2012 has been a strategic and positive year for us. I say this almost in an apologetic tone, as it has also been the year with the highest unemployment rate in the history of Spain, the year that threatened the European social cohesion, and a year where we missed once again the opportunity to achieve progress towards the sustainability and poverty eradication agenda (COP18 failure, Syria war, inequality and poverty still increasing in many regions of the world).
But for our Centro de Alianzas para el Desarrollo, it has actually been a good year for many reasons.
In terms of project implementation, we have managed to sign new contracts with UNDP, GIZ, IFC, IADB, World Bank and UNICEF, promoting initiatives on climate change management, energy efficiency, green economy, partnerships for development and business innovation for young entrepreneurs. Additionally, we have won for the first time contracts with UNFPA, UNESCO, CAF and UNCRD, so our project implementation practices in Africa, Latin America and Asia has been expanding. Biggest highlight has been winning the lead of the IADB project to help the Government of Trinidad & Tobago promote a sustainable transition towards a more renewable and energy efficiency economy.
In terms of knowledge transfer and knowledge generation, the use of our Partnership Matrix Strategic Tool (PMST) by clients has been increasing broadly; we are in the process of creating an online BOP Self-Diagnosis Strategic Tool and an online capacity building platform for microfinance institutions in Central America; and have increased our number of webinars and e-learning modules for clients. Also, thanks to the leadership of Stuart Hart and Andrea Shpak, the BOP Global Network has received funding from Natura to develop an exciting three-year innovation platform for inclusive business (launched in Brazil last November), and lead by the Endeva team, the BoP European Network had a successful meeting in Berlin integrating know-how in more synergic ways.
Furthermore, with CAD Productions we have just finished our latest documentary “Akiyaya” featuring the lives of African entrepreneurs and their daily struggle to succeed (will be very shortly distributed); and just signed a new contract with the World Bank to film a new documentary in Chad, Central African Republic and Cameroon to document how the lack of infrastructure between borders is jeopardizing trade and economic development in the region.
Of course all this would have not been possible without a growing team of professionals and during 2012, we have been lucky to engage Thomas Petit, Julia Perez, Lauren Mia-Britton and Rafael Moya to the team, as well as opened offices in Tunisia, Trinidad & Tobago and Washington DC.
As it normally happens in development consulting, success depends a lot of who you partner with in strategic consortiums, and thus we also celebrate having been able to work in winning projects with great partners such as LKS of Grupo Mondragon, Projekt Consult, Planet Finance, Technical and Practical Assistance to Development (TPAD) in Tunisia, The Tiger Nest Productions, IBLF-The Partnering Initiative, Enterprise for a Sustainable World (ESW) and Global Social Impact (GSI), and The AtKisson Group, among others. We really look forward to expand our network of partners in 2013 and continue to generate impact on development goals together.
But I have to say that the biggest highlight for my 2012 has not been so much on the professional but on the personal side. 2012 has actually been the year I got married, and by far, this is the most exciting and promising project I have ever embarked on, so only for that, it’s a good year to celebrate.