Talking Leadership with Julie Doherty, Zambia Country Director, Akros Inc.

Agile in Africa, achieving project delivery success in rural Zambia

Julie Doherty is a public healthcare professional who has worked in the US and in developing nations delivering healthcare programmes that improve lives.

Julie is currently the Zambia Country Director of Akros Inc. a cutting-edge healthcare organisation that sets-up and implements data-driven systems around the world with one major aim – to improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged communities. They work alongside organisations such as UNICEF, USAID and the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office to achieve this goal.

I began by asking Julie how Akros approaches delivering projects in rural Zambia.

‘Our approach is to use our local project delivery teams to define and roll-out digital data gathering solutions. We need low cost reliable devices to be placed in the field, and for the devices to be used by local people with straightforward user interfaces. Therefore, we use robust cell phone technology that can use the available communication network.’

So, for instance, when an organisation like UNICEF has been working on a physical project, they enlist the help of Akros to gather the vital operational data from their work. This then allows all involved to determine if the initiative has been successful or whether it needs adaption.

‘A good example of the need for execution flexibility was the change in approach required by the UNICEF Community Led Total Sanitation project. We worked on behalf of UNICEF to create a mobile phone-based data gathering network, our in-field project team delivered devices to community volunteers and trained them in data input. We delivered the project to the customer’s specification and we were able to gather and process the data as anticipated. In that regard the project was a success, we had achieved our goal.’

‘However, the analysis of the data showed that the goals of UNICEF had not been achieved. We were receiving the appropriate volume of data but the data indicated that communities were not building and maintaining latrines in sufficient numbers to achieve the health gains desired by the customers, UNICEF and the Zambian Government.’

So how did Akros overcome the conflict between the successful outcome of the project to gather the data and the need to achieve the primary objective of their customer?

‘What our local project team were able to comprehend was that a group of critical Stakeholders had not been included in the execution plan. Although government officials at each level and community leaders in each village had been fully engaged, the chiefs were not well informed about the importance of latrine construction or how the on-going data analysis would be used to define success. Our team was able to rectify this situation, to adapt the plan and to get buy-in to the project by the traditional leaders. As soon as these key Stakeholders felt personally invested in the project, and how the data was only graded as successful when latrines were built and maintained, they used their influence to ensure success of the overall project. We soon saw an increase in latrine building, with community leaders and villagers aligned to their traditional leaders’ objectives and the objectives of the overall project.’

It’s clear from this example that NGOs and their service providers utilise the same management techniques as the private sector to achieve project success. For Akros and Julie’s team, it was to make all the Stakeholders part of the solutions, to see the bigger picture on behalf of their customer and to adapt the solution. To be flexible, so that the end customer was satisfied, and their goals were achieved. Akros went beyond the delivery of the original specification to solve the problems encountered by their customer. They created a strong partnership approach leading to a deep trust between the organisations that will be advantageous to them in future work.

It’s an approach that all businesses can learn from.

info@pmhit.com

Ms. Doherty is a US Citizen with over 15 years of experience supporting global public health programs and business development efforts. During her tenure at Akros she has served in senior program management and business development roles. As the Zambia Country Director she leads Akros’ local office – which also serves as their regional headquarters.

Akros Inc. establishes data-driven and technologically appropriate data systems to improve the health and well-being of disadvantaged communities. They use ground-level knowledge of the service delivery systems, and their ability to provide novel, lasting solutions implemented in developing regions. These solutions often include methodologies to strengthen the use of data and to improve spatial planning through one-on-one engagement, maps, and dynamic feedback loops. The breadth of Akros’ projects have enabled their teams to establish working relationships at the sub-national and community levels in all ten provinces in Zambia. They have also worked at the central level in Botswana, Ethiopia, Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Swaziland, Thailand, and Zimbabwe. The majority of Akros’ staff members are based in Lusaka, Zambia.

www.akros.com

Link to the Community Led Total Sanitation project

https://usaidlearninglab.org/library/deep-dive-community-led-total-sanitation-program

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