

I have 16 years of experience in the field of international development as a project manager, fundraiser and evaluator. During my extensive fieldwork I have often encountered the common enemy of our work – low sustainability of project outcomes. In every community I have also witnessed local men and women making the best of business opportunities and transforming their lives. Based on my experience, I advocate for incorporating Private Sector Development Approaches into international development. I specialize in social marketing, corporate partnerships and fundraising. I like to promote new products and open doors for them. Enhancing economic opportunities of the poor is a poverty reduction strategy I feel most confident about. Satisfied clients include ministries, private companies, social enterprises, Czech and international NGOs. Please feel free to write to me about your product/enterprise and we will find ways for its successful marketing. (You can download my CV here: cv-lenka-dobias-cerna-en)
Hello, I am Lenka Dobias Cerna
consultant in marketing in international development
Marketing remains one of the biggest challenges for the nonprofit organizations and social enterprises. There is often a fantastic product (from coffee to handicrafts) but no buyers. Great projects but low sustainability. Being able to successfully market is difficult. At the same time, it is a tremendous opportunity for the international development constituency. Enabling the poor to reach to the market will bring them sustainable income and independence. Your colleagues, donors, friends and evaluators will be impressed with your success stories.
I will cooperate with you to
• create a marketing strategy for your product or your enterprise
• connect you effectively to your buyers in your country or worldwide
• find low-cost and innovative ways to develop your enterprise and reach profit
• build capacity of your local team and/or end beneficiaries in marketing skills
• develop marketing materials that sell
• identify opportunities for corporate partnerships in your country or worldwide
• develop new market for your product in your country or worldwide
You can rely on my
Presence in the field – spending as much time as possible with the end beneficiaries in order to learn about them, their product, product costs and stories behind the scene.
Participative approach – involving the producers/community in the marketing process and in all stages of the project cycle.
Business approach – results matter. I like to open new doors and am creative in finding opportunities and partnerships for my clients.
Individual care – marketing is a relationship. I will create a system to build your relationships with your buyers, supporters and corporate partners. If desired, I will monitor the progress and be available for regular consultancies.
Ownership and integrity – I will think and work for your project/product as if it was my own. I accept cooperation only if I can identify with your mission and if I am sure that my consultancy will bring measurable results.
Flexibility in time and location, fair price and a good sense of humor.
Contact me
Do you want to cooperate with me on the future of your enterprise? Contact me here.
Here I provide an overview of what I did in the past. By clicking on photos, you will go to page with more details about each project.
For more information, you can also download my CV (cv-lenka-dobias-cerna-en).
- All
- Corporate Partnerships
- Fundraising
- Marketing Strategy
- Project Evaluation
Marketing of social enterprise handicrafts (People in Need)
Details
Marketing Kinaki M&E tool
Details
Marketing fairtrade products (GEPA, Dwp, El Puente, Traidcraft, BIOArt) 2007-12
Details
ADRA Canada, Salanga – LEAF project evaluation in Rwanda
Details
Caritas Prague, fundraising for Ugandan-Czech hospital
Details
Czech MFA – project evaluation of 2 projects of Caritas CR
Details
Czech MFA – project evaluation, 4 projects of ADRA CR
Details
Caritas Prague – Child sponsorship programme manager (2000-2004)
Details
Marketing products made by the handicapped – Styl Plzen social enterprise (2007-2011)
Details
Excellent Plzen – marketing GEPA fairtrade sugar and mango, Philipines
Details
Excellent Plzen – marketing fairtrade coffee, Gumutindo cooperative, Uganda
Details
Czech MFA – project evaluation People in Need NGO
Details
Marketing Debashish Chaudhuri, talented conductor from India
Details
Czech MFA – project evaluation of 2 projects of People in Need NGO
Details
What do other people say?
„I have known Lenka for about 6 years now. She has always been a hard-working, dedicated and enthusiastic person really focusing on her goals, looking for extra challenges and trying to find innovative approaches in supporting people from the global South. She is one of the pioneers who has done a great deal to promote Fair Trade products in the Czech republic and worked to establish effective marketing tools.“
Hana Chorváthová, director, Fairtrade Czech Republic
„I had the pleasure of accompanying Lenka and her team for two weeks during a final evaluation of a $2.6 million CAD development project in Rwanda in Jan 2014. Lenka was well-organized, worked hard, and lead the team well. The result of the evaluation was a logical, well-written, and insightful report that benefited everyone’s understanding. In my two weeks working with her, I could see that she is a very compassionate person and has a big heart for people. I am looking forward to the next opportunity to work with Lenka.“
David Kozarichuk, Senior M&E Coordinator, ADRA Canada
„I am a teacher working at group school Nyawera in Rwanda. I met Lenka some few months ago and told her of my jewelry project. She liked it and helped with marketing. I liked it so much and I am working even harder now to make and sell jewelry and benefit our community.“
Florence Kashemeire, teacher, Nyawera, Rwanda
„We have worked with Lenka over the years especially in developing our work in Uganda. She was always very efficient, professional and compassionate in what she did. Our work grew as a result of her activities and we would recommend her in the new task she faces.“
Ron George, founder, WIN International
„In the framework of Czech development cooperation, Lenka conducted an independent evaluation of results of three groupings of projects in 2012-2013, namely of agricultural activities in Georgia, a maternal health intervention in Cambodia, and humanitarian aid efforts in the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar/Burma. While teams of 2-4 experts contributed to those assessments, Lenka acted as the team leader responsible for all final outputs. Lenka approached the assignments with refined understanding of project cycle management, rich field experience from various developing and transition countries, attention to detail, and dedication to get things done even under difficult circumstances.”
Milan Konrad, at the time an evaluation officer at the development cooperation department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic
„I have known Lenka since 2007. At that time I was in charge of the corporate social responsibility department of O2 Telefonica and we started a long term strategic cooperation. We came up together and realized many activities with the goal of educating our employees and clients in the field of fair trade. Lenka was always a professional, very hardworking, proactive and open person, therefore cooperating with her was always a pleasure. At the same time these activities brought our department great results and very positive feedback from our top management, employees and customers.”
Petra Pavicova, at the time CSR manager, O2 Telefonica, Czech Republic
Experts I like to cooperate with
Tereza Nemeckova
- Development economist
Jakub Nemec
- Food Security Advisory and Effective M&E through simple technology
Jiri Hejkrlik
- Fair trade and value chains of agricultural products
Petra Antosova
- Project proposal writing, education, methodology
Debashish and Jana Chaudhuri
- Artistic endorsement
Monika Helingerova
- Translation, proofreading, copyediting
Dr. Borek Sehnal
- Head physician in Bulovka hospital, gynecology, obstetrics
Dr. Cecilia Marinova
- Healthcare executive, prevention programs, treatment of rare diseases, prevention of child obesity
Marketa Rybackova
- Business Development – Budgeting & Financial Planning; Business Strategy.
Networks I stand upon
International Institute of Social Studies (ISS)
- My Alma Mater in The Hague, the Netherlands – I am a proud graduate of development studies at this excellent Institute (Major in Alternative Development Strategies, minor in Poverty Studies)
University of Economics Prague
- Bachelor degree from the Faculty of International Relations and Trade.
Czech Forum for Development Cooperation
- Since 2007 I am a member-observer of this Platform that connects and educates NGOs and individuals working in the field of international development.
Fairtrade Czech and Slovakia
- Since 2015 I am a member-observer of this Platform that represents Fairtrade International in the Czech/Slovak Republic.
Donor committee for enterprise development
- Excellent source of information about Private Sector Development Approaches.
Contact info
- Slepa I, 142 00 Prague, Czech Republic
- +420 602 190 960
- lenka@marketingfordevelopment.com