By late March 2018, civil society organisations (CSOs) in West Africa, and particularly in Ghana, were facing a severe financial pinch. Despite an improving regional economy, international donors were increasingly shifting their funding away to regions where they perceived a greater need. In response to this shifting landscape, Nana Asantewa Afadzinu, the executive director of the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI), maintained that the institute’s work remained as critical as ever. Ahead of a board meeting to finalize the organization’s 2018–2022 strategy, Afadzinu found herself evaluating whether WACSI’s ongoing efforts to diversify its donor base, generate internal income, and strengthen its long-term financial and operational sustainability would prove successful.

WACSI was originally established in 2005 by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and began its formal operations in July 2007 out of Accra, Ghana. The organization was created with a mandate to empower and build the capacity of other CSOs across West Africa. To achieve this, WACSI focuses heavily on training CSOs in capacity development, policy influencing, and advocacy, while simultaneously conducting research and facilitating policy dialogues within the region.

The ultimate overarching goal of WACSI is to foster a peaceful and prosperous West African region where development is actively driven by its citizens. The institute acts as a strategic engine to advance democracy, good governance, and sustainable national development. It approaches this mission by focusing on knowledge sharing, collaboration, networking, and the promotion of democratic values, aiming to ensure that regional CSOs possess the institutional and operational strength to be highly effective and relevant.