The First TtF in Namibia

The ‘Preventing Electoral Violence in the SADC region’ project, PEV-SADC (www.pev-sadc.eu) delivered a BRIDGE Train the Facilitator (TtF) Workshop in Windhoek, Namibia from 25 November to 6 December 2013.

The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the European Centre for Electoral Support ECES, (www.eces.eu), the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa, EISA (www.eisa.co.za), and the Southern African Development Community – Election Support Network, SADC-ESN (www.sadc-esn.org).

The TtF was opened by the European Union Head of Section & Human rights Focal Point, Ms. Zuzana Beranova, NANGOF TRUST Executive Director, Ivin Lombardt, and ECES representative, Eliane Torres. The speeches emphasized that this workshop was the first BRIDGE event in Namibia and the hope to create a pool of BRIDGE national facilitators was conveyed.

The team of accrediting facilitators, Eliane Torres and Ljupka Guguchevska, provided dynamic and effective guidance and directions to the participants to develop theirs skills in facilitation in accordance with the BRIDGE methodology.

During the TtF, participants grow to endorse and embrace BRIDGE. Positive feedback and activities exercises were at the core of the workshop to develop BRIDGE facilitation skills. The participants were always committed and active contributors in every activity towards a continuous evolution of their facilitation skills.

By the end of the workshop, progress was evident and BRIDGE methodology was fully applied by all participants. In their evaluation, participants shared the following statements:
‘’ I fell in love with BRIDGE”
‘’ BRIDGE TtF is not only about trainings skills, it is also about human development”
‘’ During the workshop, I felt the facilitators and BRIDGE impact on me”
‘’ Learning and evolving with each other was really fulfilling”

The EU Representative, Ms. Zuzana Beranova and NANGOF TRUST Executive Director, Ivin Lombardt enriched the closing remarks by congratulating the first Namibian BRIDGE semi-accredited. The joyful certificate ceremony ended with the wish of seeing more BRIDGE trainings in Namibia with the support of the PEV-SADC project.
 
For a glance, here below a short video summarizing this unique and joyful training:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tf9dNqbWLtc&feature=youtu.be