Building New Governance Frameworks in Nigeria
Fejiro Nwoko is the general manager at Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund. A medical doctor with expertise in global health and a focus on social medicine, she not only has a deep understanding of the public health sector, but also is an accomplished executive. When she was tasked with leading a new startup organization, a friend recommended the Governing for Nonprofit Excellence—Virtual program at Harvard Business School Executive Education.
Why did you choose to attend Governing for Nonprofit Excellence–Virtual?
When I first joined Nigeria Solidarity Support Fund, I wanted to learn more about how to lead a sustainable and highly impactful nonprofit. So I began looking at executive programs across different schools. I wanted a flexible program that wouldn't take me away from the organization for too long and that would provide the frameworks for leading a startup. Governing for Nonprofit Excellence—Virtual seemed like the perfect fit for me.
What was your favorite part of the program?
The classroom discussions were fantastic. I felt as though I could get inside the mind of each faculty member and see how they facilitated every aspect of the conversation. As a leader, it's important to bring out the best in everyone involved. That's how you come up with a robust plan that is well thought out. So just seeing how the faculty navigated the discussion was amazing. This helped me see where I need to focus as a leader, and I also gained a deeper understanding of the importance of systems thinking.
What impact has the program had on the way you work?
I've started to develop a five-year strategic framework for the organization in terms of big-picture thinking, as well as a one-year work plan. When I came onboard, we didn't have that. We've conceptualized our theory of change, and we are currently drafting our monitoring and evaluation framework. With this full governance framework in place, anyone coming into the organization at any level can immediately understand our governance policies and goals.
What did you like most about the virtual aspect of the program?
Since the program was virtual, I didn't have to leave Nigeria, and I was able to balance my work and class time. My discussion group was fantastic. We were asked to chime in and not just type questions, so we were all very much involved in the discussion and with one another. The bond was so strong, and so is my network of contacts from the program.
What was one unexpected takeaway from the program?
Even though we may be living on different continents, the challenges we face in running a nonprofit organization are so similar. It was refreshing to hear people talk about how nonprofit organizations need to really think about the impact of what they are doing. I was shocked to learn how similar for-profits and nonprofits are in terms of how we operationalize culture and personnel. Now it's much easier for me to understand and interact with people in the for-profit space as well.