Okomela
\oh-koh-meh-lah\ •
Setswana
to look or peek in
We invite you to look beyond the surface
KOMELA is a black women-led consultancy collective that seeks to disrupt and re-imagine traditional Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) practices in philanthropy and international development. We look beyond how things have traditionally been done in MERL, to question, ideate, design and build in search for deeper, more meaningful learning.
Okomela
\oh-koh-meh-lah\ •
Setswana
to look or peek in
KOMELA is a black women-led consultancy collective that seeks to disrupt and re-imagine traditional Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) practices in philanthropy and international development. We look beyond how things have traditionally been done in MERL, to question, ideate, design and build in search for deeper, more meaningful learning.
Workshops and coaching on feminist approaches to MERL: we provide accompaniment to support practitioners, teams and organizations in their journey of rethinking traditional MERL approaches. We clarify what feminist, participatory and non traditional approaches to MERL mean in theory and in practice, and what it can look like for your organization.
GROUNDING
Designing MERL frameworks, strategies and plans: we lead you through a process of rethinking your approach to MERL. This includes defining and refining your Theory of Change, designing data collection & analysis tools and processes, as well as planting seeds for a strong learning culture within your organization.
RETHINKING
OUR OFFERING
Data collection, analysis and sensemaking: we collect data in its many forms, use mixed methods to analyze findings, and facilitate collective sensemaking processes. We do this for mapping exercises, needs assessments, evaluations, research projects and more.
WEAVING
Workshops and coaching on feminist approaches to MERL: we provide accompaniment to support practitioners, teams and organizations in their journey of rethinking traditional MERL approaches. We clarify what feminist, participatory and non traditional approaches to MERL mean in theory and in practice, and what it can look like for your organization.
GROUNDING
Designing MERL frameworks, strategies and plans: we lead you through a process of rethinking your approach to MERL. This includes defining and refining your Theory of Change, designing data collection & analysis tools and processes, as well as planting seeds for a strong learning culture within your organization.
RETHINKING
Data collection, analysis and sensemaking: we collect data in its many forms, use mixed methods to analyze findings, and facilitate collective sensemaking processes. We do this for mapping exercises, needs assessments, evaluations, research projects and more.
WEAVING
OUR OFFERING
OUR VALUES
We see learning as the core aim of our work. In a sector that aims to address complex multifactorial social issues, we believe in building MERL systems and practices that create space for continuous learning on not just narrow sets of performance indicators, but also processes, challenges and “failures”.
LEARNING
We recognize that MERL has often been seen as inaccessible, burdensome and overly technical.
We aim to design MERL systems that are simple, useful and add real-value to changemakers and advocates fighting for more just worlds. Joy is a form of resistance, and sustains our hope for radical social change.
JOY
Traditionally in philanthropy and international development, evaluation exercises and success indicators have been defined by donor priorities often far removed from the work. We aim to reimagine MERL systems, so that they are rooted in and prioritize community needs, and that generate insights and learnings that are relevant to changemakers and the communities they live and work with/in.
COMMUNITY
We acknowledge that MERL practices in philanthropy and international development have tended to be top-down, compliance focused exercises. In our rethinking of MERL systems and practices, we place trust-building at the center of our approach, both with partners and in the systems we co-design.
TRUST
We acknowledge that MERL practices in philanthropy and international development have tended to be top-down, compliance focused exercises. In our rethinking of MERL systems and practices, we place trust-building at the center of our approach, both with partners and in the systems we co-design.
We see learning as the core aim of our work. In a sector that aims to address complex multifactorial social issues, we believe in building MERL systems and practices that create space for continuous learning on not just narrow sets of performance indicators, but also processes, challenges and “failures”.
Traditionally in philanthropy and international development, evaluation exercises and success indicators have been defined by donor priorities often far removed from the work. We aim to reimagine MERL systems, so that they are rooted in and prioritize community needs, and that generate insights and learnings that are relevant to changemakers and the communities they live and work with/in.
We recognize that MERL has often been seen as inaccessible, burdensome and overly technical.
OUR VALUES
We aim to design MERL systems that are simple, useful and add real-value to changemakers and advocates fighting for more just worlds. Joy is a form of resistance, and sustains our hope for radical social change.
is a learning practitioner and advocate with over 25 years of experience in health, gender, human rights, and philanthropy. She was the MEL technical lead supporting feminist funds in establishing and strengthening their institutional MEL capacities. She was one of the pioneers of the Prospera - INWF Community of Practice (CoP), created to expand understanding and practice of feminist monitoring, evaluation, and learning for women and feminist funds. Read More
is a feminist researcher and monitoring, evaluation & learning (MEL) practitioner from Botswana. For the past decade she has worked with organisations focused on girls and women's rights; a majority of that time has been spent with institutions that fund girls and young feminists as well as their allies across the world, such as FRIDA | The Young Feminist Fund, Purposeful and Girls First Fund. Read More
OUR TEAM
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is a seasoned professional specializing in development, impact evaluation, and research management, accumulating more than a decade of experience in program implementation, evaluation, and research. With an impressive track record, she has spearheaded and collaborated on over 40 research and development initiatives spanning Africa's public, international development, and humanitarian sectors. Read More
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CONTACT
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We’d like to acknowledge the amazing African women creatives who have accompanied us on this journey:
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Sandra Kasaby: Branding and Strategy
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Noella H: Visual Brand Identity Design
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Sampa Nakamba: Website Design
CONTACT US
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We’d like to acknowledge the amazing African women creatives who have accompanied us on this journey:
-
Sandra Kasaby: Branding and Strategy
-
Noella H: Visual Brand Identity design
-
Sampa Nakamba: Website Design
is a monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) practitioner with experience and passion for designing participatory and community-centered MEL systems and processes. She brings experience working and consulting with a range of philanthropic and international development actors, including the Equality Fund, CARE, and the African Development Bank Group. This work has involved building MEL systems, designing data collection tools, research and analysis, and facilitating and institutionalizing learning spaces. Read More
is a professional with over 16 years’ experience designing, implementing, and evaluating programs and projects. She has worked in the areas of safeguarding, gender, girl and youth engagement, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and most recently in aid localization. She has worked for several development and humanitarian actors including Oxfam, Plan International, the United Nations and Girl Effect. Read More
