Annual Report 2016

ActionAid International The Gambia

Annual Report 2016

May 2017

Contents

List of Abbreviations……………………………………………………………………………………………….. i Section one: background information……………………………………………………………………. ii Board Chair’s reflection on 2016……………………………………………………………………………. 1 From Director’s Desk………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2 Section two: Key highlights……………………………………………………………………………………. 3 Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 Empowerment efforts……………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 Solidarity efforts……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 9 Campaign efforts…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 Credible and sustainable alternatives/livelihood efforts……………………………………….. 14 Organisational priorities…………………………………………………………………………………………. 18 Section three: challenges, lessons learnt and recommendations……………………….. 27 Conclusions……………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 29 Way forward……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 29 Appendix 1: Audit financial statements…………………………………………………………….…… 30 Appendix 2: List of partners……………………………………………………………………………………. 34

List of Acronyms

AAI ActionAid International AAITG ActionAid International The Gambia ACTIVISTA ActionAid Youth Network ADWAC Agency for the Development of Women and Children AER Agro-Ecology and Resilience CRSA Climate Resilience Sustainable Agriculture CPA Child Protection Alliance CSOs Civil Society Organisations CSP Country Strategy Paper EFSTH Edward Francis Small Teaching Hospital FAWEGAM Foundation of African Women Educationists Gambia Chapter FGM Female Genital Mutilation FLAG Female Lawyers Association Gambia GBV Gender Based Violence HRBA Human Rights Based Approach LRPs Local Rights Programmes MUTAPOLA Network of Women Living with or affected by HIV&AIDS NAFS National Alliance for Food Security NDMA National Disaster Management Agency NGBV Network against Gender Based Violence OVC Orphans and Vulnerable Children PLIHIV People Living with HIV PRRP Participatory Review and Reflection Processes PRS Promoting Rights in Schools TANGO The Association of Non-Governmental Organisations

i Section one Background information

This report documents overall Our Values  performanceMission Objective and engagements 2: To improve AAITG quality Who we work with carriedpublic educationout during for period all children 1st January in the to  Mutual Respect LRPsst and enhance youth participation AAITG’s interventions are mainly 31 December 2016. It is divided into  Equality and Justice threeand leadership main sections: in national Section development one implemented through partners who carry coversby 2017. relevant background information out nationwide campaignsHonesty and and Transparency policy work.

including vision, Mission, our identity, In addition, AAITG Solidarity operates with 3 Local the poor,Rights  Mission Objective 3: Break the cycle of theory of change, partnership model and Programmes (LRPs)powerless in The andGambia. excluded LRPs interventionspoverty and violenceareas amongst and attain others. are selected long term programme areas in economic alternatives for women and the country where Courage ActionAid of convection focuses its Section two deals with interventions implementedgirls to be in andcharge key of performance their sexual areas and work. In The Gambia, Independence the 3 LRPs are duringreproductive the year. health Under right thiss throughsection our located in the Niaminas in Central River programmejoint-action interventionsof women and and men. policy Region (CRR) and Humility` Upper Nuimi District in work in 2016 are presented under the 4 North Bank Region (NBR), covering 139  pillarsMission of ObjectiveHuman Rights 4: Contribute Base Approach to the villages. LRP 8, Niamina East District (HRBA)eradication as main of HIV&AIDS headings andnamely: Malaria by covers 47 villages; LRP 9, Upper Nuimi: 32 Empowerment,supporting the Solidarity,elimination Campaign of new and villages and LRP 11 Niamina West and Promotinginfections, Credible providing and care Sustainable and support Niamina Dankunku Districts: 60 villages. Alternatives/Livelihoods.through evidence based Also,services. in this section, we have recorded key

achievements obtained under each of our six (6) Organizational Priorities: WhereHuman We Resources Work and Organizational Development (HR/OD); Institutional Governance, Child Sponsorship, Supporter Care, Communication and Fundraising, Internal Audit, Monitoring & Evaluation.. Finally, Section three highlights some key challenges encountered, lessons learnt during the year under review and the way forward.

Our Vision A world without poverty and injustice in which every person enjoys their right to a life of dignity.

Our Mission Work with poor and excluded people to eradicate poverty and injustice.

Our Theory of Change (How we believe Organisational Structure change will happen) AAITG has a two-tier governance structure, ActionAid believes that ‘an end to poverty i.e. a General Assembly and a National and injustice can be achieved through Board comprising of 24 members (12 purposeful individual and collective action, female & 12 male) and 11 (6 female & 5 led by the active agency of people living in male) respectively. The day to day poverty and supported by solidarity, programming and operations of AAITG are credible rights-based alternatives and led by the Executive Director with support campaigns that address the structural of the Senior Management team (SMT). In causes and consequences of poverty.’ addition, AAITG has a staff complement of 45(18 female & 27 male). Who We Are AAITG Strategic Priorities ActionAid International The Gambia 2013-2017 (AAITG) is part of a global justice AAITG develops a Country Strategy Paper Federation working to achieve social justice, gender equality & poverty (CSP) every five years which guides its eradication. AAITG has been in existence operations. The current CSP, which is the since 1979 working throughout The fourth is entitled ‘Advancing the Agency

Gambia with particular focus on Niamina of Women and Youth towards East, West and Dankunku Districts and Eradicating Poverty. The year 2016 Upper Niumi District. marks four years since the implementation of the strategy commenced and it has the Our main target groups are women, following four Mission Objectives: children and youth living in poverty and exclusion whom we concertize to be able to  Mission Objective 1: Promote realize and claim their constitutional and sustainable agriculture and control over human rights from duty bears through our natural resources to improve lives and Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) livelihoods of people living in poverty namely: empowerment, campaigning and social exclusion by 2017. solidarity and creating sustainable livelihood alternatives. AAITG works with  Mission Objective 2: To improve quality the above groups in ways that increase public education for all children in the their awareness of rights and fulfillment of LRPs and enhance youth participation those rights. The results of our work have and leadership in national development contributed to significant and lasting by 2017. improvements in the lives of women, children, youth and communities in our intervention areas.

iii Who we work with  Mission Objective 3: Break the cycle of poverty and violence and attain AAITG’s interventions are mainly economic alternatives for women and implemented through partners who carry girls to be in charge of their sexual and out nationwide campaigns and policy work. reproductive health rights through In addition, AAITG operates 3 Local Rights joint-action of women and men. Programmes (LRPs) in The Gambia. LRPs are selected long term programme areas in  Mission Objective 4: Contribute to the the country where ActionAid focuses its eradication of HIV&AIDS and Malaria by work. In The Gambia, the 3 LRPs are supporting the elimination of new located in the Niaminas in Central River infections, providing care and support Region (CRR) and Upper Nuimi District in through evidence based services. North Bank Region (NBR), covering 139 villages. LRP 8, Niamina East District covers 47 villages; LRP 9, Upper Nuimi: 32 villages and LRP 11 Niamina West and Niamina Dankunku Districts: 60 villages.

Where we work

Board Chair’s reflection on 2016 shared with us prior to the AAI Annual General Meeting.

When I assumed the As we roll out the new global strategy by chair in 2016, the Board unpacking it for wider understanding by experienced some our partners and other stakeholders, the challenging moments, Board will also accompany Management in but we collectively the development of the new country demonstrated strategy in 2017 for implementation come tremendous commitment 2018. in providing the requisite strategic oversight to On the national front, we continued to be

Management. challenged by the continuous shrinking Our difficult moment was when half of the political space as Civil Society Board members, six hard working visionary Organizations (CSOs) using Human Rights colleagues, retired as members of the Based Approached HRBA to development in Board in line with provisions in AA’s The Gambia. I must commend the ED and constitution and governance manual. This his management team for the professional mass exodus included the former chair manner in which they managed the Amie Bensouda and Vice Chair Dominic operations of the organization during these Mendy, Baboucarr Bouy, Naffie Barry and difficult days in our political landscape. Ndey Secka-Sallah. They served selflessly with courage and humility to steer the In conclusion, I would like to call this affairs of AAITG for six years going down in Assembly to our collective resolve to history as being among the first Board ensure that we continue to support Members of Action Aid. With their Management to position AAITG to take advantage of the new political dispensation departure our institutional memory would to continue the struggle for social justice. have been lost without Ya Fatou Touray as my Vice Chair and Dr. Sana Ceesay who The Board will continue to work with stayed to help me steer the Board with Management to train all of us to have a their tremendous experience. deeper understanding of the concept of Feminism, a key concept in the global In the discharge of our mandate as a strategy. Join me in praying that the New Board, we have during the year under Gambia will not only provide us with the review; successfully accomplished all our required democratic space but also create statutory obligations by conducting all an environment conducive for a vibrant planned board meetings including sub- donor investment where we can mobilize committee meetings as well as the 5th the much needed resources to scale-up the Annual General Meeting (AGM). In impact of our work by reaching more addition, we have actively participated in people living in poverty. the AAI new strategy development process and provided our inputs to AAI motions Thank you.

1 From Executive Director’s Desk Prominent among them include the unusual rainfall pattern during the 2015/2016 rainy Hello readers, it is a season resulting to floods. Crop fields were pleasure to present inundated at planting stage which led to AAITG’s Annual Report poor growth of crops resulting to poor 2016. The year 2016 will harvest. In addition, major donors ever be remembered for continued to de-prioritize The Gambia the unprecedented historic making fundraising a daunting task. Youth political changes that have migration from the rural areas and taken place during the eventually out of The Gambia through the period. For the first time since The Gambia so called ‘back way’ (illegal migration) became independent in 1965 an incumbent continued unabated which drains the president has been defeated in elections. country of its much needed labour force. No one ever thought that former president Patriarchy is still hampering progress in our Jammeh, who ruled the country for 22 women’s rights work leading to women years, can be removed from power through facing huge challenges in women’s the ballot. ownership and control over production resources including land. However, the transfer of power from the outgoing government to the incoming one Despite the above challenges, AAITG was marred with serious challenges. Many continued to create awareness in the people left the country as refugees in communities with our partners on women’s neighboring countries. Both the internally rights issues particularly gender based displaced people and refugees posed a violence, increased control over land and development problem as most of our other productive resources for women, planned activities for December 2016, empowerment of communities through could not be implemented. trainings and livelihood skills for income generation and sustainable livelihoods. Our During the political crisis, the youths made advocacy efforts has contributed to the very good use of the social media in amendment of the Children's Act 2005 updating each other on the situation as which now includes ban on Child Marriage well as in mobilizing and convening and an age limit set for marriage in The meetings despite the hostile politically Gambia. charged atmosphere. I would like to express ActionAid’s recognition of the To conclude, I would like to thank our important role the youths played in partners, child sponsorship supporters, bringing the political problem to a peaceful donors, AAITG General Assembly, National end. Like other years, 2016 posed some Board, staff, and colleagues within AAI challenges but together with our partners; federation for their continued support for we were able to overcome some of them. the period under review.

2 Section two Key Highlights

13,024women reported increased control over land representing an over achievement of 117% of the target for the CSP period at end of year 4

24,746 women aware of rights and entitlements to land other natural resources

63 hectares of land was allocated to 78 women groups in our LRPs

2,392 people (278 households) from NBR, LRR & CRR supported with cash transfers following floods and windstorms

748 people reported increased food security as a result of CRSA

635 smallholder farmers practicing CRSA

3228 young people mobilized through ActionAid platforms who are taking sustained action against poverty and injustice. This represents an over achievement of the CSP target by 107%

62,633 youth mobilized through ActionAid platforms who take solidarity action on poverty and injustice

5430 women mobilized through to challenge violence and harmful traditional practices at LRP and National levels

593 women participated in organized income generation activities representing an overachievement of the indicator target of 500 women

19,807 people were engaged with AAITG at various levels during the year under review

894 young people trained on various capacity building and entrepreneurship skills

8,329 pupils (4817 girls and 3512 boys) enrolled in schools in LRPs 8 and 11 for 2015/2016 academic year

2,425 people sensitised on child rights and child protection issues

2 Mobile Vans and 3 wellness centres established in Basse, Soma and Barra under the Global Fund Project providing HIV&AIDS services to high risk groups in those areas

2043 People Living with HIV (PLIHIV) have received Home Based Care to promote healthy and positive living

445 Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) have received educational support for 2015/2016 academic year

249,702 people reached with pro-HIV prevention and stigma elimination messages

New One-Stop Centre opened at Bansang Hospital to support victims of gender based violence

3 Introduction

The year 2016 marks thirty seven (37) years of AAITG’s work in the Gambia and six (6) years since the agency attained full membership to ActionAid Federation. The full membership to the federation provides AAITG a dual identity; a national NGO as well as an International NGO. This makes it better for the agency to continue to pursue AA’s vision and mission at all levels in the country. In addition, the long period of uninterrupted engagement in development work in the Gambia, AAITG is strongly rooted in communities and has created strong partners whose capacities are continuously build to deliver appropriate development intervention where they exists. Our main approach in delivering CSP objectives during the period under review remains HRBA which involves focusing on protecting and fulfilling the human rights of people living in poverty. That means building capacities of local organizations of “rights holders”, and linking these organizations with networks, platforms, alliances and movements at national and international levels in line with the following four HRBA pillars;

Empowerment, Solidarity, Kumba Sanyang adding her voice to the problem of access Campaigns and Credible & to land that women are facing Sustainable Alternatives/Livelihood.

Empowerment Efforts

Young activists pose for the camera during 2016 International Youth Day celebration

Empowerment is the process through management committees and other right which we enable people living in poverty holder groups at community, regional and to become rights activists. We do this by national levels on ranges of issues. These making them more aware and more include land rights especially on access critical of power relations and by and control for women, CRSA, Promoting strengthening their own power. Rights in School (PRS), Violence against Empowerment is one of the most women and girls, women’s economic important pillars of our HRBA. empowerment, HIV&AIDS prevention including the prevention of stigma and discrimination, HRBA, governance and Interventions planned under the social accountability amongst others. We empowerment pillar in 2016 have overall have also conducted series of policy been implemented successfully. AAITG in collaboration with several partner dialogues at national level on the above organizations continued to mobilize and issues for CSOs and relevant government conduct series of capacity sectors as part of our policy advocacy, building/strengthening activities for rights awareness and demand creation women and youth groups, networks, interventions in partnership with TANGO. small holder farmers, school

5 These efforts and those conducted under In addition, 80 participants from 30 other HRBA pillars have during the year schools (59 males & 21 females, out of significantly contributed to the which 50 were students and 30 teacher attainment of many CSP targets in 2016 coordinators) from child-led clubs were as reported under the respective HRBA trained on life skills such as public pillars. speaking, media presentation and advocacy techniques. The objective of In collaboration with Activista (AAITG’s the training was to build participants’ Youth Network), a total of 894 young inner capacities and competencies to people were empowered through enable them to join the advocacy on trainings on various capacity building child’s rights promotion and protection. and entrepreneurship skills to help them According to Kaddijatou A. Bah, Grade 9 develop sustainable livelihoods skills. student from Pakalinding UBS Tuseme These trainings included: leadership Club, “before, only elders are allowed to skills, social media engagement, speak during gatherings but now I know campaign planning, movement building, that children also have rights to speak out civic rights, and responsibilities, etc. In and make their feelings known. Also, I addition, participants were also exposed now know that all rights are needs but to governance and social accountability not all needs are rights. We also know in order for them to lead the where to go when our rights are violated advancement of holding duty bearers to for example, Social Welfare”. account in fulfillment of youth rights. With support from the EU Women’s Rights Similarly, through the EU funded Child’s funded project, 24,746 women were Rights Project, 2425 people were made aware of their land rights and as a sensitised on child rights and child result, these women are confident enough protection issues. As a result, there is to claim their land rights from their now increased knowledge/awareness on respective village heads. A total of 78 child rights, child protection and hectares of land were documented and responsibilities particularly definition of a allocated to 13,024 women from 78 child, effects of child marriage, teenage women groups in Niamina East West and pregnancy and Female Genital Mutilation Dankunku Districts. The target set for (FGM), child protection actors and steps those acquiring land during the CSP for redress in case of child rights period was (6000) but this has been violations, etc. for school children, surpassed by end of 2016 at 117%. This teacher coordinators, parents, child was as a result of the significant protection actors, etc. in the project’s contribution by EU Funded Women's intervention areas (LRR, CRR & URR). Rights Project under which capacity building and advocacy activities were scaled up in LRPs 8 and 11.

On education interventions, we AAITG and partners in schools and key contributed to creating awareness stakeholders about the 10 core education among stakeholders and the inclusions rights and provisions of funds to of the 10 core education rights into the implement school improvement plans in current Education Policy 2016-2030 our intervention areas. through series of PRS interventions carried out and direct engagement with Furthermore, work carried out on number the ministry over the period. The of youths mobilized through ActionAid implementation of the policy at national platforms who took sustained solidarity and regional levels is subjected to actions against poverty and injustice regular quarterly reviews and monitoring obtained great success in 2016. Activista, by the joint committee (Ministry of Basic our youth network, facilitated the over and Secondary Education (MoBSE) achievement of CSP IV target in this area Coordinating Committee Meetings).There (3000 against 3284). This was as a result has been significant progress in the area of scale-up of activities by Activista at of access to school (e.g. new schools both national and at regional levels. The have been built in Kudang and Dankunku total number of youth reached was 6250. Senior Secondary Schools) which They carry out sensitization meetings, reduces the distance that children have trainings, seminars, match processions, to travel, school enrollment continues to mass and social media activities such as increase especially more girls being radio programmes as well as social media enrolled than boys e.g. as shown in LRPs engagements e.g. photo shops, use of 8 & 11 (4817 girls and 3512 boys for Facebook and WhatsApp. The above 2015/2016). There are now more activities have generated interests among separate toilets for boys and girls in the youth in taking active roles on almost all schools in our intervention national development issues that affects areas. In addition, there is evidence of them (e.g. the HIV and AIDS campaigns, availability of policies (e.g. anti-bullying, FGM, early and forced marriages, land sexual harassment, school maintenance, tenure system and how it affects youths). etc.) displayed in schools which shows AAITG and partners' contributed the MoBSE's commitment to promoting technically and financially to Activista for safe and non-violent environment for all activities implemented during the year schoolchildren. The numbers of qualified under review. female teachers have also increased for example; there are now 38 qualified With regards interventions on mobilizing female teachers in our intervention areas women through to challenge violence and in 2015/2016 academic year, harmful traditional practices at LRP and representing an increase compared to national levels, significant achievements 2014/2015. These can be attributed to have been recorded. Compared to 3,391 the continuous awareness rising by people mobilized in 2015, we were able to

7 mobilize 5,430 mainly due to additional studies, community outreach and mass funding received from our new project media activities, series of awareness (Strengthening the Capacity of the raising trainings and participatory Network Against Gender Base Violence) methods being implemented by STAR funded by AmplifyChange. On incidence of circles in communities for example. In harmful traditional practices against addition, in collaboration with AAITG, the women and girls, this was challenged with Mutapola Network has mobilized and the share culture of silence in trained 100 women on HRBA, policy communities. However, some advocacy and influencing with focus on improvement has been recorded during HIV&AIDS prevention and control. These the period. Twelve (12) child/forced trainees serve as treatment advocacy marriages and 2 FGM cases were reported campaigners in their respective areas which is a break from the culture of silence across the country. Similarly, 65 people over issues of this nature. However, with were reached with policy advocacy the ban against child Marriage and FGM, messages on the comprehensive care and and the efforts AAITG and partners are support for people living with HIV&AIDS making, we expect improved awareness and anti-stigma and discrimination out of and empowered in communities that will which 60 were women. During the same be good enough to encourage more people period, 330 people were reached on to report such cases in years to come. malaria sensitization. Out of this total 285 were females and 45 males. This is In the area of HIV&AIDS prevention geared toward mobilizing key programmes, significant amount of stakeholders eliminating stigma and interventions were financed through the discrimination which remains a challenge Global Fund New Funding Modal HIV&AIDS to the national HIV&AIDS response. project. These include IEC and BCC

Presentation of motorbikes to partners under the Global Fund Project

Solidarity Efforts

Road to Kilimanjaro: Fist in the air, a sign of women empowerment

Solidarity is the process of uniting allies objectives for this initiative was to raise in a politically supportive relationship awareness on existing frameworks and that may cross geographies or “areas” of safeguards around large scale land based struggle to support and strengthen a investments and demand for their movement for change. application in securing legitimate tenure rights of rural women in Africa. In 2016, AAITG has strengthened partnership and alliance building with all With support from AAITG, National its partners across the country. AAITG Alliance for Food Security continued to supported Activista and representatives promote food security in the Gambia of Rural Women Assembly to participated during the year under review. The in the Mount Kilimanjaro Mass campaign network conducts quarterly meeting to on women land rights. The Kilimanjaro review activities of its members such as Initiative is a rural women’s mobilization National Agricultural Training Center from across Africa towards an iconic (NATC) which works on facilitating access moment at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro to seed for small holder farmers and in October 2016. One of the key training them on agricultural techniques

9 such as CRSA etc. National Farmers to promote quality public education on platform provides capacity building on child rights in the country during the advocacy for farmer groups and lobbying year. access to extension services. Activista, On the HIV response, we have completed another member of the network the Procurement of Vans and the wellness mobilizes youths and women on centers all of which will be handed over to advocacy for women’s access and control the ministry of health during the first over land. These efforts contributed to quarter of 2017 to serve people at higher increased awareness on CRS, the need risk of HIV transmission completed and for more farmer extension support as AAITG continue to pay for OVC well improved access and control of land educational support and 445 students by small holder women farmers. benefitted from it throughout the country. In addition, AAITG succeed in forming an IEC BCC message book on HIV and AIDS education consortium on PRS over the was developed and printed and different years which supported the media especially radios were used to mainstreaming of PRs in key stakeholder disseminate those information. These policies on education during the year activities will continue under the project under review. The consortium has through to the end of 2017. provided added capacity in terms of skills and resources to reach out to more We work with the National Malaria Control schools and partners in as short period Program especially on the of time. This resulted to creation commemoration of World Malaria Day as awareness on PRS within stakeholders a policy advocacy space for more public and facilitated more commitment by funding for Malaria at national level. At government to fulfill the rights of the level of LRPs we have reach out to children in schools. AAITG is a member 330 people Malaria advocacy and of Social Welfare Committee on Children, prevention messages through our Local Education Group and National community outreach interventions during Literacy Committee, all of which continue the period.

Campaign Efforts

Activista volunteers at a countrywide voter education and sanitization

Campaign means harnessing peoples’ individuals through support by local power through organisation, mobilisation structures and institutions have and communication around a simple and significantly increased. powerful demand, to achieve a measurable political or social change. Following the Mini Kilimanjaro land rights

campaign held in Jahally Village in Central During the year under review, series of river region coordinated by Activisa in engagements with policy makers were October 2016, a delegation of 9 people conducted that are aimed at creating comprising 7 Rural Women Assembly public awareness about women's land members from our LRPs and 2 rights as part of our Mini Kilimanjaro representatives from Activista were (MK) “LandFor Campaign” in country. As supported to participate in the AA such, it has been evidenced that federation wide “Landfor Campaign” held women’s ownership and control over at Kilimanjaro Mountain in Tanzania. The land either as women's groups or Kilimanjaro initiative marked a historic

11 campaign action, as it supported 35 education for children. The event Rural Women to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, generated awareness among stakeholders gathered 400 women to develop a about teacher issues, facilitated charter with 15 demands on women land discussions on issues affecting the status rights which was presented to the of teachers with a view to encouraging representative of AU Commission the State and other relevant Chairperson. partners/donors to participate in the improvement of teacher’s status. AAITG This resulted to a couple of public provided financial support in solidarity declarations that were made in support with Gambia Teachers Union and EFANet of women's land rights during the year to facilitate the event. under review for example, the Deputy Governor of Central River Region In our campaign efforts to mobilized pledged on behalf of the Governor, their women to challenge violence and harmful strong support for women's land rights traditional practices, a total of 5430 during the Mini Kilimanjaro rally in women were mobilized to lead campaign Jahally village in CRR. The National events such as International Women's

Assembly Member for Jarra East Day, 16 Days of Activisims and Anti-FGM

Constituency (Mr. Bafai Saidykhan), the Campaigns. Some of these women were

Councilor of Brikama Ba Ward, CRR and trained to conduct sensitizations on the the Village Chief and Imam of Brikama 'He for She' Campaign against GBV at Ba all gave their strong support to both national and community levels. women's land rights during our consultations with them during the Activista also embarked on an online campaign. photo action and formed alliance with # Gambia HAS decided movement which Participation in Education Networks added on the pressure put on former President Yaya Jammeh at national and AAITG in partnership with Education for international levels during the political All Network (EFANet) celebrated World impasse to hand over power to President- Teachers Day. The event attracted 1,400 Elect Adama Barrow. Online campaign people comprising Teachers, Officials was carried in collaboration with print and from MoBSE/MoHERST, representative electronic media houses as well as from civil society organizations, NGOs, Activista volunteers who also mobilize Parents, SMC members, Local opinion other youths to take a photo of leaders, students and media personnel. themselves with the various messages The theme for this year’s World such as #Gambia Has Decided, Teachers’ Day is: “Valuing Teachers, #JammehStepdownForThePeaceofTheGa

Improving their Status”. The event is mbia, #People’sPowerMustBeRespected part of advocacy and campaign efforts and #PeacefulTransitionWeCallFor etc. towards facilitating quality public Other campaigns efforts included

12 engagement with National Assembly natural resources, support the Members (NAMs) – as part of campaign implementation of Anti-FGM Law. Also, efforts to advocate for a more Landfor Campaign aimed at policy comprehensive Anti-FGM law that will dialogue between Rural Women Assembly tackle cross-border issues and and duty bearers which facilitated an monitoring. For example, girls are taken interface between communities and duty outside The Gambia to perform FGM on bearers to discuss on issues regarding them and there are no provisions in the women's socio-economic rights, Series Anti-FGM law which criminalizes Radio Talk Shows aimed at sensitizing the performing FGM on Gambian girls general public on women's rights issues, outside the Gambia. Regional level civic, land, education, political and social advocacy campaign targeting District economic rights, GBV, etc.), laws Chiefs & Village Heads o the - inclusions protecting women and providing of women in all district tribunals, information on how to access services women's ownership of land and other were carried out during the year.

Isatou Jeng (right) during sensitization on the anti FGM law under the AmplifyChange Project being implemented by ActionAid and the Network Against Gender-based Violence (NGBV)

Credible and Sustainable Alternatives/

Livelihood Efforts

Women building resilience: construction of gabions in communities affected by erosion

Facilitating sustainable and Alternatives compost and botanical pesticides as well is the process of building the capacities as the use of ash resulted to less use of and capabilities of people living in chemicals. This resulted to an increase in poverty to take innovative and rights- production and subsequently an increased based actions for sustainable alternatives in food and income security. Jakaba that can transform lives on a sustainable Women's Group in Upper River Region for and significant scale. example, have reported increased food security as they were able to provide food With regard to food security, smallholder for their families from the proceeds of farmers practising vegetable gardening vegetable sales. According to Sarjo have started realizing benefits in Jabbie, President of Jakaba Women's adopting CRSA innovations in Group, “soil quality in the garden has crop/vegetable production. The use of improved since we started using

14 composts and the garden has helped us As a result of the above interventions, the to complement the efforts of our number of women who report increased husbands to ensure adequate access to control over income and greater food even during the lean period." negotiating power within the household In support of women’s participation in has increased. The target set for this organized income generation activities, during the period has been over- AAITG targeted 500 women in 2016 and achieved, at 105%. This demonstrated based on that, we have been able to increased control over their incomes and achieve the target during the period. greater negotiating power for women This this is mainly to contributions from within their households. AAITG provided our two donor funded projects which financial, technical and logistical support provided extra funding (EU Women's which facilitated the implementation of Rights Project and the Agro-Ecology and the above activities. Resilience Project). Under the Agro- Ecology and Resilience Project (AER), a As part of efforts to address immediate total of 79 women (68 from LRPs 8 & 11 needs at community levels to strengthen and 11 from LRP 9) were engaged and The Landfor Campaign on women's trained on soap making, business ownership and control over land and management, tie & dye, batik, rearing of other natural resources, AAITG provided small ruminants and marketing. For the labour saving devices/farm implements EU Women's Rights Project, a total of 30 and inputs to small holder farmers in women participated in vegetable LRPs through the EU and AER Projects. production, soap making, business management, tie & dye, batik. In Response to Disasters addition, 484 women from the MUTAPOLA network were supported to AAITG in partnership with Catholic Relief participate in various socio-economic Services (CRS) and United Purpose, engagement activities. For example the formerly Concern Universal (CU) worked international trade fairs, tailoring, hair jointly and responded to the emergency dressing, manicure and pedicure, video throughout the country with funding from clubs operations and petty trading. A the Start Fund. The sun of £150,000 was new skills center was also opened by received from Start Fund as immediate MUTAPOLA at Tabotoko in February, support to affected communities in the 2016 where these women apply their country. Response activities were done in skills to gain income, boosting their self- partnership with the National Disaster confidence, income levels and making Management Agency (NDMA) and their them more financially independence thus decentralized structures at regional reducing their vulnerability to gender levels. A cash transfer approach was used based violence and HIV& AIDS. to facilitate access for affected people to

food and non- food items such as building

15 materials for reconstruction of damaged commodities that would enhance houses. The support was provided to evidence-based advocacy and lobbying affected people in the rural areas in with states and other relevant duty North Bank, Central River and Upper bearers in The Gambia and West Africa River Regions. A total of 2,392 people sub-region. The study concluded that (278 households) were supported stakeholders in the Agriculture and through direct unconditional cash Natural Resource (ANR) have generally, transfer towards food and shelter weak access to markets within the value. following natural disasters (floods and It further indicated inadequacies in policy windstorms). Women and other local and regulatory mechanisms provided by community members were part of the government to enforce trade facilitation. response process as members of the An overall general weakness in capacity Regional Disaster Management especially at the levels of the smallholder Committees and Food Management farmers who collectively produce the bulk Committees. They participated in the of the food was found to weak. The report identification of those affected, needs of this study will inform the 2017 policy assessment, sensitization and advocacy and program interventions work distribution processes. of AAITG as part of economic

empowerment program for women and

small holder farmers.

Interventions on Malaria

As part of our contributions towards the eradication of malaria, open field days attracting 500 people were conducted in different communities: Sambel Kunda in LRP 8 and Papa in LRP11. These A victim of 2016 windstorm in CRR communities were selected in consultation with health facilities within Evidencing our Work in Ensuring the area. The two communities are Food Security /Research identified as Malaria prone communities in the LRP based on the clinical data AAITG in collaboration with International recorded by their respective health Food Security network (IFSN) conducted centers (Kudang & Dankunku). The Research on Market Access for Basic activity was designed to increase Agricultural Commodities at National and knowledge and understanding about regional levels focusing on Gambia and malaria infection and prevention within

Senegal. The objective of the study is the LRP. Findings shown that Malaria produce a policy document on market contributes to serious economic loses access and marketing of basic (spending money on medication,

16 transportation etc) to households/ families and to a lager extend to a nation. The impact can also go as far as preventing households from attending social activities and livelihood activities for the family. Malaria can also prevent children from attending school which bring setbacks to their academic performance.

Overall Programme Performance against CSP Priorities

Overall indicator performance against CSP targets as at end of December 2016

(fourth year of implementation) is very encouraging. Based on the available data collected so far, our average.

SOs Number of Achievement Number with data Percentage Indicators availability achievement issues/not achieved SO1 33 21 12 64 SO2 29 13 16 45 SO3 21 16 5 76 SO4 13 9 4 69 Total 96 59 37 N/A Overall Indicator 59 37 61 performance

Table 1: Indicator performance CSP IV indicator performance is achieved at 61% as at end December 2016. We experience 300 some weakness in data collection Indicator for some of the indicators. This is 200 performance mainly because the data is either Analysis # of 100 Indicators not available in the form necessary for the CSP or not 0 consistently collected due to

costs or capacity. Some

SO2 SO3 SO4 SO1 Total noticeable differences were observed in terms of performance within the four individual SOs especially between SO2 which is at 45% achievement and the rest.

Figure 1: Indicator Analysis procedures and strengthen staff

skills & capacity as well as

More indicators were achieved under SO3 (76%) motivate them to cost-effectively followed by SO4 (69%), SO1 (64%) and then steer the strategy to achieve its SO2 as illustrated in the two charts above and aspirations. below.The low performance of SO2 can be attributed to poor availabity of partnership of Year 2016 started quite well after funding as well as the high number of indicators a meaningful engagement with with data collection issues. Data collection issues staff during a general staff retreat generally affected performances in all SOs (see few weeks before 2016 began. table above) although at varying levels with SO2 The retreat allowed time for imsot impacted. reflection on our ways of working and occasioned staff enough time to discuss on broad range of Indicator performance by issues and came out of it with SOs % Achievent important resolutions. As such, we set out from the beginning of the year re-creating our staff 80 performance tool. 60 Indicator The HR/OD Unit completed 40 performance by recruitments for 7 vacant 20 SOs % Achievent positions ranging from project

0 and LRP staff including SO1 SO2 SO3 SO4 total consultants’ recruitment on AER

project on Topography Survey. Figure 2: Indicator performance Some capacity building interventions were also carried Organizational Priorities out including training of three staff on accounting and finance AAITG has committed itself to strengthen using advance excel as well as human resource capacity, systems and SUN training for two finance staff processes towards ensuring the fulfillment of in Ghana. Eight drivers were various accountabilities, facilitating efficient trained on traffic rules and and effective attainments of Mission Objectives. defensive driving. Meanwhile, This is expected to be delivered through six training on transformative organizational priorities to guide the process. leadership organized by AAI at

the MS TCDC in Arusha was Organizational priority 1: Have in place a attended by the Program responsive organizational structure, adapting Specialist for Women’s Rights and our internal policies, systems, strategies and the Head of HR/OD and Head of

18 fundraising. Training was also facilitated purchased and designed to host the for four members of staff; three of whom DHIS2 M&E database and three other VM on procurement and one on leadership (virtual machines) for File servers. All development. three VMs are working but work on the online hosting of DHIS2 database server Management also sought and obtained is still in progress and expected to be the approval of Board on salary completed in 2017. adjustment to compensate for Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) payment that Organizational Priority 2: Strengthen was never paid for more than five years. our governance systems and processes In response to issues and grievances towards the attainment of Affiliate status coming out of logistics concerns, a draft and our local and federal objectives for Vehicle Policy was completed in an effort the attainment of the ‘Desired State’. to improve the old-inadequate policy that existed for a while. During the year 2016, AAITG’s Board successfully accomplished all its statutory Information Communication (IT) obligations in terms of meetings. These Unit meetings include all quarterly and sub- committee meetings and the 5th Annual

As part of efforts to improve IT General Meeting (AGM) held in June, communication systems, an upgrade of 2016.

LRP8 office wireless network was carried out by moving from 2G wireless data Apart from its statutory obligations, the card to 1MB wireless internet. Also Board and the Assembly continue to play achieved was an upgrade of the global important roles at ActionAid International. domain controller for network access One of AAITG’s Assembly Members, Janet from Windows Server 2008 Standard to R. Sallah-Njie continued to serve as an Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard and AAI Board Member and also as a member also completed configuring the Global of the AAI Audit and Risk Committee. Fund Project Server. The new Board Chair, Mr. Ousman M. Cham, was part of the AAI Assembly In addition, central UPS batteries were members who met in Arusha, Tanzania, replaced while the battery banks for to review and approve the New AAI servers down time redundancy were Strategy (Strategy 2028: Action for configured. Also, 2 wireless routers Global Justice). Also, our Board Chair were installed at the AAITG Conference and Executive Director represented AAITG Hall for guest users and others partners in the last AAI AGM held in June 2016 in at headquarters. Maputo, Mozambique.

With funding from The Global Fund

Project, a Dell Power R730 was

19 Board Meeting Attendance in 2016

Name of Board April June Oct. Extra- October December Member Ordinary

Amie Bensouda Retired Retired Retired (Chair) Baboucarr Bouy Retired Retired Retired Cherno Jallow Appointed in Appointed in June 2016 June 2016 Dominic Mendy Retired Retired Retired (Vice Chair) Haddy Dandeh- Appointed in Appointed in Jabbie June 2016 June 2016

Isatou Ndow Appointed in Appointed in

June 2016 June 2016 Mamie Njie-Dambell Appointed in Appointed in X X X June 2016 June 2016

Maria Dacosta Appointed in Appointed in X June 2016 June 2016

Naffie Barry Retired Retired Retired Nana Gerstrom X X X Resigned Resigned Alsted

Ndey Secka-Sallah Retired Retired Retired Ousman M. Cham Sana Ceesay, Dr. Satou Barrow Appointed in Appointed in X June 2016 June 2016 Ya Fatou Touray X X (Treasurer) Yusupha Dibba

= Means Present X = Means Absent

20 Organizational priority 3: Deepen our Sponsors. We received a total of 698 new relationship with supporters to enhance sponsors from both Brazil and Italy, with their understanding of our work and Brazil accounting for the largest number. increase our supporter base. We also lost a total of 1087 sponsors during the period. Therefore, the total During the year under review, the Child number of links at the end of 2016 was Sponsorship and Supporter Care Unit 8327 financial supporters. More, have recorded some great achievements. compared to averages, AAITG was among A total of 6189 child messages were the countries with higher incidences of mailed to sponsors whilst a total of 170 child withdrawals from our sponsorship transfers were processed in 2016. In scheme (Jan-Jun 2016 CS & SC addition, we collected 800 New Profiles Dashboard) which is as a result of from LRP8, processed and submitted migration of sponsored children in our them to Brazil (600) and Italy (200). intervention areas. These have since started yielding new sponsors especially for Brazil who Organizational Priority 4: Raise at continued to link children even during least 45% of total income (£14 million) our Christmas break. According to the from partnership funding through

Child Sponsorship and Supporter Care diversified sources to finance intervention Dashboard (Jul-Dec 2016), AAITG was areas across the four main objectives among the top ten achieving countries with regards to photo updates scoring The year under review saw the 100%. In addition, AAITG was among continuous engagement of institutional the top performing countries for child and high value donors for partnerships to message coverage attaining over 90% mobilise additional resources to fill the and also among countries with most funding gap for the implementation of supporters serviced (meeting report CSP IV Mission Objectives. The year 2016 deadlines with affiliates) on time witnessed the launching of four donor (>=97%) and (>=98%) for Jan-Jun funded projects namely: 1) the second EU 2016 and Jul-Dec 2016 reporting periods grant for the Promotion of Children’s respectively. Rights in 3 Regions of The Gambia worth €400,000 implemented in partnership However, compared to 2015, there was with Child Protection Alliance and Forum a drop of 389 financial supporters in for African Women Educationist, The 2016. Brazil supporters have contributed Gambia Chapter. 2) A two year project to most of this drop as some of the funded by AmplifyChange for the sponsors thought this was just a one off Eradication of FGM in partnership with the contribution and thus withdrew their Network against Gender Based Violence contributions. During the year under worth €347,299. 3) A two year grant review AAITG started off with 8716 links from the Swedish Postcode Foundation altogether including the Next Step worth 4.9 million Swedish Krona to

21 implement a pilot project on MyChild or build new partnerships at home and System in partnership with Shifo abroad through the funding affiliates. Foundation based in Sweden. MyChild During the year, seven concept notes and system is an information technology proposals were submitted to donors for platform with a number of applications funding under the four strategic that will support child health service objectives. Out of these, only the delivery in The Gambia. There are emergency response project was ongoing engagements with donors led by successfully funded and completed, three Shifo Foundation to mobilise additional were unsuccessful whilst feedbacks are resources to scale up the project awaited on the other three. nationwide in the coming years. 4) The forth project was a short term As part of this process, a joint donor visit emergency response project funded by was made to Dakar in partnership with the Start Emergency Fund in UK worth ActionAid Senegal and three key donors £150,000. This project was were engaged with prospects for implemented in partnership with Catholic partnerships in the future. Key action

Relief Services and Concern Universal points were agreed for implementation by during the months of October and AA Gambia and AA Senegal to explore the November 2016 where food and non- opportunities in 2017. Additionally, local food items were distributed for flood and partnership engagements were done windstorm victims affected communities. through visits to UN agencies including UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA, FAO, IOM and In addition, 2016 witnessed the closure National Commission for UNESCO for of the governance project (Promoting possible collaboration. . Citizens’ Participation in Local Governance Decentralisation) Overall, the year was rated good although implemented in partnership with Kuntaur no big new contracts were signed for Area Council funded by the British funding but we will continue to strive hard Embassy from July 2015 to March 2016. to get the right contracts to support the The year also included the facilitation of implementation of CSP IV objectives. a fundraising training for AAITG staff and some partners to improve technical Organizational Priority 5: Strengthen financial management and accountability knowledge and skills for better systems, standards and processes to participation in resource mobilisation in ensure quality planning, monitoring and their respective institutions. reporting.

Aside from the implementation of the new and previous projects particularly Risk Management the Global Fund and EU Women’s rights Project, ongoing engagement with In 2016, a review and reassessment of relevant donors continued to strengthen organisational risks was conducted with

22 Management and the Risk Register Programme Quality Assurance updated during the annual planning period. The Global Fund New Funding In addition to its routine monitoring Model HIV & AIDS Project risk matrix visits, the M&E have conducted series of was also recently reviewed and updated. activities aimed at improving programme There were no critical risks noted, except quality and staff and partners’ capacity. substandard quality of health products Key among them were a Mid-term Peer (condoms) rated as a medium risk. Out Review of our current Country Strategy of the 3 donor funded projects audited in Paper (CSP IV) in January 2016 following 2016, only one has been noted as a high which we have revised and updated our risk project. The issues raised from the M&E framework that is used to measure audit of this Project are being addressed progress on CSP mission objectives and by Management, though at a much slow organisational priorities. The final report pace. Risks noted from the audit of the has already been shared with staff and other donor funded projects are being key implementing partners so that the managed by the respective project recommendations can be put into teams. practice.

Based on the audits conducted in 2016, To improve data quality, a two-day re- it is the conclusion of internal audit that fresher training was conducted for 18 AAITG maintained generally satisfactory staff and partners (10M; 8F) on the use controls for financial management and of AAITG’s DHIS2 database. The purpose donor reporting. With the coming of a of training was to promote effective data new CSP in 2017, there is opportunity to collection, compilation and reporting. review the current Partnership Strategy User Accounts were created for all with a view to strengthen partner participants to ensure accessibility for all management and supervision. It is also users and participants were also trained envisaged that the M&E Database when on basic skills on how to access the operationalized, will be an effective tool system, enter/view and how to edit and for programme performance save data. More, AAITG’s M&E Manager, measurement. Global Fund Assistant M&E Officer and Data Officer also attended a 10 days With regards to external audit, AAITG training on DHIS2 Data Management in received a clean and unqualified audit Pretoria, South Africa to improve their report for the year ended 31 December skills on data quality and management for 2016. Implementation of the action quality assurance, reporting and to points on the audit management letter is promote shared learning. This training in progress. was in preparation for the online hosting

of AAITG’s DHIS2 Database which is yet to be completed.

23 In addition, a four-day training was Bakalarr. These boards contained organised under the new AmplifyChange information on annual income and Project aimed ensuring that all key expenditure records, energy implementing partners have a common consumption, and other information understanding on the importance of relevant to the LRPs such as list of participatory M&E and to promote quality villages per LRP, list of executive reporting. Twenty-five participants members and activities implemented by (14F+11M) attended the workshop. each Apex/Eco-zone, etc. Similarly, a 2- day training workshop was also conducted on Participatory M&E Organizational Priority 6: for 14 (10M & 4F) Eco-zone Executive Communicating and documenting our members. The main objective of the work in order to enhance understanding training was to build Eco-zones of our work, raise our profile and support Executive Members’ capacity on basic the mobilization of resources for the participatory M&E tools/approaches to successful implementation of our enable them to monitor progress of programmes. projects/interventions at their level and as well as evaluate the impact of The Communications and Documentation projects/interventions in their respective Unit continued to carry out its functions communities. with a view to enhancing understanding

of AAITG;s work, raise its profile and Furthermore, the M&E team also support the mobilisation of resources for conducted a baseline survey for the new the implementation of our programmes’. EU Children’s Rights Project. The overall objective of the survey was to provide As a separate function during the first benchmark against which to track half of 2016, the Unit supported progress and effectiveness of the project programmes and projects by capturing at the end of the project. The draft their activities on video, still photos, report has been shared with AAITG designing and printing of key AAITG management and project implementing documents which we shared with staff, partners for their comments before partners. The also supported validation which is expected to take programmes and projects with press place by end of quarter one, 2017. releases, case story collection and updating our social media sites on the More, to promote transparency and impact of our work. Radio and TV accountability, 9 new accountability and programmes were held to enhance transparency boards were mounted at awareness of what we do as an open locations at both headquarters and organization. In 2016, the LRP levels in the following locations: Communications & Documentation Unit Kanifing, Kudang, Jareng, Choya, was merged with Sponsorship and Dankunku, Kerewan, Albreda and Fundraising functions named Fundraising,

Communications and Supporter Care but Financial Performance this merger does not have any effect or impact on our work. During the year under review, AAITG

received a total income of D149, 751k as Generally, AAITG's work with people against budgeted income of D171, 720k, living in poverty and other stakeholders a decrease of 16% as a result of delays in is documented and communicated fund transfers from donors. Compared to through various channels - reports, 2015, there was a drop of 15% in total newsletters, flyers, leaflets, banners, income and a 9% increase in 2016 CDs, Videos, radio/TV, print and social planned Regular Giving Income media (Facebook, Twitter and AAITG (sponsorship income) from UK, Italy and website). Brazil. Partnership Income (income from donors) was down by 32% (D75, 930K) Key highlights for the against planned income of D112, 095K. Communications and Documentation Total expenditure on the other hand, was Unit in 2016: D161, 936k compared to plan of D184,

 Produced a message booklet on HIV 579k thus indicating a budget utilization & AIDS of 88% of forecast.

 Produced radio spot announcements

and jingles on HIV & AIDS Figure 1: Income and Expenditure

Trends 2014-2016 (GMD 000)  A face-lift for AAITG’s website

showing different pages for different projects including photo gallery 200,000,000 INCOME & EXPENDITURE  50 print & online articles mentioning or featuring AAITG’s work TRENDS 2014-2016

 130 radio broadcasts mentioning AAITG or featuring interviews with AAITG -

 11 TV broadcasts mentioning AAITG 2014 2015 2016

or featuring interviews with AAITG TOTAL INCOME TOTAL EXPENDITURE

 4 Newsletters produced and share with our staff and partners

 Conducted series of radio phone-in programmes on Climate Change, Disaster Risk Reduction, gender based violence, HIV & AIDS,

 Production of a video documentary on Women in District Tribunals.

Figure 2: AAITG Partnership Income 2016 (GMD)

AAITG Partnership Income

3,610,000

9,185,000

246,000 848,000 6,836,000

48,298,000

6,907,000

Global Fund Margaret A Cargil Amplify Change ACTIVISTA Bryan & Jackie EC START FUND

Figure 2 above shows income from our donors in 2016 amounting to D75, 930,000 a decrease of 20% on previous year.

26 Section three Challenges, Lessons Learnt and Recommendations

Challenges: Some of the main challenges  Continuous use of chemical fertilizer encountered during the year under review by small holder farmers. Although were: AAITG continue to build capacities of farmers on CRSA including  Collecting data comprehensively for the demonstrations in the fields as well Indicators within the CSP was not policy advocacy possible. As a result, overall performance as at end 2016 continues to  Continuous reliance of smallholder be affected negatively. These are a great farmers on rain-fed agriculture. We need to carefully select indicators for the continue to lobby government for new CSP policy change in favor of public investment on other alternatives such  Raising the requisite partnership funding as irrigation farming and also for SOs was not possible. As such, educating farmers to demand the performance for SO 2 was unfavorable same through their respective representatives

 We partner capacity in fund raising and Monitoring. These have resulted to  Frequent floods, erosion, and delays in submission of reports to AAITG windstorm, pest and disease

and weak ability in raising funds without infestation in communities. Flash flood

support from AAITG due to heavy rains, submerged crops during the year. To address the above

 2016 was an election year, the election challenges, more and more

process and outcome affected one of our smallholder farmers in communities major campaign efforts which is the 16 were encouraged and are now Days of Activism as well as activity adopting CRSA as an alternative implementation planned for December method of farming in LRPs 2016. This challenge was mitigated by changing our plans from conducting  More reported cases of GBV in 2016 Country-wide Caravan, football matches thus creating a bigger demand on the and debates to a National Forum where One-Stop Centre staff and other heads of youth organizations, civil resources. This challenge was society and government officials were mitigated by training more staff from invited to take part in a discussion on health facilities on GBV cases to our campaign theme: "Making Education reduce workload on staff the One-Stop Save for Girls".

Centers. NGBV is also working on  chemical fertilizers not because they integrating GBV training modules into want to but because there is hardly health training institutions’ enough compost or manure that can curriculum so that lecturers can teach be used as an alternative these modules at schools.  The use of female Traditional  There is only one civil society Communicators have proven to be an organization that provides legal aid to effective way of communicating women in the Gambia with very information on early warning systems, limited capacity and thus many disaster risk reduction and climate women cannot access their services change. These women have helped reached the hard- to-reach Lessons Learnt: communities with information on early warning systems, climate change and  CRSA is a great innovation that we CRSA need to continue to promote as it can add significant value in preserving  Use of mobile phones to access and land and in many aspects of farming share information on early warnings, for smallholder farmers. However, it disaster risk reduction and CRSA has been observed that one key proved to be an efficient way of component of it, compost making, is message dissemination especially too very labour intensive and difficult to hard to reach communities. This

apply it on a large scale especially in minimizes the inaccessibility of

areas where the raw material is not information from Hydro-met units to easily handy smallholder farmers who do not have access to televisions  PRS is a good approach, However, for

greater impact and partners should  The enactment of the anti-FGM & proactively findings from the Child Marriage laws without public exercises and analysis in schools into consultation was seen as political and a Citizen Report regularly and use it not participatory by some to further engage on policy communities but the sensitization by stakeholders has helped in  The PRS situational analysis neutralizing negative sentiments conducted in schools have around the law. However that contributed to significant reduction of momentum should be continued school based gender related violence throughout 2017 and beyond.

 It is critical for the application of CRSA to be gradual. Mainly because

Smallholder farmers are using

Conclusions Way Forward

Despite restricted political space Given the significant gains made and challenges for our work, AAITG has overall realised in 2016, AAITG and partners need redouble performed very well during the efforts to sustain the gains and continue to aim at period under review. The year attaining all CSP targets at least 90%. This will be 2016 marks the fourth year into made possible by many way including: the implementation of CSP IV and  The need to continue work with CSOs, started with a lot of excitement communities and all relevant partners on policy within AAITG but this was later advocacy and influencing for wider political affected by the preparations for space for NGOs in The Gambia and the broader the historic presidential elections African region. held in the country in December that resulted to ousting of a  Continues capacity building for Staff and sitting president. This election partners skills like advocacy, fundraising, monitoring and evaluation. outcome affected our programme implementation as it led to a  Aggressive partnership fundraising both within political impasse which lasted and outside The Gambia through to the end of the year.  Review CSP IV and develop another one (CSP V) Therefore, some of our that will be aligned to the new AAI strategy programmes were cancelled and 2018-2028 or rescheduled which all impacted  Strengthen the monitoring and evaluation on performance during the year. system of all key partners at national and However, with continuous community levels commitment of staff partners as well as communities, we have  Scale up programming and policy advocacy for youths involvement in national development overcome some of these challenges except the political endeavors impasse that could not be  Gradually Scale work on CRSA with sustained resolved before close at year end. engagement of government, donor and

We have ended the year with a implementing partners at all levels. general cumulative programmatic  Collaborate with key stakeholders and scale up indicator performance at 61% work in the area women’s inclusion into district with a total annual budget tribunals across the country to build on gains utilization of 88%. AAITG was already made in the LRPs and at Kuntaur Area able to participate in the Council. development of the new AAI strategy and other key AAI  Focus fundraising efforts on SOs1, 2 and 3 to facilitate access to the needed resources for federational engagements at both programme and governance levels catch-up on the existing funding and improve on during the year under review. performance especially for SO2 before the end of the strategy.

Appendix 1 Audited Financial Statements

33 Appendix 2 List of Partners

Donor Partners 20. Ministry of Interior (Police & Immigration) 1. A US Philanthropy 21. Ministry of Regional Government & 2. AmplifyChange Lands

3. British Embassy Banjul 22. Ministry of Youth & Sports

4. European Union(EU) 23. Mutapola Network The Gambia 5. Global Fund 24. National AIDS Control Program 6. Shifo Foundation 25. National AIDS Secretariat 13. The 7. START FUND Gambia Red Cross Society (GRCS) 26. National Alliance for Food Security Partners (NAFS) 27. National Council for Civic Education 1. Activista 28. National Disaster Management 2. Agency for the Development of Women Agency and Children (ADWAC) 29. National Farmers Platform 3. Area Councils (Kerewan, Janjabureh, 30. National Malaria Control Program Brikama & Kuntaur ) 31. National Women Farmers 4. Child Protection Alliance Association 5. Department of Community Development 32. National Youth Council 6. Department of Water Resources 33. Network Against Gender Base 7. Education For All Network Violence (NGBV) 8. FAO 34. NSGA 9. FAWEGAM 35. Office of the Vice President 10. Female Lawyers Association Gambia 36. Social Forum The Gambia

11. Gambia Family Planning Association 37. The Gambia Teachers Union

(GFPA) 38. The National Assembly 12. GAMNAS 39. CCM Gambia for Global Fund 13. Girls Agenda Project 14. Hands On Care (HOC) 40. The Organization of 15. Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) Nongovernmental Associations 16. Ministry of Basic and Secondary (TANGO) Education (MBoSE) 41. Think Young Women 17. Ministry of Environment Climate Change 42. UNAIDS Water & Wildlife 43. UNDP 18. Ministry of Health and Social Welfare 44. UNFPA 19. Ministry of Higher Education, Research, 45. UNICEF Science & Technology 46. Women’s Bureau

34 AAITG Staff and General Assembly Members

AAITG Staff 2016

Agnes Gomez Alagie L. Sonko Alagie M. Kurang Almamo Barrow Amadou Suno Personal Assistant to Driver/Messenger Accountant Current Head of Driver/Messenger Executive Director Programmes & Policy

Amie Bojang Bai Cham Bakary Fadera Bintou Jah Bridget T. Correa Accountant HIV & AIDS LRP 8 & 11 Finance Coordinator Manager, EC funded Project Manager Programme Manager Project on Children

Burama Mendy Fanta Jatta-Sowe Foday Kanyi Haddy Sanneh M & E Assistant Programme Specialist Programme M & E Manager Women’s Rights Coordinator LRP 8

Jainaba Fatty Jainaba Nyang Njie Jerreh Dibba Lamin Barro Field Coordinator Comms & Docs Driver/Messenger Sponsorship Agro-ecology Manager Manager Project LRP 9

Lamin Fatty Madi Ceesay Mamie Ceesay Mohamed L Touray Driver/Messenger, Supporter care Supporter Care Communications LRP 8 Comms Coordinator Coordinator Technician

Molifa Bajo Momodou L. Cham Musa Jallow Musukuta Badjie Driver/Messenger Head of Finance IT Manager AER Project Manager

Ndella Faye Colley Ndey Jarju Omar Badji Ousman Gaye Head of Fundraising, Data Entry Officer, HIV & Executive Director HR/OD Manager Comms & Supporter care AIDS Project

Pansaw Nyassi Rohey Colley Manager, EC funded Saikou K Gassama Sainey Trawally Admin. Coordinator Project on Women Programme Specialist Driver/Messenger Gov. & Partnership

Salmina Bah Field Coordinator Satang Huma Sirrah Jammeh Sulayman Cham Agro-ecology Project HIV & AIDS Project Asst. Accountant Driver/Messenger LRP 8 Accountant HIV & AIDS Project

Sulayman Kinteh Theodore Joof Yama Badjan Yankuba Mamburay Procurement Specialist Internal Audit Receptionist Board Liaison Manager Manager