"The current situation is a call to action for us"

Why was a restructuring necessary and what was the core idea behind MI’s reorganization? 

Tesan: The humanitarian landscape is currently undergoing rapid change, marked by greater financial pressure, increasing demands, and a growing number of increasingly complex crises. This global “reset” affects the entire humanitarian sector. It acts as a catalyst: organizations that fail to adapt today may no longer be able to operate tomorrow. 

With the goal of continuing to provide people in need with high-quality assistance, we thoroughly reviewed our processes, roles, and responsibilities, adapted our organizational structure and streamlined procedures. Fortunately, we had already initiated a strategic process several years ago that laid the foundation for change – an investment that is now paying off. 

What concrete changes have been implemented, and how do they help us address the challenge of doing more with fewer resources? 

Tesan: We are now placing a stronger focus on our core competencies: We have set a clear focus on our central sector, health, complemented through an integrated approach including WASH (water, sanitation, and hygiene), food and nutrition security (FNS), and emergency response. 

Today, our fourteen country offices carry significantly more responsibility than in the past and manage projects more independently (see also interview with our Country Director in Ukraine). Strengthening local responsibility consistently follows the principle of subsidiarity and is a prerequisite for faster and more appropriate responses – particularly in emergency situations. Staff on location make decisions closer to the people they serve and the contexts they operate in. 

The roles of staff at our headquarters in Cologne have also been adapted. They now provide targeted support and guidance to country offices, and develop organization- wide standards, for example for implementing sector activities or standardizing project indicators. This ensures that all locations can work flexibly while relying in shared quality frameworks. 

To break down silos and create synergies, we also strengthen exchange of expertise and knowledge between regions: Our new “Communities of Practice” bring together experts from our different locations to exchange insights and advise one another on their respective areas of work.

Friction is almost inevitable in such a far-reaching structural process. How do you continue ensuring the quality of your work under these circumstances? 

Tesan: It is indeed a tremendous challenge. The changes have required a high level of adaptability from all of our staff within a very short period of time. At the same time, they continue to deliver outstanding performance under significant pressure and with reduced capacities. To provide the necessary orientation and stability, we defined the new roles and processes very clearly and stay in constant exchange with the teams so that adjustments can be made as needed. 

Particularly in the area of quality, we are able to build on strong foundational work that was put in place during earlier, more favorable years. For example, regulations were revised and extensive training programs were conducted. These investments are helping us to ensure the quality of our work today. 

We view the current situation as a call to action for us to remain flexible and adapt continually while staying true to our strong set of values and a clear internal compass: We want to help as many people in need as possible in a way that is people-centered, locally anchored, safe, and dignified.