A Moment That Mattered: Lunch with Partners

During WomenServe’s recent field visit to Rajasthan, India, we reached important strategic milestones: launching a Business Capacity Assessment, aligning cross-partner efforts, and preparing for the finalization of our Integrated Program and Capacity Building Strategy. But not all progress happened in meeting rooms.

One of the most meaningful moments came unexpectedly, over a simple lunch at a meeting room in Jodhpur. This is the story of that lunch, and why it matters.

"A Moment That Mattered: Lunch with Partners"

Written by Drea Rodriguez, Global Program Officer

Not all transformation happens in meeting rooms. One of the most meaningful moments of our trip happened during a simple lunch.

I had invited our staff and local partners to sit together informally—no agenda, no facilitation, no presentations. I stepped away from the center so that our staff could be the bridge, and our partners could connect naturally. What followed was spontaneous: laughter, Hindi conversation, quiet camaraderie. The table came alive—not just as a place to eat, but as a preview of what an integrated, multi-year future could feel like.

At that moment, I saw what partnership looks like when it is not limited by funding cycles. We were not feeding short-term results—we were creating a space where leaders could nourish each other. That lunch table represented what is possible when we stop offering only appetizers (short-term support) and start building full meals: trust, continuity, and collective growth.

This moment wasn’t about strategy decks or frameworks—it was about seeing, in real time, how relational trust becomes the bedrock of transformational change. These informal, human connections are what make capacity building real. It’s the emotional readiness behind the technical work of shared leadership, integrated programming, and sustainable enterprise.

Because of the generosity of our donors, this moment—and so many others like it—was possible. Your support allows us to invest in long-term, grassroots-led partnerships. Your belief in integrated, capacity-first approaches created the space for authentic relationships to take root.

As we move toward finalizing WomenServe’s 2026 Journey Map and Integrated Capacity Building Strategy, we carry forward not just data and documents, but also this memory: a shared meal in Rajasthan that reminded us what we’re truly building together.