2021 has been a unique year for most of us. Including Arukah. Here are 10 things that have taken place in our network this year.
We launched the Cluster Seed Fund. We believe that every community has the gifts and skills it needs to achieve health and well-being for its members. The Seed Fund, has provided a small amount of funding to catalyze new projects in Clusters so that communities can sustain themselves.
We grew our Support team! Our network is facilitated by a small Support Team, who help Clusters start, operate and grow. This year Tom Davenport joined as the Operations manager and Brian Wainaina joined as the Communications Coordinator.
We launched ‘Friends of Arukah’. Through ‘Friends’ supporting the network, Clusters have continued to receive support and thrive. By becoming our friend, you not only ensure that communities achieve their potential but you also become a part of the network and enjoy the benefits! Learn what this means for you HERE.
We started taking a Coaching Approach. We believe that coaching can be used to help achieve a person’s or community's potential through intentional guidance and support. We started offering coaching sessions to Cluster leaders in an effort to journey with them as they lead their Clusters. Read HERE about the benefits of Coaching.
Our How To Build Community podcast partnered with Tear Fund! This incredible partnership has ensured that communities across the globe can listen to practical stories and exciting insights from experienced speakers across the globe. You can listen one of our intriguing podcasts HERE and don’t forget to subscribe!
We got to know more Cluster members. Each Cluster has many members from different backgrounds with diverse skill sets, and a passion for community. We heard amazing stories from Cluster members in the vast mountains in Uttarakhand to the beautiful plains of Tanzania. You can get to know them by reading from our blog HERE
We started meeting together once a month, to learn. On the first Wednesday of every month members from across the Network gather on zoom for our 'Linking 2 Learn' sessions, to discuss a topic they have suggested. We connect together, hear from a member or two with experience and expertise in the topic, and then discuss and ask questions of each other. HERE is a session we did on being well organised.
We launched our Cluster Handbook. Our Support Team worked hard to write and publish our Cluster Handbook which can be found in the new Members Area page on our website. This is a simple 12-step guide to help start, maintain and grow Clusters. It features case studies, stories, practical tools and ideas, and is already being used in a number of communities in Africa and India considering starting new Clusters.
We ran a Member Survey. To better understand how to serve the network better, we asked Cluster members to share their understanding and experiences of their Clusters and the wider network. This baseline data will help us support members in our network better in the coming year.
We explored new partnerships and communities. Our team, with the help of key members, is working with a number of groups and individuals in both Africa and India who have heard about our way of working and are interested in starting a Cluster. We are excited to be investing in these communities and look forward to seeing how these relationships develop over the coming years. If you are interested in starting a Cluster, do get in touch by sending an email to team@arukahnetwork.org
Thank you for playing your part in the network! We are excited for the year ahead.
Read an amazing story of how listening changed a neighborhood in Zambia, HERE.
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