Partnership is more than a transaction; it is a relationship rooted in trust, equity, and shared purpose.
This year, we took a significant step forward in our journey to reimagine partnerships by introducing the EU-CORD Partnership Survey. A collaborative effort, the survey has just gone live in five languages and invites responses from the civil society organisations that partner with our members.
Listening to Partners, Empowering Voices
Too often, discussions about partnerships are filtered through the lens of those holding greater institutional power. This survey takes a different path. Significant effort has gone into designing (and redesigning) questions that uncover the dynamics of collaboration while ensuring that equity—not power—forms the foundation of the dialogue. As we found during testing and consultation, this is not an easy task, and there is still much to learn.
Participating civil society organisations can confidently share their reflections on the partnership with the EU-CORD secretariat, which then analyses the data and shares anonymised feedback with both partners and EU-CORD members.
We’re happy to take on this role as it shifts us from an often theoretical discussion on ‘decolonisation’ or ‘shifting power’ into reality.
Faith and Partnership
For EU-CORD, this work is deeply informed by our shared faith: partnership is not about asserting dominance but walking together in humility and service. The Paul’s words to the Corinthians—“The body is not made up of one part but of many”—serve as a reminder that every organisation, regardless of location, size or resources, brings something essential to the table.
Looking Ahead
The survey is now in the hands of our partners, and we eagerly await their responses.
But beyond the data, what excites me most about this survey are the conversations it will ignite and the changes it has the potential to inspire.
If you’re an EU-CORD member and feel inspired by Cord, Dorcas, Help a Child, Woord en Daad, and Mission East’s commitment to this initiative, we invite you to join us! Contact the Secretariat to find out how your organisation can participate.
Photo credit: Photo by Andy Barbour: https://www.pexels.com/photo/person-checking-test-papers-6684372/
