RD Congo: Finance and Supply Chain Forum, An Opportunity To Train, Meet And Renew Professional Links
By Vital Kasongo, Senior Program Accountant
From 9 to 14 December 2024, the city of Lubumbashi hosted a major event for World Vision RD Congo's Finance and Support Services Department teams. After a break of six years since the last face-to-face meeting in 2018, 72 employees from different regions of the country took part in a Finance and Supply Chain Forum, a time for intense training, sharing experiences and strengthening professional ties.
Continuing training for the future
The Forum provided a unique opportunity to reaffirm the belief that ‘learning is progress’, an essential dynamic for adapting to the changes and challenges of a constantly evolving environment. According to Charlotte Mukundi, Accountant at World Vision DRC,
“This forum was different from previous ones in that it brought together two important pillars of the Finance and Support Services Department: finance and supply chain. The sessions were well structured, and participation was particularly active, which enriched everyone's experience.”
The sessions were well structured, and participation was particularly active, which enriched everyone's experience. One of the highlights was the team-building outing, a real time of fraternity’.
A structured and dynamic forum
The event, organised under the theme ‘Finance and Support Services: Programme Partners for Greater Impact’, brought together participants from the National Office, the Eastern, Western and Southern Zones of the DRC, as well as the SARO Region (South Africa Region Office), which also took part in leading some of the sessions.
The Forum programme was organised into five thematic days, covering various aspects of finance and the supply chain. The sub-themes covered a wide range of topics, including :
Specific topics were also explored in depth during the sessions, such as:
- Purchasing policy and supplier pre-qualification
- Supplier Information Management (SIM)
- Payment processes via ProVision, mobile money and others
- Management of shared costs and support costs
- Financial reporting, frequency and use
- Management of incidents of fraud and corruption in the supply chain
- Collaboration with programmes and partners
An Enriching Experience for New Employees
The Forum was also a privileged moment for new members of staff. Lea Fiokona, cashier at World Vision DRC, said:
“As a new recruit, this Forum was extremely beneficial. It enabled me to meet former staff, share our experiences and gain a better understanding of our strengths and weaknesses in the areas of finance and supply chain.”
In addition to acquiring technical knowledge, the participants strengthened their commitment to supporting World Vision's programmes, in particular through rigorous management of resources.
At the end of the week's learning, participants made recommendations for improving internal processes. These recommendations were grouped around six main areas, developed during the brainstorming and group work sessions:
1. Improving T-codes
2. Reduction of payment delays
3. Optimisation of Split Billing and Blanket PO processes
4. Strengthening the CAL (Contract Administration Life cycle)
5. Guaranteeing on-time procurement and improving reconciliation
The speakers stressed the importance of implementing these suggestions to sustain the advances made during the Forum and enhance the efficiency of finance and supply chain departments. The Finance and Supply Chain Forum was an unqualified success, combining training, exchanges and the strengthening of professional relations. The teams are now better equipped to support World Vision's programmes and contribute to a sustainable impact through optimised management of resources. The recommendations made, combined with a renewed commitment from the participants, promise a promising future for support services in the DRC.