Smiling market vendor at her stall at a market in Dominica

Development Projects & NGOs

Understanding development properly: methodological expertise for projects that last.

Successful civil society and NGO initiatives need more than good intentions and a solid budget: they require a deep understanding of local dynamics, cultural contexts and the actual reality on the ground.

With my background in anthropology, I deliberately look beneath the surface. I act as the link between the strategic level of the commissioning organisation, operational project management and the local population. Through well-founded qualitative needs assessments and field-tested expertise, I provide a clear basis for decisions and help build projects that last.

Services

What I do for your project

Four building blocks for development projects that are understood locally and built to last.

01
Ethnographic field research & needs assessments
Qualitative research methods (interviews, participant observation, context analyses) on the ground to gain a well-founded understanding of what all stakeholders really need.
02
Advisory for development cooperation & NGOs
Conceptual support for initiatives at the interface of civil society, government actors and international donors.
03
Intercultural interface management
Sensitive mediation and trust-building between local communities, government organisations and external funders.
04
Impact-oriented project architecture
Designing transparent, practical project structures that strengthen local ownership and ensure long-term sustainability.

Experience

Selected projects

Linda Röhl reviewing project data on a laptop with a local partner

Houses destroyed by the hurricane in Dominica, with a “Closed till tomorrow” sign in front

Group photo with children and teachers in a classroom in Dominica

Project 1 · Master’s thesis

Field research on development cooperation & geothermal energy in Dominica

Context

Several months of qualitative field research (09/2016 to 03/2017) analysing communication and interaction processes within an international development project in the Caribbean.

Role & delivery

Data collection through qualitative interviews, participant observation and open-ended expert conversations.
Close interface work and exchange with key stakeholders at every level: from Dominica’s Prime Minister and Ministry of Energy to World Bank representatives and the local population.
Uncovered unwritten patterns of interaction to improve cooperation between international donors and local communities.

Project 2 · Fundraising campaign

“Help Rebuild Dominica”: rebuilding after Hurricane Maria

Context

Independently initiated fundraising campaign “Rebuilding Dominica Together” (09/2017 to 2018) after Hurricane Maria hit the island hard on 18 September 2017. Focus: education and Pioneer Prep. School, whose school building could no longer be used.

Role & delivery

Set up and led the campaign in Germany, including a dedicated campaign blog with regular updates and impressions for donors.
Sourced new school materials and organised their shipment to Dominica by container, including customs and local transport through local partners.
Visited the school on site and worked closely with the principal; met Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit to discuss using further donations for education projects.

Key areas of expertise