"Every
single day, Nigeria loses about 2,300 under-five year olds and 145 women of
childbearing age. This makes the country the second largest contributor to the
under–five and maternal mortality rate in the world".- UNICEF
Women,
newborns and young children continue to die in Nigeria because of the failure of the society to address their
situation. The time is right for a change to save the lives of our mothers and
children. Although analyses of recent trends show that the Nigeria is making
progress the pace still
remains too slow to achieve the Millennium Development Goals of reducing child and maternal mortality and ensuring universal access to reproductive health by 2015. This is where Champions for Change comes to play
About Champions
for Change- Nigeria
Champions for Change empower Nigerian leaders and organizations to improve reproductive,
maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) through advocacy, education,
storytelling, and strategic partnerships. Champions for Change (C4C) leverages
a program model developed by its sister initiative, Let Girls Lead, which has
contributed to improved health, education and livelihoods for more than 3
million girls globally since 2009. C4C and Let Girls Lead's model drives change
through the passage of national laws, implementation of programs, and
distribution of funds to save the lives of women, newborns, and children,
protect girls from violence, and ensure access to quality healthcare,
education, and economic opportunity. C4C and Let Girls Lead are based at the
Public Health Institute, a leader in global health and development for over 30
years.
Call For Applications
This
innovative initiative is building a movement to improve RMNCH outcomes, while
enhancing the ability of participating organizations to advance change for
mothers, newborns, children, and families in Nigeria. Participation in C4C
confers a wide range of benefits for selected leaders and organizations, and
requires the full commitment and engagement of individual and organizational
participants. Organizations
selected for Champions for Change Nigeria commit to participate in an intensive
and transformational 18-month RMNCH advocacy capacity building and
organizational strengthening program. Qualifying organizations must complete a
competitive written application and in-person interview prior to selection for
C4C. To be eligible to participate in C4C, organizations must fulfill the
selection criteria listed at the end of this document, as well as nominate at
least two qualifying staff members to participate in C4C on the organization’s
behalf.
Benefits
for Participating Leaders & Organizations include:
·
Participation of two senior or mid-career leaders per organization in C4C’s
Champions Series & Advocacy Labs, a sequence of three intensive 5-day
workshops and targeted 2-day trainings. Participants will strengthen their
existing expertise to learn effective strategies for RMNCH advocacy at the
local, state, and national levels in Nigeria, develop innovative advocacy
campaigns, and gain skills in organizational effectiveness and leadership.
·
Access to RMNCH advocacy funding and resources for effective advocacy campaign
implementation. Organizations selected for C4C are eligible to participate in a
competitive RFP process with a total of over $500,000 available in RMNCH
advocacy funding.
·
Tailored leadership support through individualized executive coaching,
professional development, and technical assistance for participating leaders
and their organizations.
·
Increased visibility and enhanced opportunities for collaboration through
membership in C4C’s existing global network of over 100 Champions and advocates.
·
Advance access to dedicated tools and resources, including C4C’s field-tested
advocacy curriculum, policy briefs, case studies, and video advocacy resources.
Requirements for
Participating Leaders & Organizations include:
· Demonstrated
organizational capacity and commitment to improving RMNCH outcomes in Nigeria.
· Approval of
organizational and individual participation by the institution’s Board of
Directors.
· Full participation in
all C4C events as scheduled, including a total 21 days of capacity building
workshops in Abuja, Nigeria between June 2014 and December 2015.
· Completion of in-depth
organizational assessments and participation in monitoring site visits by C4C
staff and evaluators.
Champions for Change
Selection Criteria
Organization Participation
Criteria
To be eligible for C4C,
applicant organizations must meet the following selection criteria:
· Legally registered as a
non-governmental organization with the Government of Nigeria
· Governed by a Board of
Directors or other formal management structure
· Employ at least three
full time staff members
· Demonstrated commitment
to leading social change and at least five years of experience in one of the
following fields:
· Reproductive Maternal
Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH)
· Sexual and Reproductive
Health and Rights (SRHR)
· Public policy, advocacy,
and outreach
· Media and communications
· Community mobilization
and development
· Related fields
Staff Participation
Criteria
To be eligible for C4C,
staff nominated by the applicant organization must meet the following selection
criteria:
· Leaders between the ages
of 18-65 (at least two per organization)
· Legal residents of
Nigeria (Nigerian nationals strongly preferred)
· Support from the
nominating organization to participate fully in all C4C activities between June
2014-December 2015
· Full time employment
status with the nominating organization
· Commitment to social
change and at least five years of experience in one of the following fields:
· Reproductive Maternal
Newborn and Child Health (RMNCH)
· Sexual and Reproductive
Health and Rights (SRHR)
· Public policy, advocacy,
and outreach
· Media and communications
· Community mobilization
and development
· Related fields
For more
information about Champions for Change, please visit www.championingchange.org,
and/or contact Rufaro Kangai, Program Manager of C4C, at rkangai@phi.org. or
Theresa Kaka Effa, Nigeria Country Coordinator of C4C, at c4cnigeria@gmail.com.
Further information and
application materials for interested organizations are available for
download at www.championingchange.org
The C4C application
deadline is Friday, April 4th, 2014. A team of C4C interviewers will be in
Nigeria in late April, 2014 to interview selected candidates.
