donors.
Interviewer: Can you identify elements that have helped this process so far and obstacles to this process?
Mwiya: The preliminary advocacy work that the organization has been doing, the availability of
information through research and policy analysis and the availability of the resources to implement the
program have helped this process so far. One of the obstacles to this process has been apprehension from
church leaders regarding advocacy as politics.
Interviewer: What has the strategy identified so far?
Mwiya: That strategy has identified that it is easier to implement and advocacy program with a clearly
defined framework for monitoring and reporting. Communities can make decisions and engage in planning
cycles effectively if they are involved in the whole process of project planning and implementation. There
is a need to create awareness and educate people about the advocacy subject matter before engaging any
group in advocacy work. There is also a need for comprehensive research in order to carry out an evidencebased advocacy campaign. It was easy for the church leaders to appreciate advocacy work from a biblical
perspective.
Interviewer: What have been the positive and/or negative outcomes so far?
Mwiya: It is too early still to tell, but a positive part is that the strategy is a clearly defined planning tool.
One of the negative outcomes so far seems to be finance as it appears the project was under-budgeted.
by Mwiya Mwandawande (EFZ) and Jessica Faleiro (Tearfund)