ONGOING

INTEGRATED PROJECT FOR EDUCATION AND EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN AND CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS.

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Project Fact Sheet
Donor:

BMZ THROUGH TERRA TECH GERMANY

Project Implementing Partner:

SEND SIERRA LEONE

Project Location:

MALEGOHUN-KENEMA

KISSI TONGI-KAILAHUN

Duration:

1/10/2019 - 31/3/2022

Project Budget:

Euro 586,712.43

Project Thematic Areas:

WOMEN AND CIVIL SOCIETY GROUPS EDUCATION

Contact details and contact

Joseph Ayamga,

Country Director

SEND Sierra Leone

ayamga@sendseirraleone.com

+23 278 206 853

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Gender inequality, a lack of political structures that promote civil society participation and low levels of education are the main obstacles to Sierra Leone’s development.

There is a lack of didactic quality of teaching in terms of socio-cultural and technical skills; especially independent reading skills need to be promoted - on national average the literacy rate is at least 41% (at the beginning of the project the literacy rate in the project area will be determined).

There is no communication between students, teachers and parents when educational problems occur - important persons on regional community/ government level do not make use of their influence to support the development of the educational sector.

Civil society organisations lack capacities in organisation, advocacy and methods to transform needs into projects and to measure the impact of these.

There are only weak control mechanism and a low level of participation through the local population when it comes to using financial resources effectively.

The LGA had been put into practice insufficiently: structures for exchange of information between civil society and political decision makers such as the District Council Coordination Forum (DCCF) are barely used, are ineffective in terms of content due to the non-existing project documentation and take place way too irregularly.

There is hardly any public discourse regarding pressing issues in the fields of education, development and gender inequality.

Community leaders mostly don’t make use of their influence to tackle problems, especially in the education sector.

Patriarchal gender roles discriminate against girls and women; due to discrimination women are barely involved in decision-making processes within their families and communities; educating girls is not considered very important.

Teaching staff at schools is not trained in terms of didactic methods. Teachers, parents and students are usually aware of existing problems in the educational sector; yet they are not organised in groups for developing and communicating potential solutions.

Due to gender-based discrimination women are barely involved in decision-making processes within their families; educating girls is not considered important in most families.

People barely read in general, consequently they lack practice and are insecure when reading. Text comprehension is usually poor (an assessment at the beginning of the project will collect more information on that).

CBOs/CSOs lack capacities regarding project conception, implementation and evaluation and their presence on chiefdom level and within the District Council Coordination Forum (DCCF) is weak.

Due to the lack of knowledge about the application of funds and monitoring there are barely ways to demand and check the transparency of institutions and the budget funds they spent. Institutional action is therefore not controlled by the civil society as it should be to meet the criteria of Good Governance.

PROJECT SOLUTION

The Integrated Project for the Education and Empowerment of women and civil society groups implements actions to educate and empower women and civil society groups.

THE PROJECT HAS OUTPUTS THAT ARE ESPOUSED FOR SUCCESS:

  • Strengthened women’s collective voice, knowledge, capacity on gender and participation in the decision-making process within families, the community and the government.
  • Increased capacity of civil society groups in organisation, advocacy and methods to transform needs into projects and to measure the impact of these actions.
  • Increased literacy rates of teachers and citizens in terms of socio-cultural and technical skills especially independent reading skills.

    • A MULTI-STAKEHOLDER APPROACH IS ADOPTED TO ACHIEVE OUTPUTS:

  • Work with women networks, female councillors, women leaders to represent the voices of women and to drive changes through transforming the local institutions and processes.
  • Mobilize and educate women groups, local authorities, traditional authorities on gender and inclusion for effective participation in politics and governance by women councillors to promote gender equality and women’s participation in politics and governance.
  • Train CSO’s on accountability, monitoring and evaluation processes that will allow them to be able to execute their duties efficiently.
  • Mobilize and train teachers to help increase the literacy rates and facilitate an efficient relationship between teachers, parents and students.

    • KEY ACTIVITIES

    Preparatory Measures-base-line assessment

    Baseline Implementation & Monitoring Evaluation Of Impact

    Increasing the capacities of SEND and two CBOs, strengthening the networking of development policy initiatives: office equipment-computers, printers, desks/chairs, generators, and office supplies and capacity building to make them work effectively

    Assessment to support two local CBOs in Capacity Building: support one CBO per project region in its capacity building. The prerequisite is that the CBOs are already active in the education and/or gender sector and are interested in the capacity building measures offered. The project aims to increase the capacity of the two CBOs through training to optimize work processes and develop guidelines.

    Foundation and strengthening of 100 Gender Model Families: establish GMFs / to strengthen existing GMFs through this project. The trainings aim at sensitization, a division of labour in the household and a common decision-making structure within the family. With regard to the equal rights of all family members, the right to education for sons and daughters is emphasized.

    Increasing the number of women in leadership positions and networks: in collaboration with the Women in Government Network "WiGN" network, will conduct a Training of Trainers (ToT) within the communities with at least 120 participating women to increase the participation of women in CBOs, SMCs, as teachers, etc.

    Capacity development training of 15 staff members of the two selected CBOs: conduct a basics training according to the OCAT model with 15 employees of the CBOs. A capacity plan will be developed and SEND monitor the implementation.

    MEAL training for SEND and selected CBOs: mprove skills in monitoring, evaluation, responsibilities and the learning process during project handling, documentation, analysis and apply developments or changes at project /organizational level.

    Access to education, women empowerment and sensitization: strengthen groups / structures using "Stimulate, Appreciate, Listen and Learn, Transfer - (SALT Approach)", SABI approach (Strengthening Accountability, Building Inclusion) and The GMF's approach to strengthening the role of women in the communities.

    Foundation / support of 30 SMCs at primary schools: Conduct a three-day training course with all SMCs at the beginning of the project. The main objectives are to counteract gender-specific inequalities and to facilitate access to education for both girls and boys.

    PROJECT OBJECTIVE

    To contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 (no poverty), 4 (quality education), 5 (gender equality) and 8 (decent work and economic growth) and to the successful implementation of the Local Government Acts (LGA) in Kailahun and Kenema

    PROJECT LOCATION

    CHIEFDOM
    Malegohun-Kenema
    Kissi Tongi-Kailahun
    COMMUNITY
    10 communitues (to be determine)
    10 communitues (to be determine)

    TARGET BENEFICIARIES

    #
    DESCRIPTION
    TARGET

    01

    Teacher

    180

    02

    School management committees-groups

    30

    03

    Communities

    20

    04

    Reading clubs

    50

    05

    Gender Model Families

    100

    06

    CSOs/CBOs support

    2

    07

    Schools

    30

    08

    Women participate in decision making process of SMCs

    120

    09

    SEND staff train in OCAT

    30

    10

    Literacy rate increased by 30% within at least 90% of the target group

    2,925

    ABOUT
    SEND SIERRA LEONE

    SEND Sierra Leone is non-governmental organization registered with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development of the Republic of Sierra Leone with a vision to contribute to a Sierra Leone where people’s rights and well- being are guaranteed. SEND Sierra Leone is part of a West African structure with a headquarters in Ghana and offices in Liberia and Sierra Leone where approaches and experiences are shared. SEND Sierra Leone is an independent structure, a local NGO registered in Sierra Leone with a local Board, which has its own project portfolio and budget separate from Ghana.

    SEND’s portfolio includes community development, WaSH, health, nutrition/agriculture and women’s empowerment. Intervention areas are in the districts of Kailahun, Kenema, Kono, Western Areas Urban, and Rural districts and more recently, the district of Bonthe.

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