Consultancy
Sustainable development starts with trust
Afu-Mena Consultancy NV has been active since June 2010 and builds bridges between investors, governments and tribal communities.
Our position
Bridges between investors, governments and communities
Successful projects happen when companies and local communities work together on the basis of respect, transparency and mutual understanding.
Sustainable development starts with trust.
- Transparency and openness
- Creativity and innovation
- Sustainability and reliability
Mission and vision
Mission and vision of Afu-Mena Consultancy
Mission
We promote sustainability through training, export promotion and professionalism. We support entrepreneurship, encourage creativity and strengthen communities.
Vision
Promoting sustainability, entrepreneurship and cultural heritage through high-quality training, coaching and export, with a positive impact on communities, the environment and innovation.
Expertise
Six fields of work
Participative management
Decision-making in which stakeholders genuinely take part rather than being informed.
Stakeholder engagement
Structurally involving stakeholders in a project, from start to finish.
FPIC
Free, Prior, Informed, Consent: consent given freely, in advance, informed and explicitly.
Community relations and mediation
Maintaining relations with communities and mediating where interests collide.
Benefit sharing
Agreements on how the proceeds of a project benefit the community.
Social license to operate
The societal support a project needs in order to operate.
Boike Tojo also works on ESG, conflict prevention and rural development.
The method
The Afu-Mena Participative Management Tool
The tool runs on FREE, PRIOR, INFORMED, CONSENT: four steps that follow one another and together determine whether a project has support.
- 01
FREE
Free
Consent is given freely, without coercion, pressure or intimidation.
- 02
PRIOR
Prior
Consent is sought before the project starts, not afterwards.
- 03
INFORMED
Informed
The community holds full and understandable information about the project and its consequences.
- 04
CONSENT
Consent
The community explicitly gives its consent, or withholds it.
Added value
What it delivers
For companies and investors
- Less risk of conflict and delay
- A stronger social license to operate
- Better relations with communities and governments
- Projects that meet ESG requirements
- Investments that hold up over the long term
For communities
- A voice in decisions that affect them
- Information that is understandable and complete
- Agreements on sharing the proceeds
- Stronger own organisation and capacity
- Preservation of living environment and cultural heritage
Training and export promotion
Transferring knowledge and opening markets
Tailored training
Training is tailored and delivered both online and on location.
- Business models
- Excel
- Entrepreneurship
- Teambuilding
Export promotion
Export promotion for art from the interior, rooted in Maroon and Indigenous knowledge.
Business development
Guidance for existing and emerging entrepreneurs in building and strengthening their business.
For whom
Who we work with
Companies and investors
Parties with projects that need support in the area where they operate.
Governments
Governments working on policy and projects that affect communities.
NGOs
Organisations working on development, environment or community strengthening.
Tribal and rural communities
Communities that want to strengthen their position in conversations and negotiations.
International organisations
International organisations looking for local knowledge and guidance.
Our professionals
Knowledge of culture and tradition as our distinguishing strength
The distinguishing strength of our team is its deep knowledge of the culture and traditions of Maroon and Indigenous communities.
That knowledge shapes how we work: from within, with people who know the language and the customs of a community.
50+
Entrepreneurs and startups supported
More than fifty entrepreneurs and startups supported in Suriname, the Netherlands and Belgium.
Where our professionals focus
- Sustainability
- Entrepreneurship
- Creativity
- Community development
- Preservation of cultural heritage
Partners
Who we partner with
- Indigenous and Maroon communities
- Local authorities
- Professionals
- Companies and entrepreneurs
- Logistics, customs clearance and transport
- Arts and culture and the creative industry
Consultancy
A conversation about your project
Tell us what you are working on and what role communities play in it. We take the time for a careful first meeting.