Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu: The importance of having a plan

Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu shared a post on LinkedIn:

“In 2018, at the UICC General assembly held in Kuala Lumpur, I was elected to my first term on the UICC board. As I begin to wind down after 3 terms, I have been reflecting on the journey. It has been a great learning curve for me. I have sharpened my advocacy skill sets, widened my global reach and network, and most of all it has given my team and I, (and, I dare say many African advocates), the opportunity to contribute to reducing the burden of cancer.

Each tenure had it high and undeniable lows. The lowest of all was the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with the lack of physical convening, the pandemic unleashed a war on our work. Awareness outreaches and screening were severely limited, treatment and research programmes were halted or delayed, whilst funding dried up. Many large and small organizations were unable to continue their work. We watched helplessly as cancer patients lost the battle. Thankfully, we are slowly recovering and better prepared for such catastrophic global health crisis.

It taught me the importance of having a plan. The organizations that survived were those with resilience built into their culture and contingency plans. Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) has such structure. The management team is ably led by Cary Adams and receives oversight guidance from the board.

The landscape of the non-profit sector is still rife with uncertainty. From economic fluctuations to unexpected changes in government policies, unforeseen challenges threatens the foundation of organizations dedicated to social good.

This is where the importance of resilience and contingency planning comes into sharp focus. Boards of Directors play a critical role in supporting Non-profit management teams to cultivate that endurance, and ensure an organization’s ability to not only weather unforeseen storms but also emerge stronger and more adaptable.

The team at the UICC and other cancer non-profits are today well placed placed to maintain continuity of operations, protect their mission-driven activities, and uphold their commitments to beneficiaries, donors, and stakeholders.”

Source: Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu/LinkedIn

Her Excellency Dr. Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu is the First Lady of Kebbi State, a global cancer advocate, a pediatrician, a UICC Board Member, a Founder of the Medicaid Cancer Foundation, and the Chairperson of First Ladies Against Cancer (FLAC), a coalition of the spouses of current and former state governors in Nigeria who are working to address gaps in the cancer continuum of care. In her role as the First Lady of Kebbi State, Dr Bagudu is working with the state ministries of health, education, and women affairs to implement programs to sustainably improve menstrual hygiene, girl-child education, economic empowerment of women, and put an end to gender-based violence. Her Excellency is a member of the Editorial Board of OncoDaily.