ActionAid Liberia Country Representative, Ernest Gaie
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ActionAid Country Representative, Ernest Gaie discusses some of the key elements of ActionAid's impact and effectiveness. ActionAid works in 50 countries across the world and over 80% of our staff are country nationals. ActionAid is lead by the communities and individuals we serve.
Ernest on ActionAid staffed by country nationals:
"We have people who understand the local context, who understand and can easily interact and meet people within the country and they are also able to engage, because they have a stake. When things happen in their country, they can stand up and engage people, especially policy and decision makers."
Ernest on being lead by communities:
"The fact that we employ the various participatory methodologoies, PVA, REFLECT, it helps communities to bring out what they feel are their needs. Beyond that there is a sense of ownership.
"Because it's not ActionAid staff in Monrovia coming up with ideas and going in and saying let's do this, but ActionAid staff facilitating an environment and a process, that helps commmunities say, 'These are our needs. But also giving them a sense of responsiblity. To say,'Yes, these are our needs, but this is how much we can bring.'
Once that happens...The communities always say, 'This is ours. We built this. With support from ActionAid'."
