THE MISSION OF AV COUNTRY DIRECTOR African Views Organization Presentation By: Wale Idris Ajibade, Director of Research and Strategy Email: wale.ajibade@africanviews.org | Tel: 646-226-0262 | Skype: Africanviews

An Overview of African Views Country Manager’s Roles and Functions. TABLE OF CONTENTS African Views Goals Services Management Country manager Country Director’s Mission Director’s Incentives Who Benefits? 5 Steps to success Your Vision Your Goal Progress Comment Achievement An Overview of African Views Country Manager’s Roles and Functions.

UNDERSTAND WHAT AFRICAN VIEWS (AV) IS. African Views (AV) is an independent (non-affiliated) US-registered non-profit Organization. We collect and disseminate information based on fair representation between African Views of the world and the world views of Africans. We also collaborate with public, private, independent and academic sectors to achieve improvement through new or recommended development programs and projects. We are students, seekers, civil activists, and professionals dedicated to fostering improvement in the quality of life in general, for the benefit of all peoples.

OUR MAIN GOALS (1.) to promote strategies for peace in the African and Diaspora communities in every country in the world. (2.) encourage ideas and actions to improve the conditions for human relations and healthy societal developments. We cannot keep applying the same strategy to resolve a growing set of problems and expect a different outcome. People can adapt but they will remain discontent. This explains the existing dichotomy of peace. AV breeds fresh ideas and innovations for productive change.

AFRICAN VIEWS SERVICES Our main distribution outlet is the AV framework. This is our website, which serves as an information clearing house, human communication and collaboration portal on issues that are important to Africans and the African Diaspora, as well as to the rest of the world. We serve the world public by: Providing free and open access to country demographics, comparative analysis on vital statistics, and other self-publishing and archived reports. Organizing seminars, conferences and peer interchange forums. Running African cultural exchange programs Promoting economic growth opportunities by facilitating project bids and development projects opportunities. Conducting public opinion polls and surveys. Offering Prints, Internet, TV and Radio programs on important AV affairs. We advocate the relevance of African studies in scientific and developmental faculties, and promote the awareness for societal improvement needs.

WHO MANAGES THE AV FRAMEWORK? African Views Organization manages the framework. It assembles and integrates cutting-edge web content management applications to facilitate information collection, archiving and self publishing, ease of access, and promotes communication and collaboration for societal development purposes. The Country managers/ directors (You!) are responsible for the contents, services and products that has anything to do directly with your country. Your country is your portfolio. Your performance is based on it.

WHAT IS A COUNTRY DIRECTOR? A Country Director (CD) or a Country manager (CM) is responsible for representing, leading, managing, and implementing African Views programs and agenda in the country they manage. CDs should also be familiar with African Issues in the country they reside. CD should have experience working on socially responsible programs or organization, and must be able to mentor and manage staff members and Volunteers. African Views Country Directors must be a citizen of the country they manage. Cross-cultural communication skills are critical.

THE MISSION OF AN AV COUNTRY DIRECTOR Responsible for leading and managing the successful implementation of the AV country program by: Fostering positive relationships with host country partners in public, private, independent and academic sectors, especially with young professionals, government officials and Student groups, civil society officials. Promoting host country objectively on AV by inspiring professionalism, camaraderie, cultural sensitivity, and commitment of people at the grass root level to contribute on AV. Managing Country’s content and make sure that it is properly updated and that your country is fairly and adequately represented. Motivating and guiding African Views Student Chapters in your country. Establishing systems to support the personal health, safety, and security of cultural exchange program participant from the international community. Sharing the vision for growth on your country The most important quality of CM/CD is to possess the 3Ds: Desire, Determination, Dedication

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU? Opportunity to make a difference on multiple levels of humanity. Outlet for your views, creativity, talent and values. Access to a wealth of useful and concentrated information, and a wider exposure of your work and value to a global audience. Opportunity to enhance your career, spiritual and personal growth Benefit by taking advantage of the African Views economic empowerment program: receive commission and broker fee on country product sales, due diligence, organizing conferences, and consultation fee on commercial projects. Opportunity to represent your country, and make sure that your people and country have a fair reputation in the world Access to Student Chapters support Benefit on a variety of opportunities presented by the African Cultural Exchange Programs Bring groups together to discover and create value. The continuous process of data gathering, evaluation effectiveness, and focusing research plans can help identify required intervention and emphasize knowledge developed in specific problem solving approaches, and duplicate efficiency and effectiveness of new initiatives.

WHO BENEFITS AND HOW? There are no restrictions on who benefits and how. The framework offers opportunity for the following groups: Global Public (All people in every society) Scholars And Faculty Members African Communities World Wide Communities And Societies Travel And Tourism Governments Institutions Private Sectors Public Sectors Registered Members And Unregistered Viewers (Audience And Contributors) There is no limit on how anyone can benefit from participating. There is also no way of knowing all the possible potentials because it is infinite and invaluable.

AV CM/CD’S FIVE STEPS TO SUCCESS Have a vision Set goals Build / motivate a team Monitor progress Achieve Do you remember the 3Ds?

In the beginning was the thought… WHAT IS YOUR VISION? A vision is simply an intelligent foresight. Imagine where you would like to see yourself, community, city, state, or country, in the world in the future. Imagine how this can be made possible. If you have a positive vision of your country’s place in the world, you have a place with African Views. In the beginning was the thought…

SET GOALS Country directors must identify specific goals that must be achieved to make the vision a reality. A goal must be specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic and time-bound. Make each goal a project. Be objective!

BUILD AND MOTIVATE A TEAM The first step in building a team is to locate where to find good people with fresh minds. African Views have strong desire to work with students, activists and professionals. Begin by searching for student groups in your country under Yahoogroups/MSN/Google groups, etc. Approach schools and reach out to your network and use all outreach avenues available to you. Raise awareness of the issue and show how it is possible to make a chance through the combination of multi-disciplinary approach and innovations. Build a team of people from your network, tell them about AV and the opportunity to participate in this project. Find people who want to make the vision and goals a reality. Motivate them!

If you do the small things right, the big picture will fall into place MONITOR PROGRESS Track progress Revise plans and goals as necessary Report your progress to AV HQ Ask for help If you do the small things right, the big picture will fall into place

COUNTRY DIRECTORS SHOULD: Study and use plan to set goals / timetables Form committees Periodically review goals / timetables Generate reports and compare accomplishments with reports Publish progress status, completed plans, and achievements on the AV framework so that your successes can be duplicated by another rookie or CM.

THE AV SUCCESS PLAN CM/CD can share ideas on how to meet goals CM/CD can set own goals CM/CD must outline strategies CM/CD Identifies resources in host country CM/CD can become board members CM/CD must consult AV HQ before moving ahead with programs or objectives. This is important to keep the consensus on the overall vision and ensure success.

ACHIEVE The ultimate goal of a country Director is to establish a self sustaining AV office(s) in host country - to run AV programs and affairs. Together we will strive to establish an African Cultural Exchange Institute in every country. Thank you for your time.