The African Palliative Care Association’s many years of impact in the development of palliative care in Africa has been attributed to many factors such as strong partnerships and strategic collaborations, as well as the unwavering commitment of funding partners over the years.
Another key factor is the management and staff who endeavor to deliver quality support to hospice and palliative care organisations, ministries of health and other agencies working to improve access to palliative care in African countries. As such, teambuilding is important at APCA and as usual, the staff recently held an annual teambuilding event in Kampala, sponsored by APCA partners who recognize the value of effective teams, and the fact that when co-workers know each other well, they are more effective in their work.
The event was an opportunity for team members who work remotely, like Eugene Rusanganwa, the project officer who is based in Kigali, Rwanda, to be together with others in person.
The 2-day programme was diverse, and started off with a brief revisit to the organisation’s strategic goals to see the extent of progress towards their attainment (or lack thereof), and a realignment of key activities to ensure they stay on track, guided by key indicators. They also carried out practical teambuilding activities that emphasized the importance of teamwork and coordination, and why everyone’s role matters for the success of the organisation. Human resource practitioners believe that people execute their solo projects better when they’re happy and well-connected at work.
“All work and no play make Chipo a dull girl” as the saying goes. The APCA team took some time out to have fun and games together including soccer, omweso, card games, scrabble, and birdwatching by the serene shores of Lake Victoria to help them to break the ice and provide a much-needed fresh perspective on both work and life. Such team-oriented events and activities help workplaces of all genres work better together and feel more engaged in their work.
The APCA management and staff appreciate the sponsors who made this essential activity possible.
“We are kicking off the new year with renewed passion for the essential work that we do, recognising that as a team, we are greater than the sum of our parts.” Said Dr. Emmanuel Luyirika, APCA Executive Director, at the end of the retreat.
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