MOZAMBIQUE: READING ON RADIO

Mozambican community library volunteers had been working with Peace Corps Volunteers to provide after-school reading activities for young students when schools and community libraries closed due to COVID-19. Amidst already low literacy rates, many children lost the opportunity to engage in reading support. Community librarians quickly adapted by developing community radio literacy programs to support young children learning to read, airing sessions on 11 community radio stations with time always reserved for community members to call in. One listener from the Manica region asked them to “keep it up, so that our children can continue to learn how to read and write.” As libraries reopen, the community teams are indeed “keeping it up.” After participating in refresher training programs from Peace Corps staff, Mozambican librarians from five provinces trained their own new team members. Through further outreach from Peace Corps and community library volunteers, 15 new radio stations in regions around the country have expressed an interest in joining the Community Library Program. With libraries restocked with new books and COVID-19 prevention supplies, they will build on their successes by helping children learn to read at community libraries  in-person  and through radio programming. Photo by Peace Corps/Mozambique. A community librarian leads a reading session on their radio show.

KYRGYZ REPUBLIC: NEW GENERATION YOUTH EMPOWERED TO MAKE SUSTAINABLE CHANGE

In rural Barskoon, a team of students–self-titled, “Genius Team,” wanted to address environmental pollution affecting their community’s life. The Genius Team joined forces through a social entrepreneurship-focused virtual workshop funded by the Small Project Assistance (SPA) Program; a longstanding partnership between USAID and the Peace Corps to support grassroots community development projects. Team members greatly benefited stating,  “our knowledge in the field of economics and business has expanded significantly. We have learned how to do projects with limited resources and time, and yet make a significant impact in our communities.” Their team wasn’t alone: across 30 communities, 300 young leaders improved project management skills through this workshop and subsequent training programs. In the Kyrgyz Republic, with over half the population younger than 25, youth represent a powerful force in driving sustainable development. Demonstrated by the dedication of these teams, the youth leaders implemented their own projects without SPA funds. The Genius Team organized a village-wide clean-up campaign, sorted trash, sold plastic, and used proceeds to support vulnerable community members. Youth are changemakers, and one among many now has “confidence that we can achieve anything!” Photo by the Genius Team and Peace Corps/Kyrgyz Republic. The Genius Team collects trash to improve health and lives in Barskoon through a community clean-up. 

Many Guatemalan migrants–about 30 percent of whom are youth–choose to go north in search of economic opportunity. Youth migration particularly impacts coffee cooperatives in Guatemala, the lack of labor increases costs while decreasing quality and production. To better understand the challenges cooperatives and youth face, coffee cooperative Manos Campesinas worked with USAID's Cooperative Development Program and Equal Exchange to conduct a diagnostic survey.  The results showed that youth do not participate in the cooperative because they lack the land needed to produce coffee. To identify alternatives to coffee production, the cooperative turned to the youth themselves to design and implement diversification projects, including an organic compost facility, chicken coops to produce eggs, and an ecotourism initiative at Lake Atitlán. A group of indigenous youth also launched a tourism initiative that offers tours of cooperative members’ farms and processing facilities and opened a new café. With ownership of these efforts and encouragement from their cooperative, youth are more motivated to stay in their communities. Photo by Equal Exchange. Indigenous youth cooperative members stand behind the counter of a new café they launched. 

Laura and Shirley consistently bring passion and commitment to the Local Works portfolio of USAID/Paraguay. Together, they operationalize their conviction that locally led development is the most sustainable and effective way to “do” development. From connecting with indigenous communities and rural women entrepreneurs in the local language, Guarani, to tailoring monitoring, evaluation, and learning  support to the level of familiarity of local organizations, Laura and Shirley ensure that their USAID activities truly integrate local voices. Their advocacy for creative and flexible approaches supports local organizations engaging effectively with USAID. USAID/Paraguay is committed to partnering directly with local organizations whenever possible. Achieving a portfolio of 95 percent local partners has not been easy nor fast, but the years of locally-focused strategic planning and hands-on capacity strengthening enables USAID facilitate connections between local actors within the local system. Photos by FECOPROD for USAID. Laura (above) and local partner FECOPROD conduct a monitoring visit at an indigenous community in northern Paraguay. Shirley (below) accompanies local partners on a COVID-19 vaccination brigade.

Their advice?

"Just by shifting our relationship approach with local organizations, from supervisors or auditors, to collaborators, coaches, or facilitators, we will be elevating their work and impact in the local system." - Laura

" …[L]eave the office and go out to see the reality of the country, of the communities, of the local organizations. Talk to beneficiaries, understand their priorities and motivations, listen to their voices." - Shirley

SPOTLIGHT ON A READER: UKRAINIAN COMMUNITIES ADAPT FOR SCALE

Ukrainian foundation Moloda Gromada (MG), or “Young Community,” partnered with other local organizations in 2021 to deepen community voices in donor-funded projects through “Smart Interactions” (SI) through funding provided by NED and Black Sea Trust. The consortium worked with lower-income local communities, bringing NGOs, citizens, businesses, and others together to make project funding decisions through a weighted vote “Citizen Token System” (CTS). The participatory approach enabled faster, more cost-effective results on a larger scale than expected. Amidst Russia’s war on Ukraine, communities are facing new devastating challenges. Over 12 million people have been pushed from their homes, and the humanitarian needs are staggering. MG and its partners are adapting their work to the new challenges with the support of the Global Fund for Community Foundations. Local communities in two regions of Ukraine are piloting SI, including to address IDP needs, and iteratively work together through the rapidly changing context. While continuously improving how CTS places people at the center of solutions, MG believes it can be a key tool to address poverty and other consequences of the war. Keep reading for updates on USAID’s response in Ukraine. Photo by MG.