When two charities inspired by Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi — Pestalozzi World Children’s Trust and Pestalozzi International Foundation — decided to merge last September, some in the sector saw it as a last resort. But the leaders behind the new Pestalozzi International argued it’s time to rethink that mindset.
“Charity mergers are often associated with failing organizations, a way of avoiding closure,” James Haughton, who heads Pestalozzi International, told Devex. “I think the sector should lift its gaze and take a different attitude, because what should really drive how we make decisions is how we can have the most impact, right?”
Only nine months on, Pestalozzi International, which offers “person-centred education” in Zambia, India, and Nepal, has formally concluded the merger. But Haughton said it’s put them in a better position to deal with the current climate, which he didn’t foresee when they began the discussions.