Hope Agency For Relief and Development (HARD -South Sudan)

1.    Food security and Rehabilitation programme, 2010-2013.

Donors: This programme is funded by European Commission (EC) as the main donor with Trocaire and Christian Aid as the Co-funders.

Project location

Western Bahr el Ghazal, Jur River County and It covers Marial Wau, Kuajina, Udici and Roc Roc Dong Payams. 

Project description: goal, objectives and activities.

Goal: The broader goal is of programme is rural poverty reduction through rehabilitation and reconstruction of rural livelihoods and specifically, rural agriculture.

Specific objective: The specific objective is to improve food security conditions of vulnerable host community and returnee households in Jur River County, Western Bahr El Ghazal (WBEG) State. This programme aims at building the productive capacity of vulnerable households (host community and returnees) to improve agricultural productivity and withstand production related shocks. It targets about 2,400 vulnerable households in Jur River County. The programme involves the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices and support to vulnerable returnee households through teaching and the supply of agricultural inputs to improve on household food security.

Main project activities.

1.     Promotion of ox ploughs and training of farmers on animal traction (ox-ploughing); Promotion of drought-tolerant, short-cycle, traditional and diversified crops;

2.     Promotion of small livestock keeping using the “pass-on-the-gift” approach; Provision of basic farm inputs: seeds, tools,

3.     Training of extension workers,

4.     Working with lead Farmers and Community Own Resource Persons to widen the reach of extension services;

5.     Establishment of Farmer Field Schools (FFS) for famer-led learning;

6.     Establishment and management of seed banks for sustainable seed production;

7.     Establishment, management of tree nurseries and planting of trees;

8.     Commercial vegetable production and marketing;

9.     Commercial fishing, fish preservation and marketing;

10.  Poultry production and marketing for income generation;    

11.  Support to honey production and marketing; promotion of modernized, more efficient bee-keeping methods;

12.  Undertake trials on the production and use of charcoal energy saving cooking devices;  

13.  Identification, training and promotion (through demonstration structures) of appropriate and effective post-harvest storage methods and technologies; Participatory community-based disaster risk assessments;

14.  Development of Information and education materials;

15.  Lobbying MoAARI to establish and fill Payam-level extension worker positions; Lobbying World Food Programme (WFP) to use food aid to promote development;

16.  Awareness raising with communities against using grain for alcohol brewing.

2.    Emergency livelihoods recovery intervention for farming population affected by erratic rainfall between March and September 2012

Donor:  Trocaire

Project location: Northern Bahr el Ghazal state, Aweil centre County.

Main activities:

Provision of Construction Materials and Basic NFI: Currently the beneficiaries are residing in makeshift structures along the road and in the shopping centre.  The Disaster Management Committee and the local government with HARD and the community have identified new sites for housing in safer zones away from potential flooding. The targeted population is currently living in makeshift structures along the roadsides and in the shopping centres. They have identified new sites to put up their houses. The vulnerable households have no financial ability to purchase the required items.  The households will be provided with construction poles and roofing materials. They will contribute to the construction by providing the materials for walling. In addition they will be provided with blankets, mosquito nets and sleeping mats.

Provision of seeds (vegetable seeds and short-term seeds: Since the targeted geographical area is close to the river, each group of 15 HH will receive seeds for veggies and short term crops. They will grow the vegetables in dry season for food and sale and hence improve their food security.  The short-term sorghum will be distributed in April for planting in May and will mature in August -September if the rains are adequate.  Since the site of the farming has changed, they will not be affected by potential floods. They will receive 1 ox-plough per 5 HH to improve on the productivity.

Provision of fishing equipment: Twine rolls and hooks will be distributed to groups of 15 households. They will do nets out of it and lines. This fishing equipment will enable the disaster affected persons to engage in fishing during the dry season (December-April) to access food and sell excess catch for income. This is one of the quickest ways for the households to support themselves and get a good source of protein for nutrition.. The distribution of the fishing equipment will not be per individual house hold but it will be based on self-organized groups that comprise 15 Households. They will split the tasks according to their capacity, therefore promoting coherence of the community and sustainability of the fishing activities.

Some Beneficiaries with the technical knowledge will go fishing, others will dry the fish for sell (women headed households, chronically ill people) and finally others will be tasked with selling the catch in the market (mostly women), In this ways all vulnerable households will be included.

Training of the affected community on improved agricultural production (vegetable cultivation): The affected communities will be sensitized on why it is important to change their farming area, They will also be shown methods to improve the agricultural production. These services will be provided by Hard (trained in Baraka agricultural college in a former Trócaire funded project) and the ministry of agriculture.  This will be done through community trainings mobilized by the disaster management committees. It will include both the direct beneficiaries of the programme and other community members.

Formation and training of HARD created Disaster management committe

3.    HIV/AIDS programme 2010-2011.

Donors: Global fund for HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria through Christian Aid.

Location: Jur River, Wau and Aweil centre Counties.

Project Description.

HARD has been carrying out HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns since 2000 in its operational areas.

The HIV/AIDS programme aims at reducing the prevalence and impact of HIV/AIDS through awareness promotion activities and support to Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) centre in Wau town. HARD trained awareness groups in five Payams that carry out awareness campaigns within the communities. HARD has been supporting VCT in Wau through the provision of materials and financial incentives to VCT staff.

4.    Voter Education and Information project 2010-2011.

Donors: UNDP through IOM.

Location: Jur River, Wau and Raga Counties.

Project Description

Goal:  The overall objective of HARD’s Referendum-related work is to help promote responsible leadership and good governance in Western Bahr el Ghazal State involving the effective participation of all of the diverse groups within the state.

Objective: The primary objective of voter education and information project is to develop voter competency (ability, knowledge skills and power) to enable male and female voters to make informed choices on the referendum process.

The main activities: awareness raising and publicity activities on the 2011 referendum process for southern Sudan. Specific activities are; trainings, workshops, meetings, drama and traditional songs, radio and television messages, party forums with question and answer sessions with the general public and round-table discussions targeted at leaders, women, and youth groups and through the various structures that currently exist in the state, including the State Peace Council, the County Peace Committees, traditional leaders and religious leadership.

5.    Community Peace Building Programme, 2010-2011.

Donors: Christian Aid and State Government.

Location: The whole of Western Bahr Ghazal state.

Project description: goal, objectives and activities.

Goal: The aim of this project is to equip the participants with the knowledge and skills and to undertake peace work at the community level with a special emphasis on those skills and attitudes that belong to the individual.

HARD has been actively engaged in promoting peaceful co-existence between different communities in Western Bahr El Ghazal State through dialogue and establishment of community-based conflict resolution mechanisms. The aim of this programme is to help heal the divisions brought about during the war and to ensure peaceful coexistence amongst the communities. This culminated in peace building and reconciliation workshops organised 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009. Peace committees have been established at County and Payam levels. This programme is supported by Christian Aid

Main activities:

1.     Holding Peace-conferences involving different ethnic groups,

2.     Establishment and strengthening  of different tiers of peace structures,

3.     Facilitating Peace committees to conduct conflict resolution,

4.     Lobbying the government to support peace building initiatives.

5.     Supporting shared services e.g. schools, water points to enable different ethnic groups to interact.

6.     Promotion of sports and other inter-cultural activities.

6.    Equitable Access to Education project, 2010-2012

Donor: Basic Services Fund-Interim Agreement (BSF-IA)-Juba.

Project locations: Western Bahr el Ghazal state, Jur River County Udici village (Udici Payam), Umbili village  (Kuajina Payam)and Wadthalele village (Roc-Roc Dong Payam)

Project description: Goal, objectives and activities:

Overall Goal: To contribute to the attainment of Government of Southern Sudan’s (GoSS) policy that aims to achieve 100% enrolment for school-going children in primary schools

Project purpose: To improve learning environment and access to quality basic education through the development and construction of three child-friendly learning centre’s and enhance the capacity of three school committees and educational officials in management of educational services in Jur River County, Western Bahr el Ghazal state by December 2011.

Objectives:

1.     To Increase enrolment and retention of pupils in at least three primary schools through construction of three child-friendly primary schools with specific focus on girl-children.

2.     To strengthen management of educational services at the local level by improving the capacity of communities (three PTA teams) and County educational officials for planning, management and sustainable operation of services/facilities.

3.     To improve quality of learning in Jur River County through in-service training and mentoring of 80 teachers December 2011.

Main activities:

1.     Construction of three primary schools in Umbile, Udici and Wathalel villages.

2.     Provision of clean drinking water to the school and the surrounding communities.

3.     Training of school management bodies-Parents Teachers Associations (PTAs)

4.     Training of County Ministry of Education officials

5.     In-service training of teachers.

6.    Community awareness and sensitization.

7.    Local Co-operation Fund (LCF) Project,  2009-2012

Donor: Embassy of Finland- Cairo, Egypt.

Location: Western Bahr el Ghazal state, Ministry of Education Science and Technology (SMOE).

Project description: Objectives and activities.

Main objective: Enhancing Management Capacity of Teacher Training policy

Activities.

1.     Preparing teacher education and management policy document at the MOEST at State level.

2.     Reviewing current structure and functions of MOEST (State level) at all levels including schools.

3.     Staffs capacity assessment at State level.

4.     Strengthening In-Service Teacher Training Curriculum and Performance Monitoring

5.     Baseline survey for In-Service Teacher Training Curriculum and Performance Monitoring

6.     Review and strenghtening the existent In-Service Teacher Training Curriculum and

7.     Develop Monitoring and evaluation system

8.     Training of 15 primary teachers

9.     Transport fees (two way) for 15 teachers from payam to training centre in Wau

10.  Strengthening English Language for teachers

11.  Procurement of listening and visioning materials

12.  Dissemination of the Education Law and Gender

13.  Distribution of printed copies Education Law and Gender to State, County, Payam and schools

14.  Workshop  for MOEST and Ministry of Welfare Staffs

15.  Adult education classes for women

16.  Provision of incentive for two teachers from Minister of Education

8.    Community Based Water Project 2012.

Donor: Sudan Recovery Fund (SRF) through BRAC-Juba.

Location: Jur River and Aweil Centre Counties

Project description: goal, objective and activities.

Goal: To contribute to improved standard of living in the rural areas of Southern Sudan.

Main objective: Increased access to safe drinking water through the provision of boreholes and participation by the local communities in the management of water services.

Main activities.

1. Mobilization of local community and selection of 2 boreholes sites

2. Formation of Village Level Water Management Committees (VLWMCs) and Village Level Training Committee (VLTCs)

3. Training for VLWMC and VLCT

4- Hygiene and sanitation awareness to communities

5- Delivery Hygiene and sanitation

6. Environmental awareness  seminars with the communities

7. Environmental workshop

7. Delivery of 6 HDW materials

8. Digging of 2 boreholes

9. Monitoring and evaluation

Past Donor Partners.

1. NOVIB.

2. UNICEF

3. Care Sudan.

4. Netherlands Embassy, Khartoum.

5. Canadian International Fund.

6. Caritas Spain

7. European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO).

Present Partners.

1.     Local communities in Western and Northern Bahr el Ghazal States.

2.     Local Government Authorities.

3.     Ministry of Education.

4.     Ministry of Agriculture.

5.     European Union

6.     Basic Services Fund (BSF-IA)-Juba

7.     Trocaire (Irish Aid)

8.     Intermon Oxfam

9.     United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)

10.  WFP

11.  Christian Aid.

12.  Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)

13.  Sudan Recovery Fund for Southern Sudan (SRF/SS), Juba