Women organizing women - 'doing it backwards and in high heels'
Stewart, S.; Taylor, J.
IDS Bulletin 26(3): 79-85
1995
ISSN/ISBN: 0265-5012 Document Number: 531283
The paper looks at the formative stages of a Zimbabwean NGO, the Musasa Project. The process of arriving at a particular organizational model is examined. Particular attention is paid to two aspects of this process: (i) problems experienced in an organization run by women for women, in particular, the issue of gendered 'dis-ease' in the public sphere of work and how it affects performance, and (ii) the impact of increased external funding on the organizational model and on the relative importance of members of the organization. The final section of the paper poses questions about 'scaling-up' of NGOs, how it can affect organizational priorities, and how the accompanying 'professionalization' can marginalize less well-educated staff. A model of scaling-up is proposed which, by setting up structures to enhance the 'voice' of the constituency, ensures that their views continue to be heard.