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Securing Peace and Promoting Prosperity in Karamoja Quarterly Report Third Quarter – April 1, 2018 to June 30, 2018

Submission Date: July 31, 2018

Agreement Number: 72061718CA00001 Activity Start Date and End Date: November 15, 2017 to November 15, 2019 AOR Name: Morris Nsamba

Submitted by: David Gatare, Chief of Party Mercy Corps 4th Floor, Embassy Plaza, Ggaba Road P.O. Box 32021, Clock Tower, , Tel: Tel +256 (0)414 501 014 | mobile: +256 (0)779 484169 Email: [email protected]

Copied to: [email protected]

This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development Uganda Mission (USAID/Uganda).

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ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

List all acronyms and abbreviations pertinent to the activity. The first time a word requiring an acronym or abbreviation is used in the body of the report, spell out the word in full with the acronym or abbreviation in parentheses. Thereafter, use only the acronym or abbreviation.

AMELP Activity Monitoring Evaluation and Learning Plan AOR Agreements Officer Representative AWOTID Abim Women Together in Development COP Chief of Party CEWERU Conflict Early Warning and Early Response Unit CRS Catholic Relief Services DADO Dodoth Agro-Pastoralism Development Organization DO Development Objective GBV Gender Based Violence IO Intelligence Officer IR Intermediate Result LC V Local Council Five-District Chairperson NGO Non-Governmental Organization ONA Organizational Network Assessment OPI Organizational Performance Index RDC Resident District Commissioner TH Trauma Healing UPDF Uganda Peoples Defense Forces USAID United States Agency for International Development VAT Value Added Tax

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ACTIVITY OVERVIEW/SUMMARY

Securing Peace and Promoting Prosperity in Karamoja Activity Name:

Securing Peace and Promoting Prosperity in Karamoja Project:

Activity Start Date and Nov 15, 2017-Nov 15,2019 End Date: Name of Prime Mercy Corps Implementing Partner: [Contract/Agreement] # 72061718CA00001 Number: Dodoth Agro-Pastoralist Development Organization (DADO): Name of Sub-awardees $127,043 and Dollar Amounts: AWOTID: $100,053

Major Counterpart Local Governments, CEWERU Organizations: Geographic Coverage Moroto, , , and Abim (districts. Also note any changes): April – June, 2018 Reporting Period:

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ACTIVITY INFORMATION

1.1 Activity Description/Introduction

Short and concise introductory section that gives a quick overview of the activity, goals/objectives, target beneficiaries, geographical locations, etc. This is a standardized paragraph that can be used in each quarterly report. It should be BRIEF, no more than 500 words

USAID’s Securing Peace and Promoting Prosperity in Karamoja Activity is a two-year Conflict Mitigation and Management project made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It is implemented in Kaabong, Kotido, Abim and Moroto Districts of Karamoja, Uganda, and runs from November 15, 2017 to November 15, 2019.

The Activity is implemented by Mercy Corps, Dodoth Agro Pastoralists Development Organization (DADO), and Abim Women Together in Development (AWOTID).

Objectives: The project brings communities from Karamoja together across lines-of-conflict to address the social, economic, environmental, and political issues at risk of fueling violence. The total population (indirect beneficiaries) targeted is 561,761 (2014 population and housing census for Kaabong, Abim, Kotido and Moroto). This will be achieved through three interlinked objectives:

Objective 1: Supports 744 (direct beneficiaries) people who are part of the council of elders, other female and male leaders, and reformed warriors, in their work to help their communities deal with past experiences of violence by re-building broken social bonds and providing mental health and psychosocial support activities. In parallel, Mercy Corps will bring the various leaders together with youth clubs to identify shared interests and design development projects, thereby promoting cooperation across lines- of-conflict. Stronger relationships between communities no longer plagued by trauma will help prevent future violence.

Objective 2: Continue to work with 1,280 (direct beneficiaries) council of elders, other female and male leaders, and youth clubs, strengthening their skills and relationships necessary to prevent conflict and de- escalate violent disputes driven by natural resources in general and livestock theft specifically. Objective 2 connects these actors to the wider conflict and early warning network at district, sub-county and parish levels across the Karamoja region.

Objective 3: Through 960 (direct beneficiaries) key leaders, boost civil society’s capacities and resources to educate and empower community groups on land rights and advocacy. The goal is to bring together communities, government and the private sector for land use and reform to secure more equitable land access for women and men, and reduce the risk of conflict with government or private sector on land use.

The project builds on partners (Mercy Corps, DADO and AWOTID) previous and existing conflict management and resilience projects in Karamoja and the Karamoja Cluster as a whole. The USAID- funded Alternatives to Conflict in Karamoja & Turkana (ACKT) addressed causes of cross-border conflict between the Ik and Dodoth of Uganda and the Turkana of . Building Bridges to Peace promoted inter-ethnic cooperation through ecological projects, which increased trust and perceptions of security. Growth, Health and Governance (GHG) bolstered local capacity to improve governance and mitigate conflict. AWOTID has implemented (as part of GHG) activities with a focus on building the

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capacity of land management structures in Abim. In PEACE III, Mercy Corps and DADO are working with Pact Kenya to strengthen conflict management capacity within and linkages between local, national, and regional actors to address cross-border conflict. Currently the project has initiated collaboration with Mercy Corps Apolou, another USAID Food for Peace project implemented in the Karamoja region.

Photo: RDC of talking to Activity supported Losilang Youth Group in Kotido on handing over more guns to the security agencies.

5 1.2 Results to Date

Table 1(a): PMP/Project Indicator Progress - USAID Standard Indicators and Project Custom Indicators

DO 1: Community and household resilience in select areas and target population increased

Quarterly Status – FY Baseline data FY 2018 Annual Comment(s) 2018 Performan Data Annual ce Indicator Annual Source Cumulative Achieved Year Value Cumulative Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Planned to Date Actual target1 (in %) Intermediate Result (IR) 1: Women leaders and youth empowered to provide trauma healing and advance reconciliation. Trauma healing (TH) sessions Event 0 0 120 4 0 0 4 3% Loyoro, Sdok conducted by the project forms and Lolelia sub trainees counties Percent of individuals who have Event 0 0 15% 0% 0% 0% 0% % undergone trauma healing forms working with former protagonists Projects implemented by 4 0 0 0 0 0% 0 0 formerly conflicting parties Sub-IR 1.1: Capacities of women and youth to conduct trauma healing sessions and provide psychosocial support improved Number of individuals trained 0 0 64 60 0 60 0 94% Trauma Attenda in trauma healing and Healing nce psychosocial support Facilitators sheets training PS.6.2-4 Number of people 0 0 100 0 0 0 0 0% Annual target participating in USG-supported Event events, trainings, or activities forms designed to build mass support for peace and reconciliation Number of Women and Youth Attenda 0 0 30 8 0 0 8 27% Loyoro, Sidok facilitating trauma healing nce and Lolelia sheets

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Sub-IR 1.2: Youth groups empowered to actively to engage in peace-building initiatives. 6 PS.6.2-2 Number of USG- 0 0 38 0 0 0 0 0% funded events, trainings, or Event activities designed to build forms support for peace or reconciliation on a mass scale Intermediate Result (IR) 2: Formal and informal structures to prevent and resolve natural resource disputes and livestock theft strengthened. Number of community Event 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0% structures with trained forms mediators involved in dispute and mediation Attenda nce sheets Number of Disputes mediated 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0% Event by community structures with forms trained mediators Sub-IR 2.1: Women’s role in early warning mechanisms strengthened Number of local women 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0% participating in a substantive Event role or position in peace- forms building process supported with USG assistance (F 1.6-6) Sub-IR 2.2: Dispute resolution capacity of peace building actors enhanced. PS.6.2-3 Number of USG 0 0 4 1 0 0 1 25% Mediators supported events, trainings, or training activities designed to build Event support for peace or forms reconciliation among key actors to the conflict PS.6.2-1 Number of new 0 0 4 1 0 0 1 25% Losilang youth groups or initiatives created group through USG funding, Event dedicated to resolving the forms conflict or the drivers of the conflict Intermediate Result (IR) 3: Improved collaboration between communities and other actors on land. Number of Action points or 7 0 0 0 0 0% Event 0 0 Resolutions resulting from forms consultative process

Number of Implemented 5 0 0 0 0 0% 7 Event 0 0 undertakings resulting from forms consultative processes Sub-IR 3.1: Improved community awareness of their land rights and land laws. Number of Community 0 0 2000 23 0 0 0 1.2% members attending awareness Event sessions on land rights and land forms laws Sub-IR 3.2: Improved capacity of Area Land Committees & District Land Boards in land administration % of the DLBs and ALCs Event 0 0 30% 0 0 0 0 0% trained in land administration forms and management. and Attenda nce sheets In the table, include the Project Management Plan (PMP) and project relevant indicators that are required for quarterly reporting. Include Intermediate Result (IR), sub IR, and Guiding Principles indicators that apply to the activity, special Initiative indicators, F-standard indicators, and activity specific indicators.

Please note that this table is describing the results for the previous quarter. It should include those indicators that reflect key results. All indicators per activity, identified in PMP and Project MEL Plans and their PIRS (Performance Indicator Reference Sheets) will be shared separately with all current and new mechanisms.

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2. ACTIVITY IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS

This section should provide explanations to the table above and add an analysis and suggestions for adaptive management based on results and understanding of the context. All narrative must be succinct.

2.1 Summary of Implementation Status

This should consist of a brief summary description of activities implemented per Intermediate Result Area, and include what was planned versus what was actually achieved. The narrative explaining the table is entered in 2.2 or in annexes.

Summary of planned activities Actual achieved in Activities shifted in quarter quarter to next quarter

Intermediate Result 1 Identify and organize Trauma 15 Trauma healing Conduct district healing groups groups identified level sessions to Women leaders and discuss and youth empowered to Conduct 6 Trauma healing 4 Trauma healing identify joint provide trauma healing sessions sessions launched in projects. and advance Kaabong reconciliation. Train youth Community dialogue using moving Community level resource meeting on resource forward sharing meetings in Abim and sharing with sub county methodology Kaabong peace committees and area land committees of Alerek, Magamaga, Nyakwae of Abim. Conduct district level sessions to identify Natural resource sharing community projects meeting with district technocrats, district Train Youth in Moving security officers and the Forward methodology sub-county officials to present findings from

sub counties

Conducted 2 Inter and intra community dialogue meeting in Loyoro and Kalosaric, Kaabong and Kotido respectively.

Intermediate Result Area 2 Training of community Trained community Facilitating mediators mediators in all four Moroto and Formal and informal districts Abim women structures to prevent and Conduct 3 intra -inter forums resolve natural resource communal meetings with One meeting conducted

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disputes and livestock theft Peace Agents to resolve in Kaabong targeting strengthened. disputes district women councilors in 8 sub Conduct 3 intra Organize women forums at counties -inter communal sub county level meetings with 8 women forums Peace Agents to Coordination meeting identify/strengthen at resolve disputes between actors at the district sub county level in level Kaabong and Kotido Training of peace structures Training of peace structures at the parish and at the parish and sub county sub county level level

Intermediate Result Area 3 Conduct stakeholders Conducted 1 District District level meeting on extractive stakeholders meeting on forum on land Improved collaboration industries extractives issues between communities and conducted in other actors on land. Meeting district land boards Coordination meeting Kotido and and area land committees between the district land Kaabong board and the area land Conduct dialogue meeting on committees in Abim Meeting on communal land association extractives in and certificate of customary 4 meetings conducted in Moroto ownership Kaabong and Kotido for district land officials Conduct radio One district level forum on talk show and land issues conducted in spot messages Kotido and Kaabong

Conduct radio talk show and spot messages Cross-cutting Results Conduct Organizational ONA and OPI done for ONA and OPI Network Assessment (ONA) DADO for AWOTID Strengthen Partners and Organizational Capacity development Performance Index (OPI) for DADO and AWOTID Development of AMELP Finalization of Finalization of the AMELP AMELP

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2.2 Progress Narrative

This brief narrative (2 pages) should respond to the following questions:

a) Is the activity on/off track as far as work plan/targets in terms of (1) overall program progress for year and (2) the current reporting period (quarter)?

b) What are the few, key challenges the activity has experienced during the quarter and how did the activity intend to address the challenges and adapt the programming?

If more space is needed to describe what has actually been achieved in the quarter or to respond to above questions, please annex the information. The quarterly report core sections aim at allowing USAID/Uganda to compile and analyze clusters of activities and adaptive project management. For activity management purposes, please agree with the Agreement Officer’s Representative or Contracting Officer’s Representative (AOR/COR) on what information, charts and visuals need to be included in the main body of this report versus the annex.

INSERT BRIEF NARRATIVE ON PROGRESS TO DATE, LESS THAN TWO PAGES Context: Both the Ministry for Karamoja affairs, Local Government and Turkana (Kenya) led several peace dialogues in this quarter. This led to reduction of tension and security incidents. “The region has registered few incidences in the past one month. I attribute this to the dialogues held in June that brought together key actors from Turkana and Karamoja” RDC Kaabong. He was referring to the three meetings in Kotido and Kaabong, which this Activity, PEACE III and other partners supported.

Our analysis: This increased interest by senior officials in Kenya and Uganda to conduct dialogues in quick succession may be attributed to doing more work towards the end of financial year and may not be sustained. However, this Activity will continue to push for more dialogues at local level and especially support the engagement of elders where our analysis shows a disconnect between elders and other structures in information and intelligence sharing. The UPDF disarmament that started late last year through limited cordon and search and security corridors between different conflicting ethnic groups and recovery of arms is beginning to reduce arms flow that increased during and after the Kenya elections. Further, the redeployment to Karamoja of the renowned UPDF Intelligence Officer (IO), Maj. Byaruhanga for his efforts in engaging communities and the army has reenergized peace activities and offers an opportunity for this Activity to target dialogues that have bigger impact. The Activity has discussed with the IO on priorities including targeting and Turkana West in Kenya.

All processes in the Activity have started and are advancing. Those that are not yet reported will build on the ones we have started. Good progress is recorded on IR1 and IR2 but not on IR3. We expect to catch up this quarter. The following were achieved by results:

Intermediate Result (IR) 1: Women leaders and youth empowered to provide trauma healing and advance reconciliation. Launch of Trauma Healing Sessions: The most significant achievement during the reporting period was the launch of the trauma healing program and the trauma healing sessions. The launch was conducted in Kaabong targeting three groups from 3 sub counties

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of Lolelia, Sidok and Loyoro. The launch included a review of the course materials, introducing trauma healing facilitators, and agreeing on session guidelines, among others. Apart from the launch, one session was conducted in Loyoro and targeted the St. Mathew Toroi Women's Group. In other districts, groups were selected and sessions will continue next quarter. The trauma healing sessions take between four to six months but the healing process takes longer and could continue for many years. The launch of the sessions was led by two experienced facilitators - one from DADO and another from the women forum members trained under PEACE III. They supported the newly trained facilitators who are expected to lead subsequent sessions. In total 14 out of 15 groups were selected and will be targeted this year from the 15 sub counties of operation. The remaining one group from Rengen sub county will be selected in the next quarter. The groups consist of 6 women and 8 youth groups (some mixed male and female)- see Annex 1.

Photo: Trauma Healing Session in Loyoro. Participants sit back to back as indicator of conflict.

Resource sharing agreements. The Activity facilitated meetings to initiate the process of resource sharing agreements between conflicting communities in the four districts of operation. Four areas were identified as potential for resource sharing agreements, namely the Jie and Dodoth around Loyoro area, the Jie and Matheniko around Kobebe area, Jie and Ethur around Kawomeri area and Jie and Ethur around the border between Panyangara and Nyakwae. These meetings are significant as they form entry points to communities and will eventually lead to identification of projects that the conflicting communities will work together to cement reconciliation. Meetings in three sub counties and one district level in Abim were conducted to gather views from communities. Three other meetings were held in Kotido, Kaabong and Moroto to discuss resource sharing processes. The initial meetings reveal deep sentiments against conflicting communities. For example, in Nyakwae Sub County participants in the meeting said “the herdsmen must get permission from the district council before they come to ”, this was in reference to Jie from Kotido.

Facilitated handover of two guns in Kotido: The Activity facilitated hand over of two guns to government by a group of warriors in Losilang-Kotido. The youth group, composed of 13 warriors, have been hiding in Turkana Kenya and bushes in Kotido fearing to live safely with their community. The Activity acted as a go between for the two sides with youth having fear of being arrested. After several dialogues, two guns have been handed over and the youth are slowly settling in their communities. See the success story.

Intermediate Result (IR) 2: Formal and informal structures to prevent and resolve natural resource disputes and livestock theft strengthened. Training of Community Mediators: The Activity trained a total of 55 mediators from the four districts and were equipped with mediation skills to mediate disputes in their communities. The training was facilitated by a local and native consultant, familiar with context and dynamics of conflicts and used local examples in the training-see Report Annex 2. These mediators will start facilitating dispute resolutions identified during the training. Some of the disputes identified fall in the categories of cattle thefts, land, gender based violence, and resources sharing. The team is currently working with the mediators to identify the specific disputes in respective sub counties and mediation process will start in the next quarter.

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Women forum initiative: The Activity has launched the women forum initiative aimed at reinvigorating the role of women in conflict management. The women forum creates an informal network of women at community and district level and acts as channel of communication, information sharing, advocacy and potentially (based on experience from PEACE III) can develop into formal groups doing livelihood activities. This quarter, the Activity, in partnership with the districts of Kaabong and Kotido organized two district and sub county level meetings to mobilize women for peace building activities. The first meeting in Kaabong targeted women councilors at the district level and organized eight sub county level meetings in Kaabong and Kotido to elect 5 women per sub county to represent respective sub counties. The women will be linked to CEWERU Uganda to boost conflict monitoring efforts. Photo: Women brainstorming on the roles and responsibilities of traditional women at the parish and sub county levels in peace building

Intermediate Result (IR) 3: Improved collaboration between communities and other actors on land. The Activity held meetings with 4 district land boards to discuss gaps and achievements. They identified a lack of coordination between actors on land issues, limited understanding of their roles and responsibility, and a lack of key materials for use. Another meeting was held in Abim bringing together District Land Board and Area Land Committees to get to know each other, map out land hot spots, and agree on how they can collaborate. The land problem seems to be a big issue in all sub counties, between sub counties and districts. For example, Magamaga sub county identified 9 areas where land disputes are prevalent between parishes, sub counties in the same district and across into neighboring districts. A meeting on extractives was held in Abim with district leadership and sub county chiefs to map out mining areas and identify issues that are associated with the activity. The most common extractives are gold and sand, which are mined in all three sub-counties. The issues identified include exploitation by middlemen, child labor, GBV, health hazards due rudimentary means of mining, and extortion of money due to lack of gold identification device. The Activity will help the district and sub county come up with a referral system to address these issues.

Cross cutting: Gender Assessment: A gender assessment was conducted in the four districts as part of Mercy Corps’ Gender Minimum Standards (GMS) to learn more about gender-conflict related dynamics so that all activities take into consideration the gender realities and how they affect conflicts and vice versa. The assessment data is currently being analyzed and a report will be included in the next quarterly report. However, key findings so far indicate that : 1) women play an important though often unacknowledged role in early warning; 2) as cattle raids subside as the primary threat to peace and security, new forms of violence and conflict have emerged like sexual and gender-based violence; 3) there is a low level of knowledge and competency to address women's land rights; 4) there are significant, structural and

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cultural barriers to women's more active participation in sub-county peace committees; and 4) young men and women have different levels of knowledge and involvement in peacebuilding activities.

Partner Capacity Development: The Activity conducted an OPI and ONA for DADO to assess their technical, operational and relational capacities with the aim of supporting it to build capacity in conflict management. On the ONA, the team asked DADO to list which organization it networked with on peace building work at the community level before engaging with this Activity. The results show that DADO has a strong network link with peace actors and therefore well placed to deal with peace building-which deals with building relations. The Activity will work with DADO to strengthen this network in the course of project implementation. See Annex 3 Report

Challenges: During this quarter, rains broke bridges and flooded major roads between Moroto, Kotido, Abim and Kaabong and affected staff movements. Field activities were affected as communities were not accessible for almost a month.

Cross boarder arms flow and raids from Kenya and South Sudan continued to affect community based activities in Kaabong and Kotido. Meetings between the Karamajong and Turkana were difficult to organize by sister projects like PEACE III and yet they affect this Activity work. For example, it took close to two months to organize the Loyoro meeting due to busy schedules by key actors.

3. ADAPTIVE MANAGEMENT APPROACH AND GUIDING PRINCIPLES

This section should provide progress updates on the Guiding Principles (GPs). Indicators that are applicable to the award are included in section 1.2. This section aims at providing additional narrative to how the activity is implementing selected GPs during the quarter. The full explanation of each Guiding Principle is found in the GP annex of CDCS 2016-2021. See also the introductory sections of the CDCS for the intended impact of the Guiding Principles and the adaptive management approach. Please note that all Guiding Principles do not need quarterly updates. Guiding Principles which require quarterly reporting, when applicable to the activity, include: GP number 1. Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting (CLA), number 3 and 4. Inclusive Development, and number 6. Partnerships. Please ensure that each section below responds to the following questions:

a) How were the Guiding Principles implemented during the quarter? b) What was achieved by implementing the Guiding principles?

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3.1 Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement

The narrative (no more than 1 page) should succinctly describe progress on collaboration with USAID-supported activities in common regions of operation and engagement with stakeholders (defined collaboratively with the USAID AOR/COR) to deliver integrated services to target populations. Please provide progress updates of the quarter on the following Guiding Principles if applicable to the activity: 1. Apply a holistic approach to CLA (collaboration efforts) 2. Ensure broad and inclusive stakeholder engagement 6. Prioritize partnerships that enable Ugandan-led development 11. Apply a facilitative approach 15. Foster leadership as a lever for change

The report must include products and results of collaboration that improve implementation approaches and development practice broadly.

INSERT BRIEF NARRATIVE ON COLLABORATION AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, LESS THAN ONE PAGE We have noticed better engagement with NGOs and local government in peace building especially in districts where there is a better working relationship between the two LCV and the RDC. The Activity will continue to advocate for greater collaboration and partnerships in all the districts of work through supporting coordination meetings not only with government but also with private sector. Where this collaboration has been strong, we saw greater impact. For example, the handover of guns in Losilang was a result of collaboration between the RDCs of Kaabong, Kotido, security team and this Activity.

Collaboration with National and Local Government: The Activity supported community meetings initiated by the national and local government in Kaabong and Kotido to address internal and cross border conflicts. Joint preparatory sessions were conducted between the Activity and Ministry for Karamoja, local government officials, security and Turkana of Kenya with each contributing to the Activities. For example, the Activity leveraged resources from government during these meetings as the government provided vehicles to transport participants while the Activity provided fuel and refreshments in Kalosaric (Kotido) and Loyoro (Kaabong) dialogues. According to the RDC of Kaabong, “due to these two meetings (Loyoro and Kalosaric), we have not registered any cross border incidents for a period of one month”

Collaboration with other USAID funded projects: The Activity collaborated with sister projects PEACE III and Apolou (Mercy Corps) and Nuyok (CRS) in various activities. A meeting was held in April between the three COPs of Apolou, this Activity and Nuyok to discuss joint conflict and agreed to do a pilot in Kaabong. This will take off this quarter. Also, PEACE III and this Activity collaborated on supporting cross border meetings in Loyoro and Karosalic. This Activity facilitated the Jie and Dodoth community members while PEACE III facilitated the Turkana with refreshments, and fuel. The government provided vehicles to transport participants.

3.2 Learning and Adaptation

The narrative (no more than one page) should provide progress updates of the quarter on the following Guiding Principles: 1. Apply a holistic approach to CLA (learning and adaptation efforts) 5. Seek to do business differently 9. Maintain a problem-driven focus 12. Emphasize operational considerations

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Please highlight a few examples of implementation findings, successes or failures that have generated adaptations in the program during the quarter. Please also highlight any implementation findings that will have a larger impact on the performance of other activities in the project.

The narrative should specifically report on a) increased ability of USAID implementing partner to respond to the needs of target groups by using learning, b) instances of learning applied to influence decision making, resource allocation, and contextual shifts, and c) increased efficiency in intervention implementation.

INSERT BRIEF NARRATIVE ON LEARNING AND ADAPTATION, LESS THAN ONE PAGE The land problems in Karamoja are complex and intertwined. The local structures responsible for tackling these issues are weak and lack experience to deal with the complexities. The conflicts are not only between districts but also parishes and sub counties of the same district. Elites and their allies that grab land from communities using the pretext of investments and hide behind the communal ownership of land exacerbate these problems. This communal ownership of land, based on our analysis, will not bring any private land development on a large scale. Realizing the complexity, the Activity plans to discuss with Ministry of Lands in Kampala to forge a possible partnership in dealing with the land issues in Karamoja. The Activity had meetings with other actors to understand the complexities so that we remain conflict sensitive.

3.3 Inclusive Development

Please provide a progress update (no more than 500 words) on the following Guiding Principles: 3. Harness youth-appropriate approaches 4. Infuse and prioritize inclusive development (includes but is not limited to empowering women, youth, indigenous peoples, LGBTI and People with Disabilities.)

The narrative should specifically report on a) what interventions were implemented during the quarter to achieve the Guiding Principles and b) how did those interventions lead to a more inclusive development?

INSERT BRIEF NARRATIVE ON INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT, LESS THAN ONE PAGE A gender assessment was conducted in the four districts as part of Mercy Corps’ Gender Minimum Standards (GMS) to learn more on gender-conflict related dynamics so that all activities take into consideration the gender realities and how they affect conflicts and vice versa. The assessment data is currently being analyzed and a report will be included in the next quarterly report. However, key findings so far appear to be that : 1) women play an important though often unacknowledged role in early warning; 2) as cattle raids subside as the primary threat to peace and security, new forms of violence and conflict have emerged like sexual and gender-based violence; 3) there is a low level of knowledge and competency to address women's land rights; 4) there are significant, structural and cultural barriers to women's more active participation in sub-county peace committees; and 4) young men and women have different levels of knowledge and involvement in peacebuilding activities.

As a result of the gender assessment, the Activity facilitated the formation of informal women forums in two districts of Kotido and Kaabong and will continue with Moroto and Abim in the next quarter. The women forums will provide an opportunity for women to engage in peace building activities, share information about livelihood issues, and create horizontal and vertical networks. These forums do not create new structures but rather an informal representative and network that links women with their leaders to speak one common voice.

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Most of the activities implemented during this quarter-targeted youth and women. All the identified 14 groups that will undergo trauma healing are for women and youth. Our analysis over time has taught us that women and youth are critical for conflict transformation due to their willingness to change and strong attachment to family and community values (in case of women). They are also the most affected by the conflict.

4. LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Leadership development is an Intermediate Result and a Guiding Principle in CDCS 2016-2021. If applicable to the specific award, please provide a progress update of the quarter. If not applicable, leave blank. If leadership development of partners is reported in section 1 and 2, the narrative here can solely focus on leadership development of staff. If not, all leadership activities should be described here. Please provide updates on a) activities that have been implemented, b) planned outcomes of those activities and c) indications of results.

Leadership development Planned outcome in Indications/examples of activity quarter outcomes

Activity 1

Activity 2

Activity 3

Activity 4

5. MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES

5.1 Key Management Issues

Describe briefly any key management issues such as activity staff changes, software and procurement issues, etc. Please also list all upcoming procurement actions that require A/COR approval/notification.

INSERT BRIEF NARRATIVE ON MANAGEMENT ISSUES, LESS THAN HALF PAGE The AOR provided guidance on the issues of VAT reporting in several meetings this quarter and Mercy Corps has started complying with the requirement of reporting VAT on all transactions of 50,000UGX and above.

The one vehicle the Activity procured is not sufficient to implement the activities at the required speed. This was aggravated by heavy rains that rendered use of motorcycles impossible. The procurement of DADOs motorcycle was delayed due to the vendor who quoted an out of stock item, but has promised to deliver in the next quarter.

5.2 Resolved Management Issues

If issues were raised in the last report(s) or provided by the AOR/COR, please describe how the activity / Implementing Partner addressed them specifically.

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INSERT BRIEF NARRATIVE ON ADDRESSED COMMENTS, LESS THAN HALF PAGE The AOR resolved the issue of VAT reporting and Mercy Corps now comply with the reporting requirements by USAID of all transactions of 50,000 UGX and above. Guidance was also provided on the way invoices and receipts are written by vendors where they must contain the word USAID. Compliance on this requirement will be started next quarter.

Mercy Corps provided a car for three months from another (non USAID) closing project to boost the implementation of the project that was moving slow due to heavy rains that rendered motorcycle use impossible. The AOR has promised to look into getting an extra car from other USAID funded projects that are closing.

6. PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR NEXT QUARTER INCLUDING UPCOMING EVENTS

Indicate opportunity/need for media and/or USAID/Uganda or other US Government involvement, particularly for USAID project monitoring site visits. INSERT BRIEF NARRATIVE ON PLANNED ACTIVITIES, LESS THAN HALF PAGE

Intermediate Result (IR) 1: Women leaders and youth empowered to provide trauma healing and advance reconciliation. The Activity will conduct trauma healing sessions in all districts targeting 15 groups in total. A trainer will also be identified to initiate the Youth Moving Forward initiative and will target youth leaders at the community level. Meetings will be held with district level officials to present the initiatives around resource sharing and will continue with community level meetings in four areas that have been identified for resource sharing agreements. Four projects will be identified and confirmed by the community and district level authorities

Intermediate Result (IR) 2: Formal and informal structures to prevent and resolve natural resource disputes and livestock theft strengthened. In partnership with CEWERU Uganda, a workshop to define conflict monitoring mechanisms will be piloted in Kaabong district and later expanded in the subsequent quarter. Women forums initiative will be completed in all districts and will be linked to other peace actors. Community mediators will conduct dispute mediation targeting selected disputes and will also train peace committees in Kotido.

Intermediate Result (IR) 3: Improved collaboration between communities and other actors on land. The Activity will organize district level forums on land issues in Moroto, conduct district level meeting on extractive industry and work with the district level officials to consultations at the sub county. The consultations will result in drafting a referral system for extractives outlining how grievances will be channeled from lower levels to higher levels. The Activity will also support district land boards to conduct sensitization campaigns on land issues

Cross cutting The Activity will conduct OPI and ONA for AWOTID to identify capacity building gaps in technical areas of conflict management and also identify the networks they are engaged with. The Partnership and M&E officer will conduct AMELP training for partners.

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7. SUMMARY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT REPORT

Monitoring financial conditions is one of the most important, yet often neglected areas of management reporting. The information contained in this section is utilized to make management decisions, particularly as it is related to future work on and funding for the project. It provides a valuable and timely snapshot of financial conditions, and complements (but does not replace) the SF-425.2

Activity Financial Analysis a. Total Estimated Cost (Life of Activity) $1,397,722 b. Start/End Date Start: 11/15/2017 End: 11/15/2019 c. Total Obligated Amount (to date) $1,397,722 d. Total estimated cost share expected over the life of the activity (if applicable) $70,100 e. Total actual cost share to date (if applicable) $3,961 f. Total estimated leverage expected over the life of the activity (if applicable)3 g. Total actual leverage to date (if applicable) h. Total Expenditure invoiced to USAID/Uganda to date $198,114 i. Expenditure incurred but not yet invoiced 38,730 j . Total Accrued Expenditure (both invoiced and not invoiced); sum of lines h and i $236,844

Actual Projections for the next this three quarters Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter Quarter 1 2 3 4

Average Quarterly Expenditure Rate by funding 13,355.1 source 3,204.95 9,276.70 2 65,250

2 Note: the financial data provided in this section is an estimate of the financial condition, and does not constitute the contractually required financial reporting as defined in the Award Notice.

3 Cost share (also known as "match") refers to that portion of an activity cost not borne by the Federal Government and is normally associated with contributions from the prime and sub-recipient sources that receive USAID funds. Leverage also refers to that portion of an activity costs not borne by the Federal Government, but it is normally associated with the new, non-public resources - whether money, technologies, or expertise - brought by the private sector and other non-traditional USAID resource partners that are not receiving USAID funds. This is typically done through partnerships with the private sector. Cost share, which must be verifiable from the recipient's records, is subject to the requirements of 22 CFR 226.23 and is subject to audit. Leverage is not subject to these requirements and is not subject to audit, although it must be verifiable. ADS 303.3.10 provides additional information about cost share and leverage under assistance instruments.

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In this section, discuss issues such as: unexpected expenditures, material changes in costs due to considerations outside of the control of the project, cost savings and cost savings plans.

ANNEX A: SPECIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS (AS APPLICABLE) OF EARMARKS IN ECONOMIC GROWTH, HEALTH AND EDUCATION

Not Applicable.

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ANNEX B: SUCCESS STORY TEMPLATE

Partners are requested to submit at least one (1) success story (with a picture) per quarter; however, partners are welcome to submit more than one story each quarter.

Operating Unit: ____USAID/Uganda______Success Stories/Lessons Learned Template One Story Per Template

Instructions: Provide the information requested below. Remember to complete the Operating Unit Standardized Program Structure selections in order that your program element selections are pre-populated in the FACTS drop-down menu. “ * ” indicates required fields.

* Program Element: Conflict Mitigation and Management

* Key Issues: Addressing cycles of revenge and its potential to reignite conflict in Karamoja Region

Title: A story of mediating a delicate and sensitive gun handover process to government by Losilang youth warriors in Kotido District: Promoting Social Reconciliation between youth, community and government.

Please provide the following data:

* Headline (Maximum 300 characters): A good headline or title is simple, jargon free, and has impact; it summarizes the story in a nutshell; include action verbs that bring the story to life.

* Body Copy (maximum 5,000 characters): The first paragraphs should showcase the challenge encountered and the context of the foreign assistance program. Presenting a conflict or sharing a first-person account are two good ways to grab the reader’s attention. Continue by describing what actions were taken and finally describing the result. What changed for the person or community? What was learned? How did this make a difference in the community or to the country overall? If this story is relating to a "best practice", what were the innovations in planning, implementation, or partnering that made it different? If this story is about an evaluation, what program adjustments were made?

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The Losilang youth warriors are a group of hardcore warriors who acquired guns from Kenya and started using them to steal livestock from their communities and neighboring districts. While the government has intervened at times, they had only arrested a few of them while others fled to bushes. The community in Losilang has lived in fear since last year as the youth continued to launch attacks. With government threatening to attack and arrest them and with no choice to hide among their community, fear and dispossession loomed and their lives were in direct danger. They hatched a plan to find a mediator between them and the government and their community and immediately sought help from former allies - another group of warriors from Kaabong-the Kaabong Peace Ambassadors (KPA), a reformed warrior group of youth that experienced a similar ordeal but who had successfully integrated into the communities with support from Mercy Corps and DADO through another sister program, PEACE III. The head of KPA, would later contact DADO to seek advice on how to deal with the issue of Losilang warriors. This Activity (Mercy Corps and DADO) drew a complex and delicate plan that would guarantee the safety of the warriors, exonerate them from arrest and ensure communities are not hostile to them once they handed over the guns. The Activity sought to deal with the issue through a renowned Resident District Commissioner in Kaabong, formerly in Kotido District, who had a good understanding of the dynamics in the district and had a good record and acceptance among the Jie tribe of Kotido, where the Losilang warriors are found. The plan also involved seeking assurances from the Army Division Intelligence Officer, a renown and skilled intelligence officer that had just been re-deployed to the Karamoja region owing to his previous successes in promoting relations between elders and security forces in the post disarmament period. The Activity, the KPA head, and the Kaabong RDC set out on a mission to meet the Kotido leadership to discuss the willingness of the Losilang warriors to hand over guns. At different times, meetings were held with different actors including army, police, local government and communities to discuss this issue. The Activity, with support of the Kaabong leadership and KPA, were able to get assurances from Kotido leadership that the Losilang youth would not be arrested. The community was also mobilized to toe this line. Due to several confidence building initiatives and guarantees from government not to arrest the warriors, two guns were handed over to the government in separate meetings in April 2018. The Activity successfully completed the process without any warrior being arrested and two guns handed over. This was a significant step in building confidence, not only with the Losilang community and government but also a greenlight for other warriors who still possess guns and have feared to hand them over, fearing arrest. “Some of our friends were killed in Turkana (Kenya) during the process of retaliation/revenge, we shall handover all guns in our possession as long as government will not continue to threaten us” said one reformed youth - Loila Abor. The hard and long process of social reconciliation then began and the Activity has since enrolled them in the trauma healing program to address reconciliation issues between them, government and their communities. The RDC of Kaabong said, “these boys feared to go Losilang trading center but after the handover of guns, I put them in my pick up car and took them to the trading center and called elders and other people who gathered around to try and build confidence among them and the youth. I hear they have started going to the center on their own”

* Pullout Quote (1,000 characters): Please provide a quote that represents and summarizes the story.

“Some of our friends were killed in Turkana (Kenya) during the process of retaliation/revenge, we shall handover all guns in our possession as long as (Ugandan) government will not continue to threaten us” Loila Abor, one of the Losilang warriors

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* Background Information (3,000 characters): Please provide whether this story is about a presidential initiative, key issue(s), where it occurred (city or region of country) and under what item(s) (Objectives, Program Areas, Program Elements) in the foreign assistance Standardized Program Structure. Include as many as appropriate. See Annex VIII of the Performance Plan and Report Guidance for a listing of Key Issues. See the list and definitions for the Standardized Program Structure. http://f.state.sbu/PPMDocs/SPSD_4.8.2010_full.pdf.

Losilang warriors in Kotido District, Uganda are part of a larger group of warriors that used to conduct large scale raids across communities in Karamoja and beyond the borders in Kenya and South Sudan. The Karamoja sub region experienced violent disarmament that ended around 2007, but guns continue to flow through porous borders from Kenya and South Sudan. In 2017, especially during Kenya elections, several cross border livestock raids into Uganda escalated with Losilang communities losing hundreds of cows. The warriors in Losilang were upset by the loss of hundreds of livestock from their communities to the Turkana of Kenya and complained of “no or limited action taken by the government to recover them”. In response, they stealthily entered Turkana (Kenya) with assistance of some Turkana allies and acquired guns which they used to steal livestock from nearby communities and neighboring districts. The government acted swiftly to arrest some of them while others fled. The government of Uganda is wary of the gun problem and has stated that it will not compromise on its security. Possession of guns by Losilang warriors posed a direct threat and was likely to experience harsh reaction from the Ugandan Army. Guns have continued to fuel livestock theft and cycles of revenge that risk of reigniting conflicts in Karamoja. The Activity supported the Losilang warriors to hand over two guns, a delicate process that required mediation expertise, conflict sensitivity and full understanding of the conflict dynamics in Karamoja region. With the Losilang warriors now slowly settling down in their villages, the challenge is to address traumatic episodes that they experienced while in the bush, deal with building relations between them and the communities they acted against, feeling secure in front of government that they fought against, and earning a livelihood in such an environment.

This Activity - USAID’s Securing Peace and Promoting Prosperity in Karamoja- made possible by the support of the American People through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), is implementing a people to people project to address underlying issues that have potential to reignite conflict in Karamoja including lingering trauma resulting from thefts and cycles of revenge attacks, limited capacities to deal with these issues and land wrangles in Karamoja. The Losilang warriors have already been enlisted to benefit from the project and will be supported to reintegrate in their communities, build their lives and encourage those who still possess guns.

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* Contact Information (300 characters): Please list the name of the person submitting along with their contact information (email and phone number). INSERT CONTACT INFORMATION

Lokiru Denis Pius Program Officer, DADO, Kaabong [email protected]/ [email protected] +256782151753

Lomoe Simon Peter Executive Director, DADO [email protected] +256772343367

David Gatare Chief of Party Securing Peace and Promoting Prosperity in Karamoja Activity Mercy Corps, Uganda [email protected].

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Photo: RDC of Kaabong District talking to Activity supported Losilang Youth Group in Kotido on handing over more guns to the security agencies.

ANNEX C: SPECIAL REPORTING REQUIREMENTS OF ACTIVITIES UNDERTAKING CONSTRUCTION

Not Applicable.

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