KNOWLEDGE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME Scoping Exercise

KNOWLEDGE PARTNERSHIP PROGRAMME

Scoping Exercise Report

Partnership for Adapting the Kudumbashree Model to Ethiopia

By Kudumbashree

Submitted to

Department for International Development (DFID)

IPE Global (P) Ltd.

February 2016

MoWCA – Government of Ethiopia and Kudumbashree – Government of Kerala, India

Partnership for Adapting the Kudumbashree Model to Ethiopia

Supported by IPE Global under the Knowledge Partnership Programme

Report Based on Scoping Exercise for Finalization of Intervention Plan 15 November – 03 December 2015

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Background

Kudumbashree-State Poverty Eradication Mission, Government of Kerala, India in partnership with the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Government of Ethiopia, supported by the Knowledge Partnership Programme, conducted a scoping exercise to identify the existing structures and practices and exploring the potential of adapting Kudumbashree model to the context in Ethiopia from 15-26 November 2015. The team visited Federal offices (MoWCA, MoH, MoA, Central Bank, FeMSEDA, AEMFI, and CoSAP) and government functionaries and existing women groups in eight Kabeles across four Woredas in two Regions. The field areas visited are:

 Oromia Region – West Arsi Zone – Sheshemane and Arsi Negeellee Woredas  SNNP Region – Gaurage Zone – Abeshge and Cheha Woredas

Observation from the Field

Women’ Development Group (WDG)

The 1-5 network groups and the WDGs were close knit and coherent groups. They were involved in regular meetings and savings. In Oromia Region, they took loans from their internal savings and engaged in various income generation activities. There was existence of leadership, but rotation of leadership was not evident. They were also involved in social development activities and also had the ability to plan for identifying issues in the community and find solutions to it. The main income generation activities were centred around agriculture and animal husbandry

Health

The accessibility and availability of primary health services were found to be very effective. The Health Extension Workers (HEWs) were able to mobilize women well for extension services. The 16-health extension packages were disseminated in a structured model with limited transmission loss. There was also good reporting and monitoring practices put in place from the Health Post at the Kabele level up to the Woreda Health Office. The women had good access to the Health Posts and utilized the services well

Agriculture

The agriculture extension was done well through the network of Development Agents (DAs). All Kabeles had Farmer Training Centres (FTCs) and demonstration sites in the same compound which gave on-ground training to the farmers. There was also concept of model farmers who were used for disseminating good farming practices to the community. Technical inputs and guidance are being provided by the DAs to the farmers

Small and Medium Enterprises / Job Creation

SME activities at the federal level are managed by Federal Micro and Small Enterprises Development Agency (FeMSDA). It was found that their activities are mainly centred around urban Kabeles. There is provision of entrepreneurial and skill training in from Technical, Vocational, and Educational Training Institute (TVETs). There were One-Stop Service Centres to provide support services to the enterprises.

Intervention Proposed

Based on the Kudumbashree experience in Kerala and observations from the field, the following interventions are proposed:

1. Strengthening the institutional structure of WDG 2. Strengthening financial inclusion of WDG 3. Strengthening sectoral activities of the WDG 4. Building community based support system for strengthening the institutions, financial inclusion, and lending sectoral support

The Proposed Institutional Structure

The WDGs presently existing in the Kabele are working as independent groups without much convergence with other groups and the Kabele administration. The extension departments, such as agriculture and health work in parallel with the WDGs.

The structure proposed is to federate the individual WDGs at the local habitation (Got) level in the form of Got Federation (GF). These GFs can be further federated at the Kabele level in the form of Women Development Association (WDA). The following is a diagrammatic representation of the same:

In SNNP region, a platform called ‘steering committee’ exits which brings together representatives from various departments and the WDG leader. We propose this platform to be enhanced and serve as a major forum for convergence between the WDG and all Kabele administrations.

The proposed steering committee will include representatives from Kabele administration, agriculture, health, education, women’ league, WDA, SME / job creation department, MFI / bank to address issues pertaining to WDG and its federations.

Financial Inclusion

By means of thrift and credit activity within the WDGs and linkages with financial institutions is seen as a core area for strengthening the institution and providing financial support for income-generation activities. This will include activities such as weekly thrift, internal lending, monitoring of repayment etc. Transparency and accountability of this mechanism will be ensured in the form of regular record keeping of financial transactions and periodic auditing of the same.

Strengthening Economic Sector Interventions

For ensuring economic empowerment of the women, it is essential they engage in economic activities, which can be related to crop production, animal husbandry, agro-processing, non-farm micro-enterprises, wage employment etc. For this purpose, sub-sets of WDGs in the form of Common Interest Groups (CIGs) can be formed based on interest in engaging in specific income generating activity. Further avenues can be explored to link these CIGs into a value chain based on available opportunities.

Support Structures

To form a robust institutional structure, lend support to the WDGs in activities related to financial inclusion and income generation, it is essential that an enabling environment exists. One of the major impediments in achieving this is absence of a support system to guide, streamline, and handhold the functioning of the WDGs. To plug this gap, it is proposed to form support teams from the community itself from within the Kabele. Three types of support teams are envisaged as under:

1. Kabele Support Team (KST) to support in institution building and financial institution 2. Woreda Audit Team (WAT) to support in auditing of accounts of community institutions and CIGs 3. Livelihood Consultant Group (LCG) for promoting and supporting income generating activities of the WDG members The members of these support teams will be identified from the community itself, preferably experienced and active women from the community.

Convergence Required

The convergence with various government functionaries can be envisaged as under:

 Coordination with banks / MFIs for financial inclusion and income generating activities: o Opening accounts for thrift deposit o Avail credit for groups engaged in IG activities o Financial literacy  Coordination with Kabele administration for seeking approval for loans for IG activities, for working premises for CIGs and permissions for organising markets  Coordination with DAs / TVETs for technical training to CIGs and support structures  Coordination with the steering Committees

The concerned sectoral committees in the proposed community institutional structures will coordinate with the concerned sectoral departments

Capacitation Required

Before capacitating the members and office bearers of the community institutions, the available manuals / training materials will be considered and modifications / enhancements to the same will be done, if required. The capacity building needed for the community institutions will be in the following aspects:

 Importance of collectives  Constitution and relevance of federations  Responsibilities of office bearers and members  Working with administration and sectoral offices  Books to be maintained in the collectives  Importance thrift and credit  Specific training for office bearers  Training of audit committee on protocols and methodology of audit  Training of financial inclusion committee on credit delivery mechanism The CIGs engaged in income generating activities would need to be oriented in basic business concepts and technical training depending upon the trade. The support institutions (KST, WDA, and LCG) would have to be imparted relevant subject matter training to be able to support the women in their activities.

Pilot Area and Budget

The project will be implemented in two Kabeles of Arsi Negeellee and Sheshamene in Oromia and two Kabeles in Abeshuge and Cheha at SNNP region. The first phase of the project is planned for twelve months with a budget outlay of approx. ETB 7 million.

Report

This report of the Scoping Exercise carried out in Ethiopia consists of the following sections. 1. Introduction and Situation Analysis 2. Strategic Framework for adapting Kudumbashree model in Ethiopia 3. Plan for pilot Project

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. SCOPING EXERCISE ...... 1 1.1. Background to the Scoping Exercise ...... 1 1.2. Objectives of the Scoping Exercise ...... 1 1.3. Conduct of Scoping Exercise ...... 2

2. SITUATION ANALYSIS ...... 3 2.1. Existing Institutional Mechanism of Women Development Groups ...... 3 2.2. Sectoral Activities and Relationships with the WDG ...... 6 2.3. Sectoral Activity Needs Identified ...... 13

3. RELEVANCE OF THE KUDUMBASHREE EXPERIENCE TO ETHIOPIA ...... 14

4. STRUCTURE OF THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK ...... 17

5. THE 4-C APPROACH TO BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS OF WOMEN ...... 17

6. APPLICATION OF THE 4-C MODEL TO THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK ...... 18

7. STRENGTHENING THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE OF WDG ...... 20 7.1. Collectivization ...... 20 7.2. Capacitation ...... 22 7.3. Convergence ...... 22 7.4. Communitization ...... 23

8. STRENGTHENING FINANCIAL INCLUSION OF WDG ...... 24 8.1. Collectivization ...... 24 8.2. Capacitation ...... 25 8.3. Convergence ...... 26 8.4. Communitization ...... 26

9. STRENGTHENING SECTORAL ACTIVITIES OF THE WDG ...... 27 9.1. Intervention in Crop Production and Animal Husbandry ...... 27 9.2. Intervention in Micro-Enterprises ...... 29 9.3. Intervention for Value Chain ...... 31 9.4. Intervention in Skill Enhancement for Employability ...... 33

10. BUILDING COMMUNITY BASED SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR STRENGTHENING THE WDG ...... 35 10.1. Support System for Strengthening Institutional Structure of the WDG ...... 35 10.2. Support System for Strengthening Financial Inclusion of the WDG ...... 38 10.3. Support System for Strengthening Sectoral Activities (Economic) of the WDG ...... 43

11. RESOURCES NEEDED ...... 47

12. CHALLENGES ...... 47

13. INTERVENTION PLAN ...... 48

13.1. Detailed Plan ...... 48 14.1. Major Milestones ...... 61

15. GLOSSARY ...... 61

16. ANNEXURES ...... 62 16.1. Annexure – I: Details of Team Members ...... 62 16.2. Annexure – IIa: Schedule of Scoping Exercise ...... 64 16.3. Annexure – IIb: Meeting Log ...... 67 16.4. Annexure III – Checklist for Semi Structured Interviews ...... 73 16.5. Annexure IV – Report of the Workshop ...... 80

PART I: INTRODUCTION

1. SCOPING EXERCISE

1.1. Background to the Scoping Exercise

As part of Knowledge partnership programme (KPP), a workshop was organised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia during February 2014 to highlight the different successful models of women empowerment. This included Kudumbashree, Jevika and SERP. Ethiopian policy makers and other participants at the workshop felt that the women empowerment models presented had potential to empower women in Ethiopia as well. Subsequently, the Hon’ble Minister of Women Children and Youth Affairs (MoWCYA) expressed keen interest in piloting some of these women economic empowerment models through SHGs in Ethiopia. This was followed by a visit of a high level delegation from Ethiopia to India from October 9-19, 2014. The visit exposed the team of Ethiopian delegates (which consisted of a mixed group comprising of Government Officials, Bankers and representatives from NGOs, SHGs and industry) to the various aspects of financial inclusion and social protection in India. They also visited Trivandrum and Kochi to study the ground realities of Neighbourhood groups (NHG) and understand the integration process of Kudumbashree and local self-government institutions. Subsequently a delegation from India consisting of representatives of Kudumbashree – State Poverty Eradication Mission, Government of Kerala, DFID India and IPE Global visited Ethiopia during 1-3 April 2015, the future plan of action as planned and it was decided that a scoping exercise will be carried out to prepare the implementation strategy for adapting the Kudumbashree model to Ethiopia. A preliminary plan for the scoping was prepared and shared with MoWCA (earlier: MoWCYA) and IPE India. Based on discussions, IPE and Kudumbashree has finalized a plan for the conduct of the scoping exercise.

1.2. Objectives of the Scoping Exercise

As the first step in the proposed partnership, the scoping exercise was an opportunity to enable all partners and stakeholders to arrive at a common level of understanding with respect to the context in which the intervention is to be made and the nature of strategies and activities to be adopted for the intervention. Towards this, the scoping exercise aims to:  Understand existing programmes and projects  Understand existing community and social structures, land and other resource use patterns, legal and policy frameworks  Enable identification of potential Community Facilitators in the areas where the scoping study field work is conducted  Provide inputs for preparation of detailed programme plan

1.3. Conduct of Scoping Exercise

A team of eight professionals from Kudumbashree, with active support of IPE-Ethiopia office and guidance and field support of Ministry of Women and Children Affairs and the Regional Bureaux in Oromia and SNNP regions is conducting the Scoping Exercise in four selected Woreda. These are:  Oromia – West Arsi Zone – Sheshemane and Arsi Negeellee Woredas  SNNP – Gurage Zone – Abeshge and Cheha Woredas The interactions and field visits of the scoping exercise were carried out during 16-26 November 2015. An 8-member team from Kerala, supported by local facilitators split into two teams to conduct the scoping exercise. The details of the team members are provided in Annexure – I.

The schedule and checklists for semi-structured interviews is appended in Annexures II and III respectively.

2. SITUATION ANALYSIS

2.1. Existing Institutional Mechanism of Women Development Groups

2.1.1. Structure of Groups and Activities

Members f WDG

Any woman who is 18 and above can become the member of the WDG and it is permissible for more than one woman from a family to be member of a WDG. Each WDG was broken down into 5-6 ‘1-5 networking groups’ to facilitate discussion in smaller and more cohesive groups. 1-5 network is made up of women meeting near their houses and hence it is easier to mobilize and communicate with each other

It was said that each member, the 1-5 network group, and the WDG makes plan for themselves. The plans of the member are consolidated at the 1-5 network level and the plans of the 1-5 network are consolidated at the WDG level.

The WDGs have the following office bearers:

 Chairman – overall leader  Vice Chairman – responsible for economic matters  Secretary – responsible for economic matters  Member 1 – responsible for education matters  Member 2 – responsible for justice matters and political matters

The position of a cashier was also included in WDGs in the Oromia region. The cashier took the responsibility of safe-keeping the cash, whereas the secretary was responsible for book-keeping. The leadership in the 1-5 networking groups and WDG has not changed since their formation.

Meetings and Discussions

The functioning of 1-5 networking groups and WDG are not common across regions. The saving frequency and purpose for which they save also differs from woreda to another.

Most WDGs met once in 15-days. In most cases, the leaders of 1-5 networking groups came for the WDG meet. Most 1-5 network groups and WDG do saving (between ETB 5-20) for the purpose of meetings needs of the groups and some also engage in internal lending.

Some groups do not put their savings in bank. However, there are some groups that save in Commercial Bank of Ethiopia in Oromia, whereas some groups save in OMO micro-finance institution. In a particular case the group had formal receipt book and stamp for the WDG. The Chairperson and other members conducted regular audit of the accounts.

Major points of discussion (not exhaustive) in the groups can be listed as under:

 16-health extension package  Agricultural activities  Social issues – child education, adolescent girls, child marriage, female genital mutilation, harmful traditional practices, pre-natal and post-natal care, family planning, sanitation etc.

Some of the activities (not exhaustive) that the 1-5 networking groups and / or WDGs engage in can be listed as under:

 Fulfilling household needs of the community members  Engaging in economic activities, such as cultivation on leased lands, weaving carpets and baskets out of false banana fibre, shawl sewing, poultry, fattening of bovines  Expenditure on deliveries of members, gifts, contingencies, donations, and emergencies o A few groups took to construction of road in their Kabele o Some groups also donated in the name of their former PM

In most cases, the money obtained from economic activities was saved in the group itself. Most groups cited that the group money should be used for activities of the group. Some WDGs also re-group themselves into smaller activity groups or self-help groups to engage in economic activities. This was majorly noted in Oromia region.

In Kabeles visited in SNNP region, the 1-5 groups under each of the WDG are graded by the steering committee on the criteria of sanitation, child education and agriculture activity. The groups are graded among the WDG and the C grade groups are encouraged to emulate the A grade groups.

Federations

In SNNP region, the WDG were federated in Women’ Association (WA). The WA is a combination of all WDGs at the Kabele level. The chairperson of the WA, who is elected by the WDGs, reports to the Woreda Women and Child Office. Some WA also save some amount (ETB 6) per member per year, which is used for operational expenses. In Oromia region, however, WA existed much before the formation of WDG to discuss issues of women’ rights and may / may not comprise members from all WDG.

There exists Women’ League (WL) in both regions to promote political participation of women. Women’ Federation (WF) was an umbrella forum of WL and WA.

2.1.2. Facilitating Systems in Place and their Activities

The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs (MoWCA) at the federal level and the Bureau of Women and Children Affairs (BoWCA) at the regional level coordinate the activities of the WDG. They are involved in capacity building, awareness about new technologies and coordinating packages of other bureaus, such as health, agriculture, and small and micro-enterprises.

In-charge of Women and Children Affairs at the Kabele

There is an elected representative who is in-charge of women and child affairs in the Kabele cabinet. The in- charge have received trainings on the issues of women and other related matters concerning the women. They are involved in creating awareness generation on the problems of women, children, issues like HTP, HIV, community based child and care support, care for pregnant women, and campaign against early marriage.

There is no staff catering to women and children affairs from the department at the Kabele level. However, each staff member in the Women and Children Affairs office at the Woreda level is responsible for facilitating work 3-4 Kabeles.

In Oromia region, ‘model women’ have been identified who demonstrated favourable practices – undertook economic activity, followed the recommendations of the 16-health extension packages, focussed on education of their children, etc. and presented them as role-models for the community to emulate.

Steering Committee

In SNNP region, a steering committee is constituted at Zone, Region, Woreda, and Kabele level. It is to be noted that such a steering committee was absent in Oromia region

Steering Committee at zone level meets once a quarter and consists representatives of:  Women and Child Affairs (Head)  Health Office  Women’ Association  Political Organisation  Women’ Federation  Trade and Industry Office  Agriculture Office  Justice  Education Office  Water Resources  Women’ League  OMO Micro Finance Company

Steering Committee at region level, is chaired by Head of Bureau of Women and Children Affairs and consists representatives of:  Bureau of Health  OMO Micro Finance Company  Bureau of Agriculture  Regional Women Association  Deputy head of Animal Husbandry  Women' League  Deputy head of Horticulture  Women' Federation  Water and Irrigation  Two representatives from office of  Trade and Industry Regional President  Communication  Regional Cooperative Agency is new  Justice addition  Environment and Natural Resource Protection

Steering Committee at Woreda level consists representatives of:

 Women and Children Affairs  Political Organisation  Women’ Association  Trade and Industry Office  Women’ Federation  Justice  Health Office  Water Resources  Agriculture Office (Extension Services)

Steering Committee at Kabele level consists representatives of:

 Women' Association Chairman is  Kabele Manager facilitator  Credit and Savings Officer or OMO MF  Health Extension Worker is Secretary Agent  School Principal or Cluster Facilitator  Representative of Women' League  Agriculture DA  Representative of Women' Federation

This committee prepares a plan for the WDG and engages in cascading of the plan to the lower levels. They follow up on implementation of the plans and lend support to sectoral activities of the WDG. The committee meets twice a month and prepares report which is submitted to Women and Children office at the Woreda level.

Command Post

In Oromia region, the command post constituted for WDG at various levels (Kabele, Woreda, and Zone) looks after issues related to the women’ groups. In the command post for women and child, there are representatives from health, education, agriculture, small and micro enterprises etc. The command posts meet every month to review on the situation of the groups.

The members of the command post at the Woreda level are:

 Person appointed by the political party  Representative (Head) from Women’s (Head) League  Head of the WCA at the Woreda Level  Representative (Head) from Women’s (Deputy Head) Federation  Head of the Health Office at the Woreda  Representative (Head) from the Level (Secretary) Agriculture Office at the Woreda Level  Representative (Head) from Women’s  Representative (Head) from the Education Association Office at the Woreda Level

2.2. Sectoral Activities and Relationships with the WDG

The social, economic, and political empowerment of women in the WDGs is the main objective of the MoWCA. To achieve this, they make sure that they work in coordination with other departments.

2.2.1. Agriculture

Institutional Arrangement

The Ministry of Agriculture at the Federal level is supported by its functionaries at the Zone, Region and Woreda level. At the Kabele level, agriculture related support is provided through the Development Agents (DAs). There is a Farmer Training Centre (FTC) at the Kabele level which supports the farmers through various trainings. These FTCs act as offices for DAs.

The major support that is given to the farmers is preparing land for agriculture, training the women on farming practices and awareness programmes, planting various kinds of trees, distributing improved seeds.

The DA are trained at the Zone or Region level by the department. There are three DAs at the Kabele level, one each for:  Crop Development  Animal Husbandry  Natural Resources  Additionally, One DA for Animal Health per 3 Kabele 6

Selected farmers come to the FTC from the Kabele to get training. Selected farmers can be:

 Model farmers  Persons who can read and write  Some person who can become a model farmer

The selected farmers will go back and impart the skills acquired to other farmers. The FTCs also have demonstration centres. The major demonstration that happen in the FTCs is on land improvement, fodder cultivation, compost etc.

There are also primary cooperatives at the Kabele level, which form a union at the Woreda level. These unions engage in finding better markets for the produce and also help in procuring seeds at a lower cost. The unions are affiliated to a Federal Cooperative Agency (FCA) which is linked to the Ministry of Agriculture. It supports farmer groups with training and formation of cooperatives.

ATA, the Ethiopian Agriculture Transformation Agency is a think-tank and not in implementation. They develop high level strategy and do capacity building.

There is an Agriculture Growth Programme (AGP) implemented in Cheha Woreda in SNNP region. It is a 5- year programme and is being run to fix the gaps in the normal agriculture programme. The AGP has been implemented in the Woreda from the past two years and focuses on increases production and productivity and in enhancing rural infrastructure (construction of rural canals, roads, etc.).

AGP works from the Woreda office and is a part of the Woreda steering committee and hence works in coordination with other departments as well. However, activities involving Common Interest Groups (CIG) have been implemented in a few Kabeles, where a 5-member women group comes together to engage in agriculture or related activity.

Activities with the WDG

Landlessness in the Kabeles is minimal. Average land holding is 1.5-2.0 ha per household. The households are classified into women headed and male headed. The female headed households engaged in farming are given new skills, knowledge, and techniques.

According to some officials at the Federal level, the WDGs have made it easy for the DA to get communication access to married women. Otherwise, agriculture extension among women was limited to female headed households. The 1-5 network groups have made reaching out to all women possible. According to officials at the Woreda level, there is no direct focus provided for the women farmers or WDG. Women farmers are encouraged to come to the FTCs to receive training. At times, training is given to entire WDGs on agriculture-related issues and technologies by DAs. Women are also imparted training to manage their home economy (to grow fruits and vegetables for self-consumption – a strategy adopted to curb malnutrition) – these trainings are given at the Kabele level

In Oromia, the head of the agriculture office is the member of the Command Post for the WDG at the Woreda and Zone level and monitors the agriculture-related activities of the WDG group through this platform. The DAs are a part of the command post at the Kabele level. In SNNP region, the steering committee also comprises officials from agriculture department and its functionaries at various level to integrate the efforts with those of WDG.

2.2.2. Health

Evolution

The Ministry of Health, in 2003, initiated a health extension programme through which 10th pass women were selected and trained to become Health Extension Worker (HEW). HEW basically work on attitudinal change by providing knowledge and training to the community.

The HEW was seen as a critical factor in improving the assisted natural child birth and hospital delivery. Later, while evaluating the HEW programme it was noticed that reach of the HEW was still lacking, and accordingly a more community based approach in the form of Women Health Army was started. In this, 30 members (heterogeneous groups) came together on the model of 1-5 networking groups and were placed under the HEW. These group leaders of 1-5 model were mandated to meet every two weeks and the meeting would be facilitated by the HEW, in which one of topic of the 16 module would be discussed.

Institutional Arrangement

The standards, as prescribed by the Ministry of Health for establishing infrastructure for health extension is as under:

 1 Health Post per 3500-5000 population  1 Health Centre per 25000 population  1 Primary Hospital per 60000-100000 population  1 General Hospital per 1 -1.5 million population  1 Referral Hospital per 3.5 – 5 million population  Two Health Extension workers (HEW) per Kabele; Health Post is their base

The Health Office at the Woreda level is divided into 4 teams

 Regulatory – conducts monitoring, evaluation and follow-up of govt., non-govt., and private clinics. Oversees WASH activities, cleanliness related to sanitation, and distribution of medicines to health centres and health posts  Insurance – identifies poor households and provides for their medical insurance  Communicable Disease Control – spreads awareness regarding malaria, TB, leprosy, HIV. Also conducts surveillance for polio, measles, anthrax and diarrhoea  Maternal and Child Health – spreads awareness for vaccination, family planning, postnatal care and 16-health extension packages

There is regular reporting from the Health Post to the Health Centre, to the Health Centre to the Health Office at the Woreda level, and from Health Office at the Woreda level to the Health Office at the Zone level. The quality of reports is determined by a Performance Monitoring Team (PMT). This is established at all levels from health centre onwards. Heads of all 4 teams (or one person each from the four teams) along with the woreda / zone head and administrative head comprise PMT.

Some Health Posts also run a ‘cultural ambulance’, which is an animal cart, to ferry pregnant mothers to the nearest health centre for delivery.

Activities with the WDG

The HEW interacts with the WDG twice a month, i.e., once in every 15-days. The HEW also meets the members of the group at their individual houses. The WDGs have helped in better reach of the programme and trainings especially with respect to immunization, family planning, and pregnancy care.

The delivery of 16 health packages is undertaken by the HEW through the WDG. The HEW discusses the packages with the WDG leaders, who then pass on the information to the members of their WDG. HEW also identify model households to motivate and demonstrate use of packages. The 16-health packages are as under:

1. Adolescent reproductive health package extension package 9. HIV / AIDS and tuberculosis 2. Building and maintaining healthful prevention and control extension house extension package package 3. Construction usage and maintenance of 10. Malaria prevention and control sanitary latrine extension package extension package 4. Control of insects, rodents and other 11. Maternal and child health package biting species extension package 12. Nutrition extension package 5. Family planning extension package 13. Personal hygiene extension package 6. First aid extension package 14. Solid and liquid waste management 7. Food hygiene and safety measures extension package extension package 15. Vaccination service extension package 8. Health education and communication 16. Water supply safety measures methods manual health extension extension package

As a result of the engagement with the WDG, there has been an increase in skilled delivery from 10% in 2011 to 62% in 2014 in SNNP region. In Oromia, institutional delivery has increased from 17% and it has increased to 71% in 2015.

2.2.3. Small and Micro-Enterprises (SME)

Institutional Arrangement

The SME activities at the Federal level are managed by FeMSEDA (Federal Micro and Small Enterprise Development Association). Their work is presently concentrated in urban areas. FeMSEDA’s working comes under two ministries:

 Small and Medium Manufacturing Industry Association – under Ministry of Industry  Urban Safety Net / Urban Food Security / Job Creation Agency – under Urban Development and Housing Ministry

The definitions of small and micro-enterprises, as told by FeMSEDA are:

 Micro Enterprises: Micro-enterprises can employ up to 5 people. Capital employed is up to ETB 100,000 for manufacturing and up to ETB 20,000 for services  Small Enterprises: Small enterprises can employ from 6-30 people. Capital employed is up to ETB 1,500,000 for manufacturing and up to ETB 500,000 for services

FeMSEDA provides training in entrepreneurship and skill training through approx. 500 training centres called TVETs (Technical, Vocational, and Educational Training Institute).

The Region office is called ReMSEDA (Regional Micro and Small Enterprise Development Association) and the Woreda office is called the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) Office. The enterprises are categorised into 5-types, namely:

 Manufacturing  Service  Construction  Trade  Agri-based

The government organisations also release specific bids for MEs engaged in construction

 The MEs can fill the ‘vacancy’ form floated by the government agency  The MEs compete among each other and one ME wins bid  The contracted ME can also sub-contract other MEs in the task

The process of forming an enterprise can be listed as under:

 Unemployed persons (>18 years of age) from the Kabele form in groups and form a micro-enterprise group  The Kabele office sends a recommendation to the SME office at the woreda level along with the minutes of the meeting stating that the persons are unemployed, along with the details of their qualifications and resources they own  Based on the recommendation, the woredas SME office provides training to the groups based on the ME they want to start through TVETs  Finally, the groups are given licenses by the SME office to start operations  The MEs are linked with MFIs for loans, where they get a loan of up to 80% of the deposited amount. 20% of the loan amount sought has to be deposited as savings in the MFI  The business plan for the MEs is developed in consultation with the SME office, TVET, and MFI, and the ME group

To support the activities of SME in the field, there are about 1,500 One-Stop Service Centres (at the Kabele level – integrated with the administration. Ideally one centre for a population of 5,000). One-Stop Service Centres provide support for feasibility study, business plan preparation. At the Kabele level, OSSC comprises 5 persons - Team leader, auditor, licensor, job creator and a person arranging for places to sell / produce.

In areas, where there is no One-Stop Service Centre, the agents from the SME office at the Woreda level visit the field for follow-up. The persons employed in the One-Stop Service Centres and in the SME office at the Woreda level are university graduates in different disciplines. 10

There is also a Job Creation and Opportunity Department at the Woreda level in SNNP. In Oromia, the job creation is also the responsibility of the SME office at the Woreda.

Activities with the WDG

There is no specific emphasis on the SME activities in the WDGs. The women themselves take an initiative to engage in SME activities. The license from the SME office is only essential to obtain a loan from the MFIs.

In Arsi Nageellee Woreda in Oromia region, the Head of the Women and Children Affairs office said that the women are reluctant to approach the MFI (WALQO – Oromia Savings and Credit Association) for loan. They opined that WALQO had experiences of women taking loan and not repaying it, because of which the MFIs has made the procedures strict. To take care of such issues, an 11-member assembly is constituted to look into the matters. The assembly comprise:

 Head of Woreda  Head of MFI  Head of Women and Child Affairs office  Head of Finance and Economic Development Office  Head of SME office  Representatives from Agriculture  Representative from Education  Representative from Health  Representative from Political Party  Representative of the Trade Office  Head of TVET

2.2.4. Micro-Finance (MF)

Institutional Arrangement

MFI was regulated during the year 1996, under which only the registered MFIs are allowed to undertake saving and lending activity. MFI are share companies and can follow can have three models

 Regional government promoted  NGO based – NGO puts in money in MFI and that is used for business activity  Private microfinance – purely business

There are presently are 35 MFIs serving 4.5 million people. MFIs can decide their client base and there is no special directive from the National Bank of Ethiopia regarding the inclusion of the poor and the women. However, we were told that most MFIs have an internal policy to lend to women. MFI can lend at rates as determined by them and it can vary in each of loan provided based on the profile of the clients (normally one rate is charged from people of one Kabele)

Group lending and saving in MFIs is accepted. Collateral is required from individual borrowers, however, in case of a group loan, the group members can act as guarantors for each other and obtain individual loans. Land and gold are not accepted by MFI as collateral

AEMFI (Association of Ethiopian Micro Finance Institutions) is an organisation established by MFIs themselves. There are presently 33 members under the organisation. The members to be registered under AEMFI pay an annual membership fee. AEMFI takes care of capacity building of MFIs – saving, risk management, and customer management. It also has a research wing under it – Ethiopian Inclusive Finance, Training, and Research Institute (EIFTRI)

Activities with the WDG

The MFI in the two pilot Woredas in SNNP, is OMO Finance Company. OMO has not started group lending yet, however individual loans for the WDG members have been provided and savings from WDGs are also accepted. The process for application of loan from OMO is as under:

 Group act as collateral (not necessarily WDG, even 1-5 groups are accepted by OMO)  Group has to get the business plan prepared by the job creation agent to be approved by the steering committee of the Kabele  The approved plan and application for the loan has to be provided to the OMO agent  Come to the OMO office and submit photo of all the members  Attend training on importance of saving, financial prudence and loan repayment terms

20% of the loan amount demanded has to be saved (can save 20% of the loan provided and show as the collateral)

Process of opening account by the WDG in OMO is as under:

 3 leaders from the group ( chairman, vice chairman and accountant) communicate to the agent  Photo of the leaders and signature  Letter from Kabele manger and Woreda women office

The OMO agent meets the WDGs once or twice a month and collect the savings and issue receipts. They also engage in awareness creation regarding importance of saving and support the women to access loans.

The Kabele manager evaluates the working of the OMO agent and reports to the Woreda office for need of any change. The Kabele regularly monitor the work of the OMO agent. The OMO agent / company is also a part of WDG steering committees at various levels

WALQO is the MFI operating in the two pilot Woredas in Oromia. Most WDGs however, prefer to put their savings in the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia.

2.3. Sectoral Activity Needs Identified

 There is lack of coordination between agencies and functions (crop production, livestock marketing agency, agriculture marketing agency, MoWCA etc.), which will have to be addressed  Increase awareness about women’ needs at different levels of administration

2.3.1. Agriculture

 Focus to be laid on agro-processing  Increasing productivity and access to inputs  Focus on women in agriculture  Marketing of agricultural produce can be an area of intervention  Value addition in agricultural produce could be included in training modules

2.3.2. Health

 Emphasis has to shift from increasing reach to increasing quality

2.3.3. Small and Micro Enterprises

 Introduce avenues for introducing technology in manufacturing or promote labour intensive enterprises  Introduce women friendly technologies so that women can operate on their own  Increase awareness about engaging in self-employment through engaging in SME activities  Provide avenues to market the products manufactured by the women’ groups  Provide support in identifying people to the Kabeles / providing motivation directly to women to initiate SME activities  Provide access to easy and on-demand support (finance, operations, marketing, strategic etc.) to the entrepreneurs  Increase reach of support services (such as One-Stop Service Centres) in rural areas  Value chain approach to economic development, engaging other departments (such as health and MF) can be explored

2.3.4. Micro Finance

 Loan availing procedures to be simplified, particularly in Oromia region  More engagement with the community by creating awareness about importance of saving  Engage in increasing financial literacy  High attrition rate amongst MFI agents to be controlled so as to enable sustain trust with the community

3. RELEVANCE OF THE KUDUMBASHREE EXPERIENCE TO ETHIOPIA

Kudumbashree Mission was registered as the State Poverty Eradication Mission of Government of Kerala in November 1999 to undertake programmes on poverty alleviation across all 14 districts in the State. The mission statement of Kudumbashree is “to eradicate absolute poverty through concerted community action under the leadership of local governments, by facilitating organisation of poor for combining self-help with demand led convergence of available services and resources to tackle the multiple dimensions and manifestation of poverty holistically”.

Logic of Federations

One of the fundamental premises of the Kudumbashree since its inception was that the poor need to be active agents in their own development. Therefore, it strived for coming out with an organizational framework of its members, where it could provide a promoting agency to the poor women through the institution of a Community Based Organization (CBO). The CBO structure of Kudumbashree was the resultant product of collectivizing the poor, while attaching them at levels providing an arranged democratic platform to the millions of poor women who joined Kudumbashree.

The CBO network, which encompassed all the sections of the poor, were arranged into a three-tier structure having Neighbourhood groups (NHGs) at the ground level. Each member of NHG representing one poor family forms the building block of this social organization. These NHGs are federated at their ward level (intermediary) into an Area Development Society (ADS). Finally all the ADS’ formed under one Panchayat (equivalent to a Kabele) / municipality are federated into a registered society called Community Development Society (CDS).

The Federated Structure

The NHGs at the grassroots meet weekly, undertake weekly savings, lend money for the needy in the group, and maintain regular books of accounts for the members as well as the group. Apart from the thrift and credit activity they also discuss their family problems, the issues in their neighbourhood. They work as a coherent group seeking emotional support from each other. The neighbourhood groups foster the idea of women coming together in a group, while making attempts to bring themselves up from their economic poverty.

The ADS is the federation of the NHGs at the Ward level and forms the second tier of the Kudumbashree federation. All the office bearers of NHGs form the general body of the ADS, which has a 7-member executive committee. The ADS works in close coordination with the concerned peoples’ representative in the particular ward. The issues the women face in locality are discussed with the local representative. Matters relating to development of the locality are taken by the local representative to the Local Government.

CDS forms the third tier, and also the apex body in the pyramid structure of the Federation. It is formed at the Panchayat level. All the ADS’ are federated into forming a CDS. CDS is a registered body under the Charitable Societies Act. The general body of the CDS consists of all the ADS governing body members and the CDS has an executive committee and six sub committees - one each for Micro Finance, Micro enterprise, Social Development, Agriculture, Basic Infrastructure and Skills and Placements. The CDS works in close coordination with the Panchayat. The CDS executive committee discusses various issues which are social and developmental in nature. The decisions of the CDS committee and taken to the local government. There is a coordination committee existing at the CDS level which has representatives from the CDS leadership and the local government, the sectoral departments, members from banks etc. The coordination committee acts as a convergence platform for the CDS and local governments. All the social development and poverty alleviation programmes of the Government are implemented through the Kudumbashree network. The Panchayats use the Kudumbashree network for disseminating about the various programmes and also seek support for implementation of those programmes.

Convergence

The three tier structure of CBO developed under Kudumbashree provides for structural linkages with the community and the local self-government. Keeping the larger dream of the Kudumbashree which is ‘prosperity of the family’, it had to be a participatory eradication of the poverty. The institutionalization of the poor at three structural levels of NHG, ADS, and CDS provided the impetus required for the participatory and bottom-up approach. Throughout the structure, the community initiative remains at the heart of it, anchored by the leadership of the poor women through their adequate representation at various levels. The women members are the primary actors in working for realizing the dream of the prosperity for their families. The NHG membership at the grassroots level made these women the ambassadors of the program, and the main actors in their local community development. The NHGs provide a discursive forum for women as well as it serves as a basic unit for planning several social interventions, along with its regular functioning as the thrift and credit societies. The three tier structure also provides a democratically run design of the CBO, where poor women at the lowest level of NHG elect representatives to their upper levels. The structural linkage of CBO with the Panchayat leads to mutual responsibility and accountability towards each other. The CBO network being a representative of the community has to continuously consider its aspect of social responsibility as well as accountability towards people, and its mandate for working in partnership with the people’s elected representatives for the holistic and sustainable development of the community. The designed CBO structure provides scope to cover all these concerned aspects because of its three tier structure having inbuilt linkage with the community and partnership relationship with the Panchayati raj representatives as well.

Besides, the CBO structure also provides a direct premise of community representatives’ integration into the formal democracy, and decentralized planning process. Kudumbashree women through NHGs and ADS make micro plans related to the local development of the community which gets consolidated at the CDS level, and later merged with the panchayat action plan.

Community Based Support Institution

The activities of the Kudumbashree at the grassroots are supported by community based support institutions which have been created from amongst the members of the community. There are training groups, community based support institutions for providing support to enterprise development and handholding to new and existing enterprises and audit teams formed for auditing the accounts of the NHGs, ADS and CDS. All the trainings designed by the Kudumbashree mission are percolated down to the grassroots by these training groups which are working at all the districts in the state. The training groups give training in organisational development, on new programmes of Kudumbashree and as and when the mission or the community structure requires.

The Kudumbashree Auditing and Accounting Services Society (KAASS) that has been constituted in all the districts for auditing the accounts of the NHGs, ADS and the CDS. The accounts of all these three structures are audited every year by the KAASS groups and thereby adherence to good financial practices and financial transparency is ensured.

The Micro-Enterprise Consultant team (MEC) is a community based consultant group which gives support and advice to the existing micro-enterprises. The MECs after getting training from various institutes gives support in business plan preparation, linking up with the banks for loans, follow up on the loans and handholding support for the enterprises in business management and access to markets.

Kudumbashree has also developed cadre of master farmers who support and handhold groups engaged in agriculture in the community.

These support structures act as back bone to the network in sustaining their functions. This communitization process thus undertaken in Kudumbashree has thrown up leaders and trainers from the community who have invested their skills acquired back to the organization.

In the scoping exercise it was found that favourable conditions existed in the community at the Kabeles for federating the WDF groups, linking the federative structure with various sectoral offices at the Kabeles and also for creating community cadres for supporting the organizations. The intervention planned proposed will enumerate how this can be achieved by effectively utilizing the resources that are available in Ethiopia

PART II: STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK FOR ADAPTING KUDUMBASHREE MODEL IN ETHIOPIA

4. STRUCTURE OF THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

The Strategic Framework for adapting Kudumbashree model in Ethiopia is built in four parts, 3 Core elements and 1 supporting element: Core Elements 1. Strengthening the Institutional structure of WDG 2. Strengthening Financial Inclusion of WDG 3. Strengthening Sectoral Activities of the WDG Supporting Element 4. Building community based support system for strengthening the WDG (Institutions, Financial Inclusion and Sectoral Activities)

5. THE 4-C APPROACH TO BUILDING SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS OF WOMEN

The 4-C approach is used to ensure that the lessons learnt from the Kudumbashree experience are not lost while strategizing and planning for it adaptation in Ethiopia. It will continuously be referred to in the framework.  Collectivization Enabling collective institutions of the poor, especially women to form, grow and thrive and become self- sufficient to meet the demands of its members, either directly or through convergence / networking with other service providing institutions. The collectivization will be in the form of an over-arching institutional platform, of which, sectoral or activity-specific groups will form the sub-units.  Capacitation Ensuring that the women and their collectives have the requisite capabilities to manage the collectives and its activities.  Convergence Enabling the women' collectives to access schemes and programmes of different bureaux and agencies of the Government and financial institutions.  Communitization Enabling long term self-reliant sustainability of the institutional network and its programmes by strengthening community based service provider institutions and working arrangements.

6. APPLICATION OF THE 4-C MODEL TO THE STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

4-C Framework for Adapting Kudumbashree Model to Ethiopia

Core Elements Framework Collectivization Capacitation Convergence Communitization Element Strengthening the WDG at the base, Got level Training and hand-holding Steering Committee Bye-laws and building in self- Institutional Federation and Kabele level reliance structure of WDG WDA Strengthening WDG to be the financial Training and capacity building MFI, banks, Steering Committee Bye laws for financial Financial intermediary; facilitating on thrift and credit activity, intermediary and auditing norms Inclusion of WDG mechanism at Kabele level financial data management and for the each of the institutions WDA data maintenance Strengthening Activity Groups Training and capacity building MFI, banks, SME, Sectoral Group norms, registration and Sectoral Activities on technical aspects and office, Steering committee affiliation of the WDG entrepreneurship

Similarly, the Supporting element can also be analysed in the 4-C framework

Framework Collectivization Capacitation Convergence Communitization Element Kabele Support Women group selected from the Training on WDG and its Steering committee Membership, roles and Team (KST) community to support the federation, training on institution responsibilities of team institution building and financial building and financial inclusion activities of the WDG intermediation activity

Framework Collectivization Capacitation Convergence Communitization Element Woreda Audit Educated women selected from Training on the books of Woreda Women and Children Membership norms, and service Team (WAT) the WDG and formed into group accounts maintained at the WDG Office charge for auditing the records of 8-10 at Woreda level, and its federation and on audit (different at different level) registered at the Woreda Women procedures to be followed and office preparation of audit report

Livelihoods Experienced persons, preferably Trained in basic business DA, Kabele / Woreda Membership norms, service Consultants Group women from the existing WDGs, concepts – operations, administration, banks / MFI, usage norms and service charge (LCG) in the area of crop production, marketing, finance, strategy, and SME monitoring norms animal husbandry, and micro- livelihoods consulting enterprises

These concepts / proposals have been elaborated upon in the coming sections.

7. STRENGTHENING THE INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE OF WDG

7.1. Collectivization

Based on the need for strengthening the WDG, the structure of the community organization network may be re-worked as following. The draft guideline, under preparation by MoWCA will be carefully studied before finalizing the structure.

Women Development Group (WDG), Consisting of 1-5 Network as its Base

 25 - 30 members, from households who live next to each other  All adult women of the household OR one adult woman per household  5 office bearers: o Leader o Treasurer o Health and Education Volunteer o Basic Services Volunteer o Livelihoods Volunteer  Weekly Meetings  Weekly savings  Internal lending in the Group  Account in name of Group, operated jointly by Leader and Treasurer  Economic activity as a group or in sub-groups based on interest

Got / Katana Federation (GF)

 Minimum of 5 WDG to make a Federation, if a Got / Katana has less than 5 WDG then Federation for two adjacent Got / Katana  Organized at Got or Katana level, as appropriate, with all the WDG  All WDG members form General Body of the Got Federation  Five office bearers of each WDG to form Coordination Committee of Federation  Seven office-bearers: o Leader o Secretary o Health and Education Coordinator o Basic Services Coordinator o Crop Production Coordinator o Animal Husbandry Coordinator o Micro Enterprise Coordinator  Responsible for all sectoral activities of in the Got / Katana, and coordination with sectoral officials of the Kabele  General Body to meet once in three months  Coordination Committee to meet twice in a month  Audit Committee to ensure proper maintenance of WDG Accounts – Secretary of Got / Katana Federation and all WDG Leaders  Sectoral Committees to meet as necessary, in coordination with specific Sectoral officials

o Health and Education Committee – Health Coordinator and all WDG Health and Education Volunteers o Basic Services Committee – Basic Services Coordinator and all WDG Basic Services Volunteers o Crop Production Committee – Crop Production Coordinator and all WDG Livelihood Volunteers o Animal Husbandry Committee – Animal Husbandry Coordinator and all WDG Livelihood Volunteers o Micro Enterprise Committee – Micro Enterprise Coordinator and all WDG Livelihood Volunteers  All WDG to pay affiliation fees to Federation, once a year; rate to be fixed by Woreda Women Office

Kabele Women' Development Association (WDA)

 Association of all Got / Katana Federation in the Kabele  Seven office bearers from all Got / Katana Federation to form General Body of Association  Nine office-bearers: o Chairwoman o Vice Chairwoman o Secretary o Health Convenor o Education Convenor o Basic Services Convenor o Crop Production Convenor o Animal Husbandry Convenor o Micro Enterprise Convenor  Financial Inclusion Committee consisting of Vice Chairwoman and all Federation Secretaries to coordinate all bank / credit linkage activities of the WDG in the Kabele and ensure proper accounting and audit of all WDG accounts  Sectoral Committees at the Kabele level o Health Committee – Health Convenor and all Federation Health and Education Coordinators o Education Committee – Education Convenor and all Federation Health and Education Coordinators o Basic Services Committee – Basic Services Convenor and all Federation Basic Services Coordinators o Crop Production Committee – Crop Production Convenor and all Federation Crop Production Coordinators o Animal Husbandry Committee – Animal Husbandry Convenor and all Federation Animal Husbandry Coordinators o Micro Enterprise Committee – Micro Enterprise Convenor and all Federation Micro Enterprise Coordinators  All WDG to pay membership fee to Association on monthly basis; rate to be fixed by Woreda Women Office

7.2. Capacitation

At the WDG level

 Orientation for the WDG office bearers on importance of collectives and financial inclusion  Capacitation on maintenance of registers, meeting procedures (setting agenda, writing minutes)  Orientation on the federation structure and its functioning  Capacitation for fulfilling sectoral responsibilities  Various capacitation programmes on Government schemes  Interaction with the sectoral heads.

At the Got / Katana level

 Training to women collectives on maintenance of registers and meeting procedures.  Orientation on federations  Capacitation on the working of Got federations and its operation  Roles and responsibilities of officer bearers  Orientation on working with the sectoral officers  Working and coordination of the sectoral committees  Interaction and learning from sectoral departments at the Woreda

At Women’s Development Association

 Orientation on the concept of collective  Capacitation on federations and organisational structure  Capacitation on the working and functionality of the Women’ Development Association (preparation of agenda, maintenance of minutes, decision making, implementation, follow up etc.)  Capacitation on the operation of WDAs.  Training on the functioning of committees of the WDAs for the committee members  Orientation about woreda administration and its extension departments  Capacitation on the roles & responsibilities of sectoral committees  Orientation on inclusion of more women and importance of income generation activities  Leadership training

7.3. Convergence

Kabele WDG Steering Committee

Constitution: The Kabele WDG Steering Committee should include all office bearers of Kabele Women Development Association (nine persons) so that various sectoral issues can be resolved. The sectoral committees of the WDA can meet before the steering committee and decisions can be taken regarding the issues that are to be placed before the steering committee. The minutes of the steering committee can be shared with the Kabele too.

Capacitation of Steering Committees: The steering committee can be given special training by the Women and Children Affairs Office at the Kabele level on working with the WDA. The working relationship between the steering committee and the WDA should be such that the problem identification and demand generation can be made through the Women Development Association and bottom up approach in demand generation can be created. Mechanisms should be put in place so that the decisions of the steering committees are given importance since it holds the demands and issues of the women in the community. The decisions of the steering committee should be send to the Woreda through Kabele. Copy of the decisions should be given to each of the concerned sectors at the Woreda. The Woreda level steering committee should monitor whether these decisions are implemented or not.

7.4. Communitization

In order to collectivise the women into federations, it is important that there are sufficient guidelines and orders in place so that the concept of federations gets universalised an implemented all across. Guidelines need to be made or modified so that the work division, job responsibilities, and the committees prescribed at each of the levels can be operationalised. Once the organisation starts working on the guidelines, on the long run, a system of bye-law can be introduced which will determine the work of the WDGs and the WDA and also lays out the norms which governs the relationship of the WDAs with other stakeholders. It is also important that the WDGs and the WDA are registered at appropriate level to give them the status of legal entities which will make it smoother for them to deal with other agencies and banking institutions.

8. STRENGTHENING FINANCIAL INCLUSION OF WDG

Availability of credit is one of major factor enabling the poor to address the issue of poverty. Timely and cheap credit allows them to tide over shocks and opens up avenues of income generation hitherto saddled by the need of credit.

The WDG can act as a source of credit for the members, such that the thrift collected from the members are pooled to form the corpus from which loan of smaller amounts can be provided to the members for income generation and consumption purposes.

In order to create a better environment for fostering thrift and credit among the members of the WDG, it is necessary that the groups are better enabled to undertake this task. Through the strategic 4-C approach the requirements are detailed out as under:

8.1. Collectivization

The institutionalising of the weekly credit forms the major steps towards achieving this goal. Even though the WDG are currently engaged in collecting thrift from the members, there is no defined process for regularizing the same. The following steps can be undertaken to ensure regular thrift and credit activities among the group members:

Weekly Thrift

 The weekly thrift collection has to be mandated as one of the core activity of the WDG meeting and a certain amount of the thrift as decide by the group has to be collected from all the members  Penalty for non-compliance has to be ensured  Individual pass-book for the members has to kept in which the amount collected from them has to be entered by the group treasurer  A register for the WDG has to maintained such that total amount pooled in by the members is recorded  The treasurer is required to read out the total amount collected and the opening balance and closing balance at the end of each meeting so that the members are aware about the corpus available with the group  The WDG has to start a bank / MFI account in the name of group, operated jointly by the leader and treasurer. The treasurer should keep the passbook with her and get it updated once in a month

Internal Lending

 For the WDG in which the saving activity has already began, the internal lending can be initiated once the individual pass book and group pass book has been updated.  For new WDG, the lending activity can be initiated once the group corpus has reached a certain financial threshold as decided by the group (e.g. ETB 1,000 as saving )  The members can request for individual loan from the WDG, by forwarding the request through the 1- 5 leader to which they are attached  The WDG will discuss and decide about the loan request and would take appropriate decision  The repayment schedule and interest charged would be communicated to member  The treasurer of the WDG will maintain a loan register book, detailing the loans provided to the individual member and the repayment done by the member. The individual pass-book of the member also has to updated based on the loan and repayment undertaken 24

 The repayment monitoring would be undertaken by the leader of 1-5 groups for loan member coming under their respective group  If the WDG is undertaking any income generation activity as a group (complete WDG involved), the loan can be taken from the corpus and repaid as per the schedule determined at the time of taking amount, with the consensus of the group. This decision will be recorded in the minutes of the meeting  To comply with government regulations, to foster internal lending, the WDGs will have to be registered either as MFIs or SAACOs or an alternate way of facilitating internal lending within the legal framework of Ethiopia will have to be charted out

Auditing

 The audit committee formed at the Got level are required to maintain the records with respect to thrift and credit activity of each of the WDG coming under it and are required to communicate the same to financial inclusion committee once in month

8.2. Capacitation

As most of the activities related with the thrift collection and lending are new to the group, constant capacity building and handholding is required for the community institutions at all levels.

At the WDG level

One of the most important activities is the awareness generation among the community regarding the saving and credit activity that can be undertaken at the WDG level  A financial literacy campaign for the leaders of WDG, audit committee members and financial inclusion committee on the concept of thrift, lending, ownership and autonomy of the thrift collected in the group has to be provided  Specific technical training for the leader and the treasurers of the WDG to be conducted on the maintenance of the various records and books and the process of lending

At the Got / Katana level

 The audit committee formed at the Got level would require training on the protocols of lending process undertaken by WDG and the records that would be maintained by the WDG and the Got level  The committee is also required to be trained on data collection and data analysis with respect to records of thrift and credit data provided from the WDG, and also on audit reports and its basic analysis

At Women’s Development Association

 The financial inclusion committee at the WDA has to be provided training on credit delivery mechanism followed by banks / MFIs. The training should also include norms pertaining to bank lending  The WDA should also be trained on the requirements by banks for lending for income generation purposes. The WDA should also be trained on evaluating business plans prepared by the groups interested in availing loans from banks / MFI for income generation activities  Training on maintenance and monitoring of records at the WDA level 25

 Orientation on different activities undertaken by Kabele administration office and sectoral offices at the Kabele level

8.3. Convergence

Convergence is an important factor which allows the institution to leverage various benefits and deliver more services to the members. The convergence required to enhance the working of the community institutions can be with the following organisations:

 Coordination with banks / MFIs for opening accounts for WDGs to deposit thrift and for groups engaged in income generating activities  Coordination with banks /MFIs to avail credit for groups engaged in income generating  Coordination with banks / MFIs to seek their assistance in increasing financial literacy among the WDG members  Coordination with the Kabele office, sectoral offices at the Kabele and Woreda level, and steering committee at the Kabele and Woreda for inputs on business plans, transparency and obtaining easy approvals for loans  The WDGs will have to be registered as MFIs or SAACOs to be able to perform internal lending. For this convergence with banks / Federal Cooperative Agency will be required

8.4. Communitization

Communization ensures better transparency and accountability and establishes the process to be followed for each of the activity ensuring uniformity among the groups. The following points need to be worked on for the same:

 Maintenance and timely updating of the various records and books – minutes of the meeting, individual pass-book, WDG bank pass-book, loan register, as applicable – at the each level of the community structure. This should also be included in the bye-law  Setting up a process where the WDGs provide a monthly report on the thrift and credit activity to the Got level audit committee  Maintaining records with regard to the membership and the thrift and credit activity of WDG at the Got level and financial records of the registration / affiliation fees collected from the WDG  Maintaining records with regard to WDG numbers, the amount of thrift and credit, and registration / affiliation fees collected from the WDG and income-generating groups at the WDA level  Auditing of accounts of WDGs, GFs, and WDA at least once in year  Formalizing a process of availing loans for income generating activities undertaken by the WDG members from banks / MFIs

9. STRENGTHENING SECTORAL ACTIVITIES OF THE WDG

The WDG can engage in activities to improve their economic condition, better the social aspects of the society, and increase accessibility to basic services. However, in this report, activities in the economic sector are given more importance in line with the MoWCA’s vision.

Since engagement in income generating activities is an individual choice, it is evident that women in smaller and more cohesive groups would want to engage in the same. For this purpose, voluntary grouping of women into Common Interest Groups (CIG) for engaging in income generation activities is envisaged. These groups would be sub-parts of the larger WDG and would engage in regular activities of the group. They would, additionally, also adhere to the norms made for CIG functioning to instil discipline in the conduct of the economic activity.

Apart from this, a group of CIG interventions can also be grouped into a value chain interventions to reap the benefits of economies of scale and forward and backward linkages. These interventions can be called Value Chain Groups (VCG). A more elaborate description is provided in this section of the report.

Intervention in four types of economic activities have been elaborated in this report:

 Crop production and animal husbandry  Micro-enterprises  Value chain intervention  Skill enhancement for employability Each of these plausible interventions were put through the 4-C framework to understand them further.

9.1. Intervention in Crop Production and Animal Husbandry

9.1.1. Collectivization

 The WDG as group can undertake the activity of agriculture and animal husbandry  The WDG is required to maintain a separate book of account for income generation activity  The Treasurer is required to maintain and update the book of the accounts for the activity  The livelihood volunteer of the group is required to maintain record for the different undertaking and monitor the group function  Apart from the entire WDG undertaking income generation, CIG of women can be formed who are willing to come together to undertake activities concerning crop production and / or animal husbandry  Each CIG would elect a leader and a secretary  CIG is required to register itself with the WDA at the Kabele level o The leader and livelihood volunteer at the WDG will acknowledge the formation of CIG and send a formal request to the WDA to register the same through the GF o One-time registration fee and an annual membership fee will be submitted to the WDA to avail services of the support system  The CIG will open a bank account in the name of the group, which will be jointly operated by the leader and the secretary  The activities of the CIG for agriculture and / or animal husbandry under one GF will be monitored by the crop production coordinator and animal husbandry coordinator of the federation respectively  To avail loan from the bank / MFI, the CIG will submit a business plan to WDA through WDG and GF. The business plan will be vetted by the steering committee and forwarded to bank / MFI for loan 27

 To discuss progress, issues, and challenges, a monthly meeting comprising, WDG livelihood volunteers of WDG undertaking income generation activity, leaders and secretaries of CIGs engaged in crop production / animal husbandry will be convened by the Crop Production Coordinator at the Kabele level. This meeting will also be attended by the crop production and animal husbandry committees in the WDA, steering committee members, and experts from the support system supporting the CIGs

9.1.2. Capacitation

At the Got and Kabele level

 Training the leaders and crop production and animal husbandry committees at the Got and Kabele level on: o Registration of CIG o Monitoring of CIG o Maintaining books for CIG – list of CIG promoted, the profiles of members, financial performance of CIG o Collection of one-time registration fee and yearly membership fee

At the WDG level

 General mobilization and motivation campaign for providing information regarding income generation activities that can be undertaken

At the CIG level

 Basic business orientation training by the support system  Training on scientific and profitable farming and animal husbandry techniques through DAs / TVETs  Training the members on the importance and methodology to write day-books to record day-to-day business transactions

9.1.3. Convergence

To enable smooth functioning of the CIG for crop production and animal husbandry, the following points of convergence will be facilitated by the support system in place to assist the groups:  Coordination with WDA for registration and regular reporting  Coordination with the Kabele office for land (on lease) and other inputs (irrigation, seeds)  Coordination with farmer unions for marketing and input support  Coordination with DA for providing technical knowledge and support to the CIG  Coordination with TVETs, if required, for technical skills  Coordination with steering committee, through WDA, for approval of business plan for loans  Approaching MFIs / bank for opening an account for CIG operations  Approaching MFIs / bank for obtaining loan for CIG operations  Follow-up with MFIs / banks for availing loan in time  Coordination with the audit committee / support structure for auditing of CIG accounts

9.1.4. Communitization

To enable the community and its institutions internalise and own the concept and process of CIG formation for its long term sustainability, it is essential to develop norms for their functioning with limited administrative / bureaucratic support. For this, the following may be done:

 Prepare guidelines regarding CIG formation, registration and maintenance of records  Prepare guidelines prescribing the responsibilities of members in leadership positions and rotation of the same  List roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders – CIG, community institutions and support system – in undertaking and supporting income generating activities  Formalise business plan template and their approval procedure and guidelines for WDA and steering committee  Prepare documents regarding cultivation, expected harvesting time and expected quantity and other basic information required by the CIG  Formalise registers to be maintained at the Got federation and WDA at Kabele level to capture information regarding the number of the crop production and animal husbandry CIG formed, land under cultivation, bank credit delivered, internal lending provided, the repayment period, and structure  Formalise formats and process for reporting from the CIG to GFs / WDAs  Formalise process for monitoring and auditing  Formalise the format of books to be maintained by the CIG for preparation of financial statements

9.2. Intervention in Micro-Enterprises

9.2.1. Collectivization

 CIG of women will be formed who are willing to come together to undertake activities concerning micro-enterprises  Each CIG would elect a leader and a secretary  CIG is required to register itself with the WDA at the Kabele level o The leader and livelihood volunteer at the WDG will acknowledge the formation of CIG and send a formal request to the WDA to register the same through the GF o One-time registration fee and an annual membership fee will be submitted to the WDA to avail services of the support system  The CIG will open a bank account in the name of the group, which will be jointly operated by the leader and the secretary  The activities of the CIG for micro-enterprises under one GF will be monitored by the Micro- Enterprise Coordinator of the GF  To avail loan from the bank / MFI, the CIG will submit a business plan to WDA through WDG and GF. The business plan will be vetted by the steering committee and forwarded to bank / MFI for loan  To discuss progress, issues, and challenges, a monthly meeting comprising leaders and secretaries of CIGs engaged in micro-enterprises will be convened by the Micro-Enterprise Coordinator at the Kabele level. This meeting will also be attended by the micro-enterprise committee in the WDA, steering committee members, and experts from the support system supporting the CIGs

9.2.2. Capacitation

At the Got and Kabele level

 Training the leaders and micro-enterprise committees at the Got and Kabele level on: o Registration of CIG o Monitoring of CIG o Maintaining books for CIG – list of CIG promoted, the profiles of members, financial performance of CIG o Collection of one-time registration fee and yearly membership fee

At the WDG level

 General mobilization and motivation campaign for providing information regarding income generation activities that can be undertaken

At the CIG level

 Basic business orientation training by the support system  Technical training on specific trades to be provided through TVETs  Training the members on the importance and methodology to write day-books to record day-to-day business transactions

9.2.3. Convergence

To enable smooth functioning of the CIG for micro-enterprises, the following points of convergence will be facilitated by the support system in place to assist the groups:  Coordination with WDA for registration and regular reporting  Coordination with the Kabele / Woreda office for organising markets and fairs  Coordination with TVETs for imparting technical skills to CIG members  Coordination with One-Stop Service Centres for smoother delivery of services  Coordination with steering committee, through WDA, for approval of business plan for loans  Approaching MFIs / bank for opening an account for CIG operations  Approaching MFIs / bank for obtaining loan for CIG operations  Follow-up with MFIs / banks for availing loan in time  Coordination with the audit committee / support structure for auditing of CIG accounts

9.2.4. Communitization

 List roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders – CIG, community institutions and support system – in undertaking and supporting income generating activities  Formalise business plan and feasibility analysis templates and their approval procedure and guidelines for WDA and steering committee  Prepare business operation guides comprising basic business information and concepts for CIG  Formalise registers to be maintained at the Got federation and WDA at Kabele level to capture information regarding the number of micro-enterprise CIG formed and related statistics  Formalise formats and process for reporting from the CIG to GFs / WDAs  Formalise process for monitoring and auditing  Formalise the format of books to be maintained by the CIG for preparation of financial statements

9.3. Intervention for Value Chain

9.3.1. Collectivization

 The crop production, animal husbandry, and micro-enterprise committees at the Kabele level, along with some from the support structure will meet every quarter to discuss plausible value chain initiatives  The ideas will be floored among leaders of all CIG, who will meet once a quarter to discuss on these plausible initiatives. New ideas can also emerge from this forum  A group of CIGs engaged in different activities can agree to come together to undertake a value chain intervention in the form of a Value Chain Group or VCG  Each VCG will appoint a leader, deputy leader, secretary, and accountant  Each VCG will be required to get itself registered with the WDA at the Kabele level  One-time registration fee and an annual membership fee will be submitted to the WDA to avail services of the support system  The VCG will open a bank account in the name of the group, which will be jointly operated by the leader and the secretary  Monitoring of the VCG would be the responsibility of the micro-enterprise committee at the Kabele level  To avail loan from the bank / MFI, the VCG will submit a business plan to WDA. The business plan will be vetted by the steering committee and forwarded to bank / MFI for loan  To discuss progress, issues, and challenges concerning VCGs, a monthly meeting comprising leaders and secretaries of VCGs will be convened by the Micro-Enterprise Coordinator at the Kabele level. This meeting will be attended by the crop production, animal husbandry, and micro-enterprise committee in the WDA, steering committee members, and experts from the support system supporting the VCGs

9.3.2. Capacitation

At the Got and Kabele level

 Training the leaders and crop production, animal husbandry, and micro-enterprise committees at the Got and Kabele level on: o Registration of VCG

o Monitoring of VCG o Maintaining books for VCG – list of VCG promoted, the profiles of members, financial performance of VCG o Collection of one-time registration fee and yearly membership fee

At the CIG level

 Orientation to CIG members to encourage them to engage in plausible value chain interventions

At the VCG level

 Orientation on the functioning of VCGs and to address issues and challenges they may arise  Technical training, if required, to be provided through DA / TVETs  Training the members on maintaining books to record transactions of VCGs

9.3.3. Convergence

To enable smooth functioning of the VCG, the following points of convergence will be facilitated by the support system in place to assist the groups:  Coordination with WDA for registration and regular reporting  Coordination with the Kabele / Woreda office for providing land for working premises and for organising markets and fairs  Coordination with TVETs / DAs for imparting technical skills to VCG members  Coordination with steering committee, through WDA, for approval of business plan for loans  Approaching MFIs / bank for opening an account for VCG operations  Approaching MFIs / bank for obtaining loan for VCG operations  Follow-up with MFIs / banks for availing loan in time  Coordination with the audit committee / support structure for auditing of VCG accounts

9.3.4. Communitization

To enable the community and its institutions internalise and own the concept and process of VCG formation for its long term sustainability, it is essential to develop norms for their functioning with limited administrative / bureaucratic support. For this, the following may be done:

 Prepare guidelines regarding VCG formation, registration and maintenance of records  Prepare guidelines prescribing the responsibilities of members in leadership positions and elections for the same  List roles and responsibilities of various stakeholders – VCG, community institutions and support system – in undertaking and supporting activities of the VCG  Formalise business plan and feasibility analysis templates and their approval procedure and guidelines for WDA and steering committee  Formalise registers to be maintained at the Got federation and WDA at Kabele level to capture information regarding the number of VCG formed and related statistics  Formalise formats and process for reporting from the VCG to WDAs  Formalise process for monitoring and auditing  Formalise the format of books to be maintained by the VCG for preparation of financial statements 32

9.4. Intervention in Skill Enhancement for Employability

9.4.1. Collectivization

 The WDG members interested in wage employment will give their preferences to the livelihood volunteer in the WDG meeting, who will forward the names of the persons, their profiles and employment preferences to the secretary of GF  The secretary of the GF will collect the names, the profiles and employment preferences from all WDGs in the Got o The secretary will group the interested persons according to their employment preferences and forward it to the secretary of the WDA at the Kabele level  The secretary of the WDA will form groups of persons with their profiles according to employment preferences at the Kabele level  The secretary of the WDA will forward the list to the Job Creation Department or SME Office at the Woreda level that looks after skilling for wage employment  The WDA secretary will follow-up with the relevant departments at the Woreda level to ensure training and placement of the women from the Kabele

9.4.2. Capacitation

At the WDG / GF / WDA level

 Orientation to the livelihood volunteer to encourage women not engaged in other income generating activities to engage in wage employment. This orientation can be provided by the Job Creation Department or SME Office at the Woreda level that looks after skilling for wage employment  Orientation on the formats for registering the names, profiles and preferences of women to be given by the support system for livelihoods

To the Women

 Skill training to be provided to the interested women by the Job Creation Department or SME Office at the Woreda level that looks after skilling for wage employment through TVETs

9.4.3. Convergence

The WDA needs to coordinate with the relevant agencies to ensure that the women interested in wage employment receive the required training according to their preferences and are placed thereby earning regular wages

 The WDA has to coordinate with the Job Creation Department or SME Office at the Woreda level to ensure training and placement to the women from the Kabele interested in wage employment  The WDA should also coordinate with the support system for livelihood enhancement / CIGs / VCGs during the review meetings to understand manpower needs of the CIGs / VCGs and explore if the skilled women can be employed by them

9.4.4. Communitization

To streamline the process for women to be identified and trained for wage employment, the community has to adopt a set of guidelines, following which, the activity could be internalised and taken up regularly by the community institutions. For this, the following will have to be done:

 Prepare guidelines for orienting and registering the women for wage employment at various levels of the community structure  Prepare a mechanism for follow-up with the relevant agencies at the Woreda level to ensure timely skilling and placement of the women  Develop a mechanism for getting manpower requirements (seasonal and regular) from the CIGs / VCGs working in the Kabele to ensure meeting their demands from within the Kabele itself

10. BUILDING COMMUNITY BASED SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR STRENGTHENING THE WDG

Successful community based institution and income generation by the community, especially by the women requires an enabling environment. Constant handholding and support are required at various levels to enhance the skills of the community and to make them self-reliant. Support groups consisting of members from the community, trained specifically for imparting specific skills and attitude to the community and institutions are one of the methods through the community can be supported. The supporting groups also work on enhancing the linkages, identifying the challenges and avenues and guide the activities of the institutions. In the initial period of the intervention three type of the community based support system is been proposed

1) Support system for strengthening Institutional Structures of WDG 2) Support system for strengthening Financial Structures of WDG 3) Support system for strengthening Sectoral activities (economic) of WDG

10.1. Support System for Strengthening Institutional Structure of the WDG

In order to have a functioning community based institutions with a federated structure, a supporting environment for the WDG are required to hand hold and capacitate them to become self- reliant institution

10.1.1. Desired Activities of the Support System for Institution Building

 Opportunity Identification or Problem Solving o The support system should identify the gaps in the functioning of the WDG with respect to weekly meetings conducted, record maintenance, working of the group with the federation,  Orientation and Training o Should capacitate and hand hold the groups to follow meeting norms as prescribed o Capacitate the WDG to write meeting records and maintain the same o Provide the awareness to the group regarding the importance and benefits of the federation and the norms followed for being part of the federation o Should make aware the WDG and federation about leadership rotation and procedures to followed for the same  Establishing Linkages o The Support team should ensure creation of robust relation between the WDG and its federation o Ensure linkage between WDG, its federation with steering committee and Kabele administration o Linkage with Woreda women office and WDG and its federation  Operations and Hand-holding o The support system should work with the WDG and its federation and make them aware of the prescribed meeting norms with regards to meeting, data management o The support team should be able to identify the gaps in skill and attitude of the members for proper functioning of the WDG and address the gap by providing proper orientation and training  Monitoring o The support system should regularly monitor the working of the groups with respect to adhering the norms and formalities as prescribe

10.1.2. Analysis of the Present Support System

Using an illustration from the field, an analysis of existing support system is conducted and an assessment is made whether the existing system should be used, or it should be strengthened or a new support system should be created.

Activity for which support system needed: WDG to write agenda and minutes of the meeting

Role of the Elaboration of Role Review of the Existing Creating a New System Support System Specific to the Activity System Opportunity The WDG should be Present system does not Creating a local cadre in the form Identification or capacitated to maintain capacitate the WDG to of Kabele support team (KST) Problem Solving group records like meeting undertake lending comprising experienced members agenda and minutes of the activities of WDG or leaders from WDG meeting Orientation and The support system should The KST will be capacitated in Training be able to identify the relevant skills of group data inabilities of the WDG in management and institution writing agenda and minutes building books KST team would engage with Should capacitate the WDG WDG and provide them to write these documents in necessary handholding in writing the prescribed manner and the minutes and agenda of the maintain it for future use meeting Establishing The support system should The KST will work with all Linkages be able to link the activity WDG and ensure that groups are of WDG with its network able to follow the certain and ensure uniformity in procedures while writing the core practices followed in minutes and agenda. each of the group Operations and The support system would The KST will be based out of the Hand-holding handhold them in Kabele and would work with conducting the meeting in individual WDG on ensuring that better way with recorded the meeting minutes are regularly minutes and agenda updated during the meeting and meeting agenda are discussed and recorded Monitoring and The support system should The KST will be trained to Evaluation be able to regularly monitor monitor the activity of the WDG the progress meeting data and their adherence to the maintained at the WDG practices as directed in bye law level with regard to meeting data management

10.1.3. Design of the Support System

As illustrated above in order to enhance the capacity of the WDG and its federation to become self-reliant institutions, it is necessary to establish a support group at the Kabele level, Kabele Support Team (KST)

The 4-C framework is used to explain the community based support system as under

10.1.3.1. Collectivization

 KST would be community based resource team that will be selected from the WD groups who have interest, knowledge and attitude required for doing voluntary work and sharing the accumulated knowledge to the community.  KST would comprise of 8-10 members

10.1.3.2. Capacitation

 KST would be trained on concept of WDGs and their role in poverty alleviation  Training on Role of collectives in social and economic empowerment.  Training on the concept of thrift and credit, loan repayment, register and book maintenance  Orientation on conduct of meetings, maintenance of organisational procedures,  Importance of collectivisation and federations  Books, registers and data to maintained at each of the level

10.1.3.3. Convergence

 The KST would be required work along with the Woreda Women Office  KST would work in coordination with the Kabele administration and Kabele office  Steering committee at the Kabele level  Bank and MFI for account opening and for financial intermediation activity

10.1.3.4. Communitization

 Group norms  Roles and responsibilities of the group and the member  Training and service charges

10.2. Support System for Strengthening Financial Inclusion of the WDG

In order to ensure a robust financial intermediation by the WDG and to ensure a transparent and accountable systems, the following supporting environment should be established

10.2.1. Desired Activities of the Support System for Financial Inclusion - I

 Opportunity Identification or Problem Solving o The support system should capacitate WDGs to manage its thrift and provide loans to its members from the thrift collected o The support system should be able to identify problems that the WDG face related to their lending activities and suggest supportive actions and direct them to appropriate procedures for internal lending o The support system should capacitate the WDG to have financial discipline and undertaking financial transaction as per norms established  Orientation and Training o The support system should impart training on financial data to be managed at the WDG and its federation o The support system should impart training on the norms of the internal lending and repayment o The support system should impart training on financial discipline in the group  Establishing Linkages o The support system should be able to link the activity of WDG with its network such that transparency and accountability is maintained o The support system should ensure linkages of the federation with the Kabele administration and Steering committee  Operations and Hand-holding o The support system should be able to support the WDG in its core operation of thrift collection, record maintenance and credit delivery to members o The support system should enable the WDG to have robust reporting system with the federation in matters of financial activity  Monitoring and Evaluation o The support system should be able to regularly monitor the progress of the thrift and credit activities of the WDG and maintenance of records

10.2.2. Analysis of the Present Support System – Illustration I

Activity for which support system needed: Provide capacity building and handholding support for the WDG to undertake the financial intermediary. Since there is no existing system in place, a new system can be created which will render the following support

Role of the Elaboration of Role Specific to the Creating a New System Support System Activity Opportunity The WDG should be capacitated to Creating a local cadre in the form of Kabele Identification or undertake internal lending by the member Support Team (KST) comprising Problem Solving of the group and the WDG follows the experienced members of WDG or leaders protocol for the ensuring transparent from WDG financial transaction Orientation and The support system should make the The KST will be capacitated in relevant Training WDG aware about the benefits of internal skills of account management, book keeping lending and able to identify problems that and loan scheduling. the WDG face related to their lending Training would be provided on the thrift activities. Suggest supportive actions and collection and lending procedures for WDG direct them to appropriate procedures for KST would then capacitate the WDG for internal lending The support system undertaking these activities should also be able to impart basic financial management skills to the WDG on book keeping Establishing The support system should enable the The KST will work with all the levels of the linkages WDG to have a robust relation with the federation and ensure that linkages between Federation WDG and federation are robust. The KST would capacitate the WDG to prepare documents and record that are to be provided to the different level of the federation. Operations and The support system should be able to The KST will be based out of the Kabele and Hand-holding support the WDG in its core operation of would work with individual WDG on thrift collection, record maintenance and ensuring thrift collection and maintenance of credit delivery to members the record at the WDG level. The KST would help the WDG to provide lending activity for the members as per guideline Monitoring and The support system should be able to Present system for monitoring and Evaluation regularly monitor the progress of the thrift evaluation is weak. Currently the treasurer and credit activities of the WDG and only monitors the thrift activity maintenance of records. The KST will be trained in analysing the The support system should enable the registers of the WDG and to recommend WDG to create records and data related to suggestion for better streamlining the financial transaction which are required activity for reporting to other levels of federation

10.2.3. Design of the Support System - I

As illustrated above in order to enhance the capacity of the WDG to undertake financial intermediary work among the members of the group, the establishment of support group at the Kabele level which would handhold them and capacitate them are required.

The 4-C framework is used to explain the community based support system as under:

The proposed Kabele supportive team would have the function of supporting both the activities of institution building and financial inclusion, hence the team would have same 4C structure as detailed above in the institution building section.

10.2.4. Desired Activities of the Support System for Financial Inclusion - II

 Opportunity Identification or Problem Solving o The financial transaction registers maintained at the WDG and its federation has to be audited every year to bring in transparency in the system  Orientation and Training o The support system should be able to audit the book of accounts of the WDG and its federation o Capacitate the WDG and federation to follow prescribed norms of accounting practices while undertaking financial o Identify the irregularities in financial transaction at the WDG and its federation  Establishing Linkages o The support system should be able to communicate financial irregularities to the federation and officials o The support system should be able to establish linkages with audit institutions and its association to enhance their capacities  Operations and Hand-holding o The support system should be able to audit the financial books of the WDG and its federation and recommend adherence to financial practices as prescribed in the bye laws and guidelines o Should capacitate the WDG and its federation in the maintaining the financial records o Should identify the skill gap in maintaining the record and communicate to next for ensuring skill building in financial data management  Monitoring and Evaluation o The support system should be able to identify the skill gap and irregularities in the financial data management by the WDG and its federation and should able to make the community able to rectify it

10.2.5. Analysis of the Present Support System – Illustration II

Activity for which support system needed: Auditing of the WDG and its federation for brining transparency. Since there is no existing system in place, a new system can be created which will render the following support

Role of the Support Elaboration of Role Specific to the Creating a New System System Activity Opportunity The financial transaction registers of the Woreda Audit Team - Educated women Identification or WDG and their federation are required to selected from the WDG and formed into Problem Solving be audited every year group to undertaking auditing activity of the WDG, GOT and Women association Orientation and The support system should be able to Woreda audit team will be trained in Training audit the accounts of the WDG and audit procedures to be used for auditing inform the WDG of the mistakes and community books provide recommendation of correct practices Establishing The support system should be able to Woreda audit team would provide audit linkages communicate financial irregularities to information of the WDG to the next level the federation and officials and identify of the federation and the audit report of the skill gap the WDA to the Kabele women office Operations and The support system should be able to The audit team would be based at the Hand-holding audit the financial books of the WDG and Woreda and would undertake the auditing its federation and recommend adherence of the WDG. Periodic audit of the WDG to financial practices as prescribed and the federation would facilitated better data maintenance and transparency in the system Monitoring and The support system should be able to The Woreda audit team are required to Evaluation identify the irregularities in the financial undertake yearly audit of the accounts of transaction of WDG and its federation the WDG and its federation, brining and able to communicate to next level transparency in the system

10.2.6. Design of the Support System - II

As illustrated in the example, for ensuring better transparency and streamline the activity of the WDG and its federation in alignment with the proposed bye- laws and guideline, establishment of a Woreda level Audit team comprising of women from the community are required

The 4-C framework is used to explain the community based support system as under:

10.2.6.1. Collectivisation

 Educated women selected from the WDG and formed into group at Woreda level  8-10 select member would form into one team, Woreda to have number of teams based on the number of WDG  Audit team is required to be registered at the Woreda Women office and affiliate with office yearly by paying a fees

10.2.6.2. Capacitation

 Training on the books of accounts maintained at the WDG and its federation  Training on audit procedures to be followed and preparation of audit report for books maintained by the community  Training on doing group business (audit activity as an group business activity)

10.2.6.3. Convergence

 With audit association and other practising auditors  With other local government department for supporting in their auditing

10.2.6.4. Communitisation

 Membership norms  Service charge for auditing the records (different at different level)

10.3. Support System for Strengthening Sectoral Activities (Economic) of the WDG

10.3.1. Desired Activities of the Support System

 Opportunity Identification or Problem Solving o The support system will motivate women from the WDG to engage in income generating activities o The support system will identify potential women and form them into CIGs o They will identify opportunities and facilitate in starting their activities o The support system will suggest plausible value chain interventions that the CIGs can engage in o Prepare a business plan for CIG / VCG for loan  Orientation and Training o The support system will impart basic business orientation to CIG – conduct of business, operation cycle, management of cash, soft skills, etc. o They will train the CIG in maintaining day-books for recording business transactions on a day- to-day basis o They will identify technical training needs of the members of CIG and approach TVET for provision of the same  Establishing Linkages o The support system will ensure that the CIG / VCG gets registered with the WDA at the Kabele level and pays requisite registration / membership fee o They will work in coordination with the WDA at the Kabele level to ensure steering committee approves the business plan to be submitted to the bank / MFI for loan o They will follow up with bank / MFI for release of loan o The support system will establish links with TVETs for ensuring that the CIG / VCG members receive technical training, when required o They will coordinate with Kabele / Woreda administration for conducting regular markets and fairs during festivals o They will also coordinate with the Woreda Audit team to conduct auditing of the CIG / VCG activities  Operations and Hand-holding o The support system will follow-up with the CIG / VCG on a regular basis to support in their operations o They will assist the CIG in procuring raw material and sale of products o They will also assist the VCG in their setting-up and operations  Monitoring and Evaluation o The support system will facilitate maintenance of day-book at the CIG / VCG level o Collect day-book data at regular intervals and prepare financial statements for the CIG / VCG (profit and loss account, balance sheet, and cash flow statement)

10.3.2. Analysis of the Present Support System

Activity for which support system needed: Provide technical and operational support to income generating (agriculture, ME, animal husbandry) activities undertaken by women groups

Elaboration of Role Role of the Support Review of the Existing Specific to the Creating a New System System System Activity Opportunity The CIG should be Agriculture and allied: Creating a local team in the form Identification or able to approach an WDG members can of Livelihood Consultants Group Problem Solving institution to address approach the DA for (LCG) comprising experienced the operational assistance members from the community problems of their SME: Enterprises can itself in different activities (crop economic activities approach One Stop Service production, animal husbandry, Centres for assistance. micro-enterprises), with However, these centres are knowledge of local context, to not accessible to the rural assist the WDG members in entrepreneurs due to their technical and operational matters. limited reach Since the members of this team are from the Kabele itself, the CIG members would be able to approach them easily to discuss problems related to income generating activities Orientation and The support system The present system is based The LCG will be capacitated in Training should be able to on taking corrective actions. relevant skills to identify the identify problems A system to suggest problems / warning signals faced that the WDG precautionary actions to in the IG activities undertaken by members face related avoid slipping into crisis is the WDG to be able to suggest to their IG activities missing in most Kabele corrective action in time. The and suggest visited LCG will also be able to impart corrective actions / basic business skills to the direct them to entrepreneur to handle their day- appropriate agencies to-day operations to fix problems. The support system should also be able to impart basic business skills to the entrepreneurs

Elaboration of Role Role of the Support Review of the Existing Specific to the Creating a New System System System Activity Establishing The support system The WDG members The LCG will remain in constant Linkages should be able to link themselves approach the touch with the relevant the IG activities of government institutions for government departments and their the WDG with various services. The follow- functionaries, such as DA, micro- appropriate up mechanism is often weak finance agent / banks etc. and government ensure that the members are able departments to to avail their services in time address their issues and follow-up on the same Operations and The support system Follow-up systems weak The LCG will be based out of the Hand-holding should be able to Kabele and will be able to follow- assist the WDG up regularly with the WDG members in the day- members on their IG activities to-day operations associated with the IG activities Monitoring and The support system Present system for The LCG will be trained in Evaluation should be able to monitoring and evaluation is making financial statements for regularly monitor the weak. There is an auditor at the IG activities undertaken by progress of the IG the One Stop Service Centre the WDG members and activities – analyse who is not able to regularly discussing the results with the profit and loss and monitor the progress of the members to enable them plan enable the WDG IG activities better for the future member to make plans for the future

10.3.3. Design of the Support System

As illustrated above, the present system lacks potential to assist women in their income generating activities. Hence, to enable the Micro-Enterprise, Animal Husbandry, and Crop Production committees at the Kabele level promote, support and monitor the existing and new income generating activities, a support system comprising experienced women experts in income generation activities (such as crop production, animal husbandry, and micro-enterprises), from the Kabele itself, in the form of a Livelihood Consultants Group (LCG) is essential.

The 4-C framework is used to explain the community based support system as under:

10.3.3.1. Collectivization

 A Livelihoods Consultants Group (LCG) comprising experienced persons, preferably women from the existing WDGs, in the area of crop production, animal husbandry, and micro-enterprises, who can read and write to be formed  The potential candidates for LCG to be identified by the WDG with the support of KST. The profiles will be scanned by the WDG and referred to the GF. The GF will collect profiles from all Gots and submit the same to the WDA at the Kabele level  The selection of LCG will be facilitated for each Kabele by the Kudumbashree team

10.3.3.2. Capacitation

 The members of LCG should be trained in basic business concepts – operations, marketing, finance, strategy, and consulting and will be a mix of theory and field components  The training will be residential, spanning 30-40 days roughly over a period of six months  The training will be provided to the LCG at the Region / National level depending upon the size of the batch  The training will be facilitated by Kudumbashree

10.3.3.3. Convergence

 The LCG will work closely with DA for crop production and animal husbandry related activities  The LCG will work with the Kabele / Woreda administration for setting up markets / fairs  The LCG will collaborate with the Women’ Association at the Kabele level for following-up on the business plan approval by the steering committee  The LCG will help WDG members engaged in IG activities establish linkage with banks / MFIs for opening a savings account and for availing loan  The LCG will work closely with the Micro-Enterprise, Animal Husbandry, and Crop Production committees at the Kabele level for monitoring activities

10.3.3.4. Communitization

 The LCG will function as a partnership firm (based on a partnership deed or equivalent) with clear norms and roles and responsibilities defined for each member  The LCG will enter into a contract with the WDA at the Kabele level to provide services to the CIGs / VCGs established by their members. The contract will be renewable after a fixed duration of time  The LCG will be paid by the WDA at the Kabele level for the services they provide on the basis of cost norms approved by the MoWCA  The LCG will regularly report and submit claims to the Micro-Enterprise, Animal Husbandry, and Crop Production committees at the Kabele level about the support provided to the CIG / VCG, based on which payment will be made

11. RESOURCES NEEDED

One of the core resources required for the success of the project is provision of the adequate funds for the project, since this project relies more on capacity building and handholding of the community requiring higher investment, financial commitment from the Ministry is very important. The details of the budget and an estimate of the fund required for the project has been provided in the budget session.

The other major resource detrimental to the success of the project is provision of dedicated human resources at different level. In order to achieve the stated objectives of the project, the Women and Children Department are required to take ownership of the implementation of the project and should dedicate staff at each of the level of the administration to act as Anchor Persons (from the Government) for leading the project, and providing implementation, administrative and financial management support

 One person from the MoWCA to be the anchor person at the federal level and coordinate the activities at the federal level  Head, BoWCA to be the anchor person at Regional level  Head, Woreda Women and Child Office to be anchor person at Woreda level

Apart from the staff from the Women and Children department, contract full time staff would be required to be recruited at various levels for smooth implementation of the project. The requirement of the staff are

 1 Project Coordinator to coordinate with Kudumbashree, MoWCA, Woreda Women and Child Office, Kabele Coordinators and Kudumbashree Mentors at the Federal level  4 Kudumbashree Mentors to handhold community institutions and support structures  8 Kabele Coordinators to assist Kudumbashree mentors in handholding community institutions and support community based institutions

12. CHALLENGES

We are optimistic that the project will be able to bear results since there exist conducive environment at the federal and in the Kabele levels. We are confident that we will be able to work smoothly and achieve the targets at the prescribed in time period. At the same time there and areas of challenges that needs to be overcome. The following are the challenges that have been identified

 Working on from two different countries with different time zones, can be cause for communication gaps  The language will be an important challenge since English is not widely spoken at the Woredas or Kabele  The Mentor will need some time to settle down, with new people, culture and the language. Getting them acclimatised to the new conditions may take a little time.  Transaction loss in the training modules while translation and delivery by the trainers and KSTs  Getting the entire administration team to work in a project mode for the phase 1 project

PART III: INTERVENTION PLAN

13. INTERVENTION PLAN

Based on our field observations and proposal made, the twelve month intervention has been divided into two phase, 4 month initial phase and 8 month follow up phase

13.1. Detailed Plan

14. Plan of Action for 4-month Initial Phase

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days Mentors- travel to Ethiopia, travel to Woredas, internal 4 Mentors from Kerala; To acquaint mentors from travel, accommodation, food 4 Kabeles in Woreda and Kabele Mentor Kerala get introduced and MoWCA, KS, Immersion and on concluding Month 1 Pilot 10 persons; MoWCA and Immersion accustomed to the context in IPE workshop to share experiences Woredas BoWCA officials; KS Ethiopia from the field - hall (including representatives projector facility) and refreshments Staff from MoWCA, BoWCA, WCO at zone and Woreda level; Hall (including projector To introduce the stakeholders representatives from facility), refreshments, travel Stakeholder at federal, regional, zone, and MoWCA, KS, Addis health, agriculture, Month 1 2 cost for officials and orientation Woreda level about the IPE Ababa banks, SME from accommodation for project and its activities federal, regional, zonal participants and Woreda level; KS representatives; Mentors

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days Staff from Kabele; Orientation of To introduce the stakeholders 4 representatives of Hall (including projector the Kabele Respective Month 1 at Kabele level about the Woreda WCO (1 day in 4 WCO at Woreda level; facility), travel cost for administration Woredas project and its activities Woredas) Mentors for respective participants, and refreshments and staff Woredas A campaign to identify a group of trainers at the Woreda level to train KST and provide orientation to Communication material (such Kabele staff. The Woreda as pamphlets, advertisements); Identification WCO can identify the trainers printing application forms for Respective Month 2 and selection of from among the staff and Woreda WCO Lumpsum profiling the trainers; other Woredas Master Trainers community based on printing and duplicating prescribed criteria with the expenses; expenses for support of Kabele selection workshop administration and make the final selection in consultation with KS Training to Master Trainers to enable them assist the Kabele administration in identifying Translation and printing of potential members for KST module for participants, and train KST in WDG stationery for participants management (regular (notebook and pen), hall Training for meetings, maintaining KS, WCO Central (including projector facility), Month 3 Master Trainers 5 minutes, office bearers, etc.) functionaries location refreshments, accommodation (ToT) - I and financial inclusion for participants, travel cost for practices (regular thrift, Master Trainers,and credit, internal lending, honorarium for Master timely repayment, interest Trainers rate, bank account for the group, etc.)

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days A campaign to identify a members of KST to support institution building and financial inclusion activities Communication material (such of the WDG. The Woreda as pamphlets, advertisements); Identification WCO can identify the printing application forms for Respective Month 3 and selection of members of KST from the Woreda WCO Lumpsum profiling the KST members; Kabeles KST members community based on other printing and duplication prescribed criteria with the expenses; expenses for support of Kabele selection workshop administration and make the final selection in consultation with KS Meeting at the Woreda level to take stock of the project Representatives from Between progress, take corrective Hall (including projector Woreda level Respective Kabele and Woreda; months actions, and assess the need to Woreda WCO 1 facility), refreshments and review meetings Woredas Mentors for respective 3-4 flag issues at higher levels travel cost for participants Woredas and also to plan for activities for the coming months Master Trainers to train KST Translation and printing of in WDG management module for participants, (regular meetings, stationery for participants maintaining minutes, office Master Master Trainers; KST (notebook and pen), hall Training of KST Respective bearers, etc.) and financial Trainers, members; Mentors for (including projector facility), Month 4 by Master Woredas / 5 inclusion practices (regular Woreda WCO / respective Woredas / refreshments, accommodation Trainers - I regions thrift, credit, internal lending, BoWCA regions for participants, travel cost for timely repayment, interest Master Trainers, and rate, bank account for the honorarium for Master group, etc.) Trainers

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days Training to the WDG leaders on WDG management (regular meetings, maintaining minutes, office Stationery for participants Orientation and WDG leaders; KST bearers, etc.) and financial KST; Kabele Respective (notebook and pen), hall Month 4 training of 3 members; Mentors for inclusion practices (regular administration Kabeles (including projector facility), WDG leaders respective Woredas thrift, credit, internal lending, and refreshments timely repayment, interest rate, bank account for the group, etc.) by KST Staff from MoWCA, BoWCA, WCO at zone and Woreda level; Hall (including projector representatives from facility), refreshments, travel Review To take stock of progress and MoWCA, KS, Addis health, agriculture, Month 4 2 cost for officials and Workshop plan for further action IPE Ababa banks, SME from accommodation for federal, regional, zonal participants and Woreda level; KS representatives; Mentors

Plan of Action for the 8-month Follow-up Phase

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days Staff from MoWCA, BoWCA, WCO at zone and Woreda level; Hall (including projector representatives from facility), refreshments, travel Planning To plan for the 8-month KS, IPE, Addis Month 5 1 health, agriculture, cost for officials and meeting Phase-2 and finalize calendar MOCWA Ababa banks, SME from accommodation for federal, regional, zonal participants and Woreda level; KS representatives; Mentors

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days KST to ensure WDG leaders orient their group members Hand-holding Month 5 and follow WDG KST; Kabele Respective of WDGs by onwards management and financial administration Kabeles KST inclusion practices on a regular basis Orientation to the sectoral teams at the Woreda level, Representatives from such as health, education, sectoral teams at the Sensitization of SME, agriculture, etc. on the Master Woreda level; Master stakeholders project and their Trainers, Respective Trainers; representatives Hall (including projector Month 5 2 (sectoral teams) responsibility in the same. Woreda WCO Woredas of WCO at Woreda facility) and refreshments, at Woreda level The importance of / BoWCA level; representatives converging with the women' from BoWCA; Mentors federations will be stressed for respective Woredas here Training to Master Trainers to enable them orient the Kabele administration and Translation and printing of train KST in importance of module for participants, federating WDGs at the stationery for participants habitation (Got) and Kabele (notebook and pen), hall Training for level, the process to be KS, WCO Central Master Trainers; KS (including projector facility), Month 5 Master Trainers followed, roles and 5 functionaries location representatives; Mentors refreshments, accommodation (ToT) - II responsibilities of office- for participants, travel cost for bearers, maintenance of Master Trainers, and records, roles and honorarium for Master responsibilities of the Trainers federations, importance of and platform for convergence at the Kabele level, etc.

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days A campaign to identify a members of LCG to support the WDGs in income generation interventions. The Communication material (such Kabele administration with as pamphlets, advertisements); Identification the support of WDGs and Woreda printing application forms for and selection of KST can identify Respective Month 5 WCO, Kabele Lumpsum profiling the trainers, other LCG at Kabele experienced persons from the Kabeles administration printing and duplication level community based on expenses; expenses for prescribed criteria. The final selection workshop selection will be made by KS in consultation with Woreda WCO and Kabele administration A campaign to identify a members of WAT to support the WDGs, federations, and CIG in maintaining transparency in their Communication material (such financial transactions. The as pamphlets, advertisements); Identification Woreda WCO with the Woreda printing application forms for and selection of support of Kabele Respective Month 5 WCO, Kabele Lumpsum profiling the trainers, other WAT at administration, WDGs and Woredas administration printing and duplication Woreda level KST can identify expenses; expenses for experienced persons from the selection workshop community based on prescribed criteria. The final selection will be made by KS in consultation with Woreda WCO

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days To understand and appreciate convergence between the community structure and Travel for representatives, Representatives from local governments and the accommodation and food for Kabele administration, Learning visit functioning of various participants in Kerala, internal WDG leaders, Woreda Month 6 to Kerala community professional KS, MoCWA Kerala 15 travel expenses within Kerala, WCO, BoWCA, (Batch 1) institutions. The participants workshop arrangements for representatives from should be able to draw from briefing and de-briefing of KST the experiences in Kerala and participants adapt the same to their context Training to LCG on business and management concepts - Translation and printing of operations, finance, module for participants, marketing, strategy and 40 days stationery for participants consulting to support income (over a Members of LCG; Month 6- Training of Central (notebook and pen), hall generating activities of KS period of representatives from 10 LCG location (including projector facility), women in the Kabele. They five Woreda WCO; Mentors refreshments, accommodation will also be imparted months) for participants; travel cost for technical training, if required, participants; trainer costs in farm, non-farm, and off- farm livelihoods Translation and printing of Training to WAT on module for participants, accounting and auditing 20 days stationery for participants methodology. Acquainting KS; Auditing (over a Members of WAT; (notebook and pen), hall Training of them with the various books Central Month 6-7 practitioners period of representatives from (including projector facility), WAT of accounts maintained by location from Ethiopia two Woreda WCO; Mentors refreshments, accommodation the community institutions months) for participants; honorarium and income generating for accounting practitioners; groups trainer costs

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days Meeting at the Woreda level to take stock of the project Representatives from Woreda level progress, take corrective Hall (including projector Respective Kabele and Woreda; Month 6 review actions, and assess the need Woreda WCO 1 facility), refreshments and Woredas Mentors for respective meetings to flag issues at higher levels travel cost for participants Woredas and also to plan for activities for the coming months Master trainers to train KST in importance of federating Translation and printing of WDGs at the habitation (Got) module for participants, and Kabele level, the process stationery for participants to be followed, roles and Master Master Trainers; KST (notebook and pen), hall Training of Respective responsibilities of office- Trainers, members; Mentors for (including projector facility), Month 7 KST by Master Woredas / 5 bearers, maintenance of Woreda WCO respective Woredas / refreshments, accommodation Trainers - II regions records, roles and / BoWCA regions for participants, travel cost for responsibilities of the Master Trainers, and federations, importance of honorarium for Master and platform for convergence Trainers at the Kabele level, etc. Orientation to To orient the Kabele Master trainers; Kabele administration on the members from Kabele Hall (including projector Master administration structure and functions of administration; facility), refreshments, travel Trainers, Respective Month 7 about Kabele and sensitize them on 2 representatives from cost for Master Trainers, and Woreda WCO Kabeles federations and the importance of Woreda WCO / honorarium for Master / BoWCA possible convergence with the BoWCA; Mentors for Trainers convergence federations respective Woredas platforms

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days Training to the WDG members on importance of federating WDGs at the Orientation to habitation (Got) and Kabele WDG members level, the process to be WDG leaders; KST KST; Kabele Respective Hall (including projector Month 7 on forming followed, office-bearers, 3 members; Mentors for administration Kabeles facility), and refreshments federations by maintenance of records, roles respective Woredas KST and responsibilities of the federations, importance of and platform for convergence at the Kabele level, etc. Meeting at the Woreda level to take stock of the project Representatives from Woreda level progress, take corrective Hall (including projector Respective Kabele and Woreda; Month 7 review actions, and assess the need Woreda WCO 1 facility), refreshments and Woredas Mentors for respective meetings to flag issues at higher levels travel cost for participants Woredas and also to plan for activities for the coming months KST to support WDGs Forming federate at the got and the Month 8 federations and Kabele level, follow KST; Kabele Respective onwards hand-holding procedures, maintain books administration Kabeles the federations and liaise with the Kabele administration Auditing of books of WAT to initiate operations - Month 8 accounts of auditing of books of all Respective WAT onwards community community institutions and Kabeles institutions and CIGs CIGs

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days Meeting at the Woreda level to take stock of the project Representatives from Woreda level progress, take corrective Hall (including projector Respective Kabele and Woreda; Month 8 review actions, and assess the need Woreda WCO 1 facility), refreshments and Woredas Mentors for respective meetings to flag issues at higher levels travel cost for participants Woredas and also to plan for activities for the coming months KST to train the office bearers and sub-committee 20 days Training of members on their roles and (over a Month 9- federation and KST; Kabele Respective responsibilities and processes period of 10 sub-committee administration Kabeles to be followed in liaising two members with the Kabele months) administration To understand and appreciate convergence between the community structure and Travel for representatives, local governments and the Leaders / members of accommodation and food for Learning visit functioning of various community institutions, participants in Kerala, internal Month 9 to Kerala community professional KS, MoCWA Kerala 15 Woreda WCO, travel expenses within Kerala, (Batch 2) institutions. The participants representatives from workshop arrangements for should be able to draw from LCG and WAT briefing and de-briefing of the experiences in Kerala and participants adapt the same to their context Meeting at the Woreda level to take stock of the project Representatives from Woreda level progress, take corrective Hall (including projector Respective Kabele and Woreda; Month 9 review actions, and assess the need Woreda WCO 1 facility), refreshments and Woredas Mentors for respective meetings to flag issues at higher levels travel cost for participants Woredas and also to plan for activities for the coming months

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days LCG to support the crop production, animal husbandry, and micro- LCG; crop Support to enterprises committee in production, existing WDA at the Kabele level animal Month 10 enterprises and promote CIGs for income husbandry, Respective onwards forming and generating activities as well and micro- Kabeles handholding as hand-holding the new and enterprises new enterprises existing enterprises and committees in giving strategic advice in WDA their operations, marketing, finance, etc. Meeting at the Woreda level to take stock of the project Representatives from Woreda level progress, take corrective Hall (including projector Respective Kabele and Woreda; Month 10 review actions, and assess the need Woreda WCO 1 facility), refreshments and Woredas Mentors for respective meetings to flag issues at higher levels travel cost for participants Woredas and also to plan for activities for the coming months

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days To form / strengthen a convergence platform in the form of steering committee for working with the Consultation federations of women' workshop with leading to better delivery of sectoral heads Representatives from sectoral services. For (i) forming MoWCA, BoWCA, community institutions and steering WCO at zone and support teams to committee, (ii) Woreda level; Hall (including projector institutionalize, it is essential preparing bye- representatives of facility), refreshments, travel to formalize norms and Addis Month 11 laws, (iii) MoWCA, KS 2 sectoral teams (health, cost for officials and procedures for group Ababa planning for agriculture, SME, MFI / accommodation for functioning in the form of scale-up at a banks) from various participants bye-laws. The workshop is central location admnistrative levels; proposed to pool in current (federal, zonal, leaders of WDA; KS practices and various view- regional, representatives; Mentors points on framing a bye-law Woreda, and for community institutions. Kabele staff) form an effective steering committee at various levels and plan for scale-up through internal mentors For scaling-up, it is essential to identify resources, particularly HR, from the pilot areas to adapt the model Identification Printing application forms for to other Woredas / Kabeles. of internal profiling the trainers, other For this, internal mentors Respective Month 11 mentors for KS, MoCWA Lumpsum printing and duplication will be identified, based on Kabeles scale-up to expenses; expenses for prescribed criteria. Selection other Kabeles selection workshop will be done by the representatives of functionaries from MoWCA and KS

Time No. of Activity Description Facilitator(s) Location Participants Cost to be Incurred on Period Days Meeting at the Woreda level to take stock of the project Woreda level progress, take corrective Hall (including projector Respective Month 11 review actions, and assess the need Woreda WCO 1 Representatives from facility), refreshments and Woredas meetings to flag issues at higher levels Kabele and Woreda; travel cost for participants and also to plan for activities Mentors for respective for the coming months Woredas

Staff from MoWCA, BoWCA, WCO at zone and Woreda level; Hall (including projector representatives from facility), refreshments, travel Review To take stock of progress and MoWCA, KS, Addis Month 11 2 health, agriculture, cost for officials and Workshop plan for further action IPE Ababa banks, SME from accommodation for federal, regional, zonal participants and Woreda level; KS representatives; Mentors

Members from steering To orient the members of committee at the Kabele Orientation to steering committee at the level; representatives Hall (including projector steering Kabele level on its functions, Woreda WCO Respective Month 12 2 from Woreda WCO / facility), refreshments, travel committee at roles and responsibilities and / BoWCA Kabeles BoWCA; leaders of cost for participants Kabele level working with the women WDA; Mentors for federations respective Woredas

Representatives from Hall (including projector To review the impact of the MoWCA, BoWCA, facility), refreshments, travel Evaluation of Addis Month 12 project and focusing on KS, MoCWA 1 WCO at zone and cost for officials and the project Ababa scaling-up strategies Woreda level; KS accommodation for representatives; Mentors participants

14.1. Major Milestones

The project progress can be mapped against the following milestones:

Months Activities 1-2 3-4 5-6 7-8 9-10 11-12

Stakeholder orientation, Selection of Master Trainers Training of Master Trainers, KST and orientation of WDG leaders Identification of the support groups, Exposure visit Training of the support groups, Formation of federation Training for subcommittee, Support of sectorial activities Identification of internal mentors and scaling up plans, evaluation of the project

15. GLOSSARY

Area Development Society- Federation of the NHGs at the Ward level and forms the second tier ADS of the Kudumbashree federation AEMFI Association of Ethiopian Microfinance Institution Agriculture Transformation Agency - national level agriculture programme of government of ATA Ethiopia BoWCA Bureau of Women and Child Affairs - Region level office of ministry, Government of Ethiopia

Community Development Society- forms the third tier, and also the apex body in the pyramid CDS structure of Kudumbashree federation. It is formed at the Panchayat level. Common Interest Groups - group formed among the members of WDG, to undertake a specific CIG income generation activity CoSAP Consortium of Self-help groups Promoting Agency DA Development agent - Kabele level agriculture staff Federal Micro and Small Enterprises Development Agency - Provide institutional support to FEMSDA micro enterprises, primarily restricted to urban areas

FTC Farmer Training Centers - Demonstration sites for agriculture training at kabele, Ethiopia GOT Habitation level geographical unit below Kabele, Ethiopia HEW Health Extension Worker - Village level health worker, Ethiopia HTP Harmful Traditional Practices Jeevika State poverty eradication mission of Bihar, India

Kudumbashree Auditing and Accounting Services Society- Constituted from people amongst the KAASS community for auditing the accounts of the Neighbourhood group, Area development society and the Community development society Kabele Sub district/village Kabele support team - group of persons from Kabele, trained to handhold support the activity of KST WDG and its federation Livelihood Consulting Group- promote and support the income genration actvity of WDG LCG members Micro-Enterprise Consultant team- Community based consultant group which gives MEC support and advice to the existing micro-enterprises and starting new micro enterprise MFI Micro Finance Institutions MoA Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Ethiopia MoH Ministry of Health, Government of Ethiopia MoWCA Ministry of Women and Children affairs, Government of Ethiopia Neighbourhood Group – The lowest unit of the community network in Kerala consisting of NHG women up to 20 members which does thrift and credit activities Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty - State poverty eradication mission of Andhra Pradesh, SERP India SNNP Southern Nation Nationality Peoples Representation WALCO MFI working in Oromia region WAT Woreda Audit Team - supports the auditing of community instituions like WDG and CIG Women Development Group- group of 20-30 women coming together, mainly for discussing WDG issues related health at the habitation level Woreda District

16. ANNEXURES

16.1. Annexure – I: Details of Team Members

# Name Designation E-Mail ID Team from Kerala Current CDS Chairperson, Mentor in KS- 1 Ambili K [email protected] NRO, Former Gram Panchayat Member Thematic Anchor for Monitoring, 2 Arshia Gupta [email protected] Enterprises, KS-NRO Former CDS Chairperson, 3 Beena Maheshan [email protected] Mentor Core Group member of KS-NRO 4 Liby T Johnson Chief Operating Officer, KS-NRO [email protected] Programme Manager for PRI-CBO 5 Manu Sankar S [email protected] Convergence, KS-NRO Thematic Anchor for Farm Livelihoods, 6 Rahul K [email protected] Kudumbashree MEC in Kerala, Mentor Core Group 7 Siva Pradeep K [email protected] member of KS-NRO Former CDS Chairperson, Mentor MEC 8 Sunitha A [email protected] in Rajasthan 62

Local Facilitators Assistant Program Manager, IPE Global - 1 Tilahun Wolde [email protected] Ethiopia Staff, Bureau of Women and Children 2 Usman Ebrahim [email protected] Affairs, Oromia Region Staff, Women and Children office, West 3 Robe Gamedo Dale Arsi Zone (Oromia) 4 Lidia Kebebew Student, Computer Engineering [email protected]

16.2. Annexure – IIa: Schedule of Scoping Exercise

MOCWA - Kudumbashree – IPE Global Scoping Exercise - Itinerary

Week 1

Date Activity Place Agenda Team 16 Nov Meeting with MOCWA MOCWA Office Introduction, preliminary discussions KS Team, Tilahun 10–11.30 am 16-17 Nov Finalize check-list Finalization of check-list for different KS Team stakeholders 17 Nov Meeting with Oromia Regional Bureau Bureau Office Introduction, preliminary discussions KS Team, Tilahun 3–4 pm 17 Nov 4 pm Meeting with COSAP COSAP Office Introduction, preliminary discussions KS Team, Tilahun 18 Nov Oromia Regional Bureaux (CWA, Addis Ababa Visit to Bureaux, introduction, basic Manu, Siva Pradeep, Agriculture, Health, REMSEDA) information collection Sunitha 18-20 Nov Interaction with representatives of Addis Ababa Information collection based on Rahul, Arshia FEMSEDA, National Bank, MoA, MoH, check-list COSAP, AMFI 18 Nov Travel to Awassa Awassa Visit to Bureaux, introduction, basic Liby, Beena, Ambili, SNNP Regional Bureaux (CWA, information collection Tilahun Agriculture, Health, REMSEDA ) 19-20 Nov One Woreda office, One Kabele Abeshge Woreda Introduction to Woreda officials, (Welkite) planning for final field visit 19-20 Nov Travel to Sheshemane Arsi Nageellee & Introduction to Woreda officials, Manu, Siva Pradeep, Two Woreda Offices, One Kabele Sheshemane planning for final field visit Sunitha Woreda 21-22 Nov Finalization, consolidation before final field Addis Ababa KS Team visit

Field Visit in Oromia

Team - Manu, Arshia, Beena, Ambili Date Activity Agenda 22 Nov 2 pm Travel to Sheshemane 23 Nov Sheshemane Woreda, One Kabele Woreda interaction in detail; Kabele level meetings 24 Nov Kabele 2 in Sheshemane Kabele level meetings 25 Nov Arsi Nageellee Woreda, One Kabele Woreda interaction in detail; Kabele level meetings 26 Nov Kabele 2 in Arsi Nageellee Kabele level meetings

Field Visit in SNNP Team - Rahul, Siva Pradeep, Sunitha (Liby for 2 days) Date Activity Agenda 22 Nov 2 pm Travel to Welkite 23 Nov Abeshge Woreda, Kabele-1 Woreda interaction in detail; Kabele level meetings 24 Nov Kabele 2 in Abeshge Kabele level meetings 25 Nov Cheha Woreda, Kabele 1 Woreda interaction in detail; Kabele level meetings 26 Nov Kabele 2 in Cheha Kabele level meetings

25 Nov Meeting Director MOCWA and COO at MOCWA Briefing on progress made and preliminary ideas for the plan Addis Ababa

Week 3 Date Activity Place Agenda Team 27-29 Nov Consolidation and draft plan Addis Ababa Preparation of plan based on consolidation of KS Team information from the interactions 30 Nov Discussion of draft plan with MOCWA Present draft plan to MOCWA; obtain feedback KS Team; MOCWA; IPE MOCWA, IPE Ethiopia; IPE Delhi 01 Dec Finalization of Plan Addis Ababa Incorporate feedback from MOCWA KS Team 02 Dec Plan presentation workshop To be decided by Present plan to stakeholders All stakeholders, KS MOCWA/IPE Team, IPE team 03 Dec Finalize plan with budget IPE Ethiopia Office Preparation of final document KS Team, IPE Ethiopia, IPE Delhi

16.3. Annexure – IIb: Meeting Log

Official Meetings Date, Time Venue Who From Scoping Team Met with who? 16 Nov; MOCWA Office Whole team + Tilahun  Mr. Solomon Assefa, Director in Ministry Office ([email protected], 10.30 am 0910306877)  Mr. Shimeket Beyene, M&E Team Leader ([email protected], 0920150936)  Mr. Minyamir Yitayih, M&E Expert Women Organization ([email protected], 0912902035)  Ms. Wubalem Negash, DFID ([email protected], 0911643775) 17 Nov; 3 Oromia Bureau of Women Whole team + Tilahun  Ms. Hirut Birasa, Bureau Head (0911633856) pm  Ms. Lomi Ejersa, Bureau PR ([email protected], 0911902284)  Mr. Usmaan Ebrahim ([email protected], 0911264105)  Ms. Wagaye Soboka, Women Empowerment Department ([email protected], 0911334972) 17 Nov; 4.30 COSAP Office Whole team + Tilahun  Mr. Yosef Akalu, Director ([email protected], 093014725) pm  Mr. Tariku Bekele, Project Coordinator ([email protected] ) 18 Nov; 12 SNNP Bureau of Women Liby, Ambili, Beena + Tilahun Introductory Meeting noon 18 Nov; 2.30 SNNP Bureau of Health Liby, Ambili, Beena + Tilahun  Mr. Atto Tesfaye Kassa Binne, Bureau Head’s Advisor and Office Head pm ([email protected])  Ms. Gezashign Mekonen, Disease Prevention & Health Promotion Officer & Health Extension Programme Coordinator ([email protected]; 0916832523) 18 Nov; 3.45 SNNP Small & Medium Liby, Ambili, Beena + Tilahun  Hebron Yabobariah, Representative of Manager pm Enterprise Development ([email protected]; 0911794470) Agency 18 Nov; 10 FeMSEDA Arshia, Rahul + Minamier  Mr. Asfaw Abebe Eregnan, Deputy Director General of Development am ([email protected], 0932999932)

Date, Time Venue Who From Scoping Team Met with who? 18 Nov, 2 CoSAP Arshia, Rahul  Mr. Yosef Akalu, Director ([email protected], 093014725) pm  Mr. Tariku Bekele, Project Coordinator ([email protected] ) 18 Nov 10 Oromia Regional Bureau Manu, Siva Pradeep, Sunitha+  Ms Wagaye Saboka, Head Women Empowerment Department, WCAF am Usman 18 Nov 2:00 Oromia Regional Bureau Manu, Siva Pradeep, Sunitha+  Mr Hambissa Burka, Gender specialist, Agricultural; Bureau, pm Usman 18 Nov 3:30 Oromia Regional Bureau Manu, Siva Pradeep, Sunitha+  Ms Nediridbey, Gender focal, health department pm Usman 19 Nov; 8.30 SNNP Bureau of Women Liby, Ambili, Beena + Tilahun  Ms. Abebech Illitamo, Core Process Owner - Gender Mainstreaming am  Mr. Firew Bekele, Core Process Owner - Children’ Rights (0916829166) 19 Nov; 11 SNNP Bureau of Liby, Ambili, Beena + Tilahun  Mr. Germame Garuma Chegan, Deputy Head, BoA am Agriculture ([email protected]; 0937733372) 19 Nov; 12 SNNP Bureau of Women Liby, Ambili, Beena + Tilahun  Mesert Meskele Ayano, Head, SNNP Bureau of Women noon 20 Nov; 9:30 AEMFI Arshia+ Rahul + Getu  Ms. Mawerdi Abdurahman, Micro and Small Enterprise Development am Unit Officer  Dr Wolday Amha, Executive Director 20 Nov; 1:30 Ministry of Heath Arshia+ Rahul + Getu  Chala Tesfaye, Health Extension and Primary Health Service Team pm Coordinator 20 Nov National Bank of Ethiopia Arshia+ Rahu l+ Getu  Abate Mitiku, Advisor to Governor, Financial Institutions Supervision 03:30 pm

Field Visits I Date, Time Woreda Kabele Name Who From Scoping Met with who? Team 19 Nov Arsi Dakka Horkello Kabele Manu, Siva Pradeep,  Rubey Mosary, Women & Child Affairs, West Arsi Zone, Worke, 11:00 am Negeellee Sunitha+ Usman Deputy, Women & Child affairs, West Arsi  Alleloye WDG 19 Nov 1:30 Arsi Langeno Manu, Siva Pradeep,  Qaararuu WDG pm Negeellee Sunitha+ Usman 20 Nov; 10 Abeshge Mida Telede Liby, Ambili, Beena +  Fikar WDG am Tilahun  Andinet WDG  Kabele-level Steering Committee 20 Nov 1:30 Shashamane Ohinechafoumburey Manu, Siva Pradeep,  Kasim Kababo, Kabela head pm Kabele Sunitha+ Usman  Thajata Gatati, Deputy Political Head, Shashamame Wareda

Field Visits II Oromia Region Date, Time Woreda Kabele Name Who From Scoping Met with who? Team 23 Nov Shashemane Manu, Ambili + Lidiya  Shashemane Woreda Administration 2015; 2:00  Ms Asafa , Head W&C Affairs pm  Tamans Hamid , Head, Woreda Agricutural officer  Gamachu Dekkaro, Head, Micro Enterprises 24 Nov Shashemane Alache Harabate Manu, Arshia, Ambili + Kabele Administration 2015; 10 am Lidiya + Robe  Mr. Husen Kufa, Head, 0916002383  Mr. Husen Kadir, Deputy Head, 0916004132  Mr. Roba Gashuna, Administrator, 0934792496  Mr. Gamade Amalo, Kabele Assembly Member, 0916182881  Ms. Hirut Asfaw, Member - Women and Child Development, 0923478237  Mr. Bayane Edao, Manager, 0941018230

Date, Time Woreda Kabele Name Who From Scoping Met with who? Team  Ms. Basha Gamachu, Women’ Association Head, 0972733206 Ato Dereje Yifru, DA, 0916873961 Kadijja Qufa, HEW, 0927002145 25 Nov Arsi Manu, Arshia, Ambili + Health Centre 2015; 10 am Nageellee Robe + Lidiya  Foziya Jamal  Feyisa Berisa WALQO  Temesgen Lidatu Micro and Small Enterprise Office  Ali Adem, Head, 0916656522 Women and Children Affairs office  Meseret Legesse, Head, 0913388201  Tayiba kasim, Deputy Head, 0916872937  Megersa Badhadha, Project Leader, 0913408238 26 Nov Arsi Kersa Ilaala Manu, Arshia, Ambili + Kabele Administration 2015; 10 am Nageellee Robe + Lidiya  Wariso Edao, Kabele Head- 0916519229  Kadir Hussein, Manager 0919667643  Mustefa, Social Committee, 0919666233  Gemeda Bula, School Principal, 0919663558  Caltu Megersa, Extension Worker, 0926047550  Safia Husen, Development worker, 0910409192  Tseganesh Beriso,Women & Child Affairs, 094588459 Faxuma Edao, Head, Badhata WDG

SNNP Region Date, Time Woreda Kabele Name Who From Scoping Met with who? Team 23 Nov Abushege Bokete Serita Liby, Rahul, Sunitha + WDG Group and their Leader 2015; 10 am Tilahun  Bahuruch Group, leader Likie  Nibkane Group, leader Kalem

OMO Agent : Hasrath

DA : Kashan, Muhamak Kabele Manager: Beruhia Health Extension Agent – Monalet, Teshaarek 23 Nov Women Rahul, Sunitha+ Tilahun Ental Ahmed, Women Zone Office Capacity Building Coordinator; 2015; 3:30 Zone office 0911752012 pm Gurage Zone 24 Nov Abushege Woreda Rahul, Sunitha+ Tilahun Zemecha Sihile, Head, Woreda Agriculture Office 2015; 9:30 Agricultural Office am 24 Nov Abushege Woreda Rahul, Sunitha+ Tilahun Deeja Moima, Office Leader, 0913092389 2015; 11 am Co-operative Department 24 Nov 201; Abushege Woreda Rahul, Sunitha, Siva Abdulsemed Mohammed, Abeshege Branch Manager, 0913326049 12 noon OMO Pradeep + Tilahun Microfinance 24 Nov Abushege Woreda Rahul, Sunitha, Siva Naime Haileyesus, Head, Woreda Youth and Sports Department, 2015; 2:30 Job Creation and Pradeep + Tilahun 0912241005 pm Opportunity Department 24 Nov Abushege Woreda Rahul, Sunitha, Siva Aste Gizaw, Head, Woreda Women and Children Office, 0912069321 2015; 4 pm Women and Pradeep + Tilahun Children Offie

Date, Time Woreda Kabele Name Who From Scoping Met with who? Team 25 Nov Cheha Girar Dibir Rahul, Sunitha, Siva WDG Group - Tachbozhebar 2015; 9:50 Pradeep + Tilahun Chairperson - Timihistu am 25 Nov Cheha Girar Dibir Rahul, Sunitha, Siva Mirrani , Kabele Manager 2015; 11:30 Pradeep + Tilahun Rukkiya Health Extension Worker am Denkinj , OMO Agent Tesfaye , DA 25 Nov Cheha Woreda Rahul, Sunitha, Siva Microt Sifer, Head, Woreda Women and Children Office, 0926797338 2015; 4 pm Women and Pradeep + Tilahun Children Office 26 Nov Cheha Woreda Job Rahul, Sunitha, Siva Teka Biza. Job Opportunity Creation Expert 2015; 08:30 Creation Office Pradeep + Tilahun am 26 Nov Agriculture Rahul, Sunitha, Siva Tiqistu Nansane, AGP Coordinator, 0911014607 2015; 9:30 Growth Pradeep + Tilahun am Programme (AGP) 26 Nov Cheha Nakur Kurkate Rahul, Sunitha, Siva WDG: Yetir Bothe 2015; 10 am Pradeep + Tilahun Chairperson: Zeiythu 26 Nov Cheha Nakur Kurkate Rahul, Sunitha, Siva Endala, Kabele Manager 2015; 12 Pradeep + Tilahun Fetu, DA noon Alsede, OMO Agent Rebia, HEW Abdul Rasak, Job Creation and Opportunity and Agent

16.4. Annexure III – Checklist for Semi Structured Interviews

Checklist for MoCWA

1 Definition of national poverty line Data

2 Indicators of poverty Data

Percentage and absolute numbers of people below poverty line 3 Data (region wise, rural, urban, in particular for SNNP and Oromia)

4 Human development indicators considered by the government Data

Percentage and absolute numbers of people having access to basic services, 5 Data such as housing, health, electricity, education, nutrition

6 Various development and welfare programmes / schemes run by the ministry Data

7 Are there provisions in the programmes / schemes for community participation Data

What is the percentage of community and women participation in the 8 Data mentioned programmes / schemes

9 What are various community based institutions and / or co-operatives Data

10 How is information delivered / disseminated to women and community Data

How are the needs and demands of the women communicated to the 11 Data government / departments? What are the channels used What is the percentage of population (Ethiopia, Oromia, SNNP) employed in 12 Data agriculture, allied activities, non-farm enterprises, etc. Different ministries, government agencies and departments working for 13 Data women welfare What are the special entitlements for women in programmes / schemes run by 14 Data the ministry Any reservations / affirmative action by the government for women (elections, 15 Data education, mobility, finance, etc.) Interventions and impact of global aid agencies on socio-economic status of 16 Data women

17 Registered groups of women existing in the community Data

1 What is the quality of community participation in programmes / schemes Discussion

What is the influence of community based institutions and / or co-operatives 2 Discussion on the community

3 What are potential avenues for women to earn livelihood Discussion

What are major impediments for women to make a livelihood, such as socio- 4 Discussion cultural, biological, physical, geographical, natural

Checklist for CoSAP (Consortium of Self-Help Group Approach Promoters)

1 Number of SHG promoter organisations under CoSAP Data What is the institution framework of the SHGs under CoSAP  Group size  Meeting frequency 2 Data  Saving and credit activities  Repayment  Federations of SHG at different administrative level  Total number of SHGs under CoSAP (Ethiopia, Oromia, SNNP)  Total number of women engaged in SHGs (Ethiopia, Oromia, SNNP)  percentage/ coverage of population under SHG (Ethiopia, Oromia, 3 SNNP) Data  Total savings mobilised by the SHGs (Ethiopia, Oromia, SNNP)  Total credit dispensed by the SHGs (Ethiopia, Oromia, SNNP)  Repayment percentage (Ethiopia, Oromia, SNNP)

What is the structure and function of CoSAP? Introduction to the different 1 Discussion activities undertaken by CoSAP What is the influence of SHG and federations on the community and local 2 Discussion governance What are the major supporting factors and challenges for promotion of SHG 3  Government/ administrative level Discussion  Community level Credit delivery and credit utilisation  Major credit sources – formal 4  Informal credit sources Discussion  Working of ROSCA and SACCO  Major purpose of credit, especially for women Income generation activities by women  Major income generation activity undertaken by women 5 Discussion  Supporting and challenging environment for income generation activity by women Different ministries, government agencies and departments supporting 6 CoSAP’s activities especially for women welfare and the support provided by Discussion the ministries Any reservations / affirmative action by the government for women that 7 Discussion strengthens / impedes CoSAP’s work

8 Women groups other than SHG and their major activity Discussion

Checklist for Regional Bureau

Demographics and basic infrastructure (Regional and two woredas)  Population under poverty, percentage and absolute numbers  Literacy rate (male and female ),school enrolment ratio  Health services- number of government hospitals, private hospitals, health indicators - MMR, IMR, prevalence of HTP 1 Para professional support for health services and their coverage Data  Credit services- number of banks, MFI institutions and their coverage of the population  Community organisation – Types, coverage and absolute number of community based groups supported/ recognised by the bureau (e.g. WDG, Co-operatives, SHG’s, Health groups, agriculture groups) Major programmes run by bureau focussing on women development  Name and nature of the programme  objectives and coverage 2  Special entitlement provided for the women under this programme Data  extension model used for the programme  communities participation (steps/policy in the programme ensuring communities participation) Governance institutions under the Bureau  Governance institutions and their staffing pattern at each level 3 Data  Selection methods/ criteria for the different staffs at each level (official position and elected post) Livelihood and income generation  Major livelihood option of the community (percentage population involved in major livelihoods like agriculture, manufacturing, services) 4 Data  Average family income  Major income generation activity undertaken by women (5 most important activity and their percentage coverage)

Groups of women existing in the community - WDG / SHG / savings and 1 credit groups / union / co-operatives – what is the hierarchy between them or Discussion how are these groups related /different from each other How does the bureau communicate with the community/ what are the 2 Discussion feedback mechanism through which information are gathered by the bureau Major challenges faced by the bureau in promoting/ implementing 3 Discussion programmes for community development and women welfare Factors which has enabled in successful implementation of community 4 development programme Discussion

5 What are the major potential area for income generation for women Discussion

Checklist for Ministry of Agriculture

Landholding and income generation  Average land holding for family 1 Data  Percentage of family with agriculture as livelihood  Average family income from agriculture (each seasons or months) Extension model – community based  Any successful model of community based extension/ knowledge dissemination 2  Coverage of such model (percentage or absolute reach) Data  Institutional framework of model  Support provided by the ministry for such activity (funding, training etc.) Credit delivery  Major source of agriculture credit for farmers 3 Data  Interest charged for agriculture credit  Department support for credit Community institutions in agriculture  Collectives and co-operatives in agriculture sector (coverage, percentage of farmers covered ) 4  Institutional model of the agriculture collectives Data  Support provided by the ministry for such activity (funding, training etc.  Instances of group-based agriculture in the field and Women and agriculture 5 Data  Special programmes / affirmatives action for women farmers

What are major supporting factors and challenges in collectivizing small 1 Discussion farmers How ATA is helping small farmers to have better income from agriculture 2 Discussion (technology, credit, institutions etc.?) What are major potential area for women to earn/ enhance income from 3 Discussion agriculture

Checklist for FeMSEDA (Federal Micro and Small Enterprises Development Agency)

 Number of enterprises under FeMSEDA (Ethiopia, SNNP, Oromia)  Number and percentage of enterprises in rural areas (Ethiopia, SNNP, Oromia)  Number and percentage of enterprises run by women (Ethiopia, SNNP, Oromia)  Number and percentage of enterprises promoted run by women in Data 1 rural areas (Ethiopia, SNNP, Oromia)  Number and percentage of group enterprises (Ethiopia, SNNP, Oromia)  Number and percentage of group enterprises in rural areas (Ethiopia, SNNP, Oromia)  Number and percentage of group enterprises in rural areas run by women (Ethiopia, SNNP, Oromia) 2 What are the popular types of existing enterprises (Ethiopia, SNNP, Oromia) Data

Are there any skill trainings that are being provided for people interested to 3 Data start enterprises? What are they? What are the incentives provided by the government for encouraging 4 Data enterprises

5 What are the credit mechanism existing for financing the enterprises Data

1 What are the challenges for supporting enterprises in the field Discussion

What are the potential enterprise sectors that women can engage in – 2 Discussion individual and collectively

Checklist for AEMFI (Association of Ethiopian Micro Finance Institutions)

 Number of MFIs (Ethiopia, Oromia, SNNP)  Number of women depositors in MFIs (Ethiopia, Oromia, SNNP)  Number of women borrowers in MFIs (Ethiopia, Oromia, SNNP) Data 1  Number of women group depositing money in MFI (Ethiopia, Oromia, SNNP)  Number of women group borrowing money from MFI (Ethiopia, Oromia, SNNP) What is the coverage (number of people served by a MFI) in Ethiopia, Data 2 Oromia, and SNNP

3 What are the various activities undertaken by MFIs Data

4 What are the deposit and lending rates in Ethiopia, Oromia, and SNNP Data

5 Are there different lending rates for loans (such as on agricultural loans, etc.)

What is the repayment rate for loans taken by people in general and by 6 Data women in Ethiopia, Oromia, and SNNP

1 What is the role of AEMFI in Ethiopia Discussion

2 What are modalities for a group to borrow money from MFIs Discussion

3 How is the repayment of loans ensured in urban and rural areas Discussion

4 What is the government support for MFIs in Ethiopia Discussion

5 What are the challenges faced by MFIs in lending and accepting deposits Discussion

Checklist for Central Bank

Banking coverage – support for women collectives  Number of women groups having bank accounts/ lending activity 1 (coverage, percentage and absolute numbers) Data  Lending to women groups are what percentage of total lending  Any affirmative policy for lending to women/ women groups Interest rates and repayment rates  Interest rates for lending to women groups, tenure of loan 2  Repayment percentage for normal lending Data  Repayment percentage for women groups  Interest rates for co-operatives and other collectives Procedures and support for lending  Models/ types of Women collective groups acknowledged by banks for lending 3 Data  Average loan size for lending for the women group  Institutional / procedural requirement for the women groups for getting credit Credit sources  Formal credit delivery institutions at the rural level ( coverage at rural 4 Data woreda and Kabele level)  Informal credit sources and their prevalence at the rural level Financial literacy – extension models  Are banks undertaking community based extensions activity for 5 Data financial inclusion – if yes what is the institutional model of this

Financial inclusion  Policy and programmes promoted by the central bank for financial 6 Data inclusion  Government programmes for financial inclusion

What are the major challenges for institutional credit delivery at the village 1 Discussion level and for women groups

2 What for are major demands for credit from the rural area Discussion

3 How is RASSCO and other informal sources of credit regulated/ monitored Discussion

Checklist for Ministry of Health

Data on health indicators (Ethiopia, Oromia, SNNP)  MMR  IMR 1 Data  Fertility rate  Malnutrition (percentage of the population)  Vaccination coverage Extension model – community based  model of community based extension/ knowledge dissemination  Coverage of such model (percentage or absolute reach) 2 Data  Institutional framework of model Support provided by the ministry for such activity (funding, training etc.) Institutional model of service delivery and their reach  The health service delivery institutions at different level 3 Data  Village level health delivery model

Any Successful models focusing on women health (pregnancy, child care etc.) 4  Coverage Data  Model of implementation  Government/ department support provided

1 Major challenges in providing services in rural areas, how can it be overcome Discussion

HTP 2 Discussion What is prevalence of HTP and how it can be controlled

16.5. Annexure IV – Report of the Workshop

Workshop to Discuss Scoping Exercise and Intervention Plan 02 December 2015, Hotel Siyonat, Addis Ababa

The final workshop for the presentation of the scoping exercise and intervention plan was held at Hotel Siyonat, Addis Ababa on 2 December 2015 at 2:30 pm. The meeting was attended by Her Excellency, Zenebu Tadesse Woldetsadik , Minister of Women and Children Affairs, Government of Ethiopia, along with senior officials from the Ministry, Central bank, FeMSEDA DFID, AEMFI, Regional Bureau of SNNP and Oromia, IPE Global and Kudumbashree. The list of participants is appended towards the end.

The findings from the scoping study and the intervention plan were presented by the Kudumbashree team during the meeting and were well accepted by the assembled officials, Her Excellency, the Minister, Zenebu Tadesse Woldetsadik while acknowledging the plan, reflected on the paucity of funds as the country is fighting a severe and drought. Currently, most of the funds and programmes are channelled for drought relief. However, since the amount required for the pilot phase of the intervention was relatively small (approximate ETB 10 million), the assembled officials and the Minster were hopeful of finding a source of funding such that the project can be started at the earliest.

Comments from the Participants

 Asfew Abebe from FeMSEDA reflected on establishing better convergence between the proposed cadre – Livelihoods Consultants Group and the One Stop Centres being run by the agencies.  Yewumbdar Hailer, Enterprise partners (DFID funded) told that the WDG currently does not have any legal registration as an institutions and hence during the pilot, the legality of the WDG and its federation may be examined and an appropriate legal platform for the WDG may be created  Seleshi Tadesse, from MoWCA reiterated that a national guideline for the WDG was being prepared and hence the communitisation part of the WDG as described in the intervention would be carried by converging the present guidelines with the proposal.  Abate Mitiku from National Bank of Ethiopia brought forward the necessity to comply with legal requirements as internal lending is not permissible within unregistered groups. Group Discussions

To discuss these issues further, the plenary was divided into two teams – one to discuss the proposal with the Regional teams and the other to discuss the necessity for legal status for the WDG.

It was proposed after the group discussions that the WDG be registered either as MFIs or as SAACOs. Since the procedure for registering as MFIs is more complex, it was suggested that WDGs be registered as SAACOs and be registered under the Federal Cooperative Agency. The Ministry of Women and Children Affairs need to further deliberate on this issue.

List of Participants

 Ms Zenebu Tadesse Woldetsadik - Minster, Women and Children Affairs, Govt. of Ethiopia  Ms. Tesfayenesh, Director, MoWCA  Mr. Saleshi Tadesse, MoWCA  Ms. Mesere Meiksier, BoWCA, SNNP Region  Mr. Abate Mitiku, Director – MFI, National Bank of Ethiopia  Mr. Asfaw Abebe, Debuty Director, FeMSEDA  Ms. Wubalm Negash, DFID-Ethiopia

 Ms. Yewumbdar Hailer, Enterprise Partners (funded by DFID-Ethiopia)  Mr. Usman Ebrahim, Representative from BoWCA, Oromia Region  Ms. Mawerdi Abdurehman, AEMFI  Mr. Sunil Verma, Country Head, IPE Global – Ethiopia  Ms. Nishu Choudhary, IPE Global – Ethiopia  Mr. Tilahun Wolde, Assistant Programme Manager, IPE Global – Ethiopia  Ms. Daljeet Kaur, Programme Manager, IPE Global – Delhi  Ms. N K Jaya, Executive Director In-Charge, Kudumbashree  Ms. Valsalakumari KB, Former Executive Director, Kudumbashree  Kudumbahree Scoping Team