DUBAI CARES NARRATIVE REPORT TEMPLATE
1. General Information Country of Intervention:
Mozambique
Implementing Agency:
Plan International Inc.
Program Title:
Apoio para Melhores Oportunidades para Raparigas (AMOR)
Total Amount of Grant:
1 776 580 USD
Payment/instalment Received:
386 342 USD
Start-up date of Operation:
January 1, 2014
Period covered by this Report:
July -December 2014
Submission date of present Report:
February 17, 2015 Kerri Moloney Vice President Program Management 416-920-1654 ext. 269 kmoloney@plancanada.ca
Program Coordinator/Manager: Phone & Email Address:
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Table of Contents
1.
General Information ..................................................................................................................................... 1
Table of Contents ................................................................................................................................................ 2 Acronyms ............................................................................................................................................................. 2 2.
Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 3
3.
Situation Analysis ........................................................................................................................................ 3
4.
Planned Program/Project Response ........................................................................................................... 4
5.
Program Achievements ............................................................................................................................... 8
6.
Financials ................................................................................................................................................... 14
7.
Communication .......................................................................................................................................... 15
8.
Requests for Operational Modification ...................................................................................................... 16
9.
Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................. 16
10.
ANNEXES .............................................................................................................................................. 16
Acronyms AIDS
Acquired Immune Deficiency Virus
DDE
District Departme of Education
GDP
Gross Domestic Product
HIV
Human Deficiency Virus
MoU
Memorandum of Understanding
PMC
Project Management Committee
SMC
School Management Committee
ZIP
“Zona de Influência Pedagógica”, School Clusters
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2. Executive Summary This following report describes the major achievements of AMOR during 2014, the first of 4 years of the project lifespan. AMOR project (Apoio para Melhores Oportunidades para Raparigas), is one of three proposed projects that will link Dubai Care’s Girls Flagship Programme with the global advocacy and communication efforts of the Plan International BIAAG campaign. The project´s aims to contribute to the global goal of the BIAAG campaign, which is to empower girls to realize their rights by reducing genderbased barriers and enabling girls to develop the personal, social, material and economic assets necessary to have their position and value in society recognized. The project was launched in March 2014 during a start-up workshop (March 17-21, 2014) that gathered Plan staff from Canada National Office, Mozambique Country Office and Program Unit (PU) as well as the major implementing partners. The major deliverable of this workshop was the Project Implementation Plan, the master planning document of the project that include, among others the project budget, Gantt chart, performance management plan. Like any other community development project, AMOR initial steps aimed at presenting the project goals and objectives to the major stakeholders namely the government, school management committee, children, community leaders and parents. This was done through mobilization meetings, community dialogues and other formal and informal meetings. These engagement meetings were key for establishing strong relationships with the project stakeholders and ensure that all have a collective vision for the benefit of the community. The achievements of the project for the current reporting period include:
Construction of 4 classroom in 2 primary schools, namely Matenga and Chamuana Construction of 1 classroom for distance learning education program Training of 6 school management committees Provision of scholarships to 133 children enrolled in secondary schools Provision of scholarships to 150 young mothers / children enrolled in distance learning program
3. Situation Analysis 3.1 Elaborate on changes & challenges in the current social/political and fiscal environment in the country Mozambique’s economy has remained one of the most dynamic and fastest growing economies in Africa, with its rate of real gross domestic product (GDP) growth standing at 7%1. This economic boom is largely attributed to the recent discovery of mineral production in the Northern provinces of the country, including Tete (known for coal production) and Cabo Delgado (which is believed to be one of the world’s largest gas discoveries in recent years). The mining industry in Mozambique is bringing along many investments in infrastructure, hotels, communication and transport. In spite of these great strides in the economy, over 54% of Mozambique’s 25 million inhabitants live below the poverty line, and millions of children do not have adequate meals and suffer malnutrition. Others challenges facing the country include poor access to water and facilitation, and high incidence of diseases such as malaria and HIV & AIDS. For example, UNICEF estimates that only 47.2% of Mozambicans have access to safe and potable water. During 2014, the country saw some politico-military low-intensity confrontations between the Government and the opposition movement. These occurred in central provinces of Sofala and Manica and claimed the lives 11
Source: Africa Economic Outlook
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of dozens of Mozambicans. They were stopped following a peace agreement that was signed on the 6th of September 2014 by the then President of Mozambique, Armando Guebuza and the leader of the opposition Afonso Dlakhama. This has brought back stability and undoubtedly more hope for the future for Mozambique. Also in the political arena, the country held the 5th general elections on the 15th of October, which were won by incumbent party FRELIMO and its candidate Filipe Nyusi. 3.2 Include specific assessment and updates in the education sector as it relates to policy, curriculum, budget, planning, international donor make-up and collaboration. The education system in Mozambique has improved considerably over the past few years with increase in number of infrastructure, especially in rural areas, which has contributed to the increase in number of children enrolled in school. Nowadays school enrolment rate stands at 89%2, compared to 69% from 2003. The country also sees progress in training of teachers Nevertheless the education system in Mozambique is still challenged with the fact that nearly half of school age children drop out before completing primary school, and only XXX % get enrolled to secondary school. There also remains a significant disparity between girls and boys, with female youth having a literacy rate of 56.5% compared to male youth at 79.8%3. 3.3 Include assessment of risk to program due to external factors such as domestic or regional turmoil, inflation, trade disruptions, natural phenomena such as extended drought or wet season, internal displacement of people or international migration. At present, there are limited external risks to this program in Mozambique. The political situation in Mozambique remains tense following the elections, with the opposition not accepting the results. It will be important to keep watch for any potential escalation into violence or displacement. Should this occur, Plan has security protocols in place that would guide a response to ensure the safety of staff and beneficiaries, and any impact on programming for AMOR would be shared with Dubai Cares. Additionally, Mozambique is cyclically affected by flooding during the rainy season. Although the project area is not usually affected by floods, planning is taken into consideration possible impacts on roads or other infrastructure. To date, although there is significant flooding in the north of the country, there has been no impact on the AMOR project.
4. Planned Program/Project Response 4.1 Main results planned and outcomes expected as per the approved country program Intermediate Outcome 1: Improved girls’ completion rates for primary school Intermediate Outcome 2: Improved girls’ transition from primary to secondary school Intermediate Outcome 3: Improved social and personal assets of young mothers excluded from mainstream education systems conditions for themselves and their children.
22 3
UNICEF http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/mozambique_statistics.html
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Gender equality considerations are fully integrated across all project activities.
4.2 Include number of direct & indirect beneficiaries to date explaining calculation methodology. The table below captures the direct beneficiaries of the AMOR project to date. As interventions have been focused on construction and scholarship distribution, that will start being utilized in Q1 of 2015, the majority of the beneficiaries will begin to be recorded in 2015. Jangamo
Type of Beneficiary
Total 1. Number of communities reached
16
2. Number of education/community structures supported
9
2.1 Number of primary schools supported
2
2.2 Number of secondary schools supported
0
2.3 Number of distance education facilities supported 2.4 Number of SMCs supported
1 6 Male
3. Number of child/youth beneficiaries
Female
Total
0
0
0
Children in primary schools
0
0
0
Youth with secondary school scholarship
0
0
0
Youth with distance learning scholarship Girls in youth camps Boys in youth camps
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
Male 4. Number of community education leaders Number of government officials Number of SMC members
Female 34
32
64
0 34
0 32
0 64
Male 5. Number of youth leaders Youth facilitators of school clubs Community based tutors
Female 7 7 0
Male
Total
Total 8 8 0
Female
15 15 0 Total
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6. Number of education professionals beneficairies Number of headmasters Number of primary teachers Number of distance education tutors Number of ZIP coordinators Male
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
Female
Total
7. Number of other community beneficiaries
405
Number of attendees of community awareness sessions
405
4.3 Geographic coverage (include map) This project is being implemented in Jangamo district of Mozambique, in 16 different communities.
4.4 List the main implementing local partners and assess their operational effectiveness Partner
Contribution of Partner to Achieving Results
Operational Effectiveness / Challenges
Provincial Department of Education
The MOU with the Provincial Department of Education has been signed, formalizing the Department’s commitment to contributing to the success of AMOR and the achievement of the project goals and outcomes. Contributions include:  Coordination and monitoring of
There is willingness on the part of the Department to support and engage in the project. Nevertheless, they have limited resources to provide this support.
Steps that will be taken to address challenges during next reporting period Plan will continue to provide support where possible to facilitate and strengthen the ability of the Department staff to engage with AMOR. For example, during the
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District Department of Education (DDE)
project activities, and support for compliance with regulations pertaining to implementation Provision of technical support in project implementation (training, supervision of work and project activities) Head of Construction Unit undertakes quality assurance for schools being constructed under AMOR The District Education Office was a key partner in identifying beneficiary schools of the project Coordination with training institutions to provide technical personnel for the training of teachers, tutors, facilitators, among others. Provision of available materials related to girls’ education, sexual and reproductive health for adolescents; distance learning modules; and other related topics Collaboration with project staff and consultants on activities including research and development of project materials
The District Department of Education plays an important role in AMOR through the provision of data on school enrolment, pass rates and additional information on the project schools. This data is used to inform project planning and implementation. The project launch meeting was held at DDE facilities without any cost to project and with the full participation of all senior DDE staff. Staff continue to be engaged with AMOR, and in particular the Gender Coordinator for the District Department of Education has been a key point of contact for the project. She is part of the Project Management Committee and provides information on how the project can tackle gender barriers to education.
School
past reporting period, use of Plan’s project vehicle for the Head of Construction Unit has allowed for timely review of construction sites. This approval is required for payment and handover of the sites to the Department of Education.
There is willingness on the part of the DDE to support and engage in the project. Nevertheless, they have limited resources to provide this support.
The Administrator and District Director of Education also presided over the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of new primary schools undertaken under AMOR. This support in the community will continue to be sought by Plan as the project moves forward. Plan has also decided to engage the Gender Coordinator to be a cofacilitator of several AMOR trainings in 2015, working to ensure ownership and sustainability of the project interventions.
The key role of the SMC is to ensure Amongst the 6 SMCs that The
project,
in
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Management Committees
the voices of parents and children are reflected in the school management. Additionally, SMCs play a key role in following up in the community in cases of drop out or non-attendance of children. The SMC’s have organised themselves into sub-committees, including one specifically related to construction. This sub-committee has played an active role in identifying the construction sites for the classroom and latrine construction, as well as warehousing and supporting construction work with water.
Parents/ Caregivers
During the project orientation meetings held in the communities, the majority of parents expressed strong support of the project’s goal of empowering girls and supporting their access to education.
received trainings through AMOR to date, the effectiveness has markedly improved since the last reporting quarter. For example, SMCs have started forming subcommittees, which are much more active and have a deeper understanding of their role.
Nevertheless, there are some parents who have shown reluctance in further investment in girls education.
Parents of girls who receive scholarships have a particular role, in terms of supporting and ensuring attendance.
coordination with the schools, will continue working to ensure that all SMCs have an effective structure where members are familiar with the regulations, and hold regular meetings and trainings. For example, the remaining 9 SMCs will be trained and develop their action plans.
Recognizing that behavior change takes time and requires engagement of all community members, the project will continue to hold community meetings where parents will be able to express their opinions with regards to gender equality. The project will also develop targeted communication messages to address concerns raised during these meetings.
5. Program Achievements 5.1 Reporting should follow the numbered line items of the original proposal. For example, reports should follow a tabulated format that specifies all activities, outcomes and impacts with associated comments defined under the components. Please highlight impacts. Intermediate Outcome 1: Improved girls’ completion rates for primary school Immediate Outcome 1.1 Reduced physical school-based barriers for girls (from grades 1 through 7) that inhibit primary school completion. 1.1.1Construction and equipping of 2 additional classrooms in each of 5 schools to enable complete primary program
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In the previous reporting period, the AMOR project had defined selection criteria for the 5 primary schools to receive infrastructure support through the project. The criteria included schools had more children having lessons under the trees or in classrooms made of local material. Five schools were selected: Matenga, Mahena, Chamuana, Ravene and Licaca. During this reporting period, the project began to move forward with construction. The bidding process began in August 2014, with the launch for invitation for bids through local radio and newspaper, as required by Plan’s procurement procedures. A bid evaluation team, comprising Plan staff and the Head of Construction Unit at Government Department of Education, selected the two constructors. It is important to note that the contracts awarded for the construction contain a key empowerment element: local bricklayers must be employed throughout the construction process. This is measure has allowed school classroom construction to have an unintended positive effect in terms of increasing livelihoods opportunities for the families in the communities. The project began construction works in Matenga and Chamuana primary schools; these schools were selected based on need. The construction works began on the 6th of October with ground breaking ceremony headed by the District Administrator at Chamuana Primary School. The ground breaking for Matenga took place on the 20th of October, a ceremony that was also presided over by the District Administrator.
The project is therefore currently building 4 classrooms and two blocks of latrines per school (1 for boys and 1 for girls), a process that will be completed by the end of Q1FY15. These classrooms and latrines are being constructed based on Government standards and with cement, bricks and metal for durability. Each classroom is expected to hold approximately 50 children per shift (classes are held in two shifts- morning and afternoon). Thus, upon completion in Q1, these 4 classes (2 schools) will support approximately 400 children in having access to an enhanced learning environment. The community played a significant role in supporting this construction work. For example, they took on the responsibility of managing the warehouse for construction supplies (keeping records, doing requisitions, ect‌) and they brought water to the school sites for mixing of cement. Purchase of learning and teaching material will be done after the construction of classroom has been completed, however the project team has already requested the administration team to begin with the procurement process, since the classrooms are set be handed over by the end of February. 1.1.2 Infrastructure and Logistics Development Support
The AMOR Infrastructure Officer was hired in July 2014 and played a critical role in supporting the construction works during this past reporting period. In addition to undertaking Plan processes, such as developing bills of quantities and selection of contractors, the Officer played a key role in the community. For example, two trainings were held with School Management Committees in Chamuana and Matenga communities, as well as Cumbana (where the distance learning facility is). These trainings were focused on record keeping and warehousing for materials, as well as community mobilization to ensure the full community was supportive of the construction process. Oversight was provided at each sight to ensure work was of quality. Immediate Outcome 1.2 Enhanced supportive and girl-friendly school environments in 15 primary schools 1.2.1 Extracurricular camps for girls
Not applicable for this reporting period.
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1.2.2 Strengthen School Committees (SMCs)
In addition to the training and support provided to SMCs on infrastructure support and warehousing, 6 committees were trained on gender and child protection during this reporting period. These were from the following schools: Matenga, Chamuana, Jogo, Guipombo, Nhancoja, and Mahena. In total, 66 people were trained (32 women and 34 men). The one day training was facilitated by Plan staff using Plan’s Planting Equality material and the Child Protection Policy. This training covered basic gender concepts, such as sex and gender; gender stereotypes and how these affect boys and girls; and how the SMC can help to address challenges facing girls and boys in access to education. Experiences of community members were shared, including by school headmasters, and the role of the SMC in positive change was explored with the groups. 1.2.3 Material Development
Materials for primary school clubs have been developed during this reporting period. A consultant was hired in September 2014 and visited the project sites to conduct focus group discussions and key informant interviews. This included interviews with children, teachers and community members, and the visit was the basis for developing an appropriate and culturally-sensitive training package. The package, which include 3 modules (Adolescence and Reproductive Health, Self Esteem and Life-skills, Gender and Empowerment), was completed and approved by Plan Mozambique and Plan Canada in November 2014. It has been translated to Portuguese and is in the process of being printed for trainings, commencing in February 2015. 1.2.4 Primary School Clubs in 15 schools
The AMOR project will be running primary school clubs, part of the approach for creating a safe and conducive learning environment. The clubs will encourage primary school students to develop positive attitudes about schooling and about girls’ rights and value, and will provide them opportunities to acquire new life skills in a safe and supportive environment. During the last reporting period, the project team held meetings with school directors and teachers to discuss the selection criteria and children have been selected for the clubs. Clubs will begin functioning in 2015, with the start of the new school year. In collaboration with communities and schools, 15 facilitators (8 female and 7 male) have now been selected and have received two sets of training: Training in child protection and child rights and facilitation skills (led by project team) Training in sexual and reproductive health and rights and child participation led by CHOICE4 The training in Child Protection, Child Rights and Facilitation skills was a 2-day training aimed at providing the youth clubs facilitators with basic information on what their role will be in facilitating the boys and girls clubs. The youth clubs facilitators will receive another series of training on the new materials and facilitators manual. The training in sexual reproductive health and rights was a 4-day training. The goal of this training was to provide foundational knowledge on sexual and reproductive rights to the club facilitators, as well as child participation and decision making.
1.2.5 Training of trainers on gender and access to school
Not applicable during this reporting period. 4
CHOICE is a Dutch NGO which partnering with Plan Mozambique in training of youth clubs. CHOICE was hired Plan through 18 Plus “ending child marriage” program.
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Comment [HG1]: Nidhi, if you are able to add a few sentences elaborating on the training package approach/contents, that would be great!
1.2.6 Support to ZIP coordinators for joint quality assurance and follow up
ZIP coordinators are appointed by the District Education office; they provide support and guidance to 5 primary schools in their jurisdiction, and those in the AMOR project area are part of the PMC The planned support for ZIP coordinators in terms of quality assurance will begin in Q1FY15, however ZIP coordinators have been engaged in the Project Management Committee (PMC) since the beginning of the project. The PMC is a steering body for the project, and holds a meeting every month to discuss the project and provide the project with support/guidance in running certain education activities. For example, the PMC developed the selection criteria of the scholarships and held the selection process in their respective areas. Intermediate Outcome 2: Improved girls’ transition from primary to secondary school Immediate Outcome 2.1 Reduced physical and financial barriers that prevent the access and participation of girls in secondary education 2.1.1 New secondary infrastructure in remote location
Construction of the classroom bloc at Nhancoja satellite secondary school is set to begin in spring 2015. The communities and local government authorities have been informed about this activity and have committed to actively participating in the construction of the classrooms. 2.1.2 Provide scholarships to secondary education for disadvantaged girls
The project team held meetings with the 15 primary school communities to discuss the eligibility criteria for secondary school scholarships. On the 24th of October the SMCs approved the eligibility criteria which include: children who have completed grade 7; parenthood (priority given to orphan children) and vulnerability aspects (including the socio-economic condition of the family). It was also agreed with the communities that parents/caregivers of children selected to receive scholarships would be engaged in the process and responsible for ensuring that their children regularly attend the lessons and contribute to the performance of the child. During the reporting period, 133 girls were identified for scholarships and schools fees for 2015 have been paid. The project team, the school headmasters, the SMCs and the Social Affairs Officer from the Government were involved in the selection process. The SMC came up with a list of eligible children, based on the criteria. Each child and family was interviewed by the Social Affairs Officer and PMC to ensure the most vulnerable children were selected. Additionally, each child selected was required to have birth registration and poverty certificate documents; Plan staff provided support and guidance to families missing this, so that their children could be included and the Social Affairs Officer was also able to help with this process. School starts February 9, 2015, and every quarter the project team and SMCs will meet with the parents/caregivers of the scholarship beneficiaries to discuss the performance of the children. 2.1.3 Gender Analysis support
The AMOR project places a significant focus on gender equality and girl’s access to quality education. During this reporting period, a main focus has been on trainings and meetings to increase gender sensitivity. For example, the youth facilitators for the school clubs will be a key part of this as the project moves forward and their training is necessary for girl’s participation and empowerment within the schools.
Intermediate Outcome 3: Improved social and personal assets of young mothers excluded from mainstream education systems conditions for themselves and their children. Immediate Outcome 3.1 Improved access of young mothers and previously excluded girls to the distance secondary education program
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3.1.1 Rehabilitate and/or expand secondary distance education facility
On the 6th of October, 2014 construction works began at Cumbana Secondary School for the distance education facility, with the ground breaking ceremony being presided over by the District Administrator. This is a one classroom facility made of cement bricks and metal; this structure was necessary as previously the Distance Education classes were taking place in a cultural room of the school, which is usually used for extracurricular activities. The contractor is currently finalising the roof of this classroom and the project aims to complete the construction by the end of February 2015. Procurement of furniture, including 25 duo desks (for 50 students), has begun. Also, a photocopy machine has been procured for the distance education program and will be delivered in February 2015. This is a critical need for distance learning program because copies of modules need to be given to each student to take home. The secondary school has committed to providing support in terms of the maintenance and use of this machine; this includes a financial commitment for repair work, paper, ink, ect‌ In the meantime the school has only one photocopy machine which is used for the distance learning centre and the mainstream system. The school has a budget for supplies and this will be used to support running costs of the photocopy machine. 3.1.2 Capacity development for distance education teaching staff
Not applicable for this reporting period. Immediate Outcome 3.2: Increased knowledge of young mothers on life skills including child/maternal health, gender roles and stereotypes, early learning and the benefits to education for girls 3.2.1 Provide support and tutoring program for girls and young mothers enrolled in the distance education program
Not applicable for this reporting period. 3.2.2 Scholarships (fees) for the distance education program for 150 girls and young mothers
The project has begun with selection of young women, including young mothers that will benefit from scholarships for the distance education program. During this reporting period, 103 young women were identified and in coordination with PMC and community members, the final 47 girls will be identified to begin school in February 2015. Selection of the girls was undertaken through various community mechanisms. During community mobilization campaigns Plan staff shared the option of distance education and this awareness created demand in the community. Plan was proactively approached by some girls and mothers requesting to be considered in the selection process. The youth facilitators of school clubs and community leaders also helped in identifying girls in their community who had been previously excluded from the formal education system. These 150 girls will receive support, beyond school fees once the school year opens on the 9th of February. This will include transportation or accommodation support, depending on the needs of the girls (distance from site; responsibilities at home, ect‌). 3.2.3 Awareness Campaigns
Awareness raising campaigns have been ongoing in the community and the key messages in this community mobilization have included: how the project aims to support education for girls and the importance of girl’s education. The roles of the key stakeholders were explored, including related to early pregnancy, which is a major cause of girl drop out from schools. Approximately 405 people have been reached with these messages across the 15 communities.
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Comment [HG2]: Ailton, please expand on the details of this arrangement with the secondary school
Promotional materials such as t-shirts and poster have been procured. In total the project purchased 100 tshirts that were distributed to the members of PMC, youth facilitators, Plan staff, community leaders, school headmasters and members of SMCs. The project is now purchasing materials such as banners and megaphone to be used during future community awareness campaigns.
5.2 List and include results, as well as methodology used, of any surveys (both qualitative and quantitative) undertaken, including baselines, household surveys and measurements of outcomes and impacts (survey examples to be attached in the Annex) The baseline study for the project was conducted in November 2014, with 10 days of field work undertaken by the University of Mondlane as the consultant. Additionally, this study included the Gender Analysis for the AMOR project. The consultants visited the 15 primary schools, 2 secondary schools (including the distance learning center) and the satellite secondary school. The study was carried out using a mixed methods approach. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods was used to provide greater insights and to enhance the understanding of both the typical and unusual cases. The quantitative method was applied not only for analysis of statistical information from secondary sources but also for collecting and analyzing secondary data either from District Education and Health Offices or from schools themselves. The qualitative portion a mixture of FGD and KII, including interviews with key stakeholders, from both community and government. 5.3 To what extent has the monitoring of program implementation identified learning opportunities within the context of the intervention? As project implementation has moved forward, monitoring has showed several key lessons learned. 1. It is important to have transparent criteria for scholarship selection and a multitude of community stakeholders involved helped to ensure no bias. For example, community selection was cross checked by Plan staff in household interviews; this is considered a best practice, beyond having schools select the students themselves, to ensure those with highest need receive support. 2. Community mobilization and ownership of construction processes has resulted in a sense of ownership of the new structures within the communities. The responsibilities accorded to the SMCs in the process have also resulted in no incidence of misappropriation or stealing of cement to date. This engagement is seen as a key lesson to be replicated in all remaining infrastructure programming for AMOR. 3. Early teenage pregnancy is quite prevalent in project areas and is an important contributing factor to girl’s and boy’s dropout rates from school; girls tend to drop our because of the childcare responsibilities and boys because of needing to support the girl and child. Consequently, the project is proposing in the Year 2 workplan to adjust the planned camps from primary to secondary school level, to include a camp for boys as well as girls, and to ensure a strong SRH component in both camps. 5.4 To what extent are unplanned positive effects (impacts) contributing to program results? List Examples. During the reporting period, one of the unplanned positive impacts that is contributing to the project achieving its result is that the Chamuana community decided to connect their borehole to the school. Initially, this was an action undertaken by the SMC to support the construction process (ie: water for cement), however this will continue to provide clean water support to children in the schools for drinking and handwashing. Community members/parents have agreed to contribute to running this borehole in a small monthly payment, demonstrating the sustainability of this activity within the community. 5.5 Include a Gantt chart or similar format indicating planned program activities and milestones for the next 6 months reporting timeframe. Kindly see attached workplan, Annex XX
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5.6 Highlight difficulties encountered during the implementation with recommendations A key difficulty encountered by the project was distance between communities and secondary schools. This distance was one of the most significant barriers to accessing secondary education, particularly for communities further away from the secondary schools. The transportation options in these remote communities were limited- for example there are no buses and few cars travelling back and forth. The recommendation for addressing this issue for girls receiving secondary school scholarships was to build in transportation allowance for bicycles, which is the most effective form of transport. Additionally, it was discussed that bicycles must be girl sizes, with Because I Am A Girl with stickers on them, to limit chances of misappropriation by family or community members. The girls receiving scholarships will be encouraged to bike together (mitigating risks). Another challenge encountered was that there weren’t many existing materials available in Mozambique for SMC training. This gap has resulted in Plan undertaking work to develop and build a material base for SMCs that is contextualized to this context. This has been built into the Year 2 workplan for AMOR. Finally, as mentioned, National elections were held in Mozambique during this reporting period. The project had to avoid holding any large community meetings or mobilisation campaigns during this period, to ensure that Plan’s interventions were able to remain independent of politics. While this was anticipated for programming purposes, an unexpected impact was that this also delayed the baseline survey. The PMP, with the baseline data integrated, is in the process of being finalised and will be shared with Dubai Cares alongside the next report. 5.7 Are the current targets realistic and are they likely to be met? The Year 2 planning workshop was held with the project team in Mozambique at the end of Janaury 2015. This workshop was beneficial in recommending several small changes in the project approach and planning, and course correction based on learnings from Year 1 of implementation. With these amendments, the current targets are realistic and likely to be met by the project. 5.8 Are there external factors likely to jeopardize the project’s direct impact? At what scale? Not at this time. Any developments, particularly related to the outcome of the recent elections, will be shared with Dubai Cares, if necessary. 5.9 If yes, are there measures for mitigating any negative impact? Not applicable at this time.
6. Financials 6.1 Official and certified financial breakdown according to the proposal budget line items highlighting actual rate of expenditure versus the approved budget over the reporting period. Please see attached financial report, Annex XX. 6.2 To what degree has the agency engaged in cost-reduction efforts to maximize fund utilization? Cite specific examples. As an organisation, Plan always strives to engage in cost reduction efforts where possible, and in a way that does not negatively impact on quality or effectiveness of project interventions. In the context of AMOR, the following measures have been undertaken: In the construction works, the project elected to build latrines and classrooms at the same time, with the same contractor. The materials were purchased by the same vendor, and transported together, thereby reducing construction costs.
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The project team coordinates with other Plan projects working in the same areas of Jangamo District to save on fuel costs, and when technical advisors in Maputo provide support in the programming unit, they will schedule time to work on several projects to share costs. Using local facilities for trainings in communities, and bring several community bodies together for trainings has been a positive practice during the past reporting period. This results in savings on transporting community members to larger centers, and also enhances community engagement in the process by supporting them to host trainings locally. The project vehicle that was procured is considered to be extremely efficient, requiring less maintenance than others currently on the market.
6.3 To what degree has the rise/drop of prices/salaries influenced budgetary items and which measures has the agency adapted to mitigate negative impact? In general, the inflation rate in Mozambique has remained stable and, in particular, the costs of two significant budget items- cement and fuel- have not fluctuated. Through internal processes, Plan does regular check-ins on project spending and cost changes. This allows us to be prepared to make amendments as needed and to manage risks. Plan also has a very competitive procurement process and always endeavors to buy the most cost-effective option. 6.4 To what extent have matching funds from the agency been utilized and effective in supporting the program? Plan has provided match funds for the salary of the Project Manager, office general supplies and office rental expenses. This support will continue as per the project plan and budget, and has contributed to ensuring the oversight and support needed for a quality intervention. 6.5 Has the agency been able to leverage the program’s theme and funding to attract and secure additional funds from external sources? In Jangamo District, a complementary project has recently begun called: 18+ Ending Child Marriage. This project is funded by the Dutch Government and builds on the girls education work taking place in the primary schools through AMOR. While these are separate projects, their complementarity has facilitated sharing of information and lessons learned between the teams, and it has been possible to conduct one training together, for club facilitators, to share costs.
7. Communication 7.1 Outline communication strategy and specific activities undertaken to highlight Dubai Cares AMOR is committed as a project to contributing to raising the profiles of Dubai Cares as an international philanthropic organization dedicated to breaking the cycle of poverty by ensuring all children have access to quality primary education. During the reporting period, specific activities undertaken to highlight Dubai Cares and the AMOR project included: In November 2014, a debate on child marriage with 14 journalists was held in Inhambane. The Project Manager was invited to speak on Dubai Care’s initiative, the AMOR project, and the importance of girl’s education.
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A community radio has requested further collaboration with AMOR project to share messages and experiences. This is being built into the project workplan. T-shirts with the Dubai Cares logo were distributed to project staff, school headmasters, project management committee members, youth facilitators and senior government officers, including the District Administrator, District Director of Education, and the Head of Social Affairs. Banners have been produced for community meetings, with messages such as: Let’s all invest in education for girls. The Dubai Cares Logo is featured on these banners. The Project Management team, which includes government officials, youth facilitators, ZIP coordinators, community leaders, have briefed on the project and Dubai Cares contribution.
As the project interventions move forward, there are several key means of enhancing visibility: Plaques are being developed for the schools currently under construction. Decals will be procured, both for the project vehicle and equipment, as well as for the bicycles that girls will use to travel to secondary school. Dubai Cares will also be prominently featured on the training materials developed, which are currently being printed. 7.2 Include human interest stories, communication material (newspaper articles, press releases) and evidence (video/photo) of workshops, training sessions and launches Please find attached case study, Annex XX. 7.3 Describe and attach all relevant communication material produced, plus any published educational material Please note that this will be provided in upcoming reports. 7.4 Submit, via CD if necessary, relevant pictures of structures built/rehabilitated as well as instances of children engaging in activities demonstrating learning and positive behaviour (e.g. washing hands, receiving treatment, reading/writing) Kindly find attached photos from the AMOR project, Annex XX.
8. Requests for Operational Modification Kindly find attached revised project LM, PMP and Year 2 Work plan, Annex XX.
9. Conclusion This first of the 4 years of AMOR project implementation was “fruitful” and dynamic. Being this first year, the team initially concentrated efforts in establishing relationships with the stakeholders, namely the teachers, schools management committees, government officers, students and the community in general. To that end embarked to a series of meetings of meetings, both formal and informal to have the stakeholders buy in.
10. ANNEXES
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