In talking with OWA groups in Africa and Asia, I’m learning about a culture of dictatorship at OWA.
OWA holds 15 to 20+ meetings annually with grantees, excluding campaign meetings, mentorship, and trainings, in addition to 2 narrative reports each year. It has to be unacceptable even if you’re brandishing it as collaboration.
OWA grantees in these regions are recently required to submit “regular written updates regarding engagement with the companies”
Over 30 groups from Asia and Africa are in the alliance, serving 78% of the world population and over 60% of farmed chicken. OWA has only three staff to support groups in the regions. The job titles of some of the staff are “regional leads”. I think that is insufficient if they’re building a movement in these regions, but sufficient if they’re passing over requests from the West.
OWA seeks to control the specific companies that groups campaign against. In a recent webinar to OWA members on “Focus Local, Impact Global,” they pitched to groups to leave Western companies operating in their countries and target local competitors.
I discovered these facts while researching OWA and attending their recent global summit. I haven't shared this feedback with the OWA team before this post, as they don’t have a public anonymous feedback form.
In talking with OWA groups in Africa and Asia, I’m learning about a culture of dictatorship at OWA.
I discovered these facts while researching OWA and attending their recent global summit. I haven't shared this feedback with the OWA team before this post, as they don’t have a public anonymous feedback form.