Realignment Of The Hugo Chavez International Foundation For Peace, Friendship And Solidarity (HCIF-PFS)

Any stage in an Organisation’s volunteering process provides an opportunity for sober reflection and consideration of opportunities, and personal and professional growth. This is the stage where the Hugo Chavez International Foundation for Peace, Friendship and Solidarity (HCIF-PFS) has entered now.

Considering the opportunities for our volunteers to explore their own growth and development opportunities within a changing environment, the Governing Council of the Hugo Chavez International Foundation for Peace, Friendship and Solidarity deems it fit to inform all its volunteers of the decision of the Foundation to realign its organizational structure.

This announcement should not be misconstrued as a “chase catch” to drive away volunteers. It does not mean that volunteers are not doing the right things. Introducing innovative ideas to rebrand the Foundation and to address challenges of the changing environment are not new. This realignment is necessary to further seek ways to deliver a noble service to those who need it.

The Governing Council of the Hugo Chavez International Foundation for Peace, Friendship and Solidarity has crafted a restructure plan for the organization. This plan envisions a redefinition of the Foundation’s specialized departments that act as bridge between the Foundation and targeted beneficiaries on one hand, and between the Foundation and potential donors, on the other. With a determination to meet donor set-conditions for funding, the Foundation has set for implementation and capacity advancement, an activity plan of realigning its structure for professional service delivery.

Over the last two years, it has become clear that some of our volunteers do not feel connected with or able to conform to the demands of the Foundation, and thus have lost contact with activities of the Foundation. We anticipate a high workload and this has prompted the urge for more to be done to meet the demands of our changing environment. This realignment won’t by itself address all that, but it is part of the answer and builds on the transformation of the Caribbean-Latino-African Company Limited (CALAFRIC) for sustainability of programme of the Foundation in the case of donor fatigue.

We are grateful that the Hugo Chavez International Foundation for Peace, Friendship and Solidarity (HCIF-PFS) now holds membership in the Global Waste Cleaning Network (GWCN) and our role in this UK-based Organisation will have real impact on our environment. Thus, we are grateful that with our membership in the GWCN, we can now exchange ideas and share our vision with other Organisations in more than 168 countries that the GWCN operates. This realignment therefore means that the Foundation will leave behind all negative thinking and move towards we implementing international standards.

In terms of our anticipated staff structure, we would be having, say for instance, such Offices as Chief Executive, the Staff Office; Programme and Strategic Planning; Communications and Advocacy, and Audit, Monitoring and Evaluation. Seven specialized departments will be operational to accompany the Foundation to achieve stated goals and realized its vision.
We cannot afford duplication or inefficiencies, but instead we will align outcomes, policies, and sustainable approaches. We have a unique role to play in providing environmental and ecological knowledge; we lead the thinking on helping to transform rural communities; promoting and defending human rights; advancing the rights of women and empowering them; providing youth skills training for employment; and more.
To succeed in all of that we will do so in a way that is respectful and noble service delivery. Many volunteers have intimated us about their readiness, willingness and ability to undergo further skills training to continue serving the Foundation but at a higher and professional administrative level. We want to assure this group of volunteers that the Foundation has set aside a programme of volunteers capacity and development so as to equip the Foundation with the urgently needed professional man power. We want to build the Foundation with an abundance of talent.

This realignment is effective immediately, though much work remains to put the new structure to full implementation. We will be consulting with our international friends and partners over the coming weeks and we will communicate regularly with the public as we advance forward with our programme.

This new step we hope will be supported by our international friends and partners in this time of transition and re-envisioning, and assist us also in spreading the word about these changes and new opportunities.

Sender:

Alimamy Bakarr Sankoh

President of the Governing Council
International Executive Director
The Hugo Chavez International Foundation for Peace, Friendship and Solidarity (HCIF-PFS)