Where there's a will, there's a way

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Solidaridad’s Global Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, #victoriagraham, reflects on the little wins of working with a global team during the COVID-19 pandemic. How virtual field visits can bring value and unexpected benefits.

During these COVID times we have been confronted with all kinds of challenges requiring creative solutions. Working remotely, keeping in touch without losing the physical “connection,” making ourselves visible despite the lockdowns, being able to understand and support our beneficiaries’s needs from a phone call, whatsapp or zoom call; feeling close yet so far away.

Field trips are an invaluable way to get to know our projects better, interact with team members and learn from beneficiaries and other stakeholders. This year, COVID did not allow for that type of visit so we had to get creative: introducing the virtual field trip!

At first, we were not quite convinced about a virtual field trip. Online sessions with project managers could turn out to be quite superficial. Exchanges with project beneficiaries could be complicated due to internet connectivity, language barriers and other cultural differences.

However, with no other alternative in the near future, we gave it a try! We wanted to be able to connect with project managers and beneficiaries to learn more about progress, challenges and learnings of the projects they had been implementing in these last ‘Practice for Change’ and ‘Advocacy for Change’ years.

MEANINGFUL EXCHANGES IN A VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENT

We first connected with our regional monitoring, evaluation, and learning managers and through them coordinated the encounter with project managers and project beneficiaries. We limited the number of participants because we understood that online exchanges were more challenging and we also wanted to have deeper conversations in the limited time available. Exchanges of more than two hours can be tedious, especially for #people who are not used to online tools.

To our surprise, the virtual field visit was a great success! Participants openly shared their experiences, challenges and learnings. Having a semi-structured interview allowed us to guide the conversation while leaving room for open discussions. Having different project managers in the same call allowed them to listen in to their colleagues’ experiences, which was highly valuable. Having the opportunity to learn about other projects even within the same region is not something that happens that often.

Beneficiaries also appreciated the opportunity to meet “the other face of the screen” and were eager to learn about us as well. They were willing to share their own experiences during this challenging time; glad to hear and to be heard. Some from their offices and some from the field, we all savoured the opportunity to be connected. The issues that have arisen are both a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic itself, and other ongoing challenges.

Farmers mentioned the lack of sufficient storage for their harvest and their difficulty connecting with buyers. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it became even more difficult for these farmers to sell their harvest, as farmers’ markets were closed and transport between villages and cities was limited. They expressed the fear that harvest may end up rotten in the files or sold at very low prices. They were also eager to learn from good practices and connect with farmers from other countries.

OVERCOMING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES FOR A REWARDING

EXPERIENCE

Despite the initial doubts about whether such a virtual visit could still be meaningful, technology allowed us to connect with our beneficiaries and project managers and learn more about their projects and the impact of our work. We faced a few technical difficulties due to poor connectivity, but the prompt planning of the online meetings allowed us to overcome the difficulties and go on.

Although nothing replaces the physical encounter and those informal conversations that arise while driving a jeep across the bumpy roads of a palm oil plantation, virtual visits can be also a very good alternative to learn and exchange. Where there’s a will, there’s a way!