This post was written by Sabine Sleijffers, a Root Change Communications Intern based on interviews with Madalitso Juwayeyi and Daniel Mvalo.
In 2019, Segal Family Foundation (SFF) launched the Malawi Social Impact Network Map on Pando with the goal of learning more about the organizations and relationships that make up the innovation ecosystem and to better support the networking of social entrepreneurs in Malawi. Made up of more than 575 organizations and 850 relationships to date, the map has become a great resource for social entrepreneurs to learn about their organization’s network and better connect with other organizations, institutions, and associations that provide critical services. Learn more about ways that organizations can use the network map in this short video.
I had the honor of hearing from two network map participants, Daniel Mvalo from mHUB and Madalitso Juwayeyi from Forum for AIDS Counselling and Training (FACT), about their experience using the Malawi Social Impact Map on Pando.
FACT Malawi
Madalitso Juwayeyi is a Programs Manager at FACT, a local Malawian NGO that provides youth friendly sexual and reproductive health and rights services and information using an innovative peer-to-peer model of service delivery in Blantyre, Malawi. At FACT, Madalitso makes use of the Malawi Social Impact Map on Pando to form new partnerships and exchange ideas with other organizations in their field. For example, FACT connected with HIVOS, a Dutch organization that strives for an inclusive and fair world without unequal power distributions. FACT has since received a grant from HIVOS and they are now working closely together.
“With Pando we have [built] up a network. We know who to talk to, how to talk to them and we now know who else is active in the same ecosystem.”
– Madalitso Juwayeyi
mHub
Daniel Mvalo is a Technical Manager at mHub, Malawi’s first technology and innovation hub located in Lilongwe. The hub plays an important role in the innovation ecosystem in Malawi as both a social enterprise and an important resource hub for other entrepreneurs in the country. The organization has facilitated over 1 million USD in financing to emerging entrepreneurs over 5 years creating more than 950 jobs and impacting over 5,000 people in diverse value chains. Daniel shared that the Malawi Social Impact Map helped mHub in different ways. Last year, mHub wanted to start a new initiative in the renewable energy sector. Using the network map, mHub was able to identify other organizations working in renewable energy that could be potential partners.
Tips for Using the Network Map on Pando
Both Daniel and Madalitso shared a few tips they have for organizations interested in joining Pando and using the Malawi Social Impact Map:
- Daniel shared that it is important to identify the right person who can represent your organization and manage your team’s Pando account. This should be someone who can update your organization’s contacts in Pando every two to three months.
- Madalitso urged map users to include every organization that you are currently working with in the map, not just your most important connections. Mapping your whole network helps you to discover where you have similar connections with others in the map, and will allow other organizations to learn about your network and how they might want to connect with you.
- Daniel also shared that when adding your contacts to the network, you can have Pando send them an email invitation to also join the network map and map their relationships. This is a great way to learn about your partners’ network. Daniel suggests that when you do this you also send your contacts a personal email, telling them about the map on Pando and that they will receive this invitation. This will help to encourage them to join. The more actors that join the map, the more everyone benefits.
- Finally, Daniel encouraged users not to get discouraged when using Pando. He acknowledged that, as a new technology, it can be daunting at first. However, he urged participants to keep trying and to contact Segal Family Foundation or Root Change when they need help.