International Rescue Committee Sierra

INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE

SIERRA LEONE

ANNUAL REPORT

PROTECTION OF WOMEN THROUGH EMPOWERMENT AND RESPONSE (POWER)

AGREEMENT NO: 72063618CA00001

October 1st 2018 - September 30th 2019

PRESENTED TO:

U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (USAID)

Collaborating Partner: Agency Headquarters: International Rescue Committee Sierra International Rescue Committee Leone c/o Erika Pearl, Program Officer c/o Saffea Senessie, Country Director Tel : +1 212 377 4019 Tel: +232 (0) 76 622998 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Table of Contents I. General Information ...... 3 II. Abbreviations...... 4 III. Project Description...... 5 IV. Summary of Quarterly Accomplishment and Successes ...... 6 V. Description of Quarterly Achievements by Results ...... 18 VI. Partnership and Coordination ...... 20 VII. Travel and Technical Assistance (TA) ...... 21 VIII. Financial Analysis ...... 22 IX. Publications and Reports...... 22 X. Major constraints/challenges and actions to overcome them ...... 25 XI. Priorities during next reporting period ...... 25

I. General Information

Program/Project Title Protection of Women through Empowerment and Response (POWER) Prime Partner International Rescue Committee Cooperative Agreement (Contract) 72063618CA00001 Number Program/Project Start Date 1st October 2018 Program/Project End Date 30th September 2020 Life of Project Budget 2 years Reporting Period Y1 : 1st October2018 – 30th September 2019

II. Abbreviations

CEDAW - Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women CBO - Community Based Organization DGS - Discussion Group Series EMAP - Engaging Men through Accountable Practices EA$E - Economic and Social Empowerment GBV - Gender Based Violence IRC - International Rescue Committee KDC - Kenema District Council MAFFS - Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security MSWGCA - Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs NRP - National Referral Pathway POWER - Protection of Women through Empowerment and Response WAG - Women Action Group WELD - Women Empowered For Leadership and Development WGPE - Women and Girls’ Protection and Empowerment VSLA - Village Savings and Loans Associations

III. Project Description Breaking the barriers barring women from realizing their fullest potential cannot be fully achieved when they are not economically empowered and socially protected. This is the foundation upon which this project, led by the International Rescue Committee (IRC) Sierra Leone (SL) entitled, “Protecting Women through Empowerment and Response (POWER)” is built. POWER is a two year, USAID funded project, aiming to support 1,000 women and girls in rural communities within the eastern Kenema district. The goal of the project is to empower women and girls to pursue their potential, free from violence and inequality, focusing on three main pillars; 1. Women have increased economic resources 2. Women safely voice their priorities and participate in decisions that affect themselves and their homes 3. Strengthened gender-based violence (GBV) response, coordination and referral pathways.

The economic component of the project aims for the establishment of 40 village savings and loans associations (VSLAs), each comprising 25 women who support savings and investment. All VSLA groups will be trained on business management skills, supporting them to develop viable businesses or expand on their existing businesses in their communities. A consultant will train IRC staff on business development, who will cascade the training to the VSLA groups. The social engagement component is centered on raising awareness about the rights of women to own and control properties, and assets. This aspect of the project will be done through Discussion Group Series (DGS) conducted by project staff in each community with VSLA members and their respective partners or trusted family members. This collective approach is a key strategy to breaking the barriers around women obtaining property ownership and control over resources within their respective homes. Aside from the DGS, another social component will be the use of Engaging Men through Accountable Practices (EMAP)1 methodology, targeting VSLA groups and male community members who have been identified to be very supportive of women’s rights in the communities. Staff will play a key role in identifying these men in tandem with the women in the various VSLA groups in the communities. The gender-transformative engagement component will strengthen the response, collaboration and the implementation of various national policies such as the GBV national referral pathway, the Domestic Violence Act, the Devolution of Estate Act and the Registration of Customary Marriage and Divorce Act. These three laws were passed by the Government of Sierra Leone in 2007 in recognition of its commitment to the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). The Sexual Offences Act of 2012 was framed to specifically deal with issues of sexual penetration2, incest and rape. All

1A social methodology that supports women and men to identify and transform social beliefs, attitudes and behaviors that give rise to violence against women and girls. For an overview of EMAP, please see “Part 1: Introductory Guide Preventing Violence against Women and Girls: Engaging Men through Accountable Practice. IRC 2013, https://gbvresponders.org/wp- content/uploads/2014/07/IRC-EMAP-Introductory-Guide-High-Res.pdf 2 Sierra Leone. The Sexual Offences Act, 2012. Child is defined as: a person under the age of 18 (page 2). Sexual Penetration is defined as: any act which causes the penetration to any extent of the vagina, anus or mouth of a person by the penis or any other part of the body of another person, or by an object (page 4). The offence: A person who engages in an act of sexual penetration with a child commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding fifteen years (section 19, page 11). http://www.sierra-leone.org/Laws/2012-12.pdf accessed 29 January 2019.

these policies are under the purview of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs (MSWGCA), the Sierra Leone Police and other actors both at the district and national levels for full implementation. The project will work closely with district-level MSWGCA representatives in supporting GBV survivors through mapping of available GBV service providers in the district and through the joint monitoring of these service providers with the Ministry. Another component of the project is the formation of the Women Action Groups (WAGs) known for the promotion and protection of other women and girls in their respective communities. These WAGs will be trained by IRC project staff on GBV response and using national referral pathways in seeking justice and protection for survivors. The project is implemented in the four chiefdoms of Dama, Dodo, Niawa and Simbaru out of the sixteen chiefdoms in the district. These four chiefdoms are chiefdoms that have not benefitted from IRC-SL programming in the past. The security situation is calm, paving for the smooth implementation of project activities. In each chiefdom, five communities were selected using the following criteria: GBV prevalence, the presence of social services such as schools, If there are peripheral health centers and police posting, and communities that have never benefitted from any economic and social interventions either by IRC-SL or development actors. The table below lists all of the communities targeted within each chiefdom under the project. Table 1: POWER Project Chiefdoms and Communities DAMA DODO NIAWA SIMBARU CHIEFDOM CHIEFDOM CHIEFDOM CHIEFDOM Ngiehun Madina Koranko Payela Korma Lawana Nyandehun Borborbu Boama Patama Golahun Vaama Komende Taninahun Macca Matama Niahun Jao Pegama Woroma Paniga

IV. Summary of Year One’s Accomplishment and Successes This reporting period covers activities for the period of October 1st, 2018-September 30th, 2019 marking the end of the first year of the project life cycle. The following is a record of the project’s achievements to date. The project started in October 2018 following the signing of the grant agreement between USAID and IRC-SL. Staff recruitment commenced and by mid-November 2018, the full complement of seven staff for the project had been recruited and hired. This includes the four community officers, the EMAP/EA$E Specialist, the Site Manager and the Senior Program Manager. The IRC’s Women and Girls Protection and Empowerment Coordinator led orientation on the project design and log frame to provide staff with a clear and thorough understanding of the POWER project. Upon completion of orientation, project staff proceeded to select the communities for participation in the project. Criteria for selection included

A) Communities that had not benefitted from any development interventions for over five years, B) Communities with limited livelihood options for women, and C) Communities with reported increases in the number of gender based violence incidents In late December, 2018, the IRC recruited Ascendant & Company – a local consultancy firm – to undertake a baseline study in the four participant chiefdoms, as well as in non-participant communities who were included in the baseline study as control groups. These communities were randomly selected as part of the methodology used by the consultants. The baseline survey report is included in Annex 1. Outcome 1: Women have increased economic resources On the 28th, 29th and 30th November 2018 and on the 4th December 2018, project staff held meetings with authorities in Dodo, Dama, Simbaru and Niawa chiefdoms respectively. These meetings were held with female, religious, and youth leaders, as well as women to assess financial services and practices within the communities as well as to determine the risks and potential benefits of the project. The meetings also provided an opportunity for women to volunteer to be part of the VSLAs. As a result of these meetings, the team successfully recruited 500 women for the implementation of the VSLA group activities. A week-long training was conducted by the EMAP/EA$E Specialist for the four IRC Community Officers on the VSLA methodology from the 14th – 18th January 2019 to strengthen their capacity to deliver the methodology to the newly formed VSLA groups in the communities. Following this training, VSLA kits were procured by IRC and distributed to the groups from the 11th -15th February so that they could start their activities. Each VSLA Kit contained the following items:  1 Metal box,  1 stamp pad,  1 calculator,  1 inkpad,  2 pens,  1 ruler,  1 ledger,  three padlocks, and  2 money counting bowls,  2 money bags.  25 passbooks,

Once self-selection and kit distribution was complete, groups developed their constitutions with the support of IRC staff and elected an executive based on the principles of the VSLA methodology. In preparation for the registration of the VSLA groups as Community Based Organizations (CBOs), IRC staff organized a one day information session for the 40 executive members of the groups (two from each community) on the 15th March 2019. The information session was conducted by representatives from MSWGCA, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security (MAFFS) and Kenema District Council (KDC), to inform the women on the relevance of registering their VSLAs as CBOs and how groups can use their registration to explore possibilities for funding in the agriculture sectors and advocate with duty bearers for the rights of community women.

In the second quarter of the project from January to March 2019, the IRC supported the women in the registration of all 20 VSLAs as CBOs with the MSWGCA, MAFFS, and the Kenema District Council. This involved giving assistance to the women through the registration process by helping them to complete the necessary forms and making payments. This registration will enable the VSLA group to advocate as CBOs for their rights and the rights of other women in their communities and chiefdoms. The VSLAs as women groups with financial strength are well placed within their communities to take up issues that concern women and often do so. Being registered as CBOs gives them the official recognition to advocate on behalf of their membership and other women in their community. It will also qualify them for other financial and technical support from any of these institutions. For example, in May 2019, the VSLA group in Taninahun in Dama Chiefdom, benefitted from its registration with MAFF as it was given one bushel of rice seedlings for planting. From the 11th -14th June, 2019 project staff benefitted from a three day business development skills training jointly facilitated by the IRC’s Technical Advisor from its Economic Recovery and Development Unit based at the Headquarters in New York, and the IRC West Africa Cash Specialist based in Cameroon. The training was held from 11 to14 June 2019 at the Ericson Hall in Kenema. During these sessions, project staff were taken through recent trends in business management using the IRC “Learn to Earn” (L2E) curriculum which includes Idea Generation, Financing and Costs, Operating or Working in a Business, Wellbeing, Business Goals and Plans. A total of 16 staff were in attendance including the four Community Officers, WGPE Coordinator, POWER Senior Program Manager, the EMAP/EA$E Specialist, the Site Manager and the M&E Manager and Officer. Other attendees were two staff members from the IRC WGPE project in Bo, and two IRC colleagues from Liberia. After receiving the L2E business development skills training in June, staff were able to develop a contextualized curriculum using the associated curriculum development tool. The IRC’s community officers were familiarized with this curriculum during a two day training from the 25th -26th July, 2019, followed by community roll out sessions in all 20 communities for 500 women during the whole period of the month of August. Key topics covered included: Idea Generation, Financing and Costs, Operating or Working in a Business, Well Being, and Business Plans. The IRC contracted the consulting firm “Think Africa Institute” August 2019 to conduct a market research into the participants’ business potential, attached as Annex 2. Key findings were: 1. Across the five chiefdoms, the listed combination of goods and services were found to have the highest trading/business potentials3:

3 In Dama, options A, B, and D were the popular choices of the respondents. In Dodo, it was option 4 – fruits vegetables and leaves. The popular choices in Niawa were options 3 (rice/gari/cloth/transport) and 4 (fruits, vegetables and greens). In Simbaru, the choices were options 2 (Rice/Gari/Transport/Mobile Vending) and 4 (Fruits, vegetables and greens).

Option A Rice only

Option B Rice/Gari (Cassava Grits)/Transport/Mobile Vending

Option C Rice/Gari/Cloth/Transport

Option D Others (fruits, vegetables and greens)

2. There is a lot of enthusiasm from community members, mostly women, who are directly involved in the project, but community members that will not benefit from it are mostly apathetic to it. 3. The majority of VSLA beneficiaries wish to either build on existing farms and businesses or start new ones. 4. Supporting initiatives that improve the transportation of persons and goods to and from the project communities is recommended. 5. To strengthen financial inclusion and development, the POWER project should support VSLA groups in operating mobile money agency services. Not only is this the next logical step to owning and operating their own bank account, it also helps women and business people create pathways towards greater financial footprint (i.e. a full fiscal picture which is adaptable and which will allow women in the future to access loans and other financial services without projects like POWER.)

By the end of August 2019, each beneficiary had developed an individual business plan, which was then evaluated by a team comprising of the community women, the IRC EMAP/EA$E Specialist and the M&E Manager. Evaluations took into consideration the results of the market research, profit margins and sustainability for the women’s economic empowerment To ensure continuous support for the VSLAs, IRC staff facilitated a refresher training from the 13- 14 August 2019, for the VSLA record keepers from Simbaru and Dodo Chiefdoms in Boajibu community in Simbaru chiefdom. Another training was held form the 15th -16th August for another 20 record keepers from Dama and Niawa at Blama town, which is centrally located between the two chiefdoms. In preparation for a grant distribution as per the project design, the IRC’s POWER staff, in collaboration with Finance, Supply Chain, and Administrative units, commenced the development of a Cash Relief Operational Procedures document in late July 2019 that provides guidance on cash distribution procedures. The document was reviewed and approved by the IRC Sierra Leone Country Director on the 2nd of September 2019. In a meeting held on the 20th August 2019, IRC’s WGPE Coordinator, Finance Controller, and Supply Chain Coordinator after reviewing the possible mechanisms for payment i.e. mobile money, Cash in Envelope and Pre-paid Card Payment and after previous consultation with the IRC

West Africa Region Cash Specialist decided that the best mechanism for distribution of funds would be “Cash in Envelope”. This decision was based on the fact that mobile money would not be feasible as most of the women do not own mobiles, cannot read or write and there is little or no mobile signaling in these operating areas. Also it was found that setting up a Pre-Paid Card system would also be difficult as it would mean the women would have to travel from their communities to the bigger towns to be able to withdraw cash from either banks or large stores. The ‘Cash in Envelopes’ mechanism of payment is a process in which the total amount of money to be paid is put into a sealed envelope with the beneficiary’s name and the amount paid written in full view on the envelope. The beneficiary then receives and signs/thumbprints a receipt for this envelope on the payment day in her community. From the 26th – 30th August 2019, all registered beneficiaries were issued identification cards for the grant distribution. Each card has the name of the beneficiary as registered with the project, the VSLA number, a photo of the beneficiary and the name of the community. In order to receive their grant, beneficiaries were required to identify themselves using these cards. A series of meetings were held between the 9th-13th September 2019 with the Kenema District Council Chairman, the respective Paramount Chiefs and other stakeholders to make them aware of the grant distribution and what it would entail. However, the exact date of payment and amounts to be paid were not disclosed in these engagements for security purposes. In each community, payment was witnessed by the town chiefs, youth leaders, religious leaders and women leaders, some of whom were asked to append their signatures/thumbprint testifying that the POWER VSLA women in that community had received the amount as stated on the envelopes. At the start of each payment in a community, the team leaders explained the rationale for the exercise and the purpose of the payment to the women. They also assured them that the IRC team will continue to work with them and monitor their progress. 493 out of 500 women were paid from the 17th -19th September 2019. The women who were not paid had either relocated (3) or passed away (7), and have since been replaced in the groups, although they did not qualify for this payment. New members will receive their payments with the next group of VSLA women in year 2 of the project. As the VSLA cycle has approached its one year anniversary, IRC staff received a one day training on the processes for an end of cycle VSLA Share Out on the 26th September, 2019, to enable them to guide the groups through their share out process. The VSLA Share Out is the distribution of the groups’ savings plus interest over the period of one year, with each member receiving payment according to the shares that they bought during the year. Share out ceremonies will begin during the third week of October across the four chiefdoms. OUTCOME 2: Women safely voice their priorities and participate in decisions that affect themselves and their homes During the first quarter of the project (October-December 2018), six project staff members took part in a technical training on the Engaging Men for Accountable Practices (EMAP) methodology from 22nd November-3rd December 2018 which was facilitated by colleagues from IRC Liberia and Nigeria and included participants from IRC Iraq and South Sudan. The six POWER staff included the EMAP/EA$E Specialist, the Site Manager and the four community officers. The training equipped staff with the skills needed to support women to be able to raise their voices for participation in decision-making in their communities for issues that would affect their daily lives

during the EMAP sessions. Project staff will conduct EMAP sessions for beneficiaries in October 2019. The Discussion Group Series (DGS) is employed with male and female groups in the communities in order to influence norms, attitudes, gender roles, and expectations. These community sessions provided a learning and sharing platform where spouses can discuss the income and expenditures of their households From the 11th – 15th February 2019, the IRC held meetings in the communities with youth, women, and religions and societal leaders to establish DGS groups and highlight the importance of the DGS in promoting dialogue and cordial relationships in homes. These meetings also provided the opportunity for the identification of the community facilitators for the DGS sessions. The EMAP/EASE Specialist facilitated a training on DGS methodology for IRC staff members from the 25th – 29th March 2019. Staff members then trained 40 (20 male, 20 female) DGS community facilitators on eight modules: (i) Successful Household (v) Financial Stress Part 1 (ii) Household Economy (vi) Financial Stress Part 2 (iii) Household Cash Flow (vii) Budgeting and Planning (iv) Setting Financial Goals (viii) Putting It Together. Community DGS sessions commenced in April 2019. Each session brought together 25 VSLA women and their spouse/intimate partners in project communities for an open dialogue forum, promoting discussion and breaking the social and cultural norms that prevent joint decision making from taking place in their homes. All 500 VSLA women and their 425 spouses/intimate partners (some men had more than one wife in the group; whilst some women did not have partners) took part in the sessions, which were held on a weekly basis. Closing ceremonies were held in all 20 communities at the end of the 16 weeks of the DGS sessions, and were attended by local dignitaries including chiefs and religious leaders. During the ceremonies, participants shared testimonies of how the DGS fostered unity, peace and participatory decision making in their homes. Giving testimony, a male DGS participant- Gassimu Bawoh from Paniga community in the Simbaru chiefdom made a public pledge never to use violence against his wife and to always help with the domestic chores regardless of public opinion. Similarly, in Nyandehun community in the Niawa chiefdom, a female DGS participant, Fatmata Gbao expressed her joy at having her husband consult her for decisions regarding their home. All participants in each community were presented with a certificate of participation, and 40 DGS community facilitators were presented with T-shirts in recognition of their time and dedication. The end of the Discussion Group Series paves the way for the commencement of the Engaging Men in Accountable Practices (EMAP) in the respective four chiefdoms which will occur in the beginning of the second year. These EMAP sessions will engage not just spouses and intimate partners of the women but also other men in the communities through dialogue to also identify and transform their own attitudes, beliefs, and behaviour so that they become more accountable to women in their lives and to the wider community. EMAP sessions had started in 2 chiefdoms – Dodo and Niawa during the first week of August 2019. However due to the heavy rain downpours

during this rainy season, roads to some communities became impassable, therefore EMAP sessions were postponed to take place at the beginning of October when the weather would be more favorable. OUTCOME 3: Strengthened GBV response, coordination and referral pathways. In order to support staff with the required knowledge around GBV and to ensure that they are accountable to the women and girls in the project, project staff participated in a refresher training on GBV core concepts on the 12th December 2018. During this project year, the IRC has strengthened links with government institutions, and in November 2018 ensured that the Deputy Director of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs (MSWGCA) in the Kenema office was briefed on the project, its objectives and targeted chiefdoms in the district. IRC Staff have also worked closely with the MSWGCA to disseminate the National Referral Pathway (NRP).4 In this respect, an initial GBV service providers meeting was held at the MSWGCA conference hall on the 28th November 2018, during which providers mapped out challenges and successes of GBV response in the district and the best alternatives for the dissemination of the NRP was done. Following the initial GBV service providers meeting, a two day GBV service provider mapping exercise was undertaken in the project operational chiefdoms from the 13th-14th February 2019. This exercise took place from the 13-14th February 2019 and was led by the MSWGCA. The team included two social services staff from MSWGCA and the IRC Senior Program Manager. The purpose of this exercise was to enable the Ministry to have an updated register of service providers detailing their location in the district, their capacity and the services provided. On the 21st February 2019, the MSWGCA hosted a coordination meeting to which active GBV partners in the district were invited. The coordination meeting was attended by 12 local organizations including the Family Support Unit of the Sierra Leone Police in Kenema and Rainbo Initiative, the provider of free medical treatment of GBV survivors. Organizational representatives discussed the successes as well as challenges in responding to GBV issues in the communities. Key among the points discussed in the meeting was the need for more awareness raising in the communities to break the cycle of compromise leading to non-prosecution of some cases. As a result of this meeting, it was decided that the IRC will lead the community roll out through community sensitization/awareness on the Gender Laws and the National Referral Pathway. MSWGCA in collaboration with other GBV actors will train Chiefs, Mammy Queens5, Religious Leaders and Youths on the Gender Laws and the National Referral Pathways. IRC Community officers have held four community sessions on gender laws and the national referral pathways from the 15th -19th April 2019. Working groups were formed comprising of IRC staff, staff from MSWGCA, Family Support Unit (FSU) of the Sierra Leone Police personnel, staff from GOAL and Humanist Watch. These working groups are responsible to reach out to all 20 POWER communities through community meetings with information on the gender laws and the

4 See USAID POWER Technical Narrative Proposal Outcome 3 5 Mammy Queens – Traditional Tribal Female Leaders

national referral pathway. These sessions were held as dialogue meetings with community stakeholders such as the Paramount chiefs, town chiefs, religious leaders, teachers and societal heads during which information was shared and discussed for full clarification. POWER Project Community Officers also held information dissemination sessions on the NRP with the VSLA women on a weekly basis after their regular VSLA meetings. The women and their spouses/intimate partners were encouraged to attend these sessions to obtain the information and have the opportunity to ask questions. The most frequently asked questions related to the process of customary marriage registration at district level, children’s rights for property distribution, and property entitlements in the event of death, separation, or divorce for women in polygamous marriages. In order to strengthen the GBV response, coordination and referral in communities, 250 women from 10 communities were formed into the Women Action Groups (WAGs) of 25 members each. These WAGs were trained on the Gender Laws and the National Referral Pathways by the project staff from 25th -29th March 2019. After their training, the women developed action plans for carrying out community awareness meetings on GBV, the Gender Laws and the National Referral Pathways, in all project communities. In April 2019, the WAGs organized talks in each community on the national referral pathways so that women in their communities would know where to report in the event of violence. In March 2019, the Agreement Officer Representative of USAID for the POWER project introduced the IRC’s POWER staff to the Ministry of Justice’s State Counsel EAST during a monitoring visit to the POWER project. Following this introduction, the State Counsel EAST was asked to facilitate a three-day workshop for IRC staff and their partners from the 13-15th May 2019 on the intricacies and interpretation of the gender laws, in order to help staff better understand the laws and explain them to beneficiaries. In attendance at the training were 21 (13 Males and 8 Females) participants from the Sierra Leone Police Family Support Unit-Kenema Police Division, officers from the Police Posts in POWER operational chiefdoms, Social Workers from the MSWGCA, the Rainbo Centre, the Gender officer – Kenema District Council and other Civil Society/Gender Advocacy groups in the district. At the end of the training, four task groups were formed to cascade the acquired knowledge to the four chiefdoms involved in the project. Each group was comprised of one staff member each from MSWGCA, one FSU personnel and one staff member from a GBV community based organization, for a total of three people with IRC POWER staff providing leadership. The groups commenced community meetings in all four chiefdoms from the 21st -24th May 2019 targeting 25 participants (13 Females and 12 Males) per chiefdom including town chiefs, teachers and religious leaders. Ten (10) communities around the Kenema Township have also benefitted from the information on the Gender Laws and the National Referral Protocol as part of the district level activities: Lango Town, Kamara Town, Samai Town, Nyandeyama, Boma 1&2, Boma 3&4, Kodebutehun, Reservation-Guinea Base, Gumbo and Kpetema. 250 people (25 from each community) were reached and awareness created through community meetings in which the message of the National Referral Protocol and Gender Laws were disseminated. The community engagement teams were

made up of staff members from the IRC and its GBV partners - GOAL Ireland, MSWGCA, FSU personnel, Rainbo Centre and Defence for Children International (DCI). As part of the POWER project plan to disseminate information on the National Referral Pathway (NRP), a one day stakeholders session was held on the 31st July 2019 that brought together 25 (15 Females and 10 Males) participants including religious leaders, market women representatives, bike riders, community elders and heads of CBOs. In attendance also were the Paramount Chief of Niawa chiefdom, the Gender officer of the Kenema District Council, councilors from both the Kenema district council and the Kenema city council, representatives from Legal Aid Board, student representatives, Lecturers, members of Civil Society Organizations from Community Action For Rural Development (CARD-SL), Humanist Watch, Defence for Children International, Social Enterprise and Development (SEND), and GOAL Ireland. The session was facilitated by the Advocacy and Training officer MSWGCA-Eastern Region. Ten Women Action Group (WAG) members from all the four chiefdoms of the POWER project participated in a week long training on case management during the third week of March. This training was facilitated by staff from the Kenema Rainbow Centre and involved understanding the Guiding Principles of Survivor-Centered Case Management, the roles and responsibilities of case workers, the survivor-centered case management process and case management approaches, understanding psychosocial interventions. The trainees now support the process of documenting GBV cases in their communities and surroundings for referral to appropriate bodies.

The disbursement of GBV response funds to 10 VSLA groups which are not Women Action Groups (WAGs) commenced in April. Since these communities do not have WAGs, this fund is meant to support GBV survivors’ access to medical services or court sitting appearances, as well as feeding, ensuring that all the women in the project communities have a means of accessing GBV response services. Through this GBV fund, the project continues to support the survivors and their parents with transportation costs for court appearances and other expenses. The table below details the cases supported:

Chiefdoms Months and Types of cases reported per chiefdom Cases Total reported cases Simbaru Physical Assault (10) 18 Sexual Penetration (7) Attempted Rape (1) Niawa Physical Assault (11) 15 Child Labor (2) Physical Assault (2)

Dodo Physical Assault (12) 15 Sexual Harassment (2) Child Labor (1) Dama Physical Assault (9) 10 Sexual Penetration (1)

TOTAL NUMBER OF CASES 58

Eight sexual penetration cases in Dama (on the 23rd August 2019) and Simbaru (on the10th May, 17th 18th of May, the 6th, 13th and 17th August and on the 7th Sept 2019) chiefdoms were reported. These were then reported either to the FSU in Kenema or the Police Post in the chiefdom. Since then, six cases have been sent to the magistrate courts, (which is the first stage in the judicial system for dealing with crimes of this nature and holding a pre-trial after which if necessary the case is passed on to the High Court), whilst the other two cases have been moved to the High Court, where final judgement will be passed. The GBV Response fund has benefitted survivors as young as three years old, and as old as 74 years old. Although some of the physical cases were resolved by the WAGs with support from the local chiefs, all of the 42 cases received funding to seek medical attention. Most of women who experience GBV do not go on to seek prosecution of their spouses due to cultural norms and/or stigma, however, communities do levy fines on offending husbands as a deterrent. From April to September 2019, the project has supported the four chiefdoms through VSLA groups who manage the GBV funds in their communities with the following amounts: Name of Chiefdom Amount in Leones Amount in US Dollars Simbaru Le 3,600,000 $401 Niawa Le 2,100,000 $234 Dodo Le 2,100,000 $234 Dama Le 1,200,00 $134

This financial allocation takes into consideration the number of GBV cases reported to the WAGs, FSU, Health Centres, and the Rainbo Centre in each chiefdom. Simbaru chiefdom has had the highest allocation of GBV funds due to the increasing number of GBV cases reported, whilst Niawa and Dodo have the same amount and Dama has the least. IRC staff, FSU personnel from the Kenema Police Department, and Rainbo Centre and MSWGCA staff have conducted five joint monitoring exercises of GBV service providers in each of the project chiefdoms to ascertain the quality and access of available services as well as the professionalism of service providers in handling survivors. In each of these visits, keen attention was paid to the level of knowledge of personnel in responding to GBV cases. At the Boajibu Police post in Simbaru Chiefdom which covers an additional three chiefdoms (Dodo, Kanduleppiama and Gorama Mende), all the FSU personnel are male, which makes it challenging for women to report cases as cultural barriers makes it difficult for them to be able to talk freely to men about GBV. At the Boajibu Health Center, staff had limited knowledge on confidentiality in treating GBV survivors, gathering evidence for prosecution and the reporting channels. These conditions were similar to all other health centers in the project operational areas. The findings from each joint monitoring visit have been shared with the key GBV stakeholders and duty bearers during the partners’ coordination meetings, at the Kenema District Council monthly meetings and security coordination meetings attended by the IRC Field Coordinator. Attendants at these meetings include the FSU management and the Ministry of Health as well as other Government departments who are the duty bearers. By sharing these findings and discussing them at these partner meetings, it

is expected that joint solutions can be found. IRC will continue to monitor and advocate for change. Additional Staff Training From 7th-9th January 2019, the EMAP/EA$E Specialist attended a three day business management training for IRC staff in Freetown facilitated by a consultant – IMAT College, to enhance skills to support the women for the business skills training and business plan development for the project beneficiaries. V. Description of Quarterly Achievements by Results

Actual #s to Progress to-date Indicator Baseline Year 1 Target Year 2 Target reach Goal: Women and girls pursue their potential, free from violence and inequality Outcome 1: Women have increased economic resources 20% (i.e. 74 out of 370 surveyed} 61% (306/500) of women have earned Le (0 - increased income % of individual women whose earned 5000)) 500 in Yr 1, 50% {of 500} 70% {of 1000} The average Monthly Income income increased 30% (i.e. 111 out of 1000 in Yr 2 for the 500 women is SLL64,905 370 surveyed} ($7.24 USD equivalent) earned Le (5000 - 10000)) Output 1.1: Women save money and access loans % attendance rate (on average) of VSLA 11.2% {of 370 500 in Yr 1, 70% {of 500} 90% {of 1000} 83% (413/500) members meeting regularly surveyed} 1000 in Yr 2 % of women who report saving on a regular 31% {of 370 70% (350 out 90% (900 out 500 in Yr 1, basis (at least 3 weeks out of 4 weeks of 71% (353/500) surveyed} of 500) of 1000) 1000 in Yr 2 each month) % of female participants in USG-assisted 97% (485/500) Men programs designed to increase access to 50% {of 1000 in Yr 1, interviewed. productive economic resources (assets, 0 50% {2000} 1000} 2000 in Yr 2 Women to be interviewed this credit, income or employment) quarter (***USAID Standard Indicator 3: GNDR-2) 64% (Le124,980,130/Le195,287,553)

Total outstanding loan =Le 124,980,130 ($13,935 USD equivalent)) Total cash in Loan Fund = SLL195,287,553 ($21,774 USD equivalent)

77% {of 370 women % of loan funds in circulation 80% 85% Target is not reached as data surveyed} collection started in February when the VSLAs started operations. Also during the rainy season which spans from May to October, the women have limited market activities because of the weather and save less and as such do not take a lot of loans.

Output 1.2: Women acquire business skills and knowledge to start/or expand their business activities % of business skills training participants 32% {of 370 500 in Yr 1, (women) with increased knowledge about 70% {of 500} 90% {1000} 84% (147/174) surveyed} 1000 in Yr 2 entrepreneurship % of participants (VSLA women members) 12% {of 370 500 in Yr 1, 50% {of 500} 60% {of 1000} 98.6% (493/500) who develop viable business plans. surveyed} 1000 in Yr 2

Outcome 2: Women safely voice priorities and participate in decisions that affect themselves and their homes % of women who report being involved in 53.9% {of 370 500 in Yr 1, decision-making about household financial 60% (of 500) 75% (of 1000) 51% (255/500) surveyed} 1000 in Yr 2 decisions % of women reporting decreases in finance related conflicts in marriage / union 37.2% {of 370 500 in Yr 1, 40% {of 500} 50% {of 1000} 65% (323/500) following their participation in the project surveyed} 1000 in Yr 2 activities Output2.1: Women and men acquire communication and negotiation skills for joint household decision making 51% (511/993) 511 men +women (i.e. 382 men +129 women) out of a total of 993 DGS participants (i.e. 493 men + 500 women) were able to give an example of a successful household negotiation. A lot of the % of male and female DGS participants who women were shy to give 33.5% {of 375 60% (of 1000 in Yr 1, can provide one example of a successful 70% (of 2000) examples and many did not surveyed} 1000) 2000 in Yr 2 household negotiation fully understand what was meant by household negotiation due to the translation from English to the local language. This is being reviewed with staff members to ensure that the meaning is not lost when the question is asked.

% of participants reporting increased agreement with the concept that males and 50% (of 500 60% (of 1000 females should have equal access to social, men + 500 men + 1000 1000 in Yr 1, 34% (229/665). 0 economic, and political resources and women = women = 2000 in Yr 2 # of M: 290; # of F: 375 who opportunities 1000) 2000) responded to the question (***USAID Standard Indicator 4: GNDR-4) 60% (of 500 % of women who feel that their partners 36% {of 370 70% (of 1000 500 in Yr 1, women in value their ideas and suggestions. surveyed} women in Yr2) 1000 in Yr 2 76% (286/375) Yr1) Output2.2: Men acquire skills and knowledge to transform beliefs that contribute to violence against women and girls This activity is ongoing. Female sessions have been completed for EMAP, however due to the % of men participating in EMAP who heavy rains it was difficult to 70% (of 500 demonstrate a decrease in harmful beliefs 75% (of 1000 500 in Yr 1, access some communities and 67% {of 5 surveyed} women in towards women regarding gender roles and women in Yr2) 1000 in Yr 2 the EMAP sessions for the men Yr1) violence toward women and girls. had to be postponed. This will be reported on during the next reporting period.

% of women participating in EMAP who 70% (of 500 86% {of 370 75% (of 1000 500 in Yr 1, report that their voices and ideas were women in 86% (356/429) surveyed} women in Yr2) 1000 in Yr 2 respected by male participants Yr1) This activity is ongoing. Female sessions have been completed for EMAP, however due to the % of men participating in EMAP who 50% (of 500 heavy rains it was difficult to 60% (of 1000 500 in Yr 1, demonstrate being an ally to women and 81% {of 5 surveyed} women in access some communities and women in Yr2) 1000 in Yr 2 girls Yr1) the EMAP sessions for the men had to be postponed. This will be reported on during the next reporting period. Outcome 3: Strengthened GBV response, coordination and referral pathways GBV service directory for Kenema validated No Yes Yes Yes by MSWGCA Output 3.1: Women are aware of the NRP and local services for GBV

% of women and girls knowledgeable on at 60% (of 500 79% (396/500) – and this 41% {of 370 70% (of 1000 500 in Yr 1, least one of the Sierra Leone National legal women in corresponds to data being surveyed} women in Yr2) 1000 in Yr 2 sanctions aimed at GBV Yr1) collected for the 1st time in July 2019 79% (396/500) – and this % of women who can correctly identify 85% (of 500 51% {of 370 90% (of 1000 500 in Yr 1, corresponds to data being where to seek GBV services in their women in surveyed} women in Yr2) 1000 in Yr 2 collected for the 1st time in July communities Yr1) 2019 % of GBV survivors who present for GBV care 23.5% {of 370 50 in Yr 1, 80 / services at the WAG centre who receive 85% (of 50) 100% (80) 100% (58/58) surveyed} in Yr 2 assistance within one week of an incident Output 3.2: Women can access GBV services % of women and girls who report having 60% (of 500 experienced GBV who receive support from 44% {of 370 70% (of 1000 500 in Yr 1, women in 100% (58/58) the GBV response fund surveyed} women in Yr2) 1000 in Yr 2 Yr1) (***USAID Custom Indicators - Indicator 2) # of people reached by POWER project (USG 1,051 funded) intervention providing GBV services 25 {6% of 370 400 {40% of 1200 {60% of 1000 in Yr 1, (500 VSLA Women. 493 (e.g., health, legal, psycho-social counseling, surveyed} 1000 in Yr1} 2000 in Yr2} 2000 in Yr 2 Spouses, 58 Survivors received shelters, hotlines, other) GBV respond fund) (***USAID Standard Indicator GNDR-6)

VI. Partnership and Coordination In December 2018, IRC and USAID held a partnership inception meeting in Freetown. The meeting was attended by the IRC’s Deputy Director of Programs, WGPE Coordinator, M&E Coordinator and the Senior Program Manager, while USAID was represented by the Agreement Officer Representative and the Programs Manager. Discussions revolved around the implementation of the program and the work plan, indicators, data quality and plans for field visits. In project quarter one (October – December 2018) the IRC Senior Program Manager attended a partner’s coordination meeting at the British Council auditorium, organized by the Maada and Fatima Bio Foundation on how organizations can collaborate in addressing women and girls issues in the country. This led to the formation of a working group on supporting the ‘Hands off our Girls’ campaign of the First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone. As the fight against harmful traditional practices intensifies, collaboration and knowledge sharing on best practices of changing the tides is of utmost importance, in line with this, the Senior Program Manager attended a four days’ workshop on the -“ENOUGH CAMPAIGN” organized by OXFAM. This is part of OXFAM’s global campaign to end violence against women and girls through various community awareness and engagement mechanisms. This was also an opportunity to share information about the work that IRC is doing in the Kenema district through the POWER Project. The IRC organized six GBV coordination monthly meetings for GBV response partners in the first year of the project; five of these were held at the MSWGCA conference hall Kenema in April, May, June, July and September, while the August coordination meeting was held in Freetown at the IRC’s conference hall. Discussions at these meetings focused on how GBV partners can continue to work amicably in addressing GBV issues, especially with the increase in the number of reported cases. This has led to better collaboration between partners who invite each other to relevant meetings on GBV issues and share learnings from experiences in the field. The findings of the five joint GBV response

monitoring visits (see page 17) were also shared with all stakeholders present. Participants at each meeting included the MSWGCA Deputy Director and one of her staff, a representative from the Rainbo Initiative, one representative each from the FSU, GOAL, Humanist Watch, 50/50, the Legal Aid Board, AdvocAid, the Kenema District Council, SEND Foundation, Community Action for Rural Development (CARD-SL) and two from the IRC. In order to expand the IRC’s reach with partners at the national level, the August coordination meeting was held in Freetown on the 7thAugust 2019. This meeting brought together 12 (9 Females 3 Males) participants. The head of FSU Freetown East division, the gender lead at the MSWGCA, and one officer each from the Rainbo Centre, LIFT-Salone, Matei Initiative for Empowerment Programs for Sustainable Development (MATCOPS), Initiative for Women and Girls Empowerment (IWGE) participated. Each of these organizations presented their work in improving the lives of women and girls in Sierra Leone, including successes and challenges they have encountered. This meeting provided the IRC and its partners with an opportunity for networking and sharing ideas with other GBV responders in the country. Throughout all of the coordination meetings at both the district and national level, the issues of inadequate Police presence in some areas came up as a huge challenge. The FSU is understaffed and has received limited budget allocation for operations. Discussions also centered on the possibility of the Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs establishing safe homes which would provide emergency protection for GBV survivors and where they will be able to have the full package of support (medical, psychosocial and access to the police) as well as limit the chances of compromise from family members. Partners would then be able to link communities with this safe home. The professional relationship established between the IRC and the Kenema District Council remains cordial. On 30th September 2019, the IRC’s Field Coordinator and the WGPE Senior Program Manager attended the monthly meeting held in Blama, in the Small Bo chiefdom of Kenema district, where updates were given by the Senior Program Manager. This was well received by the other participants and the District Council Chairman who also made a request for the expansion of the project. Also the MSWGCA Deputy Director sends reports on POWER to the National Office in Freetown. The Gender Desk officer at the District Council follows what is happening with the POWER project and reports on it to the Council Chair and his committee. VII. Travel and Technical Assistance (TA) IRC POWER staff have benefitted from technical assistance from colleagues in the West Africa region through the facilitation and co-facilitation of the EMAP trainer trainings. The two facilitators were the Women and Child Protection and Prevention Manager from IRC-Liberia and the EA$E officer from IRC-Nigeria. USAID has conducted their first project monitoring visit to the POWER project in the Kenema district during the last week of March 2019. The three day visit saw the engagement of key stakeholders in the district and visits to three communities, two in Simbaru Chiefdom –Payela where the team witnessed a VSLA session and Borborbu where WAGs were engaged in a discussion about their work and the impact so far. The last community to be visited was Jao community in Dama Chiefdom, where the team met with the VSLA women who spoke about their experiences in the VSLA group and how it has affected their lives for the better.

During the visit courtesy calls were made to the Kenema District Council, the MSWGCA, and to Justice Ansumana Ivan Sesay, a High Court Judge and State Counsel Ms. Umu Sumaray to establish links between them and the POWER project in the district. The Judge and Ms. Sumaray had previously been sponsored by USAID to attend a workshop in Rwanda on Child Trafficking and the USAID team made the introduction to the IRC to facilitate collaboration on the dissemination of the gender laws and National Referral Pathways. During the period under-review the project benefitted from a three-day business development skills training by Technical Advisors from IRC’s Economic Recovery and Development Unit and the IRC West Africa Region Cash Specialist. The training was held from the 11-14th June 2019 at the Ericson Hall in Kenema. In order to continue supporting staff with the required knowledge and skills for cash disbursement to communities, the West Africa Cash Specialist led a three-day training workshop for all IRC staff (including staff members from POWER), in Freetown from the18-20th June 2019. The EMAP/EA$E Specialist attended a weeklong training in Uganda on “Listen Up” project together with the Human Resources and Administration Coordinator. The “Listen Up” project is part of several strategies by which the IRC ensures the “Prevention of Sexual Harassment, Exploitation and Abuse” in the workplace and in the communities. The Senior Program Manager attended the Women and Girls Protection and Empowerment global learning forum in Bangkok, Thailand from the 17-21st June 2019, bringing together IRC WGPE Coordinators, Senior Program Managers and other Technical Advisors to share learning and best practices in the sphere of women and girls protection. The POWER Site Manager supported the DFID-funded project Every Adolescent Girl Empowerment and Resilient (EAGER) and partners in facilitating child protection and GBV core concepts in Kono and Freetown. This project collaboration enhances inter-organizational learning and ensures that the same GBV core concepts are applied by all IRC staff. VIII. Financial Analysis (Please see SF425) IX. Publications and Reports

Success Stories MY DREAM COMES TRUE 40 year old Mamie Kandeh, lives in Simbaru chiefdom, and is the town chief for the community. She is married with two children and lives with her daughter in law. For over five years Mamie has been in the business of selling slippers, sugar and batteries in small quantities. She said, “My dream is to have a shop and to expand on my business”. This dream of expanding her business has always been hindered by a lack of funds. She is not supported by her husband and states that, “I have no one to support me despite being a town chief in my community. The proceeds from my backyard garden is not enough for me to expand on my business”. She used to raise funds for her business by using a local “cash box” made from wood to Mamie displaying her ID card and her envelope keep her savings, but this was never safe as her son would often after receiving her cash grant payment in her break the box and take whatever she had managed to save. As a community. result, she was never able to save enough to move her business from a small tabletop to a proper shop. Although she also engages in farming, the proceeds from that is minimal. In January 2019, Mamie joined the VSLA group in Paniga, and made weekly contributions. At first she was scared that the weekly contributions to the VSLA box would be difficult for her to make as her business was small and sales were slow. “When I became part of the group, I never thought it would be easy to save money and also secure loans as and when needed”, she said. Being able to make her weekly savings to the VSLA and knowing that this would give her access to loans were clear pointers that her dream of having a shop would be possible as she would one day have enough savings to do so or be able to loan enough to make her dream come true. Mamie Kandeh attended all the business sessions that were held in her community, where she acquired knowledge of business methodologies, basic record keeping, and customer care and relations. As part of the POWER project activities, each of the women participating in the VSLAs received a grant of Le 786,000.00 ($90) to be used to expand their current businesses or start new business ventures. Mamie was overjoyed to receive this grant and stated that with this money she could now see how she could fulfil her dream of owning a shop. Mamie is also due to receive her share of the group’s one year Share Out in October 2019, when all savings made over the year will be distributed with interest.

FROM TEARS TO JOY Baindu Vandy is a 25 year old mother of two living in Dodo Chiefdom. Like several women in this Chiefdom, Baindu has gone through turbulent times that deprived her of her childhood. When she reached the age of 17, her parents asked her to start contributing to support the family and requested that she find a man who would pay for her initiation into the women’s secret society (Bondo). She was told that graduating from the secret society would pave the way for her to get a potential spouse. Baindu was in tears as she recounted this period in her life. She said, “At such a tender age I started going out with men to support my family and save money for my initiation”. Finally she met a man who was willing to pay for her initiation and who Baindu Vandy later became her husband. A year after the initiation, Baindu became pregnant and had her first child. The joy of being married and having a baby, however, was short-lived as her husband abandoned her for another woman in a nearby village. Left with a child to take care of, Baindu’s life became more of a struggle as she had no support from anywhere. She worked on a neighbor’s farm to make ends meet and wasn’t able to afford proper medical care for her child. During this time, she started another relationship which she hoped would last, as this man seemed more caring, but he also left her just after she had her second child. During the birth of this child, she suffered from complications which left her paralyzed. At the time she thought she would die and actually wanted to do so, but she grew to accept her condition and life went on. It was at this time that her friend Yatta, helped her set up a business producing palm kernel oil. When the POWER project started in Patama, Baindu was chosen by her community to be a part of it, but she lacked the confidence to mingle with the other women. Her friend Yatta again encouraged her to join the group and to attend meetings. When she started attending meetings regularly, Baindu found that she settled down and was able to talk to others in the group. She says, “When I go to meetings my fellow women encourage me to be strong and I always feel happy when I go to meetings”. Baindu’s palm kernel oil business started yielding profit, and she was able to expand her business to include selling items such as salt and pepper. Through this, she was able to make her regular contributions to the VSLA group while supporting her two children. Baindu paid keen attention during the business development skills training that her VSLA group received as part of the POWER Project and asked questions for proper understanding. As a result of the business plan that she was able to develop during the training, she received a grant of Le 786,000 ($90) to expand her business. Baindu was overjoyed to have this opportunity and said, “I can now boast of having a million Leones of my own which I never thought I would ever get in my whole life, I feel so much joy at this moment!”

X. Major Constraints/Challenges and Actions to Overcome Them

 At the start of the project, one of the main challenges was the unavailability of motorbikes for the community officers to use to be able to move between their assigned communities. However, this challenge was easily solved as bikes from other WGPE projects that were not being used were requested and repaired for use by POWER community workers.  The weather continues to affect the road network in the region, sometimes making it impassable and difficult to reach project communities. During this reporting period, on the 17th September 2019 the IRC vehicle transporting the payment team for grant distribution got stuck in mud on the way to Woroma community for the first day of the grant distribution. This affected the first day of grant disbursement in Niawa Chiefdom as the team was unable to gain access to the planned communities, however the team tried again the next day and were able to make it through. On the 19th September another grant distribution team on the way to Ngiehun community in Dama Chiefdom also got stuck due to poor road conditions. As a result, the team have decided that future grant distribution payments should be undertaken during the dry season to avoid the bad road conditions as a result of the heavy rain fall.  The VSLA women in the chiefdoms of Niawa and Dama found it hard to save as they were already members of a traditional saving plan in their community – the Osusu. This is a plan in which everyone contributes each month to a general pot, and each month a member of the community is allowed to take the pot – this is done on a rotational basis. However the women were encouraged to begin to save more with the VSLA once the cycle of the Osusu was completed. The main difference between the two methods of saving was highlighted to them as with the Osusu plan, the pot does not grow as there is no interest and one has to wait until it is their turn to take the pot, which is not the case with the VSLA. Although the growth in members of the Osusu, guarantees a bigger pot, it also means a longer wait for their turn.

XI. Priorities during next reporting period

The following are the priorities for the next reporting period:  The selection of 20 new communities in the four chiefdoms for the second phase of the project. The selection of the second set of 500 women for the second year of the project will include the most vulnerable and those that are doing petty trading.  The establishment of 20 New VSLAs in all 20 new communities based on the following criteria: Communities have not received any development interventions for the past five years; communities with limited livelihood options for women; and communities that currently do not have any VSLAs. In each community, 25 women will be selected to take part in the VSLA group. These women will develop by-laws, including VSLA meeting schedules and contribution amounts. The elected VSLA executive for each group will also be trained by IRC staff on group management and leadership to support the smooth running of the organization.  The registration of VSLA groups as Community Based Organizations: Each of the 20 VSLA groups will be registered with the MSWGCA, the Kenema District Council and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry paving the way for them to be able to advocate for themselves and access other supports and financial aid.  The installation of project sign posts in all 20 communities of the project.