Together with SAMEA (the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association), we recently gathered to celebrate two milestone anniversaries, ours of 25 years at Southern Hemisphere, and theirs at 20 years. It was fitting that this was a joint celebration as Southern Hemisphere and SAMEA have a shared history, a shared vision to build capacity and professionalism, and both have an activist value system.

Over 80 people gathered in Cape Town to talk about the power of evidence in strengthening democracy and social justice, then and now. It was a morning full of connection, community and of inspiration and it is difficult to encompass all that was shared but we wanted to mark this momentous occasion with a reflection on the day.

25 years of paving the path

First Dena spoke, she shared that as a 29 year old and living in South Africa at the dawn of democracy, she didn’t know exactly what was needed but that she did know that we had skills and the passion to help and that it was our duty to do so. From a tiny team of two, the Southern Hemisphere has grown to a team of over 20 and is a respected provider of both technical skills and human development.

Southern Hemisphere has forged a pioneering path and has a lot of “firsts” along the way. 

  • We were involved in the first South African National Evaluation Framework (with keynote speaker Ian Goldman).
  • We were one of the first South African companies to offer M&E professional development training.
  • Mark, our Senior Associate, was one of the founding members of SAMEA.
  • We did the first research on the effects of COVID on children in South Africa (with Christina Nomdo, another keynote speaker).
  • As one of the first to start an evaluation internship programme, we are proud to have mentored and grown so many leaders in the MEL space and even more delighted that our first intern, now leading M&E in a provincial department, joined the breakfast to celebrate with us, Gail Smith

Core to the work that Southern Hemisphere does is the culture of learning and innovating, much has changed in the M&E world in 25 years in terms of practices and technology but what hasn’t changed is Southern Hemisphere’s clear purpose to support and inspire those leading social change, in South Africa, across the continent, and around the world. 

Dena, evoked the words of Madiba when she acknowledged that as far as the team has walked, there cannot be rest as there is a lot of work to be done.

 “I have walked that long road to freedom. I have tried not to falter; I have made missteps along the way. But I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds that there are many more hills to climb. I have taken a moment here to rest, to steal a view of the glorious vista that surrounds me, to look back on the distance I have come. But I can only rest for a moment, for with freedom come responsibilities, and I dare not linger, for my long walk is not ended.”

Partners in professionalism and capacity building

Every industry needs a professional body, beyond the capacitation and professional skills development, SAMEA has been the organisation that holds together the community and builds for the future through the SAMEA Young Emerging Evaluators programme. 

SAMEA’s Chair, Jen Norins acknowledged the association’s 20-year history and its mission to professionalize M&E through capacity building and advocacy. Jen  commended Southern Hemisphere for 25 years of practice and praised them as a pioneering “big sister” committed to inclusive, activist evaluation practice.

Shared yet different visions for M&E

It would not have been a Southern Hemisphere gathering if there had not been an interactive exercise artfully led by Brilliant and Sheridan-Lee. Around the room were pictures of animals as diverse as a porcupine and a goat. Attendees gathered under the animal that they felt best represented the role of evaluation. For instance, the porcupine was chosen by one group to represent evaluation’s need for defense and rigour, while others chose the goat for its agility and ability to climb difficult terrain. This demonstrated very well that even in a room of people who share an understanding, diverse perspectives have value.It also showed how learning can happen through laughter and how community builds through working together.

A time to mobilise

Ian Goldman spoke of the need for urgent change in the wake of the polycrisis. What is demanded of evaluators almost above everything else is to ask fundamental questions so that the paradigms and frameworks that we operate in, are challenged.

He spoke of the need to be agile and to create an evaluative practice as opposed to a once-off, lengthy evaluation. Organisations need to have the motivation to use evidence, the capability to generate evidence and the opportunity to use evidence. This resonates deeply with us, at Southern Hemisphere as our organisation has always focused on both inspiring organisations and developing the core skills internally to take the work forward.

Ian’s message was both inspiring and clear, the problems of the world will not be solved by politicians, nor by billionaires but by social mobilisation. He left the room with a challenge to mobilise and join a movement.

Including the future

Christina Nomdo, South Africa’s first Children’s Commissioner and now leading the Child Centred Academy issued a challenge of her own. Include children and youth in governing and in government and in all of the areas that have impact on them. She has laid the bedrock for the Western Cape Commissioner for Children to ensure that this important group is not excluded from decisions that impact their future. She envisions a future where the Children’s NDP (National Development Plan), first overseen by herself, becomes both expected and commonplace.

She echoed Ian’s passionate plea that M&E practitioners should deal with root causes and not only symptoms. Her desire is that an evaluative lens is built into the system itself and that leaders become champions for learning and adaption in their organisations

A final word from the youth and from afar

To wrap up Natefo Mothupi, a MERL practitioner at Southern Hemisphere inspired us with her talk of the catalytic nature of evaluation and the importance of investing in the youth, especially in Africa as Africa blooms with youth. Youth have the fire to change (the activism) and together with rigour and structure (systems and processes), developmental change is possible

And just to show how far we’ve all come, Candice Morkel, head of IPDET, via video message spoke about the importance of global reach and the impact of South Africa around the world.

To the next 25!

What we do know is that social movements and agile, people-first organisations will lead the very necessary change. We left with inspiration, learning, camaraderie, and the knowledge that this incredible community will walk the path together. 

A special thank you to our partners, including SAMEA, and our keynote speakers, Ian Goldman and Christina Nomdo, for making this celebration memorable and meaningful.