This activity is named Identification and engagement of beneficiary waste collection small and medium enterprises (SME) with a minimum of 8 and a maximum of 10 employees’/business owners each, that will work in close partnership in Port Loko District   to deliver services to lower-income households and small commercial businesses.

During this exercise groups were targeted; in Lunsar two groups of which 20 participated. Fifteen (15) Male and Five (5) Female, Masiaka one group participated 10 people Eight (8) Male and two (2) female and lungi two groups were also targeted of which Twelve (12) were male and Eight (8) were female

Background

In November 2017, the European Union launched a restricted call for proposal in a bid to support Local Authorities (LA) and Civil Society Organisation (CSO) towards reinforced local governance, accountability and inclusive policy-making at local levels to ensure people living in localities administered by Las participate in local public affairs and receive adequate fundamental services.

The overall objective of the call for proposal was to enhance CSO & LAs capacities and contribution in governance and development process in Sierra Leone, strengthening decentralization and local development processes and contributing to poverty reduction and the attainment of sustainable development goals (SDG) in accordance with a Territorial Approach to Local Development (TALD)

Port Loko District Council participated in the competitive grant application and submitted a concept note and full proposal titled “Promoting Community Development and Effective Local Governance System in Port Loko District”. In compliance with the guidelines provided for application. The overall aim of this action is to enhance the capacity of Port Loko District Council to mobilize local resources, promote local economic development for effective, accountable and gender responsive public services.

WHAT ARE THE AIMS/OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

1. Improve the capacity of local authorities to effectively perform their role as actors in local development at the territorial level;
2. Improve local democratic governance in rural service delivery;
3. Improve the level of participation of Civil Society Organizations (particularly women and youth organizations) in development and decision- making processes.
   

KEY ACTIVITIES TO BE UNDERTAKEN

• Procurement of relevant office  equipment
• Procurement of Vehicles and Motorbikes  
• Staff recruitment
• Project management team put in place
• Participatory Baseline Assessment
• National Project Launch
• Inception Workshop
• Conduct Local Authorities capacity needs assessment
• Conduct project management training (Leadership training ,Financial Management training ,participatory approaches)
• Conduct training in creative thinking and problem solving
• Organize two multi-stakeholders forum with local authorities ,Womens’ group, Disabled and youth groups for identifying and negotiating local win -win strategies for development and adapting service delivery
• Assessment of won source revenue potentials in the district
• Capacity of key Council Core staff and local authorities on effective revenue mobilization and management
• Review of Council Development Plan
• Mapping and capacity assessment of existing local CSO’s CBO’s and Media Organization, etc  

WHAT ARE THE MAIN EXPECTED RESULTS

1. Local Government Authorities have improved operational and institutional capacities to implement participatory and gender sensitive development planning approach and increase their engagement with communities
2. Citizens in the target district (Port Loko) have improved awareness on the role of Local Government in quality service provision and are mobilize to advocate fro participatory Development Planning and better services delivery.
3. Enhanced Local Government strictures as catalyst for local development actions in partnership with local CSO’s/CBO’s and Citizens platforms

The government of Sierra Leone has received a grant from the Japanese government through the Japanese Social Development fund.   JSDF Funds are meant to Strengthening Community Mobilization and Local Council Social Service Delivery in the Post-Ebola Sierra Leone.  The Project context which is expected to aid the delivery of an immediate response to the post-EVD needs at the Local level in Sierra Leone and building community resilience through social mobilization and adequately service delivery from Local Councils, and promote participation, civic engagements, social inclusion and other social protection activities in most Post- Ebola affected Communities in Sierra Leone. Local Councils are viewed as good discussers with communities and their local knowledge can help them reach the most vulnerable population groups.

This project seeks to build trust and intra-communal cohesion where it has been compromised, increase social mobilization, and make local social services more responsive to citizen needs in the post=EVD environment.

The project will be undertaken in four (4) most affected districts by EVD judging by the total number of EVD laboratory- confirmed cases (these are; Western Area Urban District/Freetown, Port Look, Western Rural District, and Bombali District), which represent close to seventy percent (70%) of all EVD cases in the country.

A community monitoring intervention and participatory budgeting will be piloted in the two districts most affected by EVD, according to the total number of EVD laboratory-confirmed cases (these are western Urban District/Freetown and Port Loko District).  

COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT

Component one; – Local Council sensitization activities.

This component seeks to promote social cohesion and resilience through strengthening Local Council capacity and by implementing community- wide sensitization meetings, forums, and health talks diminishing the negative effect of Ebola on social trust and providing much needed support to the victims.

This component will be implemented in to four districts and will help improve long-term social sensitization and community resilience, support Local Councils and communities to better manager future risks and adversity beyond the EVD crisis. Social mobilization and community engagement by CSO’s are essential to reduce stigma towards individuals and households affected by EVD. Aversion behavior by those not infected impedes a wide spectrum of economic and social activities and contributes losses.

Component two; – Creating Social Mobilization Mechanisms that improves LC service delivery

Subcomponent A; Community Monitoring and Social Accountability

This component focuses on building community resilience in the two districts most affected by EVD by;  creating social accountability and community monitoring mechanisms expected that 50,000 individuals will directly benefit from the project through participation in activities planned,  25,000 participants are expected to be reached through social sensitization interventions, 20,000 participants to take part in community monitoring activities , and the 5,000  individuals to engage in the participatory budgeting pilot.

Local participatory monitoring will be promoted through open training to communities in a range of skills related to communication, advocacy and conflict resolution. Training will be provided in the form of workshops organized by RTFS, LC M&E Officers and ESO Officers, and will priorities vulnerable groups.

Subcomponent B; Local Council Participatory Budgeting Planning
Participatory Budgeting (PB) is an innovation mechanism that aims to involve citizens in the decision making process of Local institutions by allocating resources to their preferred public sector activities. It is useful to align service delivery with the priorities of beneficiaries and can be instrumental in making the allocation of government resources more inclusive and equitable.

The PB Pilot in Sierra Leone will take place at the LC level, including all wards in the two district most affected by EVD outbreak (Freetown and Port Loko), and is expected to enhance social mobilization.

A PB sub-grant with a total value of US$250,000 will be allocated to each council, with selection of subprojects being determined by community participants.

Component three; Project Management, Monitoring and Evaluation,
This component will support the project implementing agencies (DecSec and IPAU) to carry out the day to day activities of the project, including the requisite procurement, financial management, auditing, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge management activities.