Fostering Accountability and Transparency (FACT) in Zambia Quarterly Report
Fostering Accountability and Transparency (FACT) in Zambia
Quarterly Report January 1 to March 31, 2018
A community school in Chief Sandwe receives tree seedlings
Submission Date: April 30, 2018 Submitted by: Belma Ejupovic, Vice President-Programs Agreement Number: Counterpart International AID-611-14-L-00001 2345 Crystal Drive, Suite 301 Arlington, VA 22202 USA Submitted to: Tel: 571-447-5700 Edward DeMarco, USAID Zambia AOR Email: [email protected]
This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development, Zambia (USAID/Zambia). It was prepared by Counterpart International.
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
AOR Agreement Officer’s Representative ART Anti-Retroviral Treatment COMACO Community Markets for Conservation COP Country Operational Plan (PEPFAR) CRB Community Resource Boards CSPR Civil Society for Poverty Reduction CSO Civil Society Organization DAC District Advocacy Committee DDCC District Development Coordinating Committee DEBS District Education Board Secretary DESO District Education Standards Officer DHMT District Health Management Team ESSP Education and Skills Sector Plan FACT Fostering Accountability and Transparency GRZ Government of the Republic of Zambia HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus ICT Information and Communications Technology LAG Lobbying and Advocacy Group LWA Leader with Associates Award MCH Maternal and Child Health MoGE Ministry of General Education NAPA National Adaptation Program of Action NDP National Development Plan NHC Neighborhood Health Committee OD Organizational Development PCSC Parent Community School Committee PEPFAR President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief PODA Participatory Organizational Development Assessment PTA Parent Teacher Association REFLECT Regenerative Freirian Literacy through Empowering Community Techniques RFA Request for Applications RICAP Rise Community Aid Program 7NDP Seventh National Development Plan SMAG Safe Motherhood Action Group TALC Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign USG United States Government USAID United States Agency for International Development WECSZ Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia WFC Women for Change ZANEC Zambian National Education Coalition ZINGO Zambia Interfaith Networking Group ZOCS Zambia Open Community School
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ...... 2 I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... 4 1.2 Program Description/Introduction ...... 5 1.3 Summary of Key Accomplishments during Reporting Period ...... 7 II. PROGRAM AND ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS ...... 8 2.1 Implementation Status ...... 8 Objective 1: Strengthen capacity of local CSOs to enhance delivery and oversight of public service delivery in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment sectors ...... 8 Objective 2: Improved engagement between citizens and government service providers in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment sectors to improve service delivery…………………………………...... 12 III. PROGRAM PRIORITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER ...... 17 Objective 1: Strengthen capacity of local CSOs to enhance delivery and oversight of public service delivery in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment sectors ...... 17 Objective 2: Improved engagement between citizens and government service providers in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment sectors to improve service delivery …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….17 IV. INTEGRATION OF CROSSCUTTING ISSUES ...... 18 4.1 USAID Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy ...... 18 V. COLLABORATING, LEARNING AND ADAPTING ...... 18 5.1 Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing with other USAID Activities ...... 18 5.2 Collaboration and Coordination with other Key Stakeholders ...... 19 5.3 Program Challenges ...... 20 5.4 Lessons Learned ...... 20 5.5 Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (MELP) Update ...... 21 5.6 Adaptive Management ...... 21 VI.AGREEMENT MANAGEMENT ...... 21 6.1 Management/Administration ...... 21 6.2 Financial Management ...... 21 Annex A: FACT CSO Partners ...... 23 Annex B: FY18 Indicators Performance Table ...... 24 Annex C: Success Stories ...... 28
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I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
During this quarter, FACT partners continued to contribute to broaden civic space for citizen participation through several interventions. Notable among these was the discussion on decentralization and the opportunity that it presents for enhanced citizen and civic organization participation. Rise Community Aid Program (RICAP) conducted targeted trainings and community sensitization in the four wards in Kafue district, a key priority district for decentralization in Lusaka province. In recognition of RICAP’s contribution, they were elected as ex-officio on the four Ward Development Committees (WDC). The organization has managed to influence the inclusion of youth and persons with disability on the committees to ensure equal representation. The WDCs represent the lowest decision-making body at district level. In the same period, Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) continued partnering with key government ministries to monitor and enhance citizen participation in national level policy framing and implementation. This has resulted in the agreement to design and administer a score card that will be rolled out twice a year to examine the state of implementation of the citizen participation and enabling governance environment as a key element in the successful implementation of the 7NDP. The score card presents civil society, government and other stakeholders an immense opportunity to monitor and track progress on the implementation of the 7NDP with respect to level and depth of citizen participation, something that has been a concern over the years. Through its capacity strengthening activities, FACT completed Participatory Organizational Development Assessments (PODA) with four partners, Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC), Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign (TALC), Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO), and the Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASD). A media training was also conducted for all FACT partners to explore the opportunities for media engagement, broaden CSO visibility as a channel for capturing diverse audiences and broaden their civic education outreach work. During the training, partners developed clear action plans, with COMACO, RICAP and Zambia Inter-Faith Networking Group (ZINGO) expressing a desire for additional support to help them create robust relationships with various media agencies and better media outreach activities. FACT will follow up with the partners next quarter. FACT continued to build its external relationships as a way of strengthening the influencing work and better understanding of the contextual environment in which accountable governance is pursued. Notable under this period is the engagement on the social accountability strategy of the Ministry of Health, sharing experiences with other like-minded organizations, and creating better links with other USAID projects. There is more heightened understanding of FACT’s work, and how it might support similar social accountability initiatives within Zambia.
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1.2 Program Description/Introduction
In September 2014, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded the Associate Cooperative Agreement No. AID-611-14-L-00001, under the Leader with Associates Cooperative Agreement No. DFD-A-00-09-00141-00, to Counterpart International (Counterpart) to implement the Fostering Accountability and Transparency (FACT) in Zambia program. FACT is a 5½-year, $6.4 million program that began on September 30, 2014 and will conclude on March 31, 2020. The goal of FACT is to improve the enabling governance environment of Zambia by increasing citizen demand for effective, transparent, and accountable service delivery. FACT focuses on engaging a range of sector-specific Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to strengthen and increase meaningful engagement among Zambian civil society, citizens and the state. FACT aims to achieve this goal through the following two (2) objectives: 1) Strengthening capacity of local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to enhance delivery and oversight of public service delivery in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment sectors; and 2) Improving engagement between citizens and government service providers in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment sectors to improve service delivery. FACT is being implemented in two of Zambia’s ten provinces namely Lusaka and Eastern Provinces. In these provinces, FACT is being implemented in 8 districts. These are Lusaka province: Lusaka, Kafue and Shibuyunji and Eastern province: Nyimba, Chipata, Lundazi, Mambwe and Petauke. Theory of Change The theory of change for FACT is that citizen demand for accountable and transparent public service delivery will increase if the ability and capacity of citizens, CSOs, and the other non-state actors to hold the state accountable for enhanced service delivery is strengthened. As the demand grows from citizens and civil society the theory of changes envisages that the government of the Republic of Zambia will respond positively to improve the delivery of services/ See Figure 1 below for the theory of change that guides FACT.
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Figure 1. FACT program Theory of Change
Reading Figure 1 from left to right, FACT is contributing to the progressive transformation of citizen engagement and service delivery improvements. FACT’s work in this space is part of a much wider range of factors that lead to upgraded government service delivery and improvement in development indicators. On August 30, 2017, Counterpart’s cooperative agreement was modified to incorporate the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) in the FACT program. The modification increased the total estimated funds by US$ 500,000 to US$ 6,400,000 and extended the period of performance by six months from September 29, 2019 to March 31, 2020. Consequently, the FACT program will remain focused on the delivery of services in the education, health, HIV/AIDS, sustainable livelihood and environment sectors, but will also work to strengthen capacity of civil society to engage more effectively in the Zambia EITI (ZEITI).
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1.3 Summary of Key Accomplishments during Reporting Period
Government Engagement:
• Rise Community Aid Program (RICAP) hosted a decentralization stakeholders meeting in February which culminated their nomination as ex-officio on the four Ward Development Committees of Shabusale, Kafue, Matanda and Kansenje wards in Kafue District. Kafue is among the districts chosen for phase two of the implementation of the decentralization process. RICAP has been conducting social accountability trainings and civic awareness on rights in the education and health services to build citizen capacity and participation in public service delivery and oversight. The ex-officio status is an oversight role that provides community based organizations the opportunity to engage with decision making at the lowest decentralized level within a local authority and ensure greater adherence to rules and procedures as defined in the Standing orders of local authority governance and management. This will allow RICAP significant positioning to influence and ensure local priority setting for the use of resources and in particular the Constituency Development Funds are utilized in an accountable and transparent manner to ensure quality of public services. • As a follow- up to the action plans for the Zambian Interfaith Networking Group (ZINGO) facilitated September 2017 community score card, Nyimba District Health Management Office provided bicycles and First Aid kits to the two community health workers that had been trained for Kamono community, to support their community outreach efforts. • Community Markets for Conservation (COMACO) successfully held their Chipata Provincial Roundtable that culminated in a more robust partnership of the government, traditional leaders and COMACO farmers towards the agreement on the memorandum of understanding for the effective implementation of conservation plans. • Women for Change (WfC) held meetings with Vitalite, a company specializing in improved stoves, to explore potential for alternate livelihoods to create greater commitment to conservation efforts and sustainable forest use. The partnership has the potential to broaden the livelihoods options for those that have stopped illegal charcoal production. It has the potential for multiple gains- alternate energy options reducing open fire cooking; provide incomes for those that wish to engage in the promotion and sale of the cook stoves; and perhaps importantly provide a market for the households in Chief Sandwe area under the new Statutory Act that provides for the registration and management of community forests from which members can derive an income through sale of woodlots, and other forest products. • Civil Society for Poverty Reduction (CSPR) hosted a stakeholder meeting in March, at which government and CSOs have agreed to design and administer a bi-annual score card on the fifth pillar on enabling a conductive governance environment for citizen
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participation. This provides CSPR with unprecedented opportunity to monitor government national development plans and processes and allocation of resources to priority sectors. This does give CSOs influence the effective delivery of government’s commitment to strengthen citizen participation in national development efforts.
Constituency development
• Women for Change conducted their Most Significant Change exercise to identify stories of change that depict key changes occurring as a result of the community forestry project. Stories include strengthened relationship among the community based natural resources management boards (CBNRMB), forestry department and the department of wildlife and national parks resulting in better policing and adherence to by-laws and regulations. The collection of success stories provides FACT with some evidence of the impact of the community forestry accountability project that WFC is implementing in Chief Sandwe’s area as it provides examples of how accountability and citizen participation can influence how forests are utilized and managed. • Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASD) commissioned a scoping exercise of CSOs and stakeholders involved in Maternal, neonatal and Child Health (MNCH) in Lusaka and Eastern provinces. The scoping has led to the development of the CSOs and stakeholders’ directory, a resource which will be used to engage different stakeholders involved in MNCH for purposes of learning and strengthening the MNCH advocacy constituency. Over 40 CSOs and stakeholders have been identified in Lusaka and Eastern Provinces.
II. PROGRAM AND ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS
2.1 Implementation Status
Objective 1: Strengthen capacity of local CSOs to enhance delivery and oversight of public service delivery in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment sectors
Result Area 1.1: Increased strategic capacity of civil society organizations to foster citizen engagement a) Grants Modification During the period under review, Counterpart completed the year 2 modifications for Zambian National Education Coalition (ZANEC) and CSPR, thereby extending their awards from January 2018 to January 2019. For CSPR, the key focus will be on building CSO and citizen participation in the 7NDP which will include the design and administration of a community score card bi-annually to track achievements in implementing the fifth pillar. The fifth pillar recognizes the critical role
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of citizens in the implementation of the 7NDP, and outlines key outcomes for how this will be progressed. For ZANEC, the modification is to continue interaction and influencing the education reform process with a special focus on eastern province examining the issues arising from the National Implementation Framework (NIF) evaluation conducted in 2017.
b) CSO Organizational Development Assessment and Institutional Development FACT completed Participatory Organizational Development Assessments (PODAs) for ZANEC, Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign (TALC), COMACO and ASD in February 2018 as depicted in Table 1 below. This was the first PODA round for ASD and the first anniversary assessments for COMACO, TALC and ZANEC.
ZOCS ZINGO COMACO ASD ZANEC TALC First First First First First Baseli Baseli Baselin Functional Areas Baseline Annivers Baseline Anniver Baseline Anniv Anniv Anniv ne ne e Under Review ary sary ersary ersary ersary 1. Leadership and 3.4 4.0 4.0 4.0 3.0 3.4 3.6 4.0 4.0 2.6 2.6 Strategic Planning 2. Program Management 3.2 3.9 3.0 3.4 3.0 3.3 3.3 3.6 3.9 3.6 3.8 and Quality Control 3. Accounting and 3.0 3.9 3.9 4.0 3.7 4.0 3.8 3.8 3.9 3.7 3.7 Financial Management 4. Financial 3.8 4.0 3.4 3.3 3.5 3.5 2.0 2.6 2.9 3.0 2.9 Sustainability 5. Human and Material 3.0 3.8 3.6 3.4 3.4 3.5 2.9 3.1 3.2 3.2 3.4 Resources 6. External Relationships & 3.1 3.7 2.5 2.9 3.3 3.6 3.1 3.0 3.4 3.3 3.3 Partnerships CSO Average Score across 6 functional 3.2 3.9 3.4 3.5 3.3 3.5 3.4 3.5 3.7 3.4 3.4 areas
Table 1: PODA Results for ZANEC, COMACO TALC and ASD
ASD scored the baseline average score of 3.4 with the lowest functional area score in financial sustainability at 2.0. The Alliance is only now beginning to organize in a more formal manner due to support from FACT which is critical in building the Alliance’s membership and presence in Eastern and Lusaka provinces, strengthening its organizational systems and procedures and building greater capacity for its advocacy role and capabilities. This agreement with FACT is its first long-term funding and a stepping stone to building its capacity to diversify its funding and secure financial sustainability. For the three partners who underwent the first anniversary assessment PODAs, two partners, COMACO and ZANEC showed slight improvements from 3.3 to 3.4 and 3.5 to 3.7 respectively. TALC maintained the score as at the first round PODA at 3.4 average point. Going by functional areas, ZANEC improved in all the six functional areas while COMACO improved in five with the financial sustainability remaining at year one score. TALC improved in two functional areas of program management and quality control, maintained in three areas of leadership and strategic
9 | P a g e planning, accounting and financial management, and external relations and partnerships and reduced in financial sustainability. The next step is to review the actions plans and decide which actions can be supported by FACT, and how partners plan to build capacity in those areas that FACT cannot support. The biggest challenge with the administration of the participatory Lilian Kiefer - PANOS' Executive Director during the organizational development assessments is the fact media training that partners have not adopted the yearly assessments as an integral part of their organizational capacity strengthening. Assessments are still seen predominately as a donor requirement and a necessary ‘evil’ for funding. This does present a huge challenge because CSOs do not have a more comprehensive way of assessing their strengths and weaknesses. They fail to build strong and vibrant organizations that have the organizational and technical capacity for sustainable growth. This would stem from a lack of sustained funding due to the project focused nature of most funding modalities. c) Capacity Building and Cascading Skills in Policy Advocacy Media Training To strengthen the civic engagement and advocacy initiatives of its CSO partners, in January FACT hosted a media training. The aim was to explore how media can be a critical medium for message dissemination and influencing. Different media channels and outlets were examined including social media and how to build media relationships that are impactful. The training explored issues such as understanding how to write, package and communicate advocacy messages, and work with the media in Zambia across all genres (print, radio, television and social media). Participants were taken through a process of developing media messages and drafting stories of success, including “This training has been very helpful how to target different audiences using blogs, because it has opened my eyes and social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook, helped me to clarify the relationships and LinkedIn, and how to engage with community between audiences, messages, channels, radio, private and public radio channels, and how activities and materials… we take it for to produce outputs for print media such as the daily granted that it’s a one size fits all. You newspapers. Other trips included how to build will find that each of our audiences have media relations, write press releases, how to very unique characteristics, needs, and motivations. Through a well laid out organize and manage press conferences. A key communication plan, I think we will be output of the training was the design of more effective in how we communicate communication plans for each participating with our beneficiaries.” organization.
Geoffrey Mazunda COMACO Programs Officer
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Partners Activities
d) Constituency Development • RICAP organized community sensitization meetings to discuss the decentralization process in Kafue district and how and why citizens should participate activity in the establishment of the Ward Development Committees (WDCs). The WDCs are the lowest level of decision-making at district level responsible for identifying key developmental issues, challenges in public services delivery and planning public services that are needed in each ward. Kafue district has sixteen wards and RICAP is working in four of these. The net result of the sensitization was the incorporation of the ex-officio members of the WDCs that include youth and women from the RICAP community advocacy structures, teachers and health personnel and other influential citizens within the ward. An estimated total of 549 community members were reached through the 3 open air drama performances held in February and March 2018. • Women for Change held a media training to help the community representatives understand the value of using different media to disseminate information and build awareness among diverse audiences. The training is to help the CBNRMBs to raise awareness about their work and increase knowledge for forest management among the Petauke population. The training also explored the need and the importance of developing communications strategy that explain why, how and which media form an organization or group will use to promote and share information on its cause. Result Area 1.2: Sustainable strategic alliances and issue-based partnership development among CSOs a) Reinforce cross-sectoral advocacy networks and coalitions • Alliance for Sustainable Development (ASD) has developed a directory of member organizations in Eastern and Lusaka province identifying the key players in the maternal, neonatal and child sector with the view to broadening the constituency membership of the Maternal, Neonatal and Child health Alliance in Zambia. The directory lists over 40 CSOs and stakeholders. In addition, the scoping exercise identified areas of networking and collaboration that members can engage with, including resource mobilization; national policy frameworks on maternal, neonatal and child health; and broadening the evidence for what works in public service delivery for maternal and child health services. • RICAP conducted a training on social accountability in education for Child Fund-an international organization working in child rights and education present in Kafue-with a focus on the community scorecard as a viable tool for monitoring public services. This was a huge opportunity to broaden the social accountability space and enhance accountable education service delivery for Kafue district and in other areas that Child Fund has a presence in Zambia. Importantly, the collaboration will help increase the policy advocacy influencing of CSOs in the education sector.
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• CSPR organized an interface meeting with government ministries, CSOs, media and other stakeholders to discuss the fifth pillar of the 7 NDP and to design and institute a scorecard to track implementation of the same. To design the scorecard, CSPR called for the interface meeting to build consensus among the key players, get government build-in and commitment, examine the role of CSOs in the implementation of the focus area, and examine the policy and legal framework that is necessary to effectively implement this key performance area. A key output was that participants agreed on the score-card indicator parameters that can be used to draft the scorecard. Once the scorecard has been agreed the plan is to administer it bi-annually to track progress in achieving the 5th pillar of the 7NDP through the next five years. This partnership between government and CSOs provides an opportunity for citizens to be actively engaged in influencing national development policy, and holding government accountable to the implementation of the 7NDP.
b) Facilitate alliances with private sector, academia and think tanks To create synergies and support the CBNRMBs to explore alternative livelihood options, WfC visited Vitalite Company to learn about the eco-charcoal stoves they are promoting and identify opportunities for collaboration. The meeting and potential for partnership presents an important opportunity for FACT to build the capacity of households in Chief Sandwe’s area to identify options for livelihoods especially given the on-going question of how do households which have stopped ‘illegal’ charcoal production find alternative livelihoods. The eco-charcoal stoves would also potentially provide the communities with a sustained source of income under the newly enacted community forestry Act because communities will be able reserve forests, register the forest reserves and earn from the sale of forest products and wood lots. There are also additional health benefits for households that adopt the eco-charcoal stoves in that their stoves are smokeless and energy efficient.
Objective 2: Improved engagement between citizens and government service providers in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment sectors to improve service delivery
Result Area 2.1: Strengthened citizen oversight in the delivery of education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment activities. a) Assess government engagement and opportunities for dialogue
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COMACO held the Annual Provincial Roundtable Forum that brings together government, farmers and traditional leaders to explore developments in natural resources conservation. Several issues were discussed that included greater support services from government to farmer groups, government initiatives that would benefit farmers and traditional leaders’ efforts at conservation of the natural resources, and greater effort for community policing and safeguarding including provisions of identity cards for the Eastern Province Permanent Secretary, Mr. Chanda Kasolo, community natural resources boards and opening the Round Table meeting farmer leaders for ease of recognition and better cooperation from the communities. In addition, the translation of the Community Conservation Plans (CCPs) into Chinyanja was commended as it will ease learning and community sensitization efforts. Thirty CCPs were distributed to 30 producer cooperatives in 30 chiefdoms. There are plans to generate more copies for all village headmen whose villages are adjacent to the established Community Conservation Areas. Other issues discussed included the need for inclusion of conservation activities and inputs in Farmer Input Support Program (FISP) to enhance conservation program implementation and support small scale farmers engage in sustainable farming practices. The provision of fast growing plants such as glicidia will accelerate restoration of fertility to exhausted soils and vegetation cover which will be a plus to climate change mitigation and poverty reduction. Important was the recognition of greater government extension services to monitor and enhance adoption. The Provincial Roundtable is becoming an important forum at which government at the highest office in eastern province can engage with key stakeholders on the promotion of conservation efforts in the province. RICAP hosted the district dialogue forum on decentralization to support the Kafue District authorities in examining the status as priority district for the implementation of the decentralization process for Lusaka province. The forum explored the significance of this pronouncement, implications for development agenda in Kafue district and the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders from government, line ministries, CSOs and other civic organizations. Important was the need to understand how different stakeholders will be affected, implications for citizen participation, and the guidelines for a successful implementation of the process.
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RICAP also conducted a public dialogue forum to promote dialogue between government and citizens. Present at the forum were community participatory structures from both health and education namely NHCs, PTC and PCSC, the elected WDC members and heads of public service delivery points in health and education and district level decision makers from DEBS’ and DHO’s office. 78 representatives were present at the forum. A key outcome of this dialogue was the appointment of RICAP by the district authorities to Drama performance during a RICAP train the WDCs in accountability and rights to support their community dialogue planning and priority setting responsibilities in development project planning at ward level. ZOCS held a Public Dialogue Forum in February that was attended by 45 participants (27 Males & 18 Females) representing different institutions. Among them were representatives from the local government, DEBS, local CSOs and other key stakeholders. The dialogue was to follow up on the actions from the 2016 PDF. The issues identified at the 2016 PDF included: Inadequate Classrooms; lack of community sensitization on the roles of different stakeholders and insufficient information and understanding on government guidelines for establishing community school; inadequate teaching and learning materials; and a lack of clean water and poor sanitation. Since, the 2016 PDF, the DAC has engaged the district education boards and other stakeholders to work on resolving some of the issues raised. Some of the key achievements resulting from this engagement have been reported in earlier quarterly reports such as the provision of teaching and learning materials, deployment of trained teachers and the increased school grants from 200 in 2015 to 2000 in 2017. Other notable results include Chisomo Community School which received funding through the CDF to sink a borehole and provide water for the school toilets.
Result Area 2.2: Increase grassroot civil society participation in the education, health/HIV, sustainable livelihood and environment sectors a) Community Mobilization TALC held a review meeting on 27th March 2018 involving Chelstone Hospital staff and the community to review progress on the scorecard action points. Notable progress reported from the last scorecard included increased facility-assisted births from 9 to 20 from November 2017 to March 2018 because of the construction of the maternity ward. The establishment of the Community Adherence Groups (CAGs), which provide ART management services at community level, aided the decongestion of the overstretched hospital. The other progress reported was the reduced complaints on corrupt practices in service access and utilization from an average monthly of 5 complaints to only 1. The facility management took the corruption incidences
14 | P a g e seriously and set up a complaint call number. The hospital printed posters with clear guidelines on reporting procedures and has had these plastered around the hospital. b) Enhance citizen-government engagement mechanisms In its quarterly community monitoring meetings held in February, COMACO and the Chiefdom level taskforces for community conservation resolved that for the conservation plans initiative to work effectively, it is important that government extension workers across the three-line ministries are incorporated into the taskforce. They are also agreed that there is need for the district taskforces to conduct regular monitoring trips of the chiefdom level taskforces. This will strengthen the taskforces at the chiefdom level, and help them understand the support structures at the district and provincial levels. In addition, the Provincial Roundtable annual meeting will be further strengthened. In 2017, WFC-supported CBNRMBs held meetings with the district heads of departments for wildlife and parks and forestry to identify works in which the CBNRMs would be incorporated or strengthened to understand the guidelines under the wildlife and parks ACT that seeks to establish Community Resources Boards. The meeting was to avoid duplication and conflicts between the two groups and, importantly, to consolidate wildlife and forestry conservation and protection. In February 2018, these two grouping were facilitated to meet to among other gain better understanding of their roles and responsibilities and identify areas of mutual obligations. This meeting led to the establishment of joint action plans in Chief Sandwe’s area to better protect natural resources. During the quarter under review, RICAP held its quarterly review meeting on the education funding modalities at district level. The meeting was to enhance the monitoring and oversight role of the PTAs and PCSCs, and strengthen interactions with the district education boards office. A major resolution from the meeting was the agreement by the district education board to periodically post funding results for each school as a way of informing the community, school administration and PCSCs. This transparent display will help the school administration work with the PCSCs and PTA on better management of resources that are directed to each school and ensure greater accountability. Twenty-nine (29) participants attended the meeting including representatives from the DEBS’s offices and community participatory structures such as Ward Development Committee (WDC), Parent Teacher Committee (PTC) and Parent Community School Committee (PCSC). The importance of these meetings is not to just help build community awareness and understanding of the service delivery procedures and guidelines, but to build strong partnerships between the citizens and government and therefore strengthen citizen engagement, and the oversight role. The positive response by the district education board to post the funds disbursed to various schools and clearly outline the activities being funded is first and crucial step in accountable governance and strengthened oversight role of the communities and school management. This is especially important as decentralization progresses and greater citizen participation is a required.
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c) Civic Education in health, rights, education and environmental management • To support its efforts in promoting good conservation practices, COMACO procured 30 MP3 radios for COMACO Farm Talk Radio programs, pre-recorded trainings to support traditional leaders and lead farmer learning on aspects of conservation farming and environment management that is critical for their role in promotion of conservation. Female traditional leaders and lead farmers were deliberately targeted to ensure greater support and participation. In the same period, selected chiefs were interviewed for COMACO Farm Talk to share their views and experiences concerning the Chiefs’ Charters related to community conservation. The Chiefs’ Charter defines the rules and responsibilities of traditional leaders and other stakeholders in ensuring greater adherence to promotion of the conservation efforts in farming and natural resources management of the wildlife and game management areas. The Farm Talk shows are aired on community radio stations in Petauke and Lundazi, and reach a wide audience.
• Women for Change hosted a series of radio programs in conjunction with Petauke Explorers Radio Station. CBRNMB members discussed the forestry protection initiative in various communities in Petauke and what has been achieved since inception of the project. They also shared information on guidelines on forest management and by-laws on use and production of forest related products. As a result of these discussions, CBNRMB members in Maenad and Chizarila have increased their monitoring and have detained and confiscated illegally harvested timber. During the quarter under review, it was reported that 102 planks had been confiscated.
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III. PROGRAM PRIORITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER
Objective 1: Strengthen capacity of local CSOs to enhance delivery and oversight of public service delivery in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment sectors
1.1.b CSO Capacity Assessments and Institutional Strengthening
• Work with the partners to design capacity strengthening activities in line with gaps identified in the PODAs and the action plans that have a bearing on FACT’s work. • There is potential during the eastern province PDF for COMACO and WFC to strengthen linkages and identify clearer opportunities for learning exchanges to share experiences and lessons. • Conduct the network and coalition assessments. • Conduct the EITI mapping desk review. • Conduct the EITI pre-proposal workshop and issue RFP. • Issue Environment coalition RFP. 1.1.c Capacity building and cascading skills in Advocacy
• Conduct the Sustainable Agriculture training. • Develop a ‘How to’ guide on social and gender integration and mainstreaming in governance programing. 1.2.a Reinforce cross-sectoral advocacy networks and coalitions
• Host the Social accountability network and identify clear actions for enhancing the 2017 Symposium outcomes. i.e. develop a campaign strategy.
Objective 2: Improved engagement between citizens and government service providers in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment sectors to improve service delivery
2.1.a Assess government engagement & opportunities for dialogue
• Power mapping exercise for the health sector at district and sub-district levels in Nyimba and Shibuyunji. • Host the eastern provincial dialogue forum on best practice in natural resources governance through the dissemination of the environment scoping findings.
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2.1.c Social Accountability Approaches
• Roll out of harmonized approach to the use of community score card. IV. INTEGRATION OF CROSSCUTTING ISSUES
4.1 USAID Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Policy Partners continue to make important strides in their efforts to integrate gender and social inclusiveness. RICAP continues to take lead in supporting the participation of youth, women and persons with disabilities in their work with the ward development committees; WFC and COMACO are building greater leadership of women in the CBNRMB and as lead farmers and participation in the farmer cooperatives and progressing the leadership of female traditional leaders. ZINGO is strengthening stronger networks for male involvement in maternal and child health.
V. COLLABORATING, LEARNING AND ADAPTING
5.1 Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing with other USAID Activities
FACT was invited to participate in USAID/Zambia Implementing Partners’ meeting held on February 7, 2018 at the United States Embassy. The meeting focused on Productive Private Sector Partnership. The meeting sought to provide an opportunity for USAID implementing partners to learn from the findings of the USAID private sector landscaping assessment undertaken to identify opportunities and challenges for partnership with private sector to enhance development outcomes. The meeting also provided an opportunity to the partners to learn from engagement, collaboration and partnership experiences. The meeting was important for FACT in that it focused on the Education, Health and Agriculture, Biodiversity and Conservation sub- sectors. This is important given the need for partners to devise sustainable resource mobilization strategies. The social accountability in health service delivery survey undertaken by Clinton Health Initiative (CHAI) in quarter 1 was completed in quarter 2. The findings are yet to be shared. These findings will input into the FACT health power mapping exercise to be undertaken in quarter 3. The Request for Proposals (RFP) has been issued and the consultant is yet to be selected.
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The newly appointed United States of America Ambassador to Zambia Mr. Daniel Foote visited the FACT education project in eastern province in February. The visit was planned as part of his orientation to projects supported by USAID in Zambia. Ambassador Foote met and held discussions with the Chipata District Administration Officer, the District Education Board Office, Zambia Open Community Schools Executive Director, representatives of the student councils, and members from the Chipata District Advocacy Group. Cardinal in their deliberation was the Ambassador Foote with Acting DEBs Ms. Nkoloma; Student Council Members Blessings and Joline; and Chipata District recognition of improved advocacy that fosters Administrator, Mr. Sikazwe greater accountability in public service delivery and enhanced relationships between service providers and users. It was also noted that greater participation of the parent committees and students in school administration yields returns for improved service delivery and greater accountability.
5.2 Collaboration and Coordination with other Key Stakeholders
Collaboration across USAID-funded projects and other likeminded organizations is an important contributor to building alliances and opportunities for widening the spaces for citizen participation. In addition, linkages with what is happening in the national context helps FACT contribute to the overall goal of the enabling environment is enhanced for accountable and transparent governance. As social accountability gains more traction with government, the donor community, citizens and CSOs, FACT has the potential to further this understanding of accountable and transparent public service delivery. FACT is making in-roads in various areas to strengthen its external relationships, build stronger alliances, and enhance its influence as and some key meetings that the team attended include:
• FACT participated in the Social Accountability orientation and consultative meeting held on 9th February at Ministry of Health HQ. The meeting was co-facilitated by MoH and UNICEF and was aimed at consulting and receiving input from stakeholders to inform UNICEF/MoH SA program theory of change and project design. • FACT attended the Voluntary Services Oversees (VSO) consultative meeting Social Accountability aimed at sharing SA approaches, issues, opportunities and challenges in Zambia. The FACT program will therefore continue engaging such stakeholders’ initiatives as these to promote learning and exchange and to strengthen SA in public service delivery in Zambia. • FACT attended the launch of the 2017 Corruption Perception Index (CPI), a global survey which seeks to assess country perceived corruption levels in the public sector. Compared
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to the 2016 CPI, Zambia recorded 37 scores out of the possible 100 scores, thereby dropping by 9 ranks from 87th to 96th. One notable finding from the CPI is that countries which have enabling environment for citizens engagement, freedom of expression, press freedom and have strong public financial management systems are in the top ranks of the CPI.
5.3 Program Challenges
The precarious nature of CSO staffing and longevity continues to impact sustained capacity building efforts. Partners struggle with ability to maintain qualified personnel, which has a significant impact on their capacity to deliver. This does tend to slow down implementation or compromise how programs are implemented. This last quarter implementation slowed down because some partners changed key personnel on the FACT program activities. The question of impact is becoming more critical as the program progresses. The lesson is how to build in the mechanisms and processes that track changes and learning to strengthen programming that results in concrete change, or identify what change is happening and how it happens. The challenge is to identify and tag activities to ascertain how these translate into improved service delivery with respect to transparency and accountability. In other words, how does citizen participation lead to changes in the way services are provided and resources are allocated and does this in fact translate to changes in the broader development process? 5.4 Lessons Learned
While challenges still exist in the capacity of partners to deliver a more comprehensive program of activities, there are lessons to be learned in how some partners are building their influencing capacities. Their capacity and technical leadership in accountable governance is being recognized and tapped into. For example, RICAP has been invited by the district local authorities to lead in building rights and oversight capabilities of the ward development committees. This presents a huge opportunity for influencing how local government broadens its perception of civil society and citizen participation in development programs and service delivery. The use of a tool or method or process that helps to build confidence and trust between service providers and service users through showing what the evidence of a service is, is beginning to show some positive results regarding change that can be achieved within the boundaries of service point providers. It may not always translate to the larger service planners and those responsible for resources. This is the lesson coming from the TALC health service provider facility managers. While they have built trusting relationships, and are able to have candid discussions with service users about gaps and limitations, the link and challenges is how to influence the overall policy makers and planners. There is agency to target this group more to achieve greater success and ensure resource allocation that creates the important change at the service point.
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5.5 Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Plan (MELP) Update
The FACT team has completed the update in its Monitoring, Evaluation and learning Plan to reflect the changes and additions on the program indicators. It will be submitted to USAID in Q3. The next step is for the plan to be adopted and a series of training for staff and partners.
5.6 Adaptive Management
The FACT program execution is done through continuous learning from M&E data, feedback from stakeholders and partners, as well as through external learning from programs of a similar nature. One key area that the program focused on this quarter is managing the transition and staff gaps within FACT and partner organizations. In addition, FACT has been building its external networks and collaborations to learn and build its influencing abilities.
FACT finalized the contracting process of the mid-term review, which shall commence in Q3. The review will evaluate the project’s performance to date and draw lessons learned to improve project implementation and ultimately increase project’s likelihood of achieving long-term positive change in citizen participation in the governance of public service delivery. The evaluator will conduct the evaluation in the two Provinces where FACT implements activities, Lusaka and Eastern Provinces.
VI.AGREEMENT MANAGEMENT
6.1 Management/Administration
During this quarter, the recruitment for the Education Governance officer and the Environment Consultant was concluded and they both started work on the 5th of March. USAID approved Chilufya Kasutu as the new Chief of Party. Interviews are on-going to fill the vacant position of the Deputy Chief of Party.
6.2 Financial Management
The disbursed amount for grantees in Q2 was $79,818.90. The total expenses for the period was $104,701.02. The FACT Grants team has continued supporting the sub grantees through frequent visits ensuring that reports are submitted on time and to quality.
Total Obligated Total Advances Total Expenses Grant Start as of March as of March as of March Grantee Date 2018 (ZMW) 2018 (ZMW) 2018 (ZMW)
Rise Community Aid Program (RICAP) 11/9/2015 699,628.00 676,069.70 603,121.74
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Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign (TALC) 11/9/2015 956,387.00 882,197.40 753,810.42
Women for Change (WfC) 11/9/2015 905,415.00 776,523.96 748,670.87
Zambia Interfaith Networking Group (ZINGO) 11/9/2015 1,047,947.00 897,890.57 757,677.58
Zambia Open Community Schools (ZOCS) 11/9/2015 976,470.00 771,411.66 761,480.48
Common Market For Conservation (COMACO) 4/19/2016 881,752.00 627,504.00 618,322.19
Alliance for Sustainable development (ASD) 9/25/2017 359,724.00 152,934.20 44,697.00
Civil Society For Poverty Reduction-(CSPR) 11/7/2016 974,061.45 600,902.00 501,437.18
Zambia National Education Coalition (ZANEC) 11/2/2016 976,591.12 427,548.00 321,514.15
TOTAL 7,777,975.57 5,812,981.49 5,110,731.61
General Spending
Pipeline Analysis
Description Amount Total Estimated Award $ 6,400,000 Total Obligations $ 5,796,960.50 Mortgage $ 603,039.50 Expenditures this quarter $ 293,686 Expenditures (as at March 31, 2018) $ 3,949,178 Pipeline $ 2,450,822
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Annex A: FACT CSO Partners
Organization Districts Covered Sectors Community Structures Alliance for 1. Sustainable National Maternal and child health N/A Development
Civil Society for Health, Education, 2. Poverty Reduction National N/A Environment (CSPR)
Community Eastern Province: Environment, Markets for Farmer Producer Groups and 3. Chipata, Lundazi, conservation and Conservation Cooperatives Mambwe. Petauke agriculture (COMACO) Neighborhood Health Health (HIV/AIDS, Committees (NHCs), Rise Community Nutrition, MCH and Lusaka Province: Parent Teacher Associations 4. Aid Program family Planning) Kafue (PTAs) and Parent Community (RICAP) Education (Government School Committees (PCSCs), and Community Schools) Youth led Organizations Treatment Health NHCs, Safe Motherhood Lusaka Province: Advocacy and (Nutrition, HIV/AIDS, Action Groups (SMAGS) 5. Shibuyunji Literacy Campaign Family Planning and People Living with HIV/AIDS Lusaka (TALC) MCH) (PLHIV) Support Groups Environment and Natural Community Based Natural Women for Change Eastern Province: 6. Resource Management Resource Management Boards (WFC) Petauke (Forestry) (CBNRMB)
Zambia National 7. Education Coalition National Education N/A (ZANEC)
Regenerative Freirean Literacy Zambia Interfaith through Empowering Eastern Province: Health (Maternal and 8. Networking Group Community Techniques Nyimba Child Health, HIV) (ZINGO) (REFLECT) Circles, Lobbying and Advocacy Group
Zambia Open Eastern Province: Education (Community PCSCs, Student Councils, 9. Community Schools Chipata Open Schools) District Advocacy Committee (ZOCS)
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Annex B: FY18 Indicators Performance Table
Quarterly Performance Annual Achieved to On Indicators Baseline Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Target the End of Target Reporting Period (%)
Objective 1. Strengthen Capacity of local CSOs to enhance delivery and oversight of public service delivery in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment sectors.
Result 1.1 Increased strategic capacity of civil society organizations to foster citizen engagement
Indicator 1 (Outcome): Number of targeted Civil Society 0 4 1 2 75% Y Organizations that show improved advocacy capacity from baseline
Indicator 2 (Outcome): Number of FACT partners that give Counterpart a rating of 0 8 N/A N/A 0% Y “satisfactory” or higher on Partner satisfaction survey
Indicator 3 (Outcome): Number of organizations that complete at least two actions from their 0 5 0 0 0% N organizational development gender action plan within the timeframe of the action plan
Indicator 4 (Outcome): Number of public policies introduced, adopted, repealed, changed or 0 1 0 0 0% Y implemented consistent with citizen input
Indicator 5 (Outcome): Key HIV/AIDS related policies 0 2 1 0 50% Y monitored through Policy Tracking Tables
Indicator 6 (Output): Number of 0 105 112 126 227% Y CSO/Social
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Organizations/Government Agencies assisted
Indicator 7 (Output): Number of Parent-Teacher Associations or Similar "School" governance 0 58 29 58 100% Y structures supported with USG assistance (Output indicator)
Indicator 8 (Outcome): Percentage of community schools included in 0 50% 0 13 0% N FACT program that are receiving increased support from the MOGE
Indicator 9 (Outcome): Number of people trained in sustainable natural resources management 0 100 47 69 116% Y and/or biodiversity conservation as a result of U.S. government assistance
Indicator 10 (Outcome): Number of hectares of biologically significant areas under improved 0 265,000 TBD 26,5000 100% Y natural resource management as a result of U.S. government assistance
Result 1.2 Sustainable strategic alliances and issue-based partnerships development among CSOs
Indicator 11 (Outcome): Number 0 1 0 0 0% Y of networks established
Indicator 12 (Outcome): Number 0 3 2 3 67% Y of networks strengthened
Indicator 13 (Output): Number of key stakeholder meetings, workshops or other forums held 0 100 110 61 171% Y with local line ministries/local government planners/Pvt. sector actors/NGOs/donors.
Indicator 14 (Outcome): Number 0 20 113 62 875% Y of U.S. government-assisted
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Objective 2. Improved engagement between citizens and government service providers in the education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment sectors to improve service delivery
Result 2.1 Strengthened citizens oversight in the delivery of education, health/HIV, sustainable rural livelihoods and environment activities in targeted areas
Indicator 15 (Outcome): Number of CSOs making evidence-based 0 3 4 5 300% Y public recommendations
Indicator 16 (Outcome): Number of communities that develop and 0 30 2 78 267% Y monitor service improvement action plans
Indicator 17 (Output): Number of school improvement plans resulting from joint sessions between District Education Officers 0 16 0 6 38% Y (DEOs) and School Management Committees (SMCs)/ DAC (District Advocacy committee)
Indicator 18 (Output): Number of USG-supported PCSCs using Community Score Cards CSC to 0 16 0 0 0% N assess the overall performance of their school
Indicator 19 (Output): Number of Community scorecards conducted by USG-Supported facilities/ 0 40 2 0 5% N communities/ Schools to foster service provision improvement
Indicator 20 (Outcome): Change in FACT Community Scorecard (number of facilities 0 30 0 0 0% N demonstrating improved aggregate score)
Indicator 21 (Output): Number of public forums resulting from USG 0 60 11 14 42% Y assistance in which government representatives and members of
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Indicator 22 (Output): Number of broadcasts through new and traditional media in the course of 0 25 6 5 44% Y CSO-led public outreach campaigns
Result 2.2 Increased grassroots civil society participation in the education, health/HIV, sustainable livelihoods and environment sectors
Indicator 23 (Outcome): Number of women and youth engaged as 0 250 238 240 96% Y leaders in civic activities related to service delivery
Indicator 24 (Output): Number of individuals 0 4,500 2,703 1,965 104% Y strengthened/trained/participating in FACT Forums
Indicator 25 (Output): Number of communities accessing 0 74 74 90 122% Y Counterpart Services
Indicator 26 (Output): Number of individuals receiving civic 0 5,000 N/A N/A 0% N/A education through USG-assisted programs (EITI_DRG 3.2-5)
Indicator 27 (Output): Number of USG-supported activities designed to promote or strengthen the civic 0 8 N/A N/A 0% N/A participation of women (EITI_DR 4.1)
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Annex C: Success Stories
Community Policing in Natural Resource Management
The major goal for the WfC community-led sustainable forest management project under theFostering Accountability and Transparency (FACT) program is to strengthen the capacity of community structures to actively participate in and influence the delivery of sustainable forest and natural resources management (NRM) processes, systems and practices. With support from Counterpart International, Women for Change (WfC) facilitated the formation of Community Based Natural Resource Management Boards (CBNRMBs) to help in the management of natural resources in the nine areas of Sandwe chiefdom of Petauke district in Eastern province of Zambia. Through these CBNRMBs, WfC has been conducting Natural Resource Management (NRM) awareness community meetings in which community members are discouraged from illegal logging, charcoal burning and timber production. Community members are also sensitized to the negative effects that deforestation can have on the environment and on their livelihoods. These CBNRMBs have buy in from the community and local government CBNRMB members with confiscated officials who have supported their natural resource management efforts. timber The CBNRMBs initially faced challenges interrogating, impounding or reporting perpetrators due to lack of official identification. WfC was able to provide them with identity cards which have further empowered the CBNRMBs to interrogate, impound and report perpetrators. Thus far, three communities have confiscated a total of 102 illegally harvested planks and some of them have been donated to their local schools and health centers to help with construction of two staff houses, student toilets and medicine storage pallets. “As a result of the community policing we are conducting in collaboration with the community members, illegal loggers are now scared of operating from our area hence incidences of illegal tree cutting have drastically gone down” said George Tembo the Chizarila community CBNRMB Vice Charperson. This position was echoed by the District Forestry Technician, Mr. Mkandaiwre, who said that timber producers seeking licenses from the forestry department emphasized that they are given clear guidelines to follow so that they are not pounced on by the WfC CBNRMBs and the community where the program is implemented, he praised the work being done by the CBNRMBs and appealed that the structures be replicated in other chiefdoms as well in order to conserve the forest.
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Service Providers Responding to Social Accountability
FACT partner Treatment Advocacy and Literacy Campaign (TALC) is implementing a project in Lusaka and Shibuyunji districts aimed at improving citizen participation in decision making using a variety of participatory toolssuch as the community scorecard, Public Dialogue Forum, Service User – Service Provider meetings, as well as Community sensitizations about service user rights, entitlements, responsibilities and available services as well as service provider responsibilities. Through these initiatives – and with technical assistance from Counterpart, TALC brings together service providers, service users, community representatives and government officials to identify community health problems and develop action plans on how to address them. It also helps create platforms where citizens can participate in accountability work at local level.
The project closely works with Harriet Lungu, an Environmental Health Members of the Chelstone Community during a Technician (EHT) who also works as the Community Health Focal Person for the Chlestone Hospital. Harriet’s first interaction with Counterpart was as a score card training participant in the FACT Community Scorecard training that was conducted at the hospital in October 2016. This was her first time learning about social accountability and mentioned that it was interesting to note the low scores that had been allocated by the service users on Sanitation (Toilets) and Staff attitude towards clients.
She mentioned that it is gratifying that the service users now know their rights, entitlements and the related the service provider responsibilities. This knowledge empowers the users to access the health services and freely provide feedback on the quality of service offered, thereby helping the providers address any issues. As a result of her acquired knowledge and understanding of Social Accountability Harriet strongly emphasized that it is important for providers to be kept in check by the service users as this ensures that services are delivered in a high quality and transparent manner, furthermore, it has helped to bridge the information gap between the two parties.
Harriet feels motivated working with the FACT project as it has always been there to support the facility with activities such as community sensitization on the available services as well as clearly indicating which services are free and to know when corruption has happened if a free service is offered at a fee. She further mentioned that if not for the FACT Social Accountability project service users would not have known their rights, entitlements and provider responsibilities, which could have maintained the status quo.
Harriet emphasized the excellent work that FACT has done and noted that Counterpart should contine to train and orient as many service providers, service users and government officials as possible on social accountability. This will ultimately help improve public service delivery and bridge the current service delivery information gap in a bid to foster better multi- sectoral outcomes for all Zambian service users.
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