I became a trustee of Move The World almost 4 years ago, and currently in my second term of service. The experience has been incredibly valuable and my decision to offer to extend my term reflects the fact that the benefit has been two way. So, what has been my trustee journey.
The pivotal moment came in 2017 when I joined Move The World (MTW) as the Ghana Director after magically discovering MTW on Twitter (yes, Elon’s bird app). After following activities of the organisation for a few months, I found a recruitment ad for a Director position. I hastefully applied and no I didn’t have to wait long before hearing back. The recruiting process was very organized and prompt, which made me positive about my soon-to-be new place of work.
After working with the team and the Medie Community for nearly 2 years, I moved on to take up a new position with the German Development Cooperation in Ghana. By this time, I had seen colleagues and community members become family members because of the deep experiences we shared. I was very humbled to be considered for a Trustee position as I saw this a validation of some of the work that I had done earlier but also an opportunity to continue to actively belong and contribute to this amazing Organisation.
Making lifelong friends through a team experience is one of the greatest benefits of being part of a team. When you work closely with others towards a shared goal, you have the opportunity to form strong bonds and create meaningful connections that can last a lifetime. Both as a Director and as a Trustee, I had the opportunity to meet very great people who have achieved so much professionally but are also extremely good people. If there is one thing MTW is blessed with, it must be attracting good people. I have benefitted from the counsel and mentorship of local community members of Medie but also Team members of MTW.
As a charity trustee, I have had the privilege of working alongside dedicated and passionate
individuals who are committed to making a positive impact in their communities. Serving as a trustee has allowed me to contribute my skills and expertise towards a worthy cause, and to work collaboratively with a diverse group of individuals to achieve our shared goals.
My leadership journey has taken many unexpected turns over the years, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I was fortunate enough to directly work with Claire and Megan as my bosses during my time as a director. I observed and learned from the strategic thought process and “hands on” mentality of the duo. The founders created a culture of flat hierarchy in the organisation leading to growth opportunities and great office relationships. This fascinated me a lot considering the amount of work we got done as this was a bit of a deviation from what I had been exposed to at the time. I can say that these leadership lessons have shaped my mindset around leadership and has fundamentally changed the trajectory of my life and career. I am also constantly inspired by the resilience and dedication of the individuals and organizations that we work with. Despite the challenges that they may face (particularly during the height of COVID-19), they remain committed to their missions and are always seeking ways to improve and grow.
At MTW, we see ourselves more as Sailboats as opposed to speedboats. We focus more on long term sustainable impact and less of short-lived effect. Being a sailboat challenges us to avoid chasing after shiny objects but trusting in the cumulating power of baby steps over time.
One of the most rewarding aspects of being a charity trustee is seeing the impact of our work first- hand. Whether it’s through providing support and resources in the communities we work in, promoting awareness of important issues, or facilitating meaningful change within our communities, the work that we do as trustees has the power to make a real difference in peoples lives.
It has been a significant development opportunity for me. I think most people think about
Trusteeships as an opportunity to give back, and it certainly is that, but it is a practical process, you learn by doing it and the skills and competencies you develop as a result, in my opinion rival any development training I could have been offered.
Overall, serving as a charity trustee has been a truly fulfilling experience, and I would encourage anyone who is passionate about making a positive impact in their community to consider getting involved in this meaningful work.