News The right time to listen is always now: 20 years of PFIM with Gerry McCarthy

For two decades, Gerry McCarthy has been travelling the world with his workshop "People First Impact Method" (PFIM) to convey a central principle: There is never a wrong moment to listen to people. PFIM is a method that guides participants to listen to those who stand to benefit from development cooperation. The aim is to find out which measures really make sense for the affected communities and how these can best be implemented.

The first PFIM workshop has now taken place in Togo, organised by the Urbis Foundation. In addition to our own team, 12 other associations took part in the workshop, including 11 active organisations from the Central region around Sokodé. The participating partner organisations included the CREUSET child protection centre, the Red Cross and the Mivo Energy solar association, each represented by a leading person.

As part of the workshop, people from vulnerable groups were visited to talk about their situation, problems and possible solutions. These included orphans, young people, prospective farmers and people with physical disabilities. The URBIS team and representatives of other NGOs took up and deepened the insights gained in further discussions with people from the community.

Through the People First Impact Method process, participants develop respect and trust for each other as well as the ability to listen openly and honestly. This is invaluable when it comes to creating effective and sustainable development co-operation.

Special thanks go to Gerry McCarthy for his excellent moderation, the INFTI computer school for making its rooms available to us and the Urbis Foundation preparation team for their excellent organisation.

Conclusion: Listening is the first step towards real change. PFIM shows that it is always the right time to listen - and that this ability is the key to sustainable success in development cooperation.