Case Study 2
Marmanie Pro Bono Work for Philanthropy
Bespoke philanthropic initiative developed and launched on behalf of a European donor committed to helping families in urban slums in the Caucasus
Client
Geneva based philanthropic foundation
Mandate
The Marmanie Team was able to identify and set parameters for ground level philanthropic donor engagement in a developing country in the Caucasus, for a project fulfilling ‘corporate social responsibility’ criteria and delivering high social impact to several hundred families living in an urban slum.
Methodology
Marmanie conducted a field mission and report, identifying local partners and resources capable of delivering appropriate cost estimates for what the donor in question could achieve with this social aid project. Local contacts and feasibility study were provided.
Outcome
As a result of Marmanie’s work, the client is currently in the process of deliberation and will be commissioning a further study of the legal status of the structures within the slum. The Marmanie team identified the key challenge to this work as one associated with law and registrations; the objective is to avoid an oft-repeated phenomena whereby a donor comes in and provides massive large scale renovations for hundreds of families, and local slumlords or municipal level figureheads then capitalize upon this newfound value addition and evict the people for personal gain. Depending on the outcome of this study, Marmanie will be directly involved in guiding the negotiation with local bodies in the conversion of ownership required prior to the expenditure of any significant donor funds.
Value Added
Due to the hands-on approach and personal networks of our consultants, Marmanie provided a contextually relevant and sensitive methodology for moving beyond the challenge of ‘how to do philanthropy and help people’, and helping a Swiss foundation to ‘do it right’.