THEORY OF ACTION
Activists are the protagonists within the struggle for democracy. Research have shown that activists are most supported with either training or strategic support, so that they can become more effective in their struggles for democracy, which will eventually lead to world peace. That is our Theory of Change, our vision.
Our Theory of Action (strategy to achieve our vision) is focused on how to empower activists. We empower activists through educational products, interactive training and strategic support.
STRATEGIC SUPPORT
The signature and defining approach of Sankara is 1 on 1 strategic support in the form of a general staff. We can help nonviolent movements with the preparation of their struggle. Ideally, we immerse deeply and continue to remain the strategists of movements until momentum or a democratic transition has been achieved.
As in military general staffs the personnel of Sankara is divided into analysts, strategists and commanders, all experts in nonviolent conflict with an oath to never use violence themselves. Analysts gather intelligence. Strategists make plans. Commanders help to organize and lead movements. Personnel will be recruited from activists, police and army – everybody that chooses peace over violence.
INTERACTIVE TRAINING
Strategic support is time and resource intensive and therefore expensive. Furthermore, it is most relevant for the core organizers of a nonviolent movement, those responsible for the organization, leadership and strategy.
There are much more activists than the few core organizers responsible for a nonviolent movement. Our focus on empowering the common activists is through interactive training. There are three training options: liberation programmes, workshops and online trainings.
EDUCATIONAL PRODUCTS
Even the number of activists are much smaller than the amount of active citizens, people like you that live in a democracy or that want to live in a democracy. For everybody interested in freedom we create educational products, most of them free: blogs, a structured forum and social media content. Our paid products are books and guest lectures. As Nelson Mandela said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
OUR METHOD: THE VICTORIOUS STRATEGY
At the core of all our strategic support, training and education stands our method: The Victorious Strategy.
This method is derived from the principles of victory within thousands of successful revolutions and conflicts in general. We perceive it as the bridge between the disciplines of war and peace. As Amilcar Cabral said: “All successful revolutions need effective organization, inspirational ideology and courageous leadership.”
