When running campaigns, expect the unexpected. Campaigns are complex and unpredictable, making careful planning and a steady hand necessary to navigating unforeseen challenges. 

I certainly can attest to this. This year was my first time leading the Communications Committee for the Africa Evidence Week (AfEW) celebration in Ghana, which was led by PACKS Africa in collaboration with other civil society organisations. From the 19th to 23rd August, we were meant to be celebrating Evidence-Informed Decision Making (EIDM) in Ghana. Amongst the activities planned was an online TikTok challenge and a series of in-person events at the Parliament of Ghana. Excitement and anticipation built as our weekly meetings transformed our plans into action.

By August 5, we launched the TikTok challenge to build momentum. The response was energising—participants were getting involved and sharing their videos, which increased the excitement around the celebration. However, just three days before the main events, we received disappointing news from our lead convener, Kirchuffs Atengble – the venue in Parliament would no longer be available. Huh! There were only three days to go, after we had already announced the event on social media and collaborated with over 16 civil society organisations! I was stunned. Where do we go from here?

Don’t be afraid to change course

Fortunately, we managed to navigate around this setback; we stayed calm and quickly devised a strategy. 

First, we apologised to our social media audience. Then, we sent update notifications to each stakeholder and discussed contingency plans with our working groups. Within 72 hours, we had secured an alternative venue and held the “Climate Change and Health Strategy Workshop”. 

Despite the abrupt change, the workshop had impressive stakeholder turnout, strong engagement, and solid media coverage.

Lessons learned

Reflecting on this experience taught me valuable lessons about resilience and adaptability. Here are my top tips for navigating similar challenges:

1. Build your team for resilience: News of the development hit all team members at PACKS Africa. However, due to existing mindsets and work culture, every team member quickly embraced the situation and contributed opportunities to support a revised strategy of holding a single-day event to mark the celebration.
2. Prepare for the unexpected: Have essential communication materials ready in advance. For AfEW, having banners, flyers, and existing relationships with media houses allowed us to proceed smoothly despite last-minute changes. Changes were simply communicated as follow-up messages or updates.
3. Embrace proactive communication: Start communications with stakeholders and audiences well ahead of time. Sharing regular updates on your campaign’s progress helps foster engagement and reduce misunderstandings when unexpected challenges arise.
4. Prioritise social media consistency: Consistency is key to a strong online presence. Despite limited participation, we maintained momentum with countdown posts, TikTok challenge updates, and live-event updates, keeping our audience engaged.
5. Always have a contingency plan: plan for the unexpected. Event cancellations or logistical issues can happen, so having adaptable strategies and a flexible team can make so much difference. Lessons learned for instance suggests that we sign MoUs with key partner organisations to reduce the risks of such uncertainties.

Let these tips serve as a reminder to stay adaptable, communicate proactively, and engage stakeholders meaningfully. Challenges are inevitable, but with a prepared and resilient team, you can navigate them and make the most of a non-ideal situation.