Our work is guided by a five year Strategic Plan. Our Strategic Plan for 2017 to 2021 was developed in 2016 with input from all PSAf staff and board members, as well as representatives of donors and implementing partners, and implementation started in January 2017. The Strategic Plan is the blueprint for all PSAf programming, providing a framework for the development of the Annual Programme of Work and Budget (POWB), as well as guiding the design and implementation of all projects and activities.
The Highlights of the PSAf Strategic Plan for 2017 to 2021 are as follows:
Vision: A Southern Africa Community that owns and drives its development
Mission: To amplify the voices of the poor and marginalised communities in driving their development processes.
Thematic Focus
The new Strategic Plan for 2017 to 2021 responds to the global development agenda, and is centered on four thematic areas, as follows:
Theme 1: Media Development and ICTs programme: For information to be effectively used to drive development, there is need for increased availability and access to media and communication platforms by the most affected and most vulnerable groups. In that regard, PSAf’s goal under this thematic programme is to increase access to development information by the poor and marginalized communities in Southern Africa. The specific objectives under the Media Development and ICTs programme are as follows:
- To increase media coverage of diverse development issues in Southern Africa
- To transform media into platforms for informed debate and discussion
- To increase access to development information and communication by the poor and marginalized communities
Theme 2: Public Health Programme: PSAf holds a view that poor health is one of the most important developmental problems affecting Southern Africa’s development today. Therefore, our goal in the Public Health Programme is to advocate for equitable access to health services, and influence equity and accountability in the health policies, health programmes and health delivery mechanisms. The Public Health programme is addressing the following objectives:
- To promote community participation in improving health delivery systems in southern Africa by 2021
- To ensure effective communication for equitable access to health care and services in southern Africa by 2021
- To empower communities to promote healthy lifestyles in southern Africa by 2021
- To enhance the capacity of media to report on health issues in southern Africa by 2021
Theme 3: Environment and natural resources management: The sustainable management of the environment and natural resources is a key aspect of livelihoods in Southern Africa, as most citizens in the region earn their livelihood through the exploitation of the environment and natural resources.This programme therefore seeks to promote good governance in Environment and Natural Resources Management in Southern Africa. Under the ENRM programme, PSAf is addressing the following objectives:
- To strengthen community participation in fostering sustainable environment and natural resources management in Southern Africa by 2021
- To raise the profile of strategic environmental issues in southern Africa to influence policy and programming responses by 2021
- To foster accountability and transparency in environment and natural resources management in Southern Africa by 2021
Theme 4: Good Governance and Democracy: Through the Good Governance and Democracy Programme PSAf empowers the poor and marginalised or socially excluded communities in Southern Africa to play a key role in fostering good governance. The goal of this programme is to increase citizen participation in fostering good governance processes. To this effect, PSAf will work on addressing the following objectives:
- To strengthen citizens’ demand for transparency and accountability in the management of public resources
- To promote citizens participation in democratic electoral processes
- To promote citizen participation in advancing regional integration
PSAf’s Approach
The new Strategic Plan is established on the ability of information and communication to empower people with knowledge and platforms for effectvie participation in fostering development processes. In this regard, the PSAf theory of change for the Strategic Plan is built around the following:
- Capacity Building of communities in knowledge and skills to influence decision-making
- Creation of an enabling environment for participation
- Facilitation of actual participation in development processes:
Geographical Focus
PSAf is implementing its Strategic Plan in 10 countries in Southern Africa, namely: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
As we roll out this plan, it is our hope that you, our important stakeholders, will continue to support our quest to amplify voices of the poor and marginalised, to contribute to a Southern Africa that drives its own development agenda.
Download our Strategic Plan for 2017 to 2021 below