2016-2020: New Horizons

Between 2016 and 2020, Sazani Associates deepened its impact in education, climate adaptation, and social performance. In Zanzibar, the ABC Project flourished in partnership with Sazani Trust, reaching over 30 schools through the Healthy and Sustainable Schools programme. Sazani joined both the Regional Education Learning Initiative (RELI) and the PSIPSE network, reinforcing its commitment to inclusive secondary education across East Africa.

The team continued its global education work as Wales’ education experts in a successful British Council-funded consortium with Pearson International, delivering the Connecting Classrooms for Global Learning (CCGL) programme. Alongside this, Sazani designed and delivered professional development in global learning for teachers in Wales, and launched its own Global Learning Pathway training as the Global Learning Handbook—featuring its work in Zanzibar—was published.

Sazani supported UNEP’s climate adaptation strategy in Sudan, and through ongoing collaboration with Swansea University, hosted MSc and PhD students via KESS bursaries. Social performance advisory services expanded, including work with SRK Consulting on health impact assessments and livelihood restoration in Niger, Republic of Congo, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. In partnership with Avesoro Resources and Aberystwyth University, Sazani piloted a land use change app to assess biodiversity offsets. The organisation also joined a Horizon 2020 EU research project through SRK Exploration, and was contracted by Agriteam Canada to develop a community engagement strategy for artisanal mining in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.

The partnership with SPOC in Bulgaria continued to grow, generating multiple joint projects on education and resilience. With the onset of COVID-19, Sazani adapted its participatory learning methods for online delivery and explored new ways of engaging communities remotely.

This period also marked the beginning of an innovative collaboration with Satarla Risk, resulting in a suite of ESG risk tools and reviews. The year culminated in a high-profile event co-hosted with the Natural History Museum and Horizon 2020 partners, where Sazani delivered the Who Decides? training—an ESG module co-developed with the University of British Columbia exploring stakeholder influence in sustainable mining.