HCP Partner Planning Workshops in Ghana and Ethiopia

As the Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) continues to meet programmatic targets for 2018, planning has already begun for 2019. HCP Staffers, Chief of Technology and Procurement, William Shields; Chief of Program Administration, Pamela Clapp; and Program Manager, Leahy Winter; met with HCP Partners from Ghana and Ethiopia for seperate Partner Planning Workshops in Koforidua, Ghana and Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, respectively, to discuss programmatic needs for the coming year.

Multiple objectives were set for the workshops: to harmonize the expectations of HCP and our partners in Ghana and Ethiopia, so we work together as efficiently as possible; to provide a forum for our partners to share their challenges, opportunities, suggestions and lessons learned; and to strengthen our connections with other academic institutions and NGOs. As HCP continues to broaden efforts in Ghana and Ethiopia, ever expanding our collaboration with our partners strengthens our collective work and helps us accomplish far more than we would alone.

At each of the workshops, HCP presented its history in the country, asked partners to brief the group on their own accomplishments and challenges, future plans with breakout sessions to coordinate their efforts with their institutions in their region and review their 2019 plans with HCP staff.

“These two weeks of face-to-face time with our implementing partners have been extremely valuable in terms of planning for the coming year. The workshops not only allowed HCP to assess the needs and goals of our partner institutions, but they encouraged partners to coordinate their efforts with one another to bring the highest quality care to the greatest number of patients. We have big plans for 2019 and could not do what we do without the enthusiasm and dedication of our implementing partners!”

- HCP Program Manager, Leahy Winter