A clear request helps Afara identify the right expertise, define an appropriate assignment and avoid unnecessary delays. Here is what to include when seeking professional support.

Organisations often know they need external expertise before they know exactly what type of expert to engage.

A company considering expansion into an African market may need market research, distributor identification or regulatory guidance. A municipality developing an integration programme may need community research, stakeholder engagement or programme design support.

These are different assignments requiring different skills, methods and levels of responsibility.

Afara, operated by Think Africa, helps organisations identify suitable expertise and structure professional engagements. However, the quality of the initial request matters.

A well-written request does not need to be lengthy. It needs to explain the problem, the intended outcome and the conditions under which the work must be delivered.

1. Start with the problem, not the job title

One common mistake is requesting an expert without explaining what the expert should accomplish.

Too vague:

"We need an African market expert."

More useful:

"We are a Finnish company exploring entry into the Nigerian food-processing sector. We need an initial market assessment covering potential customer segments, distribution channels, competition and practical barriers to entry. The findings will inform our decision on whether to proceed with a market-entry project."

The second request provides enough context to assess relevant professional competence and propose an appropriate scope.

You do not need to know whether the work requires a researcher, business development specialist or market-entry consultant. Explain the business problem first.

2. Identify the geographic and audience focus

Expertise is not automatically transferable between countries, sectors or communities.

A professional familiar with business development in Kenya may not have the appropriate experience for a regulatory assessment in Morocco. Similarly, an expert experienced in community engagement among recently arrived migrants may not necessarily specialise in the needs of second-generation diaspora entrepreneurs.

Where relevant, specify the countries, regions, cities, population groups or sectors involved.

For example:

"Our programme targets African-background professionals living in the Helsinki metropolitan area, particularly individuals seeking employment that matches their qualifications."

This enables Afara to assess the expertise required rather than relying on broad geographical or identity labels.

3. Explain what you want delivered

An effective request distinguishes between activities and outcomes.

Interviewing stakeholders is an activity. Producing a stakeholder map with engagement recommendations is a deliverable.

Depending on the assignment, potential deliverables might include a market assessment, expert advisory sessions, a partner shortlist, a research report, a feasibility assessment, a training workshop or a programme implementation plan.

Describe what your organisation needs to receive and how it intends to use the result.

For example:

"We need a report identifying barriers to participation in our employment programme, with recommendations for a redesigned outreach approach."

Afara can then help clarify the methods, outputs and acceptance criteria during scoping.

4. Provide your timeline and budget

A project without a timeframe or budget indication is harder to assess.

Include your preferred start date, important deadlines and whether the project is a short consultation, a time-limited assignment or a longer engagement.

Where possible, provide an estimated budget or spending ceiling. If the budget is not yet approved, state that clearly.

Afara assignments may be structured around hourly fees, defined deliverables or other agreed pricing arrangements, depending on the service.

A budget indication is not a commitment to purchase. It helps establish whether the proposed scope is realistic and whether the work needs to be divided into stages.

5. Explain what your organisation can contribute

Effective expert work requires input from the client.

Mention any relevant information, internal contacts or resources that can support the assignment. These could include existing research, programme documentation, market-entry plans, anonymised performance data or access to relevant decision-makers.

Also identify important constraints.

For example, you may need all consultations conducted remotely, require multilingual engagement, have a fixed funding deadline or need the final report in a particular language.

Do not upload confidential business records, personal participant information or sensitive documents during initial intake unless an appropriate and secure process has been agreed.

6. State who will make decisions

Identify the organisation submitting the request and the person responsible for discussing the scope.

It is useful to know who can approve the proposal, who will work with the expert and who will accept the completed deliverables.

This is especially important for projects involving several organisations, funders or delivery partners.

7. A practical example of a complete Afara request

The following is a fictional example showing how an organisation could structure its request.

Organisation: A Helsinki-based nonprofit providing employment support.

Project: Improving employment programme participation among foreign-born professionals in Uusimaa.

Challenge: The organisation has experienced lower-than-expected completion of its existing programme and wants to understand the barriers.

Required support: Participant research, stakeholder interviews, facilitated co-design workshops and recommendations for an improved programme model.

Expected outputs: A research summary, proposed programme adjustments, an implementation plan and suggested measures for evaluating a pilot.

Timeline: Scoping within one month, with the initial assignment completed before the next programme cycle.

Budget: To be agreed following assessment of the research and engagement requirements.

Client contribution: Existing programme documentation, aggregate participation data and a designated project coordinator.

This request gives Afara a starting point for assessing suitability, identifying professional expertise and determining how the assignment could be delivered.

What happens after submitting a request?

Afara reviews the information submitted and may request clarification.

Where the request is suitable, the next steps can include identifying relevant experts, considering their qualifications and availability, preparing a shortlist and defining the proposed assignment.

Depending on the project, the engagement may take the form of a facilitated introduction to an independent expert, a Think Africa-managed assignment, or a separately agreed collaboration involving several organisations.

The applicable provider, responsibilities, fees, deliverables and contractual arrangements must be agreed before paid work begins.

Submitting a request does not automatically create a contract or guarantee that an expert will be available.

Ready to discuss your organisation's needs?

You do not need to have a complete project specification before contacting Afara.

Start by explaining the problem you need to solve, the outcome you want to achieve and the resources available.

A clear initial request makes it easier to move from a general need for expertise to a properly scoped assignment.

Submit your organisation's Afara request

Afara is an expert-matching and service-delivery initiative operated by Think Africa.