IRC is changing

In December, IRC Ghana became the first of our country offices to register a new, local, entity. And last November, we registered the new network in the Netherlands.  

More will follow. By the end of March this year we expect to have created three independent member organisations as the foundation of the new network: Ghana, the Netherlands and one other. More countries will follow as their specific contexts permit. And, because this is a true transformation, the network will be accompanied in the middle of the year by a new name and a new brand. 

These are important and exciting moments for IRC, our teams and partners. And in a divided world, it’s one more example of power shifting in the right direction: the same people, expertise and commitment, but now with leadership where it belongs. 

I asked four people central to the creation of new entities to share their thoughts.

Vida Duti, Director, IRC Ghana & Head of Strategy and Programme Quality: “It’s been the privilege of a lifetime to be part of this evolution. Over the next few weeks and months, country by country, those who understand their countries from the inside gain the formal authority to match the leadership they've already been providing to transform them.” 

Jan Sebel, member, supervisory board: “This is what we’ve already been moving towards – now we’re making it real. Our change of governance, new legal entity and rebrand will now truly reflect the strategic role we play as trusted advisors to nation builders and systems leaders driving change that transforms lives.” 

Koos Wieriks, member, supervisory board: “The signing was a special moment for me and for us all. We're proud of our Dutch roots and the water expertise built here over more than 50 years. That foundation of knowledge, relationships, and trust remains vital. But now it operates with greater global legitimacy. You realise that you’re establishing something that will build on that and have an effect for an equally long time in the future.” 

Wambui Gichuri, Chair of supervisory board: “The new structure means that our Dutch office will transform to being one more member of the network. And the new organisation that we registered in November will serve as a hub: a service provider collectively owned by our country members. That’s exciting and significant and will help us create a stronger organisation working to strengthen systems that serve people and deliver lasting public services.” 

Why are we changing? 

As the world changes, power shifts, nations evolve and climate, health and economic crises challenge us all – we’ve needed to evolve too. 

Towards investment that strengthens, rather than undermines, national systems in water and wider public services. Towards collective solutions and away from sector silos. Towards locally-led governance and systems that serve people. From now on, we don’t just serve the system in a country – we’re part of it. 

Over the past decade, we’ve questioned outdated models of aid. We’ve informed, influenced, and inspired leaders across essential public services. And we’ve mobilised across countries, working with governments and citizens to reimagine what sustainable development can look like. 

And, while we’re proud of what we and our partners have achieved, we continue to be confronted by the fact that two billion people still lack safe drinking water. Three and a half billion still lack adequate sanitation. Access to wider public services is still woefully unequal. We are convinced that those numbers can be changed – but it won't be through old models where northern organisations direct solutions from distant offices. They’ll change when nation builders put delivering them at the heart of local, national and Africa and Asia regional initiatives. And we will be there to support, locally-led entities building national systems, influencing policy at the highest levels, and mobilising resources across sectors. 

What’s changing? 

To deliver our organisational transformation, we’re making three important shifts in who we are, how we work, and what we stand for. 

Firstly, we’re evolving from a single NGO to a federation - a network - of member organisations in our focus countries, collaborating locally and globally. In the middle of the year, as we formally transition, I will be stepping down as CEO, and ownership and decision-making will shift to our Country Directors, supported by a secretariat that I will lead, as Secretary General of the Network, supported by Vida Duti, as Deputy Secretary General. 

In confirming her role, Vida said: “I’m honoured to take this role alongside Patrick and the other directors who will become CEOs of the new organisations in the network. Strong water, sanitation, and public service systems are the foundation for wellbeing and prosperity. For systems transformation to succeed, it needs to be locally led and globally connected, and our new federation will allow us to realise this.” 

Secondly, we’re moving from a sole focus on a single sector, to one of improving lives and building nations by working through and beyond water, sanitation and hygiene. We will work more actively and deeply with colleagues in health, education, climate, social justice, economic development and beyond. Our mission is to inform, influence and inspire decision makers to place lasting water, sanitation and hygiene services at the core of their priority commitments, policy and investment strategies. 

Thirdly, we’re growing our influence from being experts in water, sanitation and hygiene, to catalysts of systems leadership across essential public services. We’ll bring our insights and experience to tackle deep-rooted and interconnected problems, together. We will fully realise our role as trusted advisors to nation builders. 

We believe that the human right to safe water and sanitation will only be achieved when nation builders put it at the heart of their vision for local and national development. When, instead of seeing it as a fiscal drain they understand it as a fundamental building block to a modern nation - the lifeforce at the heart of economic and human development, part of a clean and sustainable future for all. Our evolution is making this possible. 

What does this mean for our partners and the people we work with? 

Because this is an evolution, in many ways, there will be no change. Our current colleagues and partners in governments, public services, the private sector and citizen organisations will experience the same people, expertise and commitment, but now with leadership where it belongs. 

Our new structure will in fact serve our partners and the world better, by combining our current skills and partnerships with new ways of driving transformative change. We’ll work with new partners across all those areas of influence: including those working in health, education, climate, social justice, economic development and beyond. 

We remain deeply grateful to everyone who’s helped us come this far. Like water finding its path, we’re adapting to this new terrain while maintaining our essential force. There will be further announcements in the coming weeks and months about our new network, its brand and name; with formal launches between now and the middle of the year. 

We look forward to working with you and keeping you informed as we adapt, to transform the lives of people, for the better, for all of us. 

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