Jack is an American student who lived at a youth center in Kenya while working on a social venture. In this role, he lived and interacted with the children at the center and worked closely with the staff. One Saturday evening, kids under the age of 14 years were to receive presents that were sent by an international donor organization. A staff member at the youth center had picked up all the gifts the previous weekend and they were finally going to be distributed this Saturday. When it came time to give the gifts out after dinner, the staff members called Jack up to the front – as he was a guest – to assist in the gift-giving ceremony. The staff members had allocated the gifts for the children and labeled them – Jack’s job was to hand out the gifts to the kids. The only problem was that four children did not receive gifts and the staff members did not appear to be concerned about the four forgotten children. As kids began leaving the hall, they thanked Jack for the gifts. The kids were convinced that Jack had gotten the gifts for them. Jack felt a little awkward but at the same time reflected that a good relationship with the kids would help him in several ways during his five-month stay at the center.  At the bottom of the boxes containing the gifts, there were a few black hats. The kids that did not get a present were brought over to the box and given a hat. However, they were upset about the fact that they were not given the hat as ceremoniously as the other kids. The staff gave them their hat and shooed them on their way as if they had some fault in this situation. As one of the little boys who did not receive a gift left the hall, he walked past Jack holding his black hat, and gave him a stare that clearly indicated that he blamed Jack for not receiving a gift. Jack met with the staff and discussed how the four kids were very upset and felt ‘left out’ after the incident. The staff did not acknowledge the problem and were a little piqued that they were being blamed for such a trivial matter. They were convinced that Jack was making a big deal out of the situation and were concerned that Jack would become a ‘children’s rights activist’ and create unnecessary problems for them. The only response they gave Jack was – “If you think there is a problem, then you go ahead and solve it”. 

If you were Jack, how would you proceed?  

 

Step 1: Determine the facts in the situation – obtain all of the unbiased facts possible. 

• Jack is an American student living in a youth center in Kenya during a social venture (5 months)
• He lives and interacts with children and staff at the center
• An international donor organization sent presents to kids at the center under the age of 14
• Jack’s job was to hand out the gifts to the kids
• Four children did not receive gifts
• Staff members were not concerned
• The kids that got gifts thanked Jack for the gifts, as they were convinced Jack was the one who got gifts for them
• Jack needed to have a good rel with the kids as it would help his five month stay at the center
• There were a few black hats  included in the box of presents that were given to the four children who did not receive gifts
• Kids were still upset
• It was made clear that the kids who did not receive gifts had blamed Jack for the situation
• Staff did not acknowledge this as an issue that requires further engagement
• Jack would have to deal with the problem on his own as the staff was not going to deal with it
• There is a cultural difference that affects the staff’s perspective of the problem and Jack’s perspective of it.
• Jack needs to have a good relationship with the staff.

 

Step 2: Define the problem and the stakeholders – those with a vested interest in the outcome

The Problem: The four children that did not receive a gift blame Jack, but Jack needs to maintain a good relationship with these kids, as well as the staff, as he will be staying at the center with them for five months. The staff seems to be unconcerned.

Stakeholders: Jack, the children that got gifts, the 4 kids that didn’t get gifts, the staff at the center, the international donor

 

Step 3: Determine and distinguish between the personal and professional motivations of the stakeholders. 

Jack: 

• Personal
  • Feels responsible for the situation, wants to be seen as fair and caring
• Professional:
  • Reputation and integrity
  • Want to have success in his project, so he has to maintain good relationships

The children that got gifts: 

• Personal
  • Happy because they received gifts
• Professional
  • None

The 4 children that did not get gifts: 

• Personal
  • Feel excluded and upset because of their perceived unfair treatment
• Professional
  • None

Staff at the center: 

• Personal
  • Efficiency and resource management
  • Do not want to take responsibility for their way of handling the situation
• Professional

• • Care for the well being of the kids under their responsibility
  • Reputation
  • Practicality
  • Want to maintain authority and not have their actions questioned

International donor: 

• Professional
  • Impact
  • Want their donation to be seen positively

 

Step 4: Formulate (at least three) alternative solutions

Approach 1: 

Potential solution: Jack could individually apologize to the four children and give them personalized gifts as a gesture of goodwill.

How does it solve the problem?

Pros: Directly addresses the children’s feelings of exclusion. Demonstrates Jack’s empathy for the children. Can strengthen Jack’s bond with these children.

Cons: Might create an impression that Jack is bypassing the staff’s authority. The staff might feel undermined or excluded from the resolution process. Could set a precedent that Jack will personally resolve issues independently, which might not always be feasible.

How does it save face for those involved? The staff is not publicly criticized or blamed on the situation, instead, Jack takes personal responsibility for addressing the issue with the children.

Implications on relationships and venture

Short term: The 4 children will likely appreciate the personal attention, improving their relationship with Jack, but the other children might feel left out now.

Long term: If not managed carefully, this approach could create tension with the staff, possibly leading to strained relationships in the future.

 

Approach 2: 

Potential solution: Organize a fun group activity, like a game or a craft project, where all the children, including the four who were left out, can participate equally and receive small rewards at the end (like candy or something inexpensive).

How does it solve the problem?

Pros: Encourages group unity and helps the four children feel included without singling them out. The focus shifts from the missed gifts to a positive, shared experience. Engages the entire group, minimizing any feelings of exclusion.

Cons: Doesn’t directly address the gift-giving ceremony issue. Might not fully satisfy the four children’s need for ceremonial recognition. Requires planning and resources, which could be seen as additional work by the staff.

How does it save face for those involved? The staff can present the activity as a planned event rather than a response to a mistake, avoiding any public acknowledgment of an error. By setting Jack as the main promoter of the event, kids could take some of the blame off him.

Implications on relationships and venture

Short term: Creates a positive and inclusive atmosphere, reinforcing the sense of community.

Long term: Helps build a cooperative relationship with the staff, as the activity can be seen as a collaborative effort.

 

Approach 3: 

Potential solution: Plan a small “Thank You” event where the children can create thank-you cards or perform a song/dance to express gratitude to the donors. Use this event as an opportunity to ceremonially distribute additional gifts to the four children who were missed.

How does it solve the problem?

Pros: Provides an additional ceremonial occasion to distribute gifts, addressing the initial oversight. Involves the entire group, ensuring the four children are included in a positive, public event. Strengthens the relationship with the donor organization by showing appreciation.

Cons: Requires time and effort to organize. The staff might view it as unnecessary work if they don’t see the importance of the gesture.

How does it save face for those involved? The event can be framed as a positive, planned gesture of gratitude rather than a corrective action, helping both the staff and Jack maintain their authority and reputation.

Implications on relationships and venture

Short term: Enhances the children’s experience and strengthens their connection to both Jack and the staff.

Long term: Builds goodwill with the donor organization and reinforces a culture of gratitude and inclusivity at the center.

 

Step 5: Seek additional assistance, as appropriate – previous cases, peers, reliance on personal experience, inner reflection.

• Jack can discuss the situation with peers who have experience in similar environments. They might offer valuable perspectives or strategies that Jack hasn’t considered.
• From my personal experience: After going on fieldwork in Sierra Leone, I have noticed that this kind of incident does not have the same impact as it would in the US. From my perspective, the children might get upset because they did not receive the same as everyone else, but after some time they will probably forget about it. Additionally, in this situation it is more important for Jack to keep a good relationship with the staff rather than with the kids, not because the feelings of the kids are not important, but because for his social venture, the staff of the center are a major stakeholder. I noticed during fieldwork that adults would sometimes feel bad for children asking for things/food/money from us foreigners, but I understand that as a lot of human-subject research is being conducted in these African countries, kids might get used to just receiving without actually knowing the whole context of the situation taking place. From this, we can also say that the staff in the center have more experience in managing this type of situation from previous international collaborations (if they had an international donor willing to give gifts, they probably have had others before), so Jack should also trust their way of handling the conflict taking into consideration their cultural norms.

 

Step 6: Select the best course of action – that solves the problem, saves face and has the best short term and long-term implications for your relationship and venture. Explain reasoning and discuss your solution vis-a-vis other approaches discussed in class.

The best course of action is for Jack to handle the situation is by organizing a fun group activity where all the kids, including the four who were left out, can participate and receive small rewards. This shifts the focus away from the gift-giving issue and creates a positive, inclusive atmosphere, helping the kids feel involved without making a big deal out of the earlier mistake. It also keeps things smooth with the staff, as the event can be seen as something planned rather than a fix for a problem.

This approach helps both Jack and the staff save face, as the issue gets solved without anyone having to admit fault. In the short term, it helps Jack build better relationships with the children and the staff, making his stay easier. In the long term, it shows Jack as a team player who respects the staff’s authority while still addressing the children’s feelings in a meaningful way. This way is the right balance between keeping peace and making everyone feel included.

 

Step 7: List the sequence of actions you will take to implement your solution.

1. Jack should have a private conversation with the staff to suggest the group activity. He can position it as a fun way to boost morale and unify the children, rather than directly addressing the gift-giving mishap. This will help ensure that the staff feel included and don’t view Jack’s initiative as undermining their authority.
2. Select a game or activity that will engage everyone and does not require a lot of resources, where all the kids participate equally and have a chance to win small, meaningful, and inexpensive rewards.
3. During the activity, the children should be encouraged to eagerly participate. The focus should be on simply having fun together, with the four children who felt excluded receiving positive attention in a natural way
4. In the end, Jack can give out small awards to all the children. This is so that the four children who missed out during the gift distribution feel acknowledged in a celebratory way without making it obvious that this is to make up for the earlier problem.
5. Thank the staff and express gratitude for allowing the event so that Jack can viewed as a helpful partner instead of an obstacle.
6. Jack should continue building healthy relationships with both the staff and the children, making sure that no lingering resentment remains and that the children’s feelings of exclusion have been addressed.