My M&E Officer Hat

Pursuing a career in Community Development makes a lot of sense, but not enough young professionals from developing countries do so.

For me, the decision to join LETCEE, and the Monitoring and Evaluation field in particular, was based on a combination of personal and professional factors. Most of all, I find this work to be extremely valuable because it allows me to make an impact in my community, surround myself with motivated co-workers, and acquire a strong skill set to use throughout my life.

Having grown up in disadvantaged community, I understand the context in which Letcee works, and this allows me to add more value and have a greater impact for those we serve. I have a fair understanding of which challenges children in disadvantaged communities face. The problems that development organizations seek to address are enormous, which forces everyone to really step up.

Lastly, the type of work you do in a development organization is challenging, and the skills you gain are equally valuable to those you would learn in the private sector. In fact, you are likely to get even higher levels of responsibility right off the bat at an organization like Letcee, than you would in a private company. This has been my experience. One way I’ve been able to grow my skills is through capacity building opportunities from my organisation and the fieldwork that I do. I had very basic skills when I joined Letcee, but a few months down the line, I was given a challenging opportunity to manage the implementation of a project in one of the impoverished communities. This has been the best opportunity as I was able to discover some management and leadership skills I never thought I had…

Written by Lily Tendai Zulu