The entire management team of ASSIST convened from February 27 to March 1, 2013, in the Ho Chi Minh Office for the scheduled planning meeting and official launch of Centre of Excellence.
Managing Director of ASSIST, Sreenivas “Sreeni” Narayanan warmly welcomed all colleagues who came from the three offices: India-based S. Sathappan, Platosen Samarasam and S. Muralidharan; Philippines-based Suganya Sreenivas, Karthik Subburaman, Arnel Go, Kamesh Ganeson, Matthias Wichmann, Olga Babina and April Narciso, and Vietnam staff Aru David and Vy Truong. Furthermore, two business experts and old dear friends of ASSIST Subburaman Muthureddiar and Rajachidambaram Thanapal, attended the gathering, too, fulfilling the role of independent observers and facilitators. Finally, two ASSIST colleagues appointed to a project in Cambodia – Noun Titya and Vutha Sun, also joined the meeting.
Highlights of the three-day event included discussion of regional updates, workshops on strategic and financial management, validation of the roadmap to 2015, as well as brainstorming session on alignment of core advocacies between the Project and Grants Management division and Social Arm of ASSIST.
The culmination point of this gathering was the inauguration of the Centre of Excellence, whereas Sreeni cut the symbolic red ribbon on February 27 accompanied by loud applause. The facility can comfortably accommodate up to 20 people. This professionally designed well-equipped space will be jointly used by ASSIST and its sister organizations, ECCI and Apex Global.
