ARROW is proud to be 20 years old and has grown from strength to strength since our founding as an organisation. We have managed two successful transitions of Executive Directors, while consistently maintaining organisational stability and programme effectiveness, which we know are not easy to achieve.

In ARK, we chose to focus on some of the key governance and management tools and resources that we have found useful in our own journey. We hope that from what we chose to share, you are able to gain some useful insight on what it has taken for ARROW to build our organisation, and what you might be able to put in place in your own organisational context.

If we were asked to summarise the main lessons learned which have contributed most to our effectiveness as an organisation over 20 years in eight key insights, we would say the following:

• Invest in process: If there is one thing ARROW never cuts corners on, it is process. We have understood from the very beginning the importance of committing to, and giving time for, all organisational processes to unfold in the most participatory and transparent manner. By process, we refer to all the steps that it takes for a group to come to understanding, agreements and decisions over any governance, organisational or programmatic matter in a way that creates a sense of belonging, inclusion, valuing and collective ownership.
• Document, document, document: We have found that the most effective way of ensuring that the organisation moves forward on its ideas, plans and decisions is to diligently document minutes, TORs and programmatic guidelines. ARROW has tried to put down on paper as much of its core values, policies, procedures, practices and key governance decisions as possible. Likewise, we have churned out volumes of internal monitoring and evaluation reports, both quarterly and annual, as a way of keeping careful tabs on progress of our strategic plan and commitments. We believe that there is no better way to preserve organisational memory, and to ensure the consistency, quality and effectiveness of our organisation.
• Bring in the right people: ARROW started with nothing but a real concern coupled with great people, passion and a good measure of pragmatism. To put our organisation together, we were meticulous about selecting and inviting into the organisation the most committed, competent and capable people, whether as members of our staff, the Board of Directors or the Programme Advisory Committee. We have understood that bringing in the best people takes time and effort, but tapping into the best they have to offer and valuing their contributions makes the difference in the organisation. ARROW has been able to grow the way it has because of the people that pour their energies and passions into realising the organisation's mission and vision.
• Believe in partnerships: ARROW's founders looked for partners even when ARROW was still an idea and not yet a reality. They understood then what we firmly believe now, that working in genuine partnership with other people and organisations is the most effective and sustainable way to influence national, regional and global agendas and advocate for lasting social change. Partnerships are like all other human relationships, and require a great deal of time, attention, intent listening and open dialogue to establish trust, mutuality and genuine collaboration.
• Anchor in core values: Although ARROW's full Code of Ethics was only written up some years ago, the organisation has operated from a strongly ethical base from its inception. Since ARROW's founders were rooted in the tradition of the feminist movement, core principles such as social justice, equality and participation were already operationalised in the governance and management practices of the organisation. Anchoring in a core set of agreed upon values has helped guide every aspect of ARROW, from our decision-making, policies and practices to the development and implementation of our strategic plan.
• Focus on real issues: ARROW made an important decision early on to focus its work on issues of women's SRHR. It was an area that the founders were deeply concerned about, but it was also where they could see a collective passion in the region for real socio-political injustices on the ground that needed to be addressed. The combination of collective passion and focus on real issues of concern has kept us all committed. We stay undeterred because we believe that the work we do makes a real difference.
• Understand organisation's role: As a regional organisation, ARROW defined its role as one of providing a joint platform for bringing together diverse individuals and partners who believe in our mission and vision, and in spurring leadership, towards pushing for an agenda that is defined by global South voices and evidence from the ground. We also see our role as joint facilitating and supporting, where needed, the advocacy agendas of national-level organisations. When it was founded, ARROW saw that there were many national organisations working on women's health issues, but no regional organisation playing a role in facilitating connections and creating channels of communication between organisations. We have refined our understanding of this regional role, and balanced needs and demands from inside and outside the organisation to directly take on regional and global advocacy. We have stayed solidly focused on our role as a regional organisation, supported in our clarity by the honest feedback provided by our national partners. We believe that this has been a vital source of our organisational strength.
• There's enough for everyone: Perhaps the most important of the beliefs that have contributed to our sustainability as an organisation is the belief that there is enough for everyone, and that we do not need to compete, hoard or distrust others' intentions. This is belied by the fact that at the very first PAC meeting, ARROW shared its proposals and budgets freely with its PAC members (many of whom they were meeting for the first time). ARROW believed strongly that ideas and information were to be widely disseminated, and that the more you shared, the more there was to share. As the international funding environment has gotten ever more competitive, and women's organisations seem to be pitted against each other for funding, ARROW confirmed in its fundraising policy that as a feminist organisation, it would not in any way seek to undercut other women's organisations, and would share freely of its insights, tools and resources. We believe that this open-handed and optimistic spirit has been central to our confidence and success as an organisation.