The Songui Manégré Association / Aid for Endogenous Development (ASMADE) was founded in 1994 in Burkina Faso by a group of development artisans. Among them was Juliette Compaoré, the current executive secretary. ASMADE's goal is to improve the living and working conditions of people in Burkina Faso. In June, it became the first organization to achieve Level 3 of the Ampli Label.
Can you remind us of the major steps taken before obtaining the label?
As soon as the first call for Label Ampli applications was announced in December 2020, keen to continuously improve our organization's performance, I seized this opportunity to present this opportunity offered by Equipop to the board of directors. The NGO's management committee (CA) gave its approval. After reviewing the submission process and the eligibility criteria for ADS member organizations, ASMADE opted for level 3 out of the three levels of Label classification. After submitting the application form, ASMADE set about preparing all the required documentation, gathering evidence and proof in relation to the list of evidence to be provided for the Level 3 criteria. From May 17 to 21, 2021, we welcomed the evaluation committee to the ASMADE headquarters in Ouagadougou.
What has changed within your organization since certification?
We received the evaluation committee's results by email. We are the first organization to achieve Level 3 of the Ampli Label. We have implemented several measures since receiving the label. First, we appointed an internal auditor whose responsibilities include monitoring the implementation of recommendations made during micro-evaluations of partners. The label is promoted by displaying it on all our official communication materials. It was also presented at the NGO's general assembly. We are also seeing increasing recognition within the organization of the role of the organizational development manager. Issues relating to organizational improvement are now regularly included on the agenda of board meetings. Several of our partners appreciate our procedures, which are continuously improving as they adapt to changes in the structure.
Would you recommend the quality approach?
Yes. Because of the quality of the investigation process and the assessment of criteria based on evidence. The process also enables organizations to strengthen themselves and become aware of the need to continuously improve their own approaches and interventions. This makes interventions more effective and enables organizations to become stronger, more dynamic structures that drive change.
How can you promote certification to your partners and lenders?
The label appears on all our documents, demonstrating our commitment to continuous improvement. It lends credibility to our procedures and our organization in the eyes of our partners and our target audiences. The label commits us to continuing and maintaining our efforts to improve quality. ASMADE is a learning organization that is making progress thanks to the Label ampli. Through the label, we convey the following message to our partners: Join us in our knowledge management approach, which is committed, supported, and recognized by the Label ampli.
