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Danish Disability Fund APPLICATION To be filled in by DPOD Disability Fund ref. no. Date received D: PROJECT OF MORE THAN DKK 3 MILLION

1. Cover Page

Grant modality C: Cooperation project C: Major development D: Project of more (insert X) between several org. project than DKK 3 million X

Danish applicant organisation Danish Association of the Blind (DAB) (financially responsible): Contact person for the project: Name: Susanne Kjær Email: [email protected] Phone: +45 21 71 67 84 Other Danish partner(s): N/A (if relevant) South partner(s): Rwanda Union of the Blind (RUB)

Project title: DREAM – Disability Rights, Empowerment, Awareness, Mobility

Country(ies): Rwanda Country’s GDP per capita: 697 USD (2015 World Bank) Project period: Commencement date: Completion date: Total number of 1 October 2017 30 September 2020 months: 36 Total amount applied for: 4.997.813 DKK

Is this a new project? [ ] A. Yes, a new project. [ X ] B. A project in extension of a project that has been supported (by the Danish Disability Fund or others): HP 129-037 Is this a re-submission? (i.e. a revised version of a previously submitted application). [ X ] No [ ] Yes, date/year of previous application: Do you want a response letter [ ] Danish or in [ X ] English Insert synthesis of the project in Danish Projektet har til formål at sikre inklusion og lige muligheder for mennesker med synshandicap i Rwanda. Særligt sigtes der mod at styrke 15 RUB lokalafdelinger i 12 distrikter, samt styrkelse af det politiske arbejde nationalt, så RUB kan advokere effektivt på medlemmernes vegne. Tematisk arbejdes der for at forbedre adgang til uddannelse for børn med synhandicap og at fremme medlemmernes sociale og økonomiske vilkår ved at sikre dem træning og adgang til lokale ressourcer, og ved at engagere familier og lokalsamfund. Udvikling og testning af ”læringsmodeller” samt ny viden omkring relevante interventioner indenfor uddannelse og

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 1 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund beskæftigelse vil blive brugt strategisk til at påvirke myndigheder og andre relevante aktører med henblik på implementering af gældende politikker og inklusion i ”mainstream” programmer og services. Et øget samarbejde med bl.a. paraplyorganisationen NUDOR vil blive etableret i den henseende. Fokus på bæredygtighed er desuden gennemgående i projektet via udveksling af erfaringer, ”peer support” og ToT træning, samt intensiv fundraising. 2. Aplication text

1. WHAT IS THE CONTEXT AND THE PROBLEM? (suggested length: C applications 4-5 pages, D applications 4-6 pages)

1.a The overall context 1 Rwanda has made good progress over the last two decades since the enormous challenges it faced in the aftermath of the genocide in 1994 that destroyed the country’s entire social and economic fabric. Rwandans have benefited from rapid economic growth, reduced poverty, more equality and increased access to services, including health and education. Improvements in living standards are evidenced by e.g. the attainment of near-universal primary school enrolment (for non-disabled children). Since the first Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS 2008-2012), Rwanda has enjoyed sustained economic growth (8% average), and the poverty rate dropped from 59% in 2001 to 45% in 2016. In the countryside, progress has however been slower and many needs regarding access to services are still not being covered. According to the 2012 Fourth Rwanda Population and Housing Census (RPHC4), there are approximately 446.500 persons with disabilities aged 5 and above in Rwanda (with a slight overrepresentation of females), representing 5% of the population aged 5 years and above. The real number of persons with disability is likely to be higher, as the World Health Organisation estimates that approximately 15% of any given population will have a disability. The same census stated that 57.213 persons are blind or partially sighted (BPS) which is equivalent to 13% of persons with disability (PWD) and 1% of the general population. In Rwanda there has been a strong political will to deal with disability issues due to the high level of disabled people emerging from the war. Rwanda has signed and ratified most of the regional and international conventions and treaties. The UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD) and its optional protocol were ratified in 2008 and Rwanda is soon slated for a CRPD state review. The Marrakech Treaty2 is yet to be adopted, but generally there is advanced legislation in place with regards to disability, the starting point of which is a rights-based approach. A major problem is that implementation is lacking behind, but still, the international commitments adopted by Rwanda since 1998 appear to have influenced national policy strategies. This goes for the 2003 National Constitution (articles 28, 40 and 76), but also to key legislation. A central achievement for the disability movement is the Law on the General Protection of Persons with Disabilities which was adopted in 2007 (Law No. 01/2007) (referred to as the Disability Law). The Disability Law describes the state’s obligations to address the needs of persons with disabilities, in conformity with the Rwandan Constitution, which prohibits any form of

1 A detailed description of the social, economic and political situation in Rwanda, including the conditions for persons with disability, is available and can be forwarded upon request. 2 The Marrakech Treaty, initially signed and adopted by 20 states in Morocco 28 June 2013, is a treaty which allows for copyright exceptions to facilitate the creation of accessible versions of books and other copyrighted works for persons with vision impairment.

2 Danish Disability Fund discrimination. Importantly aslo, the government’s seven-year plan (2010-2017) ensures that all sector ministries make reference to PWDs and include actions to provide them with services. On an overall level, the second EDPRS 2 for 2013-2018 formally prioritises citizen participation and better service delivery. To implement the strategy, the government has developed the VISION 2020 UMURENGE (VUP). The programme has three components: direct support for the poorest households with no land or labour resources; public works employing households with labour resources to build community resources; and financial services to increase access to savings and credit and improve opportunities for non- agricultural income generation. The strategy adopts the sectors as the central implementing agency in conformity with a decentralization policy, adopted in 2001, which runs from the smallest Cell unit to the Province level. The ambition is that the majority of government programmes will be implemented by local government. This is especially true for the social service sector that includes vulnerable groups and persons with disabilities.3 Civil society organisations of people with disabilities have existed in Rwanda for about 40 years. In 2010, after lobbying by civil society, the government of Rwanda agreed to create a National Council for People with Disabilities (NCPD). NCPD is a government agency with representative structure at all levels of administration responsible for mainstreaming disability across government services and development programmes. Having a national council of persons with disabilities as a government body was a positive move by the government of Rwanda to try to get closer to PWDs. However, the Council is not always taking effective action and it also risks making it difficult for PWDs to have an independent voice to critic government service delivery to PWD. In response, civil disability organisations have organised themselves into NUDOR, the National Union of Disability Organisations in Rwanda, to serve as a coordinating and representative body for the movement and to build the capacity of member organisations. NUDOR has recently taken the lead in developing the ‘parallel report’ which will be submitted to the UN CRPD Committee in conjunction with the upcoming state review.

1.b Specific challenges faced by those groups of persons with disabilities, or their organisations, for whom the project aims to bring about change The present project builds on achievements and learning from in particular the on-going joint RUB/DAB Empowerment Project (HP 129-037, coming to a close by end August 2017) but will – following recommendations in the external evaluation of this project – focus less on member empowerment and more on strategic advocacy and building of alliances besides financial sustainability. As such the present project represents the initial step in a gradual out-phasing of the long-term collaboration between RUB and DAB. The overall problem that the project will address is continuously the general exclusion of blind and partially sighted persons from participating fully in Rwandan society. Although relevant programmes exist and the disability movement is getting better organized and coordinated, as described above, PWDs are still experiencing problems in accessing their rights and living independently. The reality they face is that the outreach of these programmes is limited and most PWDs are not reached. Instead, they have to mobilise sufficient social, economic, cultural and political resources to deal with their situation as well as they can, mainly by being empowered at both individual and family level, through disability organisations, organisations of parents or by participating personally in self-help groups.

3 Rwanda is divided into 4 geographically-based provinces—North, South, East, and West—and the City of Kigali, with the provinces being further subdivided into 30 districts, 416 sectors, 2,148 cells, and 14,837 villages (Imidugudu). Each district is administered by a Mayor, who is assisted by a team of technical staff. Districts are further divided into sectors (Umurenge), then the wards (Akagari) and then the cells (Umudugudu). At Umudugudu level, people elect a council which handles disputes, mobilizes people for community work and generally works closely with other state organisations.

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 3 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund Specifically, the project will address exclusion related to the educational and socio-economic spheres; two areas which are expressed priorities for the RUB membership and where the political timing, especially as regards inclusive education, is opportune (refer further below). The lack of access to education and employment opportunities is caused by both structural and attitudinal barriers. The main, intertwined, causes are poverty; barriers related to ignorance/stigmatization among families, communities and decision makers; lack of confidence among BPS themselves; as well as the gap between legislation, implementation and disability mainstreaming as indicated above. These key problems affect PWDs from the individual to the organisational level. As regards poverty, persons with disabilities – including BPS - represented among the poorest, and primarily among the rural poor. Poverty is both a cause and a consequence of disability. Poverty causes disability through malnutrition, poor health care and dangerous living conditions. In reverse, disability can cause poverty by preventing the full participation of PWDs in the economic and social life of their communities, especially if the proper support mechanisms are not available. PWDs have typically lower educational attainment and lower employment rates than persons without disability and disability is associated with a higher probability of being poor. Households in Rwanda with a disabled member have a poverty level 1,7 percent above the national average and 76,6 percent are either poor or vulnerable to living in poverty (World Bank). Poverty also provides a huge barrier for participation in local branch or community activities since the members often cannot afford membership or transportation costs to attend meetings or hire guides. PWDs are both actively and passively excluded in Rwandan society, due to stigmatization or ignorance. PWDs are generally seen as objects of charity. Cultural beliefs and negative community attitudes are also reflected in the language used to refer to people with disabilities in Rwanda. In some rural areas, in particular, there is still little knowledge about reasons for disability. Many parents with children who have disabilities are abused and other family members look down on the parents, especially the mother and her child(ren), who may find themselves isolated from the family. Many children with disabilities are consequently hidden away.

Challenges related to access to education Both poverty and stigmatization/ignorance and lack of awareness of PWD rights among families and local communities, including school staff and local authorities, are crucial barriers preventing children with vision impairment (CWVI) from going to school and accessing education. Further, there are currently only two primary schools for the blind in Rwanda (specialized residential schools) and two integrated schools on secondary level admitting a few blind students a year. The capacity is far from near enough to cater for the many blind children that RUB identifies as part of their work in the districts.4 Over the past five-eight years, the Rwandan government has taken a number of concrete efforts to promote education for PWDs. Among these, is the National Programme on the Promotion of the Rights of PWDs (2010-2019) which details efforts overseen by the Ministry of Local Government to reinforce action to promote Inclusive Education (IE), accessibility and full participation of PWDs. Also, the current five-year Education Sector Strategic Plan (ESSP, 2013-2018) takes into account the educational needs of young people with disabilities across all educational services (teacher training and management; curriculum development etc). This is a strategy which is reflected in the Ministry of Education (MINEDUC) Policy on Inclusive Education and Special Needs (2013-2018), recently reviewed and to be approved in 2017. The latter commits the entire education sector and community at large to ensuring effective and good quality inclusive education services for learners with disabilities.

4 RUB has over the past few years ‘ by coincidence’ identified at least 30 CWVI out of school.

4 Danish Disability Fund The overall vision is that all children should go to the nearest school. However, the vast majority of mainstream schools do not accommodate sufficiently for CWVI. Apart from limited infrastructure and mobility challenges also faced by children with physical disability, CWVI need to be taught braille and there is a severe lack of trained braille teachers at all levels of education, including primary school, even if there is an on-going official process of developing an all-inclusive education at the College of Education. Furthermore, lack of accessible learning materials and equipment – i.e. educational materials in braille, audio, large print, accessible scientific materials, perkins braillers etc. - remain a serious obstacle. There is no national resource center or place where the school can get adequate materials. This means that every school, which has one or more blind children among its pupils, tries to manage as well as it can, which however is often far too little. Bullying and social exclusion of CWVI in mainstream schools are additional challenges. Therefore, if CWVI are enrolled at all, the drop-out rate is very high. In 2013, NUDOR carried out a report on the challenges faced by children with disabilities in basic education, which confirms the outlined challenges.5 Education is an expressed priority for NUDOR which is actively engaged in various activities supporting inclusive education for PWDs in Rwanda, including attempts to establish ‘inclusive model schools’, supported by MyRight in Sweden and DPOD. The project will attempt to add to this work, as will be described later. Despite the increased political efforts on promoting education in Rwanda, there remains a gap between policy commitments and the practice of inclusion in the education sector, something that has been acknowledged by the Rwandan government itself. And even if the challenges and barriers to CWVI accessing education are more or less clear, there are no comprehensive studies providing an analysis of the problem or a thorough assessment of the extent to which current Inclusive Education (IE) and Special Needs Education (SNE) policies provides for the needs of CWVI. Generally, there is a lack of quality disaggregated data and documentation in the area of disability, including on CWVI access to education.

Challenges relating to socio-economic empowerment The lack of schooling and education is one main barrier for the socio-economic empowerment of BPS and this also extends to basic skills in Orientation and Mobility (O&M) and Active Daily Living Skills (ADL)6. As many RUB members live in isolation and are never subject to demands or different exercises in coping with everyday chores, they become dependent on others to complete even the simplest tasks. The confidence in their own abilities depends on the exposure to everyday life and thus confidence levels fall. Family members often prove a barrier to community participation as they overprotect their disabled relatives and do not allow them to participate in household activities or interact with neighbours and the community in general. Also, BPS are underestimated, neglected as families feel ashamed and some even chose to reject their blind family member. The general disempowerment of BPS is a central concern and a major barrier to participation in family life, local society, not to say participating in activities of the local branch and ultimately the readiness to engage duty bearers. Rehabilitation of BPS has not been taken on as service to be provided by the Rwandan government. Currently, RUB is the only organisation carrying out rehabilitation of BPS. This is partly done at the Masaka Resource Center for the Blind (MRCB) which provides six months residential courses (training in mobility, braille, agricultural skills etc) for BPS, from 14 years of age, who have not previously been to school (MRCB is part of RUB but functions independently, refer Annex M for more information on MRCB). And partly RUB provides training in ADL, O&M and family member trainings for members at branches to the extent that finances allow. As concluded by the evaluation, RUB ‘continues to be an impressive organisation in

5 The study can be forwarded upon request. 6 The basic ADLs include eating, bathing, dressing, toileting, transferring (walking) and continence. Functional ADLs include e.g. house work, using telephone, shopping, transportation etc.

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 5 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund empowering its members through training. Constant training and sensitization can change the mind-set of people in a positive way’ (Annex F, p.29, own highlight). The challenge is lack of resources to carry out the trainings, in particular since repeated trainings are needed, not least due to the low education level of members. RUB has throughout the past years tried to use other centres and institutions to provide supplementary and relevant skills to members, in particular in terms of vocational training. In Rwanda there are few vocational training opportunities for RUB members and the majority find work within the informal sector - self-employment.7 As part of the Empowerment Project, RUB has established collaboration with the government-run vocational training centre (VTC) – Nyanza VCT - and has catered for a number of trainees for them to learn to operate knitting machines. The aim has been to demonstrate that it is possible to design vocational training towards BPS and roll out the model to other VTCs. During the project, collaboration was as such established with a second VTC, the Ubumwe Community Centre. This experience, though being a first important step, needs to be further consolidated and rolled out, with a view to ensuring sustainability of both the VCT collaboration and the individual enterprises established after the training. An additional challenge in regard to economic empowerment is that RUB members are not seen as credit- worthy by mainstream finance institutions and have as such limited access to financial services.8 As part of the Empowerment Project, RUB has established collaboration with the Caritas-run, ‘Associations of Microfinance Institutions’ (RIM). The aim was, as a pilot, to facilitate access to RIM services - financial training and loan-taking – for five branches. However, this collaboration was initially coupled with a number of challenges, primarily linked to the circumstance that the selected branches preferred to make use of a Revolving Fund run by RUB for the past eight years. As mentioned in the evaluation report, RUB has therefore in a sense been competing with itself when trying to promote RIM loans (Annex F, p.7). In a preliminary attempt to resolve the situation, the services have been opened up to all RUB branches and currently three branches are engaged with RIM and two more in the pipeline. The disability organisation UPHLS9 has previously carried out a related project ‘Employable’ which aimed to support PWD cooperatives in gaining financial and vocational training, access to loans and contacts to relevant companies and employees. The second phase of the project has recently started, with a particular focus on youth with disability, and a commitment has been obtained from UPHLS that this project can be integrated with the envisioned interventions under the present project to support BPS cooperatives (more details further below). This general exclusion of RUB members from programmes implemented by both private stakeholders and government is identified as a central problem. BPS also lag behind in terms of limited access to existing official poverty alleviation programmes (the mentioned VUP Umurenge social protection programmes).10 Some sporadic efforts were undertaken in this regard under the Empowerment Project as part of local advocacy. The evaluation estimates roughly that less than half of the RUB members in local areas have had access to these programmes but systematic data has not been gathered and official data are also non-

7 There are limited employment opportunities in the public service, and the private sector is still developing in Rwanda. Also, employers are hesitant to employ visually impaired people due to fear of costs of disability compensating equipment. 8 A UWEZO study from 2014 reveals that lack of access to education and training, lack of financial resources, inaccessible financial opportunities and lack of enabling work environment, including perceptions about disability are considered to be responsible for the exclusion of PWDs from the labour market (Source: Alternative Report to the UNCRPD committee, Dec. 2016). 9 The UPHLS stands for Umbrella of Organizations of People with Disabilities in the Fight against HIV and AIDS. Even if the organisation still mainly focuses on health issues, it is slowly moving into other areas as well. 10 The VUP includes a number of programmes, including a number of relevance to BPS; e.g. HIMO; provision of intensive short term employment for the very poorest, organized at sector level – and Ubudehe; small grants paid out at village level to both individuals and groups (refer Annex O).

6 Danish Disability Fund existing. The lack of data on the prevalence of blindness in the country also contributes to lack of interventions towards BPS in Rwanda. Local authorities are often not aware of BPS in their districts. To a large extent, inclusion in the various programmes depends on decisions made at Umudugudu level; however decision makers are not always sensitized to the rights and abilities of BPS, and the BPS may not have the knowledge or confidence to voice their concerns in the appropriate fora.

Challenges relating to organisational capacities Organisationally RUB has reached a point where it is ‘at several levels’; i.e. its 57 branches are at different stages and levels of capacity. Some branches are quite new or still weak in terms of capacities, while others have operated for a long while and are quite advanced with a well-functioning leadership, hold regular meetings and plan activities together and may have established cooperatives making them eligible for more government support.11 The evaluation of the Empowerment Project - which aimed to strengthen the organisational capacity of 30 branches - concludes that local leadership is being built, albeit slowly (Annex F, p. 9). In the weaker branches, the interaction of local RUB branches with both public and private stakeholders is limited and RUB members are not always aware of local stakeholders present in their community or how to target them. Therefore, even if improvements have taken place, the majority of the branches do not work strategically towards integration and inclusion in the community. Generally, members identify themselves with RUB and the goals of the organisation, and there is a relatively strong link between RUB and its members, in large measures because of training activities, MRCB trainees and outreach visits. However, as also confirmed by the evaluation, the staff of RUB are ‘stretched thin’ with many tasks assigned and required regular field visits to the many branches to support and monitor developments. Gathering of data from the field has been systematised in the course of the Empowerment Project and is working pretty well. However, the data are still not systematically consolidated, analysed and used for awareness and advocacy, and generally advocacy capacities at both local and national level are still insufficient. A small advocacy fund was set up during the Empowerment Project to support local initiatives; however, as noted by the evaluation, many of these have focused on solving individual cases regarding access to school, shelter or difficulties faced by isolated members, rather than influencing local policies. At national level RUB is part of all relevant networks and is recognized as a key stakeholder in the disability movement. In 2015 RUB developed a two-year advocacy strategy (2016-2017) with the support of VSO but this has since not been systematically followed, e.g. due to lacking resources, and it needs an update. The evaluation of the Empowerment Project concludes that advocacy is still the newest area for RUB and the efforts are too scattered and too focused on events and individual cases rather than on promotion of policy changes (Annex F, p.27). RUB has a sub-committee on advocacy which is meant to guide and support efforts in this regard. In December 2016 the sub-committee was re-constituted in connection with the RUB General Assembly so most of its members are new. The same goes for the board, and even if most members hold an education, their experience on particularly national level advocacy is limited. The same applies to fundraising which is another area where capacity building is still low. RUB has continuously tried to seek new partnerships and donors but progress is limited despite generally positive working relationships with government and public institutions. At local level, branches have been relatively successful in attracting small scale and in-kind support, and at national level in 2016 RUB managed for the first time to obtain public support for 30 students at MRCB from the Rwanda Governance Board (RGB) but

11 Establishing a cooperative demands a considerable financial input on the part of the members of the cooperative which prevents the majority of RUB branches from obtaining this status.

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 7 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund unfortunately a repetition of this support seems unlikely. Currently, RUB relies heavily on primarily two donors (SIDA and Danida) and is in lack of a clear strategy on how to diversify their funding base.

2. WHICH EXPERIENCE AND RESULTS DOES THE PROJECT BUILD UPON? (suggested length: C applications 2-4 pages, D applications 3-5 pages)

2.a Previous cooperation experience with the partner RUB and DAB have been working in partnership since 1998 and consider themselves sister organisations, who share values, experiences and learn from each other in terms of developing inclusive organisational structures and through working towards equal opportunities for blind and partially sighted persons. DAB considers RUBs leadership as a resource on rehabilitation and education for the blind and utilise their skills and experiences in other areas of DAB’s development work. Likewise, RUB and DAB leadership have jointly worked for the development of African Union of the Blind which is the regional body uniting blind organisations in 50 countries across Africa and where the RUB leadership previously was represented on the board. The partnership has throughout the years moved from small specific instrumental support through minor projects and lately to more complex bilateral projects. The interventions have primarily been supported by Danida, initially through CISU (Mini-programme) and since then the Disability Fund. The three most recent projects are the following: Jan 2010 – Dec 2012 ‘Outreach Project – organizing blind citizens in Rwanda’ (MP 09-722) Jan 2013 – Feb 2014 ‘Wisdom is our Dignity’ (Jan 2013 – Feb 2014) (MP 302) Mar 2014 – Aug 2017 ‘Empowerment Project’ (HP 129-037) As regards the contents of these projects, this has developed accordingly from an initial main focus on community engagement and establishment of new RUB branches (geographical outreach), towards an increasing focus on branch strengthening, through a ‘standard package’ involving various training, support to awareness raising and advocacy. The latest Empowerment Project has further piloted interventions related to vocational training, income generating activities and legal support to human rights violations. Empowerment of members and families – through rehabilitation and training – has been a continuous priority, perceived both as an end in itself and as a means towards building a strong democratic organisation.

2.b (and 2.e) Results and learning The learning and positive changes achieved through the on-going Empowerment Project, as documented in project progress reports as well as the final evaluation report (Annex F), have significantly influenced the choice of intervention areas and strategies in the present proposed project. At an overall level, the evaluation report concludes that the strategy and activities based on empowerment, organisational development and advocacy have been relevant and could be continued if in conformity with RUBs strategies. It is confirmed that individual empowerment and organisational development is a precondition for attending to the needs of BPS; strengthening the organisation is necessary for strategic orientation and in order to undertake advocacy activities which in turn is necessary for BPS to lay claim to their rights (p. iii). Following the outline in chapter 1.b., the main results and areas of learning comprise the following: Training and social empowerment of members and their families can and have contributed to significant positive changes in people's lives. This is primarily due to RUBs long and valuable experience in this area and is valid both as regards the residential training courses at MRCB and the four days ADL trainings. The

8 Danish Disability Fund ability to participate in daily activities, household decisions and community activities in turn creates respect with family members who on their part have also gained better understanding on BPS issues and capabilities through the important family member trainings. However, for future it will be important to motivate those who have been trained to go on to train other and new members. The same goes for the family member trainings (p.26). The MRCB graduates become active in branches upon their return and approx. 70% become involved in livelihood activities. Thus, as the trainings initiates both a more active life and improves relations and generates more confidence and trust in other people, gradually the social empowerment can potentially connect to economic empowerment. In terms of economic empowerment the RUB revolving loans have worked well and have served to trigger income-generating activities such as rearing of pigs and cows, buying and reselling crops etc. This proves that branches are indeed able, with guidance and support, to manage loans and carry out small-scale IGA projects (p.17). However, since the loans have shown to be an obstacle for the collaboration with RIM, as mentioned above, the revolving fund should be adjusted, and an alternative found which will allow for greater sustainability and broader reach since the revolving funds would never be able to meet the full demands. The partnerships established with the two vocational institutions seem to carry great potential. The experience is that the vocational training is an effective way of empowering BPS as this has added to motivation and change of mentality from receiver of charity to someone who can contribute. As an example, experience shows that trainees often by own initiative train others when returning to their branches. But also here, efforts are needed with a view to monitoring and ensuring sustainability of the interventions both in terms of the costs implied and the established livelihood activities. With regard to organisational development and strengthening of local branches, trainings and activity/follow up support have generated positive changes in the sense that branches plan activities together such as savings and livelihoods. Organisation of sports activities at branch level is currently being tested by RUB as part of the final phase of the Empowerment Project. The experience from other countries, including Ghana, is that this is an effective way of mobilizing members and creating awareness. Also, piloted exchange visits have been much appreciated and inspired learning and new branch activities. The capacity building and outreach to branches are important in terms of consolidating the strength and cohesiveness of RUB as an organisation (p. 9). About 2/3 of the capacitated branches draw up agendas and plans for the work and report back to RUB in Kigali in the form of written quarterly reports. However, a common format could be useful in order to collect the same information at branch level (p.10). As earlier indicated, a system at national level is also needed to consolidate information and use of this for broader purposes. The lack of consolidation and analysis may partly be due to the fact that the geographical reach in the Empowerment Project has been very wide (39 branches) which suggests that the scope has been too broad in particular in view of limited staff resources available (p. 10). As described further above, advocacy has posed challenges. However the training on human rights have led to increased knowledge and self-confidence which has led members to confront community members who have not treated them properly (p. 12) and branches have raised cases of rights violation on several occasions, especially as affecting women.12 Even if, as mentioned, the small scale advocacy funds have focused too much on individual cases, still the activities have added to significant awareness raising in the local communities and have helped open doors and strengthen relations with local authorities and other duty bearers though any tangible results have not been systematically documented. For future, RUB should focus more on promoting and documenting access to social protection government programmes under VUP (e.g.p.vi). Further, the monitoring of the funds have taken up many resources from RUB national level

12 Piloting of (legal) support to address human rights violations formed part of the Empowerment Project. Even if small important results have been obtained, this activity will not be continued as part of the DREAM project due to a concern that scarce resources may be spread too thinly. Instead separate funding will be pursued for a continuation and further expansion of this work which is still considered of great importance.

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 9 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund which all in all suggests a closer look at how these funds are used and monitored. Further, national level advocacy could benefit from a closer strategic link to developments at local level besides closer coordination and collaboration with NUDOR which at least in one instance has led to an important result in terms of obtaining tax exemption for assistive devices. The same goes for fundraising (ibid). According to recommendations in the evaluation, advocacy should focus on national education policy and follow up on the parallel report-writing (ibid). RUB is experienced and strong regarding raising awareness on blindness issues (p. 15), both at local and national level. Through organisation of campaigns and similar activities, RUB has managed to access and attract good media attention, and these activities are considered of utmost importance by RUB itself in terms of visibility and recognition. RUB has further managed to introduce a high degree of sensitiveness towards gender issues, e.g. through insisting on gender-balanced participation and involvement in project activities. Also, women have worked together, through the formation of women committees, and have used savings from funds to buy animals which is a good first step for women towards economic empowerment (p.27). RUB does not have a gender equality policy but plans are to develop this in 2018 with support from the Swedish blind organisation (SRF), and this can help to inform any relevant adjustments to the present project. In summary, the challenges, results and learnings of earlier project interventions, suggest a new project – more focused in geographic and thematic scope - which continuously will build on the successful empowerment of members, not least for the purpose of organisational strengthening and in order to generate ‘evidence’ which can feed into awareness and advocacy efforts. Further, the training of members should be carried out with greater view to sustainability, e.g. through the testing of training of trainers (ToT) as a new approach to build member empowerment. More emphasis should be put on exploring avenues, testing intervention models and building sustainable strategic alliances with regard to supporting and mainstreaming economic empowerment of members. And finally, findings call for strengthening of advocacy at both local and national level, with a strategic focus on access to education, as well as increased focus on financial sustainability.

2.d (and 2.c)13 Assessment of partner capacity RUB holds long-term experience in regard to implementation and monitoring of development projects in collaboration with both local and international donors, which besides the Danish support in particular concerns support from SIDA through SRF. As documented by an OCTAGON organisational assessment carried out by SRF (Annex G), RUB has all relevant internal regulations and policies in places (except the above-mentioned gender policy). RUB’s overall organisational strategy is outdated but will be revised in the inception phase of present project in collaboration with SRF. The same goes for the existing advocacy strategy. RUB’s internal regulations also include sound financial procedures which are followed systematically and meticulously by RUB staff and which have not given cause to concern as regards the management of the on-going Empowerment Project. This project is of a similar budget size in DKK as the present proposed project.14 As indicated above, the evaluation has found that RUB staff has been stretched as compared to the wide scope and amount of work in the Empowerment Project. Consequently, it is suggested that RUB should consider making use of volunteers to a greater extent. RUB already has a roaster of volunteers (besides a volunteer policy) and systematically tries to make use of these whenever possible. However, due to low levels of education as well as the need for guides etc., there is a limit to how much RUB can rely on volunteers and to what degree this will actually relieve staff of any work. As a consequence, it has been

13 Chapter 2.c in the application format (‘Challenges’) is covered partly in chapter 1.b and partly in this chapter 2.d. 14 Due to the current strong dollar, the budget size in USD/RwF is actually considerably smaller than the previous project.

10 Danish Disability Fund instead been decided to narrow down the number of targeted branches and districts (refer chapter 3.b and Annex H). Furthermore, in December 2016 the RUB board and sub-committees were reconstituted, and the majority of the new members are educated and competent. It is therefore expected that board and sub-committee members can add positively to the project goals, not least within advocacy and IE, since three members are experts within this field (ToR for sub-committees are currently being reviewed to this effect). Further, two members are employees at NUDOR which also speaks well for the envisaged concerted efforts on the same two areas. Limited strategic advocacy skills – and monitoring to assist advocacy - were indeed singled out in the evaluation as one of the weaknesses of RUB, and DAB will therefore, as suggested, ‘freshen up the technical part of the partnership’ and work closer with RUB on this area. The same applies to, as also recommend, fundraising efforts. The increased project focus on these particular areas - advocacy and financial sustainability – thus reflects the current capacity challenges of RUB, and is a key stepping stone in the mentioned gradual out-phasing of the project collaboration between RUB and DAB.

2.f Preparatory process As mentioned, the present proposal is to a large extent based on the findings and recommendations of the evaluation of the Empowerment Project, generated through interviews held with members, RUB executives and local authorities. The findings and recommendations were initially discussed at a RUB retreat (with selective staff, board, sub-committees members) in February 2017 which triggered much of the thinking behind the design of the project. In early March, DAB and RUB met to further discuss the three mentioned intervention areas, their respective targets and strategies to be applied. A half day workshop were in this connection held with the board and sub-committee members in which the main components were agreed upon and which provided important insight into needs, challenges faced and strategic windows of opportunities within the various areas. Meetings were also held with NUDOR, UPHLS and MyRight Rwanda to discuss coordination and collaboration on related activities. RUB has subsequently further explored the options for integration of project activities with the mentioned organisations, in addition to Handicap International, and this has resulted in confirmation and clarification of collaboration within the areas of access to education (NUDOR and HI) and economic empowerment (UPHLS). The actual drafting of the proposal has taken place in close collaboration between RUB and DAB. Close reference has been made to a draft proposal for RUB and SRF collaboration (funded by MyRight) for continuous project collaboration (to begin Jan 2018 if approved), supplemented by skype meetings between SRF and DAB staff. The mentioned OCTAGON organisational assessment, carried out by SRF in 2014 with follow up on status in December 2015 and 2016, has confirmed the main organisational strengths and weaknesses and helped inform the interventions in this regard (Annex G). This is in line with one of the recommendations of the Empowerment evaluation which emphasized more active coordination between DAB and SRF on issues such as capacity building, joint project content etc. The present project and the SRF proposal plan to carry out similar activities in regard to assisting CWVI to schooling, but in different districts. Data and learning from the collective districts will feed into advocacy carried out under the present project. Further, a number of activities relating to organisational development, including update of the mentioned RUB strategy and organisation of board/subcommittee meetings are co-funded (refer Annex B). The Rwanda parallel report on CRPD report (draft finalised in December 2016 following a process led by NUDOR) has further informed the choice and priority of strategic advocacy areas and will be used actively throughout the actual project implementation.

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 11 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund At the Danish level, the process of development of a joint country strategy for Rwanda, embracing the Danish disability organisations active in Rwanda, has been helpful in terms of clarifying contextual issues as well as the priority areas, not only of RUB, but of the disability movement in general in Rwanda. As such the process has also helped identify areas of mutual concern and potential for joint advocacy interventions, and has informed the selected intervention areas of access to education (outcome 1), social and economic empowerment (outcome 3) as well as organisational development (outcome 3); all identified as priority areas in the draft country strategy.15 Finally, the decision by the Danish disability organisations, headed by DPOD, to pursue the possibility of having inclusive education for CWD selected as the theme for the ‘DR Christmas Calendar’ and the potential synergy and increased impact that this could bring, has confirmed the focus on inclusive education in the present application.16

3. WHAT CHANGE WILL THE PROJECT ACHIEVE AND HOW? (suggested length: C applications 8-10 pages, D applications 10-14 pages)

3.a Change (max. ½ page) This project seeks to ensure that RUB has manifested itself as a strong advocate and the legitimate ‘go to’ organisation for external stakeholders in matters related to BPS issues. The idea is to create learning models for how to include BPS persons in education and socio-economic activities. This means that CWVI and their families will have an understanding of their rights and the importance of the children receiving an education. Further, it means that RUB members can actively participate in governmental programmes or run their own profitable businesses. The learning models will build on the experiences from activities and support RUB in further establishing its ‘brand’ as a spokes organisation for BPS persons. On a more institutional level, RUB will as an organisation further build its own capacity to advocate towards national stakeholders, such as government institutions – and other service providers – to ratify and implement national and international policies advancing the rights of PWD; in particular the IE policy and the Marrakech treaty. This means there will be significant positive changes to the lives of the individual beneficiaries of this project as they partake in testing the activity approaches and further consolidating RUB as a strong sustainable organisation, and on a larger scale, learning models will be established which can be used in future advocacy and in relation to rolling out similar initiatives in other districts across Rwanda.

3.b Stakeholder analysis (which stakeholders are relevant to involve in the project and how?) and target groups (among whom will you achieve change?) (1-2 pages) The target groups described below are the main stakeholders in the project. However, a number of external stakeholders are identified as influential towards the success of the project. These groups can be classified under three headings; 1) national and local governmental stakeholders (in particular educational and employment authorities), 2) NGOs and other allies (including not least NUDOR, VTCs, UPHLS, RIM), and 3) potential partners and donors. For more details, refer to Annex D. Some of the key external stakeholders also form part of the primary target group as will be apparent below. The primary target group, who will participate in project activities, is made up of:

15 The process of developing the country strategy has involved workshops in both Denmark and Rwanda, involving four disability organizations in Denmark and six in Rwanda. The strategy will expected be valid as from January 2018 at the latest. 16 A joint concept note on ‘Børnenes U-landskalender’ submitted in early February was unfortunately rejected by Danida; however plans are to submit a revised proposal early 2018 for the calendar project in 2019.

12 Danish Disability Fund - 453 RUB members who will participate in project activities at district level. These are registered members and leaders of RUB in 15 branches spread across 12 districts of Rwanda. They will be personally empowered through various trainings, follow up visits and guidance, access to small scale advocacy and awareness raising funds, and events financed by the project. An equal gender distribution will be sought when implementing project activities.

- 300 family members who ill be educated on the rights, needs and capabilities of BPS. These will in turn pass on their knowledge to other family members. - Estimated 300 government officials at district (270) and national (30) level will also participate in project activities as a separate primary target group. District officials will mostly be selected staff and members of social welfare offices, educational and school authorities. At national level they include ministry officials and members of the NCPD. They will participate in orientation sessions, dialogue and sensitization meetings, enabling them to better exercise their duties.

In addition a number of specific groups are targeted under each of the three identified overall areas of intervention, i.e. education, socio-economic empowerment and organisational development. There may be some overlap with the RUB branch members mentioned above:

- 71 CWVI in the 12 districts will be assisted to go to school. 15 of these (living in four ‘NUDOR districts’, refer Annex H and below) will receive special support and assistive devices which will make it possible for them to enrol in a ‘model school’, and 56 CWVI (from the remaining eight project districts) will be assisted to access some kind of schooling, whether public or private. - 110 BPS will undertake a 6-month rehabilitation course at Masaka Resource Center for the Blind (MRCB). 15 of these will be selected for special training on how to train others (ToT) when they return to their home branches. The MRCB trainees are selected on an individual basis and may come from outside the project branches. - 45 BPS who will participate in vocational training (knitting, massage etc.) at a vocational training centre. Like in the case of MRCB, they may be selected outside the project branches and some may be former MRCB trainees. - Estimated 210 branch members in 7 branches will benefit from accessing RIM services and loans with a view to establishing IGAs. Moreover, estimated 20 individual RUB members (previous VTC trainees, or MRCB graduates) will access RIM services, in addition to estimated 40 youth branch members in four branches who will benefit from establishment of cooperatives and integration in UPHLS ‘Employable’ project. - Staff of RIM, VTC and other potential strategic partners at district and national level also form part of the primary target group. These will be invited to participate in partnerships and various forms of collaboration with RUB for mutual benefit. It is difficult to pre-estimate the figures for this group. - Finally, 28 BPS at national level (board members and subcommittee members) will participate and benefit from training to strengthen their skills on advocacy and organisational issues, in particular fundraising - in addition to 6 RUB staff who will increase their skills on particularly advocacy and fundraising.

The secondary target group, who will benefit indirectly from project activities, embraces the following three groups: - Estimated 90 additional BPS in the 12 districts (members in non-project branches) who will benefit through involvement in district activities, increased access to government services and higher awareness on blindness and disability issues.

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 13 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund - Family members of BPS (beyond the ones directly engaged in family member trainings) who can be expected to benefit from either a personally empowered or materially benefitted PWD member. Using the average household size of 4,6 in Rwanda, the number of people involved would be about 1700 persons. - The local communities of the 12 project districts that will be engaged through local advocacy and awareness raising activities. The ultimate target group of this project are the estimated 22.000 individual BPS making up the total BPS population in the 12 project districts17 who as rights holders will benefit from having more responsive government services in their district and better acceptance of BPS in local society. The general membership of RUB nationwide – total 2500 BPS - will in the longer run benefit from having the support of a more efficient, more capable, better known and better funded organisation.

Social composition of the participants and beneficiaries Though most BPS in Rwanda can be described as marginalized (refer above, 1.b), BPS are not a homogeneous group but can be categorized into at least three broad groups who in different ways are targeted and benefit from the project interventions: a. Resourceful and empowered (about 5 % of the BPS population).18 This describes those who have been through formal education/training/apprenticeship to the level that they are employed, self-employed or have a regular source of income. Members of this category tend to be active in RUB and are often elected to hold positions of responsibility. In the projects, activities targeted at this category include; training on human rights/advocacy, leadership and programme management training, access to RIM services (IGAs), vocational training, and advocacy and awareness raising funds. b. In need of empowerment (about 5% of the BPS population). This describes members of the organisation that may have had some basic education/training/apprenticeship that enables them to survive but not thrive. BPS in this category tend to attend meetings and vote for the more resourceful and more educated to take up leadership positions within RUB. In the project, activities targeted at this category include; family member trainings, ADL training, human rights/advocacy trainings, participation in branch/sports activities, and access to poverty alleviation/social protection programmes. c. Marginalized (about 90% of the PWD population). This category refers to those BPS who are the most vulnerable. Most of them do not have any reliable economic activity to live on and depend on hand outs and charity. Though some of them may occasionally find some work for pay, it is usually transient and poor paying. In the project, activities specifically targeted at this category include: rehabilitation at MRCB, ADL training, and access to schooling and poverty alleviation programmes. As mentioned the project will target its interventions in 15 branches across 12 districts. Reflecting the described variation in levels of capacity of branches (refer chapter b.2), the target branches are composed of five ‘A branches’ and 10 ‘B branches’, each comprising the described three groups of BPS, however with relatively more members from category a and b in the A branches. Besides reflecting the varying capacity of branches, the rationale behind the selection of the two types of branches is an attempt to exploit the potential relating to peer support and cross-learning. For further details on the branches including selection, refer to Annex H. The challenges and potentials of the respective branches and districts are guiding the strategic approaches that will be applied, as will be further described in the strategy section below.

17 This number is based on the 2012 census estimate of a total 57.213 BPS spread across the 30 districts of Rwanda. 18 The percentages given are estimates by RUB. The members of the categories are not static and there is quite a lot of movement especially between the second and third category.

14 Danish Disability Fund

3.c Objectives and indicators (attach a logframe) Reference is made to the attached logframe (Annex C)

3.d Strategy (suggested length: C applications 5-7 pages, D applications 6-9 pages) The project is a continuation of previous joint efforts between RUB and DAB aiming to strengthen RUB as an organisation capable of empowering its members and advocating for the inclusion of BPS in Rwandan society. Previous projects have primarily focused on raising awareness of BPS conditions and capabilities and on capacitating and supporting members and RUB branches as a means to building the organisation. In contrast, as earlier indicated, the present project will apply an increasing focus on advocacy for the promotion and realization of BPS rights and opportunities, as well as on financial sustainability. As such the project constitutes the next logical step in the previous string of efforts. In line with this, the identified first two project outcomes are advocacy related, addressing lack of access to education and lack of social/economic inclusion respectively, whereas the third outcome concerns organisational and financial strengthening. These three areas are all singled out as priorities in current RUB strategies, and, as mentioned, are also specifically mentioned in the evaluation of the Empowerment Project as strategic areas to be pursued further. As indicated further above, RUB has not previously been intensively engaged in promoting education for BPS but has attempted, within the limits of existing resources and when coming across CWVI out of school, to assist these to some kind of schooling, whether public or private. However, access to inclusive education for CWVI is currently on the political agenda in Rwanda due to a recent review of the IE policy and the upcoming CRPD state review, and timing is therefore opportune. The overall change logic underlying the present project is that it is an obligation of the state and other duty bearers to ensure a society inclusive of BPS but that this will only be informed and brought about by a strong viable organisation of the blind, which is based on empowered and capacitated members and is working hand in hand with the other disability organisations in Rwanda. Or put differently, members - when capacitated, mobilized and represented – can build a strong legitimate RUB (outcome 3), that is able to effectively raise awareness and advocate for services and are enabled to hold duty bearers accountable (outcome 1). Likewise, a strong RUB that is visible in delivering results for BPS and in empowering BPS as productive members of society (outcome 2), can motivate empowered members to contribute actively to the organisation, and can also make RUB valuable to duty bearers, donors and sponsors seeking to engage BPS as constituents, partners, or clients (outcome 3) – in turn strengthening and supporting the situation of the members. As the logic indicates, and will further be described in the below, these intervention areas do not stand alone but are mutually supportive and collectively address the plethora of barriers and challenges mentioned in chapter 1.b. A main project assumption suggests that tested models of intervention and individual role models and success stories will help change perceptions and convince local communities and political and private decision makers alike, that BPS are indeed capable and able to contribute to local communities and society at large. This will in turn help fight exclusion. Changes of behaviour among the key groups (BPS persons, duty bearers/service providers and community stakeholders) are central to the project goal and run through each of the three project outcomes, as mentioned focusing respectively on 1) access to education, 2) socio-economic empowerment and 3) organisational strengthening (including financial sustainability):

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 15 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund Outcome 1 - Access to Education: Education authorities (at national and local level) are motivated and have begun transforming policy into inclusive institutional practice benefitting CWVI beyond the target group Collectively the projected interventions under Outcome 1 aim to address the mentioned challenges relating to lack of awareness and knowledge on CWVI, lack of quality training and accessible equipment, and lack of data and documentation. Through sensitization, provision of expertise and support, and building of alliances, the project will generate learning and documentation which in turn will be used for advocacy at both local and national level. The project will feed into the on-going efforts of NUDOR to establish ‘inclusive model schools’ ensuring inclusion of CWVI in these schools for a more comprehensive model, since currently only children with physical disability (and partly intellectual disability) are targeted. The model will inform the implementation of IE/SNE policies on a medium to long-term basis, while elements may still be relevant in public schools without a specific IE policy on both short and long-term. In addition to the work on model schools, the project will carry out less intensive interventions in other districts to generate learning on minimum requirements for meaningful social and academic integration of CWVI in mainstream schools. The general logic is that more CWVI will attend and retain in school if parents, school authorities and relevant community stakeholders are sensitized to support CWVI, and if tangible evidence and tested models are presented to raise duty bearer awareness and willingness to adopt conducive policies and to transform these to practice. The concrete strategic interventions to be pursued under this outcome fall under three main headings as follows: Assisting CWVI to school – testing of interventions In the four project districts which overlap with the districts in which NUDOR works to establish inclusive model schools (refer Annex H), the project will undertake supportive actions to identify CWVI out of school, sensitize the families and school authorities, as well as facilitate that the specific needs of the children are assessed and catered for (refer below). This latter will also include to engage, in collaboration with NUDOR, the Rwanda Education Board (REB) to deploy teachers who know braille to the schools. Close monitoring and follow up will be done with the children, their families, teachers and the school authorities. In the remaining eight districts, RUB will likewise identify children out of school and in these districts engage parents, school authorities and district leaders in a dialogue on the right to education and how the children may be assisted to some kind of appropriate schooling. As earlier noted, in collaboration with SRF, RUB will expectedly from 2018 be carrying out similar activities in six branches in three additional districts In both types of districts, family member trainings (refer Outcome 2) and capacitation of branches (refer Outcome 3) will support the interventions. The branches and RUB volunteers will be actively engaged in identification of children, monitoring and follow up, and in gauging support from the local community. As indicated, the aim, besides assisting the children to school, is in particular to generate learning and documentation on adequate modes of intervention to support CWVI to access and retain in mainstream school. An expert study, to be commissioned by RUB, will be carried out in the early phase of the project period to supplement the mentioned NUDOR study in order to collate and systematize knowledge and information with a view to informing detailed strategic and targeted project interventions (draft TOR in Annex L). Data and best practices, to be gathered in the course of the project from all 12 project districts (also using data from SRF districts) will supplement this information. A simple registry will keep track of the involved children to follow developments and capture learning. A small handbook summarising best practices on the integration of CWVI in ‘ordinary’ schools will be shared with all 57 RUB branches and education authorities at cell, sector and district level.

16 Danish Disability Fund Assessment of CWVI needs and access to assistive devices A separate target, partly a prerequisite to the interventions outlined above, is to develop and test a model for the (vision) assessment of the CWVI and their specific needs in order to clarify and document what needs to be in place for them to attend mainstream schools and to perform on equal basis as non-disabled children. This will be carried out in close collaboration with Handicap International which, backed by Unicef, is already engaged in related work, including as part of the NUDOR/DPOD project. RUB will in collaboration with HI seek additional strategic alliances and potential sponsors who may facilitate access to equipment and accessible educational materials in the project districts and beyond. Influencing duty bearers RUB’s current advocacy strategy will be revised within the first six months of the project (refer Outcome 3), and will include a detailed sub-strategy on access to education drawing on the results of the mentioned study. Main priorities will relate to the lack of trained SNE/IE teachers (including braille) and the lack of accessible materials and equipment; both also highlighted in the CRPD parallel report as areas of general concern across the disability groups. The REB is one main stakeholder which will be engaged with a view to identifying sustainable mechanisms. Strategic and evidence based advocacy, making use of gathered data and learning, will be carried out in close collaboration with NUDOR and the NUDOR Steering Committee on Education, which RUB is currently chairing. On the RUB board/Women sub-committee are two university professors and one teacher who will serve as special resource persons. Besides the two mentioned priority areas, RUB will also make a petition and carry out advocacy to convince the Rwandan government to ratify the Marrakech Treaty. RUB has already initiated this work with the support of the Ecumenical Disability Advocates Network and if ratified, this will serve to support the access to accessible educational materials at all levels.

Outcome 2 – Social and Economic Empowerment: RUB members have been socially and economically empowered through rehabilitation/training and increased access to services and government programmes. Knowledge has been consolidated on viable avenues for economic empowerment for BPS. The interventions under Outcome 2 build upon the experience, learnings and partnerships established as part of previous projects. The aim with this outcome is to consolidate existing strategic partnerships while trying out new venues for social and economic empowerment of BPS. Besides supporting the inclusion and livelihood of selected RUB members, who can serve as positive role models and examples for stakeholders and other BPS, the broader strategic aim is to generate, evaluate and document learning on the various barriers and in particular opportunities for socio-economic inclusion and empowerment of BPS which can be used for further mainstreaming efforts. Inclusion as active members of society is a key factor under this outcome but in recognition that not everyone will become an entrepreneur and run a business, efforts will be made to promote that BPS are included in poverty alleviating government programmes on the same terms as non-BPS. That said, many BPS do hold potential and some basic capacities and it is assumed that they, with more vocational skills, will be able to become active contributing members to their community. To be able to get this point, though, not only the BPS needs to know more about the vocational opportunities, but the stakeholders and service providers also need to be more aware of the capacities of BPS. The experience and logic is that this will create a mutual recognition between the community members and BPS and this will support, not only the economic empowerment of BPS as they can earn their own living, but also their social status in their community. It is expected that this will show BPS themselves and their surrounding communities that they can contribute actively in their communities. The concrete strategic interventions to be pursued under this outcome fall under three main headings as follows:

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 17 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund Active participation in households and local communities Change starts with RUB members themselves changing their mind-set and becoming active in overcoming attitudinal, institutional and physical barriers that may be present in their communities. As earlier mentioned, participation and contribution in household and community activities brings social recognition and is an important part of the empowerment process. Also, this is crucial for the communities’ perception of what BPS are capable of. The evaluation of the Empowerment Project confirms the impact of the rehabilitation and family training as it dramatically changes people’s lives and needed to get members out of isolation. The training is a precondition for any other economic empowerment initiatives, organisational training and, at a later stage, advocacy efforts. The individual capacity building will be based on training in ADL (for 10 B branches) as well as the rehabilitation course at Masaka, which also includes a start-up kit for the graduates e.g. pesticides, farm tools or a pig or goat (refer Annex Q). As a new approach, the ADL training will be carried out as a ToT training, so that instead of training all branch members, only 1/3 of the members will be trained and will collectively be charged with the responsibility of training the remaining branch members. The same applies partly to the MRCB courses where, as a pilot, 15 MRCB trainees will be selected to undergo a special ToT component as part of the MRCB course. The idea is that MRCB graduates become instrumental in their local district branches in regards to identifying and teaching new members in ADL and O&M, and in developing activities in the branches. In contrast to previously, the selected MRCB trainees will systematically be encouraged and trained in how to engage in peer education and will be assisted to deliver what they have been taught upon their return to their branches. This will include support to follow up and cross learning. As described in chapter 1.b, families continue to be a barrier to members’ independence due to overprotection and underestimation of the capabilities of the blind. RUB will continue to work to raise the awareness in families and communities about disability rights and capabilities of BPS to ensure that relatives are well abreast with issues pertaining to blindness. Each branch member is invited to a family training workshop together with a family member (in 10 B branches). A key lesson learnt from earlier is to ensure that the participants are decision makers in the family and to build in a commitment to repeat lessons to the rest of the household. The trainings will have a special focus on access to education where CWVI are concerned (refer Outcome 1). An extra benefit from the family trainings is awareness raised as the local communities gather as spectators when practical exercises are arranged (e.g. guide techniques and walking blind folded). Refer to Annexes I, J and K for an overview and details on the trainings. Economic empowerment The project will continue to consolidate the established partnership with RIM which will target its effort towards 5 A and 2 B branches (the latter following branch trainings under Outcome 3) as well as MRCB graduates and VTC trainees (refer below). In order to qualify for a loan, loan takers need to have a bank account and to prove their skills by previous small IGA activities. RIM provides training for loan takers in project and financial management. The catholic based association is present in every parish and also does follow up on loan takers to minimize loses which is why RUB continuously sees RIM as the best partner in this field. As mentioned in chapter 1.b, the initial efforts in promoting access to financial services under the Empowerment Project experienced some difficulties but have recently been gaining momentum. To further support this, RUB will over the coming three years gradually phase out the loans under the RUB revolving fund. Consequently, only branches not previously receiving a loan will be eligible with the exception of some of the weaker branches which may get opportunity for a second loan. Through this out-phasing and the general increased focus on consolidating partnerships with mainstream service providers who can provide technical support to the beneficiaries, RUB will gradually be able to move away from a (potentially) conflicting role as a credit/service provider to the membership itself and towards more sustainable venues for member empowerment.

18 Danish Disability Fund Gradually, the revolving fund can be transformed into ‘guarantee funds’ which are set aside as a guarantee to RIM provided that loan takers do not repay their loans. Experience shows, also from DAB project in Ghana (HP 115-124) that financial institutions show a higher degree of willingness to include BPS, when the potential risk is removed from the financial institutions’ engagement. Thus it is also a purpose in itself to show to RIM and other institutions that BPS represents a potential business opportunity, as they are credit- worthy to the same extent as any other persons. The workability of this approach is currently being tested in the mentioned project in Ghana and results look promising (for more details, refer to Annex N). As a new approach, a partnership with UPHLS will ensure the integration of RUB cooperatives in four districts into the mentioned ‘Employable’ project of UPHLS assisting the start-up of businesses and linkage to relevant companies. In terms of setting up small enterprises through the loans, RUB will as part of branch trainings and follow up visits (refer below and Outcome 3), guide and support loan taking branches and individuals in engaging with local communities (market queens, traditional leaders, local authorities etc.) for their support to established IGAs. RUB will further encourage and support trained members to engage with agricultural companies (such as IKIREZI) and others relevant companies.19 Rwanda’s economy is agriculturally based and subsistence agriculture is also the main source of income generating activities that RUB local branches engage in. RUB will also continue the two partnerships established as part of the Empowerment Project with the government-run VTCs, Nyanza and UCC. The centres will continuously admit BPS trainees to vocational training; as previously training on knitting and RUB will negotiate that also their courses on tailoring, weaving and carpentry will be offered to BPS. The aim is to demonstrate that it is possible to design vocational training towards BPS and eventually to roll out the model to more VTCs in Rwanda. The link to these established institutions will cater to the lesson learnt that there is a need for increased technical assistance and links to qualify the member’s ventures into income generating activities. Participants for the VTC training will be drawn from MRCB graduates as well as selected RUB members (requirements include knowledge in reading and writing in braille and three years of primary education). After completion of training the participants will approach their local RIM branch to apply for start-up loans. The project will also provide small start up support in the form of knitting machines etc., and RUB will work to identify sponsors who can contribute to this. In contrast to the earlier related intervention, the project will establish a simple registry and follow the VTC trainees carefully, with a view to support and assess the viability and sustainability of the IGAs established. Inclusion in social protection/poverty alleviating programmes RUB will work on the access of its members to relevant government mainstream programmes (overview in Annex O) through branch trainings (refer Outcome 3) and through engagements with local authorities, facilitated by small scale advocacy and awareness raising funds (refer below). As outlined in chapter b.1., the local level authorities are the entry point as the decision making on distribution of social protection funds are made at this level. The increased focus on integration into mainstream programmes will happen in collaboration with the disability movement in general. NCPD, which has representatives at both sector and cell level, has included monitoring of government’s mainstreaming in its own strategic plan, and RUB will engage with both NCPD and NUDOR with a view to influencing local development plans so that these include PWD and specifically BPS issues. The local plans are based on performance contracts done at district level between sector and

19 There are no government centres providing training on agriculture in Rwanda, all are privatized.

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 19 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund district, and at sector level between cell and sector – and discussions of the plans are taking place at the Joint Action Development Forums (JADF) where NUDOR and NCPD typically are present.20 One issue that will pushed as a priority is a need for a clear definition of disabilities and economic stratification. Currently, RUB members are not evaluated on an individual basis but as part of their relatives/caregivers. This works against the individual member’s right to direct poverty support and RUB will work to change this practice Local advocacy efforts will be facilitated by the mentioned advocacy and awareness raising funds; grants which will be available to project branches subject to submission of a brief application and action plan with the intention to push issues of concern at cell or sector level (for B branches after training, refer Outcome 3). The funds are meant as an incentive to branches to develop advocacy plans and activities and are modelled over other effective small scale funds in DAB projects that successfully meet local demands at grassroots level. As mentioned, the funds were first tried out as part of the Empowerment Project and have helped to generate small but important results, despite the mentioned challenge that the use of the funds has not been confined to ‘strict’ advocacy. Acknowledging that awareness raising activities can be a means to strengthen relationships with local authorities, the scope of the funds will in the present project be broadened to include awareness raising. Intensified engagement with branches in the application process will promote correct use of the funds. An additional effect and aim of the funds is that the process provide members with experience in practical proposal writing/fundraising as they are taught how to think strategically and acknowledge that funds are not given for free. It is a learning experience for the branches as all applicants get feedback on their work. Guidelines for the funds are annexed (Annex M). The planned follow up/outreach visits (annually to A branches, and bi-annually to B branches) will review and support the branches’ work with local advocacy. Experience has shown that the branches need guidance and support in initiating and maintaining interaction with local authorities at sector and cell level and in engaging the different technical staff available at local level. Likewise, the visits are also used to follow up on the different trainings and initiatives to build social and economic empowerment of members as described further above. The visits will allow RUB to monitor the effect and replication of the training, link members to relevant local technical staff, and may assist to adjust the intervention accordingly as relevant (existing monitoring format is annexed, Annex P).

Outcome 3 - Organisational development: RUB has consolidated its position as the legitimate voice for BPS in Rwanda and advocates forcefully for the rights of BPS in an increasingly (financially) sustainable manner The components under Outcome 3 are by and large to be seen as supportive to the plans and targets under the other two outcomes. The organisational strengthening is in particular focused on grassroots level aimed at strengthening the individual branches but also bolstering the strength of the whole of RUB. At national level, initiatives will work to further build and consolidate the capacities of RUB executives and staff to carry out advocacy at national level (linking to local interventions), as well as effective fundraising with a view to ensuring increased financial sustainability. The basic thought underlying the logic of this outcome, and the project as a whole, is that for RUB to function as the main advocate for BPS, it needs to be a legitimate and recognized organisation. The aim is that RUB becomes the ‘go to’ organisation for any local or national institution who (should) deal with BPS issues. For this to be possible, it is necessary to ensure that RUB functions as an organisation according to its statutes. Further to this, RUB needs to create attention about its work and achievements, and still be able to create new results. This will enable RUB to build a recognized ‘brand’ which in turn will further their possibilities for fundraising from new donors. The assumption is that, with proper attention, this will be a

20 The participation in JADF is subject to an annual fee of 100.000 RWF. Local development plans are made with five-year targets and specified in annual plans.

20 Danish Disability Fund mutually reinforcing approach, where ‘the brand’ will support further fundraising, and more funds will support the RUB brand as they are able to expand their work across Rwanda. The concrete strategic interventions to be pursued under this outcome fall under three main headings as follows: Branch activity In terms of local organisational development, trainings on human rights/advocacy (to A and B branches), leadership as well as programme management and evaluation (to B branches) will be offered. The human rights training will be facilitated by the Human Rights Commission. The trainings will be participatory, address the specific challenges of the respective branches and will in particular address establishment of relations with local authorities and other strategic stakeholders. Local action plans will be developed as part of the trainings with particular focus on access to education (Outcome 1) and mainstream government programmes (Outcome 2). For an overview and more details on the trainings, refer to Annexes I, J and K. As part of the Empowerment Project, exchange visits between branches were tested as a capacity building method. Many RUB branches are in remote places where there is little opportunity for members to discover new ideas or be encouraged to explore whether or not an idea has potential and the results have been very positive results. As earlier mentioned, members were very appreciative of the opportunity to learn from peers. This activity will therefore be up-scaled a bit to include five visits, involving all 15 project branches (two B branches will visit one A branch at a time). Another activity, which is currently being tested in the Empowerment Project, is mobilizing branches to carry out sports activities, both to activate members (in particular the younger members) and to create visibility and awareness raising on BPS and their capabilities and to use this as an entry point to the dialogue with authorities and other stakeholders, including potential donors and sponsors. As mentioned, this has tried with good success in other countries, including Ghana. In support of the advocacy work, awareness raising will be carried out based on RUB’s previous experiences. This includes press conferences, articles and interviews, and in particular RUB will utilise the celebrations of international days that already enjoy significant media attention. The White Cane Day in October is an exclusive RUB event, while it is the ambition with the other international days (women and youth) to see RUB members integrated into the mainstream events and celebrations. The international disability day will be celebrated in collaboration with the disability movement. Access to education and employment will again constitute the main themes for the events, and case stories for the project will be used. Decision makers and stakeholders will be invited to speak and engage in dialogue. Based on previous successful celebrations of international days in cooperation with local branches, RUB will alternate the core celebration to different locations. This approach supports the local advocacy efforts and builds the local branches experiences with this type of event Strategic national advocacy and legitimacy As mentioned earlier, national level advocacy in particular is still an area which needs more attention. RUB has a strong wish to both update its current advocacy strategy and to strengthen advocacy skills of selective members of the board, advocacy sub-committee and relevant staff. The project will cater for advocacy training for these groups which will result in the revised strategy. Like in the case of training at branch level, the training will further be linked directly to both practical advocacy and strategic interventions related to project targets under outcomes 1 and 2 (as well as advocacy on MRCB registration, ref. below). Further, the training will focus on the use of data and documentation, to be gathered at local level, as a means to carry out effective evidence based advocacy. National level advocacy will be carried out jointly with NUDOR, and representatives from NUDOR will also participate in the training, as support and with a view to coordinating joint actions.

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 21 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund Follow up on the training, sharing of experience and coordination of activities will take place at a number of organisational meetings; board meetings, sub-committee meetings as well as annual review meetings and General Assembly in 2020 which gather representatives from all project branches and therefore provide a good opportunity for cross learning and sharing of experiences; this not least with a view to strengthening the linkage and synergy between local and national advocacy. External resource persons will be brought in to contribute to the discussion. Fundraising RUB will investigate the opportunity to tie fundraising to the campaigns. Financial sustainability is, as described further above, one of the main challenges faced by RUB. Fundraising training (to be conducted by MyRight) and development of strategy will be organised as part of the project. The aim will be to source new national private and public funds, where RUB previously has focused on international project partners. Also, there will be increased focus on exploring possibilities of joint fundraising/proposal writing with NUDOR and other disability/like-minded organisations. Efforts will also be made to link up with the NCPD in terms of obtaining local NCPD funding and getting assistance from sector level authorities in proposal writing. As in the case of capacity building on advocacy, the training on fundraising will be very hands-on and linked to the specifically goals under the project. Finally, RUB will continuously develop and update its website as an awareness raising and information tool to an external audience, including potential donors and sponsors. A special sub-strategy will be developed aimed at ensuring increased funding to MRCB. This involves efforts to get MRCB registered as an official vocational training institute which, if achieved, is likely to release government support to certain staff (director, accountant, agriculture instructor). Further, RUB will build on the previous success in obtaining government funding from RGB to cover MRCB students, and will e.g. engage with UNDP as a backdonor to RGB to explore the likelihood of a repetition of the funding. A draft implementation plan showing the timing of main project components is annexed (Annex H).

3.e Risks An assessment of the potential external and internal risks that may jeopardise or complicate the project implementation is annexed (Annex D).

3.f Monitoring, documentation and learning A comprehensive monitoring plan will be developed within the first few months of the project period in close collaboration between RUB and DAB. The plan will expectedly be divided into three overall components in order to cover strategic documentation of: a) results according to the logframe, b) selected activities, including training and c) selected ‘learning’/pilot interventions (e.g. CWVI inclusion in schools, ToT, RIM collaboration). At the same time, based on negative experience from the Empowerment Project, care will be taken that the M&E system does not develop into a highly complex exercise but is kept fairly simple so that evidence can be produced relatively easy on both outputs and outcome level. The monitoring plan will further contain details (data collections methods, frequency, responsibility etc.) on the following elements and components listed below: - Outreach visits (described further above 3.d, Outcome 2), conducted bi-annually (to B branches) and annually (to A branches) form a central part of the project monitoring carried out by RUB. The current monitoring template, which have worked rather well, will be revised to reflect the project indicators and monitoring plan in general (refer Annex P). Besides the gathering of data and documentation, the outreach visits also function as a way to carry information between the local and

22 Danish Disability Fund national level, ensuring that the RUB leadership is abreast with developments and challenges on the ground – and that the project branches learn about national initiatives. - Project branches will be involved in monitoring of developments at local level (including close monitoring and support to the engaged children) and will report to RUB HQ on a quarterly basis in the form of short written reports sent by courier. As recommended by the evaluation of the Empowerment Project a very simple format with a few questions will be developed to guide and streamline this information. In the four ‘NUDOR districts’, the responsibility for monitoring will be shared with the NUDOR project officer who travels to these districts on a regular basis.21

- RUB project staff (social worker/advocacy officer, accountant) on their part will, drawing on outreach/branch reports, submit bi-annual progress reports to DAB. Every second report (annual status report, also submitted to DPOD) will contain an assessment of the exact status of indicators in the logframe as a supplement to an analytic narrative report. - Following the mentioned findings and recommendations in the evaluation of the Empowerment Project, DAB will work closer with RUB than previously in regard to analysis and use of the data gathered. This will be a key focus of each of the four projected project visits by DAB in the course of the project. Further, DAB will investigate the possibility of harmonising monitoring with SRF, the other key partner to DAB. The two organisations meet on annual basis for Nordic meetings which provides an obvious opportunity to discuss, coordinate and share experiences. - To further address the challenges of systematic consolidation and analysis of documentation, simple registries will be developed to keep track of 1) children in schools and 2) VCT trainees and RIM cooperatives, to ensure that developments and learning are captured for advocacy and impact. This will also allow for provision of adequate support to beneficiaries, and continuous adjustments of strategies as needed. In order to facilitate effective gathering of data in these areas, a specific survey questionnaire will be developed. - Drawing on experience and learning from DAB’s regional project in Asia (HP 311-056), it will be considered whether to test tracer studies as follow up on selective trainees and the effect of trainings, not least in regard to the two ToT components. Another tool which will be explored to greater extent than previously is the gathering of best practice examples. A model for these is currently being tried during the remaining months of the Empowerment Project, and the gathering of best practices will be built into the monitoring plan for dissemination among the membership and various stakeholders targeted through the project. As mentioned, a small handbook on best practices in regard to CWVI inclusion in primary school will be developed and disseminated by the end of the project.

- - Best practices will also be shared and discussed at quarterly board and sub-committee meetings which will have project progress and coordination of (advocacy) activities as a fixed agenda item. The political leadership of the organisation the RUB board also has the overall responsibility for ensuring that the project is in line with the objectives of RUB. In parallel in Denmark, the Development Committee of DAB will follow the progress of the project from reports and during meetings with the International Development unit.

- Further, in terms of sharing and learning, an annual review meeting (2018 and 2019) will be carried out, where lessons learnt will be collected and shared. The meetings will be thematic and focus on access to education and economic empowerment respectively. Use of the ‘Most Significant Change’ approach will be tried at these meetings, inspired by experience by ‘Dansk Handicapforbund’. All of

21 The schools also gather some data but these do not capture CWD; however to the extent possible the project will aim to build on and supplement existing data collection rather than producing own data.

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 23 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund RUB’s 57 branches will send one representative to ensure that project developments and inspiration can be shared with non-project branches (meetings are co-financed by SRF). The review meeting also serves as a platform where the national leadership is held accountable towards the general membership.

- A comprehensive midterm review (likely aided by a local consultant) will be organised to assess whether the project is on track and to gather learning to inform implementation in the remaining project period. In particular, the review will expectedly look at the new component on IE as well as the avenues for economic empowerment. Resource persons at RUB as well as the DAB project manager will participate in and contribute to the review. - Six months prior to project close, an internal assessment will be made of the RIM collaboration and a decision made in order to inform the use of the remaining guarantee funds (refer Annex N).

- The RUB General Assembly is the overall governing body and the democratic cornerstone of RUB, ensuring membership involvement in planning the future of the organisation. The next GA is slated to take place towards the end of the project period and will thus function as an internal evaluation of the project and its achievements. As such, this can further feed into the external final evaluation which expectedly will be carried out in conjunction with the GA. The evaluation (aided by both an international and local consultant), will be based on DAC criteria and will expectedly have a particular focus on sustainability as well as provide input to an exit strategy for DAB and RUB project collaboration.

3.g Information work No information work in Denmark is foreseen as part of the present project due to the plans and hope that DAB, with DPOD as lead, will manage to ‘win’ the mentioned DR Christmas Calendar 2019 with a focus on IE in Rwanda. If successful, this will entail significant information work in Denmark, and if not successful, DAB will consider locating other funds for the same purpose; this may be via a separate application to the earmarked funds for Danish awareness activities (‘Oplysningspulje’) under the Disability Fund.

3.h Setup – division of roles and responsibilities between partners RUB is responsible for the management and implementation of the project in accordance with the conditions in the project agreement between the partners and in line with this document, budget and annexes. A ‘project management team’ will be responsible for the day to day implementation and organisation of, in particular, the activities in branches and districts. The team will consist of the RUB advocacy officer, two social workers, and the accountant. The team will report on their work and the progress of the project to the RUB director, who is responsible for regular project meetings. Activity plans are to be developed every quarter and guide the implementation of the project. The team will also participate in the weekly staff meetings at RUB, where information is shared about all RUB activities. This will ensure coordination and the rooting of project activities in RUB in general. The RUB accountant will have the day to day responsibility for financial management together with the team in accordance with the financial guidelines. When funds are transferred to local branches, it will be the responsibility of the branches to provide receipts and accounts for each activity after completion. The final accounting and auditing of the project will be directed by the RUB accountant. The RUB director will be very active in terms of the advocacy component, and in building alliances with potential donors, allies and project partners like NUDOR, RIM and UPHLS. NUDOR will take the lead on national advocacy initiatives, and RIM and UPHLS will be responsible for the engagement with branch cooperatives and RUB entrepreneurs. MoUs/partnership agreements will be revised or developed with

24 Danish Disability Fund each of these within the first project month to ensure full clarity on roles and responsibilities. The director is also responsible for the overall project implementation and monitoring with reference to the RUB board. The board has overall responsibility and will also contribute to advocacy, awareness raising and fundraising efforts. As mentioned, RUB will compile bi-annual progress and financial reports to DAB. Every year an annual report is compiled to be used at the annual project review meeting. DAB’s overall role is to provide strategic and technical advice in support of the implementation of the project, in particular within the areas of monitoring, advocacy and fundraising. DAB will contribute to a ‘kick off workshop’ with the purpose to develop the detailed monitoring plan and ensure that there is full clarity on roles responsibilities. DAB will further assist actively in the development of both the advocacy and the fundraising strategy, and will make sure to coordinate closely with both SRF (at annual Nordic meetings) and DPOD (concerning their collaboration with NUDOR on access to education). Bi-weekly telephone meetings will be held between the director and the DAB project manager. In terms of project administration, the DAB project manager has the overall responsibility for the project and financial management, reporting to donors, and recruitment of external consultants for review and evaluation. DAB’s leadership has the ultimate responsibility for the project. It is also envisioned that a representative of the DAB leadership may join on a monitoring visit to Rwanda with a view to discussing the changing nature of the partnership relations in light of the planned gradual exit. DAB’s participation in the project allows for the utilization of years of experiences from initiatives in both Denmark and other project and programme countries (e.g. related to empowerment of members, mainstreaming of financial services/vocational training, advocacy and small scale funds etc.). Despite the differences in context, there are strong parallels between the challenges faced by DAB and RUB in terms of exclusion and stigmatization and the methodologies applied in advocating for BPS rights (incl. use of the CRPD parallel report). Like RUB, DAB is governed by BPS which gives valuable insight into building a strong democratic organisation based on active member participation in branches at local level. DAB has worked with organisational development for new and developing organisations of the blind in developing countries for more than 25 years and - through active participation in the global blindness movement – draws on a comprehensive network of international contacts besides knowledge on policy developments, research, and technical expertise, which has proven useful to partners.

3.i The budget explained More than half of the project budget is dedicated to activity costs; 62% if looking isolated at the budget for Rwanda. Outcome 2 (socio-economic empowerment) carries most costs; a reflection of the fact that trainings are expensive, in particular the resource-intensive MRCB and ADL trainings. For the same reason, ToT approaches are tested for both types of intervention with a view to (future) cost efficiency and sustainability. Further, the support to MRCB students is decreasing more than 50% in the course of the project period in anticipation that it will be possible to find complementary funding to support the running of MRCB. For the same reason, under Outcome 3 (organisational development), the support to the General Assembly has been reduced with about 1/5 of the total costs. Further, most of the organisational activities are co-financed by SRF/MyRight, and allowances/per diem rates have been harmonized. As noted by the evaluation of the Empowerment Project, the expenses for allowances and meetings are ‘at the lower end of the scale’ compared to other NGOs in Rwanda (Annex F, p.20). The same applies to salaries of RUB staff, which the evaluation considers to be ‘moderate, as some NGOs pay considerably higher salaries’. It is also concluded that the fact that RUB staff are stretched ‘may be a danger for sustainability’ (p.26). The project emphasis on advocacy and monitoring/learning, as well as fundraising, is very labour intensive. For this reason, it is anticipated to employ another social worker for the project, so that two social workers are covered 100% by the project. The salaries of director,

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 25 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund accountant and advocacy officer are covered 84%, 85% and 81% respectively; these staff are co-financed by SRF/MyRight. The guide/assistant to the director is budgeted under activities as per the guidelines of the Disability Fund. Cost for administration has been kept at a minimum and is considerably lower than previously. This gradual reduction in core costs is in line with the project being the first step in a gradual exit and may provide an incentive for RUB to pay adequate attention to fundraising efforts. In contrast to earlier, the project will cater for annual organisational audits, rather than annual project audits, since this will allow for full transparency and may help to attract potential donors. Guarantee funds of 56.745 DKK are included in the budget under activities (Outcome 2). The amount consists of unused funds which are carried over from the Empowerment Project. The project agreement between RUB and DAB will make reference to these funds underlining that they are reserved for the mentioned purpose (for further details, refer Annex N). The budget for DAB man-hours covers technical advice and support in regard to advocacy, monitoring, gathering of learning and documentation as well as fundraising, with a view to enhancing effectiveness and sustainability. As mentioned, this is in line with a clear recommendation in the Empowerment evaluation.

4. WHAT ARE THE PROSPECTS AFTER THE PROJECT? (suggested length: C applications 1-2 pages, D applications 2-3 pages)

4.a How to ensure sustainability In accordance with the fact that the present project constitutes the first step in a planned gradual phasing out of DAB project support to RUB, sustainability concerns run through each of the three outcomes and have influenced the strategies to be applied under each. Outcome 1 – Access to education As described, the ambition with Outcome 1 is to develop and test learning models for how CWVI can be meaningfully included in mainstream schools, whether these are schools with an IE policy or ‘ordinary’ public schools. The development of a separate model for adequate assessment of the needs of CWVI, and identification of (sustainable) venues for provision of needed equipment and educational materials are both prerequisites for the future integration of CWVI in schools. On a broader level, the sensitizing and changing of attitudes amongst parents, school authorities, and educational authorities at both local and national level will work towards a lasting more constructive approach towards BPS and prioritization of interventions to support the right to education of CWVI, including the availability of braille teachers. Full inclusion of CWVI in education is obviously a very long-term goal; however the project will build sustainable strategic alliances (including with HI, NUDOR and REB) and be instrumental in generating strategic knowledge and data which can be used, also beyond the project period, in the engagement of key government stakeholders for longer term impact and roll out in other districts across Rwanda. The expressed political commitment and expected adoption of the IE policy and the Marrakech Treaty will further be important levers to that effect. The focus on gathering knowledge and data and the use of this for evidence-based advocacy, in a strengthened collaboration with NUDOR, will help build the recognition and capacities of RUB for future application within this and other areas.

26 Danish Disability Fund Outcome 2 – Social and economic empowerment In line with the above, the interventions under Outcome 2 aim to test and identify sustainable avenues for the inclusion of BPS in mainstream financial and vocational training services as well as existing social protection governmental programmes. Firstly, and fundamentally, as described, this involves a change of perception of BPS themselves at an individual level. As concluded by the evaluation of the Empowerment Project (p. 23), the training of members is sustainable since it leads to long-term empowerment (even if repeated trainings may be needed). Application and testing of ToT models in regard to ADL training and as a pilot component in the MRCB courses will, as mentioned, work towards ensuring that in future more persons can be reached at a lower cost. Follow up support to the ToT trainees and mutual exchange of experiences will ensure lasting learning and will help make any adjustments to the ToT models for replication beyond the project period. Secondly, changing perceptions and attitudes among trained families and sensitized community stakeholder and authorities on the rights and capabilities of BPS will ensure increased and maintained inclusion of BPS. The use of BPS trainees as role models and their active involvement in community activities will help sustain the visibility and recognition of BPS. The access to local governmental programmes will be supported by new knowledge on the barriers for BPS, for use in advocacy. Concerted efforts with NUDOR to address the current problematic economic stratification of PWD will likewise increase the likelihood of future increased access to these programmes. The strengthened collaboration with NUDOR, and with NCPD at local level, will ensure that the needs of BPS are voiced at crucial decision making fora at sector and district level, also beyond the project period. Further, in terms of economic empowerment, the support to VTC trainees and engagements with local communities will increase the likelihood that the established businesses become profitable and viable. Success stories and good examples will be used both to maintain the arrangement with the two government-run centres and to open doors with other similar institutions so that in the future they will be willing to integrate BPS into their initiatives. Targeted advocacy towards e.g. NCPD and WDA and engagement with potential sponsors (as part of a new fundraising strategy, refer below) will promote that the activities can later be replicated at a lower cost. Overall, the access to vocational and financial training as well as micro-credit can lead to self-reliance for members of RUB and their families adding to sustainable livelihood at an individual level. The beneficiaries will be monitored closely to inform a hopeful future upscale of the interventions. As earlier described, the RUB revolving fund will be phased out in the course of the project period in order to encourage members’ use of the more sustainable loan facilities with RIM and similar institutions. As mentioned, the revolving funds will gradually be channelled into the guarantee funds (accessible to RIM to cover for any loss), which are considered to be necessary also beyond the project period in a projected further expansion of the collaboration. Nevertheless, an increasingly greater pool of expected positive case stories together with sensitization, engagements and sharing of experiences, would seem to promise well for a future opening of services to BPS persons without the provision of guarantee funds.

Outcome 3 – organisational development As described, the empowerment trainings have proven a crucial stepping stone for both the individual member and development of active branches. According to the evaluation of the Empowerment Project (p.23), the RUB branches, upon receipt of training and support, are able to exist without additional resources since they are engaged in cooperative activities and savings, are able to attract in-kind and small scale local support, and have low running costs. Replication of the successful exchange visits from the Empowerment Project will further support the sustainable and low cost development of branches. Adding to this will be support and encouragement that

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 27 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund the A branches may continuously function as local resource hubs for other branches after the project. This will be particularly relevant where branches are closely situated within the same district, as in the case of two project districts, involving two A and three B branches. Non-project branches in close proximity are likely to benefit too. The envisioned sharing of learning and exchange of experiences across the organisation will leave a stronger RUB, which continuously builds on membership influence, democratic systems and transparency. As mentioned, the various meetings, as well as awareness raising campaigns, will over the coming three years have thematic focus on the two overall project themes - education and socio-economic empowerment – to support focused and substantiated strategic interventions for greater impact. The two themes will expectedly remain priority areas in RUB’s overall organisational strategy as well as advocacy strategy, both to be updated as part of the project and with a timespan running beyond the project. In addition, increased advocacy skills and experiences of RUB executives and staff at national level will benefit the organisation in the long run, parallel to further consolidation of alliances within the disability field. When RUB is able to advocate effectively for the rights to education and employment and the access to mainstream services, the organisation is fighting directly for the basic needs of their members which can further strengthen the feeling of ownership to the organisation. And vice versa; when the members of RUB have a stronger feeling of ownership, RUB will be strengthened and more sustainable at an organisational level with an ability to advocate with a louder voice for the best interest of its members and BPS persons in general. Finally, the project will expectedly leave RUB in a financially more stable situation. The developed fundraising strategy will, as mentioned, also focus on securing increased financial sustainability of the MRCB including its registration as an official vocational training institute. In accordance with this, the project support to MRCB trainees will gradually be downscaled in the course of the project. MyRight Rwanda will be engaged with a view to the provision of fundraising training and support (a verbal commitment has been obtained), and as earlier mentioned, DAB will also provide intensified technical support to RUB in this area. DAB is dedicated to support RUB in attracting new donor commitments, which preferably should fund not only activities but also administration costs. Annual organizational audits, rather than project audits, will ensure full financial transparency for potential donors.

4.b New phases and future cooperation As described, the proposed project constitutes the first step in a gradual phasing out of DAB project presence in Rwanda with the positive expectation that, as RUB manages to attract more donors, DAB can gradually decrease project support over the following five-year period (after the end of the present project). Consequently, a thorough and open dialogue on how to best prepare for exit of DAB project support will be a priority in the partnership relation over the coming three years. However, it stands clear that the partnership between RUB and DAB as long-term sister organisations and allies, also on international level, will remain also after project collaboration has ended.

28 Danish Disability Fund

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 29 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017) Danish Disability Fund 3. Budget Summary

Refer to Annex B for a detailed budget and budget notes.

Main budget items: Financing plan Full amount Of this, from the Of this, from other Disability Fund sources

1. Activities 2.625.924 2.569.178 56.745 2. Investments 0 0 3. Expatriate staff 0 0 4. Local staff 1.124.162 1.124.162 5. Local administration 248.469 248.469 6. Danish project monitoring 145.928 145.928 7. Evaluation 211.664 211.664 8. Information in Denmark (max. 2% of 1-7) 0 0 9. Total project expenses (budget line1-8) 4.299.401 4.299.401 10. Budget margin (min. 6% and max. 10% of 9) 343.952 343.952 11. Disability compensation 0 0 12. Auditing in Denmark 27.500 27.500 13. Subtotal (Budget line 9-12) 4.727.599 4.670.853 14. Administration in Denmark (max. 7% of 13) 326.960 326.960 15. Total (Budget line 13+14) 5.054.558 4.997.813

Note: Exchange rate used: ___6,9______

30 Danish Disability Fund 4. Cross-cutting issues

Cross-cutting issues addressed by the project applied for as percentages of budget spending

Gender Environment Good governance and HIV/AIDS Reproductive, maternal, human rights neonatal and child health (RMNCH) Weight (%) Weight (%) Weight (%) Weight (%) Weight (%) 30 % 0 % 90 % 0 % 0 %

5. Annexes

Annex no. Annex title: A RUB partner profile (2017) B Budget C LFA D Stakeholder analysis E Risk Assessment F Evaluation report, Empowerment Project G Octagon organisational assessment (follow up Dec 2016) H Branches and geographical composition I Overview of trainings for project branches J RUB training guide K RUB training curriculum L Draft TOR – study on access to education M Guidelines - Advocacy and Awareness raising funds N Concept note – RUB-RIM collaboration and guarantee funds O Overview of poverty alleviation/social protection programmes relevant to PWDs P RUB follow up/monitoring template Q Masaka Resource Centre for the Blind (promotional material) R RUB Strategic plan 2010-2015 (extended until Dec 2016) S RUB Advocacy plan 2016-2017 T Draft implementation plan

Application – C: Major development project /Cooperation project – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 31 2017) D: Project of more than DKK 3 million – DANISH DISABILITY FUND (Jan 2017)

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