Collective Impact and the Colliding Systems of Philanthropy

What is it about?

Through the life of Lamisi Seidu, a typical, poor, rural Ghanaian woman, we tell the symbolic story of poor women living in rural, peri-urban, and urban areas all over the world. Lamisi and women like her live at the interface of what the United Nations and others call the dimensions of human security: economic, food, health, educational, environmental, community, political, and personal. The story of Lamisi is a classic example of a wicked problem, where conflicting issues emerge, creating a complex web of interdependencies that negate a simple solution. This further complicates how impact is seen, assessed and measured.

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Photo by Amevi Wisdom on Unsplash

Photo by Amevi Wisdom on Unsplash

Why is it important?

Storytelling is a powerful research method and aids the development of personal resilience and provides opportunities to celebrate the hardiness of research participants who contribute to knowledge by recounting their stories of difficulty and adversity. Collective impact seeks to address long-standing societal problems (wicked problems) that have been stubbornly persistent despite decades of effort and billions of dollars spent. We have discussed numerous issues with implementing a successful collective impact initiative, including roadblocks and hurdles in building systems that address the five core criteria of collective impact: a common agenda, shared measurement systems, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous communication, and backbone support organisations. These

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