ANNUAL REPORT FISCAL YEAR 2015 Government of Japan ANNUAL REPORT FISCAL YEAR 2015 Government of Japan RESULTS AT A GL ANCE During FY15, JSDF-financed JSDF BENEFICIARIES REACHED projects continued to focus Approximately 13.5 million on a multi-sectoral people, 40 percent of whom were women, directly benefited approach to combating from JSDF-financed projects extreme poverty by testing, pioneering innovative NUTRITION IMPROVEMENT ideas, focusing on areas not Nearly 38,369 children under 5, reached by mainstream adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers projects, and promoting provided with nutrition education community-driven and basic nutrition services  solutions globally. Through About 2,097 children (0–24 months) participated development projects, in monthly growth dialogue series, and monitoring and nutrition promotion sessions publications, JSDF has not only reached millions of the Nearly 59 percent of severely malnourished poorest and most children supported vulnerable groups, but has by project gained weight also fostered direct partnerships with NGOs, LIVELIHOODS SUPPORTED CSOs and other community About 500,000 person-days of short-term employment generated groups in the grant Approximately, 3600 physically recipient countries. challenged women and youth transitioned from harmful mining activities to alternative livelihood activities CLIMATE CHANGE AND SANITATION YOUTHS TRAINED 1,522 community members, About 4,100 youths including women, trained on benefited from vocational, water and natural resources micro-entrepreneurship, conservation and nutrition and financial literacy training 18,000 households Nearly 300 youths assisted to start provided access youth-led enterprises to improved sanitation facilities INCLUSIVE EDUCATION Around 5,700 direct beneficiaries PROVIDING ACCESS TO LEGAL AID of inclusive education in herding AND PROMOTING GOOD GOVERNANCE communities in rural Mongolia 12,386 poor people, 40 percent of whom 800 teachers in Malawi trained on were women, benefited from projects on inclusive education legal aid services 200 hearing teachers 5,380 persons trained on legal rights and trained in sign Alternative Dispute Resolution language-based 1,512 persons reported improved education methods knowledge of local budget formation 255 deaf children under 6 and execution learned sign language SUPPORTING SMALLHOLDER FARMERS KNOWLEDGE PLATFORM 82,469 smallholder farmer beneficiaries JSDF Dialogue Series: Experiences with 80,504 smallholder farmers received the Bangladesh Safe Migration Project technical advice in safe handling of Published “Barefoot Technicians and pesticides, vegetable production Grassroots CEOs” about the women’s movement and an inventive fund that 52,185 farms implementing transformed half a million rural, illiterate agro-forestry and mixed and semi-literate women into grassroots agriculture systems business executives and adept users of information technology M E SSAG E F R O M JAEHYANG SO Director, Development Finance, Trust Funds, and Partnerships I am pleased to share with you the 2015 Annual Report of the Japan Social Devel- opment Fund (JSDF). This has been another year of exceptional accomplishments by the JSDF. This unique program continues to benefit the most vulnerable and marginalized communities by addressing the multi-dimensional challenges of poverty reduction. JSDF is consistently contributing to World Bank Group’s (WBG) twin goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity. In fiscal 2015, the JSDF portfolio contained 92 projects amounting to US$234.14 million, of which 61 percent was disbursed by the end of the year. During this same fiscal year, 30 projects worth US$75.51 million closed, with 90 percent disburse- ment. Ten new projects were approved in FY15, totaling about US$14.94 million. JSDF projects are achieving their objectives. In FY15, 91 percent of the JSDF- financed projects were rated Satisfactory or Moderately Satisfactory in achieving the intended project development objectives. This performance represents a 1.1 percent improvement over FY14 and a 3.4 percent improvement over FY13. The FY15 portfolio of projects was aimed at improving the livelihoods of the poor- est, including men, women, youth, and ethnic communities. Projects also focused on enhancing the nutritional status of children under the age of 5, adolescent girls, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Other projects sought to increase access to primary and secondary education for children living in remote areas and herder communities, and for children and family members with hearing disabili- ties. Several JSDF projects focused on improving the quality of life through better sanitation facilities and climate change adaptation. A few JSDF projects sought to empower the poor by providing access to legal aid and encouraging them to demand services from their local governments and other service providers. JSDF projects have achieved concrete results. The overall numbers are nota- ble: approximately 13.54 million people directly benefited from the projects, of whom about 40 percent were women; about 500,000 person-days of short-term iv Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 employment were generated; about 4,100 youths received vocational and finan- cial literacy training; about 38,369 adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers and children under 5 benefited from nutrition education and basic nutrition services. Over the years, JSDF projects have informed several of the WBG’s lending oper- ations. This continued in FY15, with a JSDF portfolio project yielding knowledge that contributed to the design of the Benin Multisectoral Food Health and Nutrition Project, financed by the International Development Association (IDA), the World Bank’s fund for the poorest. The best practices and innovative features of JSDF pilot projects continue to help shape larger projects, particularly in the areas of NGO participation and local government capacity building planning. One of the innovative features of the JSDF program is the Dialogue Series, a knowledge-sharing platform about selected JSDF projects. In FY15, the series featured the Safe Migration for Bangladeshi Workers project. This unique proj- ect provides accurate and timely information and services on safe migration to about 864,000 poor and low-skilled potential migrants, at a time when lack of knowledge about procedures, information about the prospective employment conditions, emoluments, and legal recourse has put thousands of Bangladesh families in distress as their dream jobs in the new location failed to materialize. The project also helps to reduce dependency on middlemen (agents) by strengthening community-based organizations to provide information to prospective migrant workers. This increases migrants’ confidence and empowers them to make better decisions for themselves and their families. The World Bank, the JSDF recipient member countries, and grant beneficiaries extend their sincere gratitude and appreciation to the government of Japan for its generous support. We look forward to continued work together to realize the twin goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 v TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ——­­————­­— xii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ——­­————­­— 1 JSDF Program Areas ——­­————­­— 2 JSDF Program Financial Contributions, Allocations and Disbursements ——­­————­­— 4 JSDF Grant Approval ——­­————­­— 5 CHAPTER 2 PROGRAM ACTIVITIES IN FISCAL YEAR 2015 ——­­————­­— 6 Overview of FY15 Recipient-Executed Grant Portfolio ——­­————­­— 6 Disbursements ——­­————­­— 6 Program Focus ——­­————­­— 8 Regular Program ——­­————­­— 8 Seed Fund Grants ——­­————­­— 9 Tokyo International Development Conference on African Development V (TICAD V) Action Plan Implementation ——­­————­­— 9 Scaling-up Nutrition ——­­————­­— 10 Support for the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-combatants ——­­————­­— 10 JSDF and the Global Development Network Collaboration ——­­————­­— 11 GDN Conference in Morocco ——­­————­­— 11 vi Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 CHAPTER 3 PORTFOLIO PERFORMANCE IN FISCAL YEAR 2015 ——­­————­­— 12 Portfolio Ratings ——­­————­­— 12 Project Achievements: The Highlights ——­­————­­— 13 Livelihood Support ——­­————­­— 14 Nutrition Improvement ——­­————­­— 24 Education Access ——­­————­­— 30 Agriculture Productivity Enhancement ——­­————­­— 37 Legal Services and Local Governance ——­­————­­— 45 Climate Change, Adaptation, and Sanitation ——­­————­­— 50 Climate Change and Adaptation ——­­————­­— 51 Sanitation ——­­————­­— 52 CHAPTER 4 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND DISSEMINATION ——­­————­­— 53 The JSDF Dialogue Series ——­­————­­— 53 CHAPTER 5 ADMINISTRATION ——­­————­­— 56 Oversight of Program Activities ——­­————­­— 56 Mission to Vietnam: Intergenerational Deaf Education Outreach Project ——­­————­­— 57 Mission to Benin: Community Nutrition Project ——­­————­­— 58 Japanese Visibility ——­­————­­— 59 CHAPTER 6 LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE ——­­————­­— 61 Implementation of the Djibouti Strategy Note ——­­————­­— 62 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 vii List of Appendixes Appendix A: JSDF Regular Program Grants Approved in FY15 ——­­————­­— 63 Appendix B: JSDF Seed Fund Grants Approved in FY15 ——­­————­­— 64 Appendix C: The Status of Proposed Projects Under TICAD V Action Plan Implementation ——­­————­­— 65 Appendix D: JSDF Policy Guidelines and Program Allocation FY14–16 ——­­————­­— 67 List of Boxes Box 1.1: Features of JSDF-Financed Products ——­­————­­— 1 Box 2.1: Scaling-Up Nutrition in Africa ——­­————­­— 10 Box 3.1: Selected JSDF Projects Implemented in FY15 and Intended Development Objectives ——­­————­­— 13 Box 3.2: Project Results: Sample Survey of 180 Tunisia Project Beneficiaries ——­­————­­— 19 Box 3.3: The Intergenerational Deaf Education Outreach Project: a Family-Centered, Learner-Friendly Approach for Inclusive Education ——­­————­­— 34 Box 3.4: Meeting the Educational Needs of Herding Communities ——­­————­­— 36 Box 3.5: Record Drought in Central America: Four Countries, Forty Days without Rain and Two Million Facing Hunger ——­­————­­— 40 List of Figures Figure 2.1: Disbursement Performance by Region and Grant Status ——­­————­­— 7 List of Tables Table 1.1: Overview of JSDF since Inception ——­­————­­— 4 Table 1.2: JSDF Grants Approved by Type FY11–15 ——­­————­­— 5 Table 2.1: Composition of JSDF Portfolio of Recipient-Executed Grants by Type and Status ——­­————­­— 6 Table 2.2: FY15 Portfolio: Cumulative Disbursement Performance of Active and Closed Grants by Region ——­­————­­— 7 Table 2.3: New Regular Program Proposals Approved in Fiscal 2015 ——­­————­­— 8 Table 2.4: Seed Fund Grants Approved in FY15 ——­­————­­— 9 Table 3.1: Performance on Project Development Objectives ——­­————­­— 12 Table 3.2: Project Results: Crisis Response–Employment and Human Capital Safety Net in Djibouti ——­­————­­— 16 Table 3.3: Project Results: Livelihood Opportunities for Ethnic Communities for Improved Livelihoods and Well-Being in Lao PDR ——­­————­­— 16 Table 3.4: Project Results: Promoting Sustainable Natural Resource-based Livelihoods in Belize ——­­————­­— 17 Table 3.5: Project Results: Strengthening the Livelihoods and Voice of Vulnerable and Disabled Persons in Armenia ——­­————­­— 19 viii Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 Table 3.6: Project Results: Community Enterprise Development as a Pathway Out of Poverty in the Philippines ——­­————­­— 20 Table 3.7: Project Results: Community Works and Local Participation in Tunisia ——­­————­­— 21 Table 3.8: Project Results: Community Infrastructure for Urban Poor in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia ——­­————­­— 21 Table 3.9: Project Results: Community-based Livelihood Support for the Urban Poor in Thailand ——­­————­­— 22 Table 3.10: Project Results: Emergency Food Security and Unemployment through Cash for Work Program in Comoros ——­­————­­— 23 Table 3.11: Project Results: An Innovative Approach to Enhance Smallholder Family Nutrition in Uganda ——­­————­­— 25 Table 3.12: Project Results: Community Nutrition in Benin ——­­————­­— 26 Table 3.13: Project Results: Rural Food Fortification in Tanzania ——­­————­­— 27 Table 3.14: Project Results: Emergency Targeted Nutrition Intervention in Yemen ——­­————­­— 28 Table 3.15: Project Results: Local-Level Nutrition Intervention for the Northern Province in Sri Lanka ——­­————­­— 29 Table 3.16: Project Results: Piloting New Forms of Community-Administered Schools in Honduras ——­­————­­— 31 Table 3.17: Project Results: Intergenerational Deaf Education Outreach in Vietnam ——­­————­­— 33 Table 3.18: Project Results: Improving Primary Education Outcomes for the Most Vulnerable Children in Rural Mongolia ——­­————­­— 35 Table 3.19: Project Results: Emergency Livestock Feed Access in Burkina Faso ——­­————­­— 38 Table 3.20: Project Results: Strengthening the Resilience Capacity of Maya Indigenous Peoples and Peasants to Cope with Food Insecurity and Climate Change in Guatemala ——­­————­­— 39 Table 3.21: Project Results: Environmentally Sustainable Cacao Production for Small-Scale Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Descendant Farmers in Honduras ——­­————­­— 41 Table 3.22: Project Results: Participatory Farm-Level Irrigation Modernization in Egypt ——­­————­­— 42 Table 3.23: Project Results: Agriculture Production Support in The Gambia ——­­————­­— 43 Table 3.24: Project Results: Reducing the Vulnerability of Small Farmers to Price Risk in Nicaragua ——­­————­­— 44 Table 3.25: Project Results: Integrated Legal Strategies for the Poor in Peru ——­­————­­— 46 Table 3.26: Project Results: Access to Justice for the Poor in Nigeria ——­­————­­— 47 Table 3.27: Project Results: Building Demand-side Capacity for Effective Local Governance in Kyrgyz Republic ——­­————­­— 47 Table 3.28: Project Results: Agro-biodiversity and Adaptation in Yemen ——­­————­­— 51 Table 3.29: Project Results: Maputo Peri-urban Sanitation, Mozambique ——­­————­­— 52 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 ix ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS AFR Africa Region (of the World EoJ Embassy of Japan Bank) EPSF Emergency Peace Support AVD Association of Village Project Development ESMF Environment and Social AGRO-ENERGIA Agriculture and Energy Risk Management Framework Management Feddan Unit of area—term used in AHP Adolescent Health Promoter Egypt ASM Artisanal Small-Scale Mining FHIA Fundacion Hondurena De CARTA Citizen Action for Results Investigacion Agricola Transparency and FY Fiscal Year Accountability GEF Global Environment Facility CDD Community-Driven GDN Global Development Development Network CEO Chief Executive Officer GoJ Government of Japan CHP Community Health Ha Hectare Promoters HS Highly Satisfactory CMU Country Management Unit HUS Highly Unsatisfactory CSO Civil Society Organization IDA International Development DFI Development Finance Association DO Development Objective ISR Implementation Status DPHE Department of Public Health Report Engineering JICA Japan International EAP East Asia Pacific Region (of Cooperation Agency the World Bank) JSDF Japan Social Development ECA Europe and Central Asia Fund Region (of the World Bank) LCR Latin America and RE Recipient Executed Caribbean Region (of the S Satisfactory World Bank) SAR South Asia Region (of the LGSP Local Government Support World Bank) Project SEWA Self-Employed Women’s MFHNP Multisectoral Food health Association and Nutrition Project SHG Self Help Group MIDP Most Innovative SLWCS Sri Lanka Wildlife Development Project Conservation Society MNA Middle East and North Africa TICAD Tokyo International Region (of the World Bank) Conference for African MS Moderately Satisfactory Development M&E Monitoring and Evaluation TTL Task Team Leader MUS Moderately Unsatisfactory UNA Universidad Nacional NGO Non-Government Agricola Organization UP Unit of local government in ORD Award for Outstanding Bangladesh Research on Development US Unsatisfactory PCN Project Concept Note VDC Village Development PHRD Policy and Human Resources Committee Development VNC Village Nutrition Center PPP Public Private Partnership WBG World Bank Group PROHECO Honduran Program for WUC Water User Committee Community-Based Schools Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 xi EXECUTIVE SUMMARY T his report presents the achievements and results of the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) in fiscal year 2015. JSDF-financed activities continue to reach the poorest and most vulnerable in World Bank Group’s (WBG) grant recipient member countries. The FY15 project portfolio reflects the diversity of focus that is necessary to address the multidimensional aspects of poverty. JSDF grants financed a range of activities aimed at increasing livelihood opportunities, improving access by the poorest and vulnerable groups to edu- cation, health, clean water and sanitation, legal services, and other social and economic services. Since JSDF’s inception, the government of Japan has contributed approximately US$694.46 million, of which 68 percent has been disbursed as of FY15. The FY15 JSDF portfolio included 92 recipient-executed (RE) grants, totaling US$234.14 million. Cumulative disbursements in FY15 amounted to 61 percent of the active portfolio and grants closed that year. Eleven of the closed grants disbursed 100 percent of the total allocated amount. Ten grants (US$14.94 million) were approved in FY15, of which five grants (US$14.69 million) were approved under the Regular Program and another five (US$0.25 million) were Seed Fund grants. With the FY15 the approval of a Seed Fund grant for Piloting Legal Aid Services for the Poor, the Djibouti Integrated Package began its implementation phase. Also in FY15, the Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD) V Action Plan was initiated, with the approval of three Seed Fund grants for Mozambique, Burundi, and Senegal under the Scaling-up Nutrition window. The Disarmament window under TICAD V Action Plan also started up in FY15, beginning with consultations for three Seed Fund grants and appraisal of three projects under the Regular Program. In FY15, JSDF projects showed satisfactory performance toward achieving intended project development objectives. About 91 percent of the projects received Satisfac- tory or Moderately Satisfactory ratings. This performance represents a 1.1 percent xii Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 improvement over FY14 and a 3.4 percent improvement over FY13. Of note, one JSDF project in Africa was rated Highly Satisfactory. The FY15 portfolio focused on increasing livelihood opportunities, improving agricultural practices for income generation and nutrition, and enhancing agricultural productivity. Projects also sought to increase access to improved health and nutrition services, inclusive education, and better san- itation. Others aimed to help people adapt to climate change, empower women entrepreneurs, expand access to legal services, and encourage good governance. Projects targeted the most vul- nerable groups: female-headed households, children suffering from malnutrition, adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers, youth, artisanal and small mining communities, indigenous communities, people with disabilities, and communities affected by conflict, global recession, and climate change. The projects to increase livelihood opportunities helped 40 percent of targeted households in Djibouti avert extreme poverty and generate about 500,000 person days of employment in Dji- bouti and Comoros, with women comprising 40 percent of the beneficiaries. Under this umbrella, 500 community sub-projects took place in countries including Belize, Comoros, Lao PDR, Sierra Leone, and Thailand. More than 8,000 youths in Tunisia, Armenia, Philippines, Thailand, and Sierra Leone received vocational, financial literacy and livelihood opportunities training. In Mongolia, the JSDF project helped about 16,900 urban poor residents earn an additional US$8 per day through employment in community sub-projects. In Sierra Leone, a JSDF project helped about 1,205 youth, women and physically challenged persons transition from harmful mining activities to agriculture. In Lao PDR, about 73 percent of the project-supported self-help groups reported increased liveli- hood opportunities and about 60 percent of the project households adopted improved pro-nutri- tion livelihood activities. Many of the FY15 portfolio projects were aimed at improving the nutrition practices of small- holder families. Focus was on addressing micro-nutrient deficiencies and reducing chronic mal- nutrition in children under 5 and young children in poor rural areas, as well as early childhood development in ethnic communities and in vulnerable populations affected by crises. In total, more than 300,000 benefited from JSDF’s nutrition-focused projects. About 38,369 children under 5, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating mothers benefitted from nutrition education and basic nutrition services in Uganda, Benin, Djibouti, Yemen, and Sri Lanka. In Djibouti, the JSDF project achieved a 28 percentage point change in diet diversity and 98 percentage point improvement in nutrition practices among project participants. The project in Benin informed the design of the WBG-financed Multisectoral Food Health and Nutrition Project. In northern Togo, the JSDF project to improve access to social safety nets reached more than 9,000 of the country’s most vulnerable people, who received cash transfers while agreeing to certain import- ant conditions to enable better integration into society: obtaining birth certificates for their chil- dren, attending training and growth monitoring sessions and enrolling older siblings in school. In northern Sri Lanka, a JSDF project contributed to lower prevalence of anemic conditions in infants ages 0–23 months and in pregnant women. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 xiii JSDF education projects focused on readying rural children for primary and secondary school, helping deaf children integrate into mainstream society, and improving educational outcomes for the most vulnerable children. In Honduras, the JSDF project helped expand the scope the Hondu- ran Program for Community-based Schools (PROHECO) to lower secondary schools. The project succeeded in achieving a 100 percent transition rate in four pilot schools. In Malawi, 800 teachers in two districts were trained on inclusive education. Fifteen schools received direct hands-on sup- port. In Vietnam, a JSDF project helped about 225 hearing impaired children communicate better, leaving them well prepared for mainstream school programs. In Mongolia, compensatory educa- tion programs for the primary grades were successfully piloted, finalized and rolled out in each of the 30 project soums (villages). In addition, home-based school preparation programs for herders’ children ages 5–6, along with extracurricular after-school programs for herders’ children living away from their parents were successfully implemented. These programs also started to reach more children beyond the initial project sites. JSDF grants financed a wide range of activities to enhance the agricultural productivity of small rural farming communities. These activities focused on increasing access to livestock feed and health services for small-scale livestock keepers, restoring the productive capacity of targeted smallholder farmers and herders, and assisting poor farmers in drought-prone regions with adap- tive farming practices so they could withstand dry seasons. Other agriculture-related projects aimed to improve the livelihoods of indigenous forest communi- ties. Focus also was on increasing agricultural productivity and improving agriculture risk manage- ment for peasants and male and female indigenous people living in dry regions by using environ- mentally sensitive systems. Efforts also aimed to develop community-driven enterprises linked to markets and to local economic development support. These agriculture projects have yielded strong results. An estimated 82,469 smallholder farmers, including 50,000 female farmers, directly benefited from JSDF projects. About 18,896 ha were planted with certified seeds. From the Gambia project alone, 50,914 participating female farmers reported increased production in dry season vegetable gardening. The Burkina Faso project led to a 3,000-ton increase in the production of livestock feed, while 200,000 vaccine doses and veteri- nary products were distributed to small-scale livestock keepers living in pastoral and agro-pastoral zones where there was a substantial risk of livestock output reduction. Other positive impacts include the implementation of agro-forestry and mixed agriculture systems on 52,185 farms. In Guatemala, about 1,560 poor peasant farmers and indigenous male and female farmers living in dry areas on 90 farms implemented such systems. Farmers built 701 small reser- voirs filled with rainwater and installed drip irrigation systems in 71 farms to better manage agri- cultural production risks. Similarly, the project in Honduras led to the introduction of agro-forestry systems on 1,181 organic cacao farms. In Egypt, project activities included setting up 22 farmer field schools (FFS) in two governorates. In these schools, male and female extension workers learned the FFS methodology so they could provide advice and transfer knowledge on modern irrigation and agronomic practices to male and female farmers. xiv Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 Several JSDF projects have helped the poor and marginalized communities gain access to legal aid services. These projects also led to more participatory decision-making processes on local devel- opment issues and improved accountability of local government bodies to these communities. The projects led to the establishment of 20 legal aid clinics, as well as training for 5,380 people on legal rights and Alternative Dispute Resolution. In Nigeria, about 830 poor and vulnerable persons used legal services made available under the project. In Kyrgyz Republic, about 97 percent of the local governments conducted open public budgeting and planning meetings following participation in project activities. About 88 percent of project beneficiaries reported improved knowledge of local budget formulation and execution. The FY15 portfolio also included an innovative project that aimed to enhance the development impact, sustainability, and client ownership of pro-poor projects in Bangladesh and Nepal financed by WBG. The project promoted civil society operational engagement and encouraged beneficiaries to speak out. It has helped to increase knowledge and strengthen the capacities of local communi- ties so they can demand better governance in the implementation of 10 WBG-financed projects in their region. Among the achievements of JSDF climate change and sanitation projects are the training of 1,522 men and women trained on water and natural resources conservation and the startup of 50 com- munity pilots in Yemen that make use of local knowledge and agro-biodiversity resources. Also of note: a JSDF project in Mozambique resulted in access to improved sanitation facilities for about 18,000 Maputo residents. The FY15 Dialogue Series featured the Safe Migration for Bangladeshi Workers project. This unique project provides accurate and timely information and services on safe migration to about 864,000 poor and low-skilled potential migrants. The project also helps to reduce dependency on mid- dlemen (agents) by strengthening community-based organizations so they can provide accurate information to prospective migrant workers. This helps potential migrants make better and more informed decisions about their future migration plans. The JSDF team remains committed to enhancing the visibility of Japan’s contribution to this pro- gram. Task team leaders of JSDF projects have received the JSDF Communication Toolkit, which they can use to increase Japan’s visibility. The JSDF logo continues to be used in project-related print and video materials. Officials from the Japanese embassy in the recipient country are invited to project-related events, such as the Uganda project launch workshop, the national workshop on the Citizen Action for Results, Transparency and Accountability (CARTA) project, and the launch of Barefoot Technicians and Grassroots CEOs, a book that details the achievements of the JSDF project implemented by the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) in India. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 xv CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION P A Unique Program overty is multi-dimensional. Any estimation of the poverty level of a country needs to go beyond the standard economic indicator of per capita income. Programs designed to increase income may not neces- to Reach the sarily translate into improved access to basic social and economic services by the poorest, marginalized and most vulnerable, such as impoverished women, Poorest of the Poor female-headed households, and persons with disabilities. These complexities underscore the reasons for JSDF’s comprehensive approach to poverty reduction. JSDF’s strategic framework Box 1.1 is designed to address issues of deprivation in Features of JSDF-Financed Projects addition to identifying ways to improve access c Work directly with the poor and vulnerable groups to affordable food, health, education, housing, c Respond to needs for improved livelihood safe drinking water, and sanitation for these c Support community-driven development vulnerable groups. c Build capacity of local communities and associations of the poor so they can effectively participate in decisions that The Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) is a affect their lives partnership program between the government c Strengthen the capacity of local governments and local NGOs/ of Japan and the World Bank Group (WBG) that CSOs to improve delivery of services to the target groups was established in the wake of the Asian finan- c Apply innovative approaches and build partnerships with cial crisis in the late 1990s to finance innovative NGOs/CSOs, community associations, or local governments economic and social pilot programs through as implementing agencies to target groups not reached by other programs modest project and capacity building grants. c Engage in participatory design and consultation processes Today, JSDF projects go beyond this initial with targeted beneficiaries so they can endorse grant activities intent to address the issues of marginalization c Enable participatory monitoring and evaluation to ensure and security. Project grants finance activities to beneficiary ownership and project sustainability directly help improve livelihoods, services, and facilities for poorer population groups. This is Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal 2015 1 accomplished by reinforcing social safety nets and testing of pioneering approaches that could be replicated on a larger scale. Capacity-building grants are used to augment the capabilities of local communities, non-government organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSO) that work with the poor and marginalized groups. JSDF PROGRAM AREAS The scope of the JSDF program has broadened over time to respond to the emerging needs of the poor and marginalized to cope with abject poverty, global financial crisis, food insecurity, natural disasters, and conflicts and epidemics. The progression of JSDF programs is described below: Regular Program: This is the original JSDF program. It continues in its role as JSDF’s main pro- gram, financing two types of projects. ●● Project grants finance innovative activities aimed at the poor and vulnerable communities overlooked by mainstream development initiatives ●● Capacity-building grants are provided to local communities, NGOs, local governments, and CSOs to strengthen their organizational and institutional capacities to better engage JSDF target groups in their development through learning by doing Grants under the two new initiatives—Djibouti: Integrated Package and the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) V Action Plan—are included in the Regular Program. (See Chapter 2 and Appendix C). Special Program: Grants under this program support Project and Capacity Building Grants responding to emergency crisis events such as natural catastrophic events or post-conflict needs. At present, there is one special program under implementation—the Afghanistan Special Program—to support reconstruction and lay the foundations for community-level government through social services and productive infrastructure projects, promoting community-managed execution and community governance. This program was phased out in 2012. The remaining project under implementation—Afghanistan: Basic Support to Basic Package of Health Services Project—closed in FY15. However, there are two projects that are in the preparation pipeline. Emergency Window: This window was introduced in 2010 and has since been phased out. The goal was to use project and capacity-building grants to help the poorest and vulnerable groups cope with the global food, fuel, and financial crisis. The JSDF projects under this window com- plement two WBG programs: the Global Food Crisis Response Program and the Rapid Social Response Program. There were 20 active projects, totaling US$54.48 million, in the FY15 portfolio under this window. Nine of these projects also closed in FY15. 2 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 Seed Fund Grants: JSDF is anchored in the community-driven development principle requiring an effective participatory approach in project proposal design. Extensive consultations with potential beneficiary communities and other key stakeholders are critical for increased ownership of the project. JSDF provides grants up to US$50,000 to the WBG’s task team leaders (TTLs) who intend to design JSDF projects using a participatory process. An additional allocation of up to US$25,000 is permissible to collect baseline data for inclusion in the results framework of the proposed JSDF grant proposal. JSDF-Global Development Network (GDN) Collaboration: In recent years, the Japanese gov- ernment has sponsored the annual GDN Global Development Awards and Medals Competition through the Japan Policy and Human Resources Development (PHRD) Fund. This competition aims to enhance the research capacity of developing countries, with prizes such as the Japanese Award for Outstanding Research on Development (ORD). In FY10, a new incentive was added to award a JSDF grant up to US$200,000, through GDN, to the ORD first prize winner. See Chapter 2 for more detail. Learning from JSDF experience is essential for replicating and scaling-up innovative projects. It is also important to learn what did not work so that mistakes are not repeated. For this reason, JSDF has invested in knowledge sharing about experiences and lessons learned from project design and implementation. This innovative knowledge sharing and communication strategy includes the JSDF Dialogue Series and publication of books that document the implementation experiences of successful projects for learning purposes. FY15 activities are described in Chapter 4. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 3 JSDF PROGRAM FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTIONS, ALLOCATIONS AND DISBURSEMENTS Over the 15 years of the JSDF Table 1.1 program, Japan has contributed Overview of JSDF since Inception nearly US$700 million, financing (US$, millions) more than 700 grants to support a wide range of activities aimed Contribution at increasing livelihood opportu-   Inception to FY15 694.46 nities and improving access by   FY11–15 203.01 the poor and vulnerable groups   FY15 1.95 to education, health, clean water and sanitation, legal aid, and Unallocated Balance FY15 210.75 other social and economic ser- Allocation vices. (See Table 1.1) Inception to FY15 624.42 ●● Japan’s contribution to FY11–15 202.91 JSDF during the FY11–15 FY 15 23.76 period was 29 percent of Disbursement* the total since program Inception to FY15 472.19 inception ●● FY15 allocation was 12 FY11–15 223.76 percent of the FY11–15 FY15 50.86 allocation Source: DFPTF *Includes all recipient and Bank-executed grants, including Seed Fund grants. ●● FY11–15 disbursement was about 47 percent of total disbursement from inception to FY15 ●● FY15 disbursement was about 23 percent of FY11–15 total disbursement 4 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 JSDF GRANT APPROVAL The number of grants approved from FY13–15 under the Regular Program is lower than previous years (FY11–12). (See Table 1.2 for detail) Since FY12, JSDF activities have been fully integrated into the Bank’s Investment Project Financing process through the Small RETF Grants Guidelines. These guidelines follow a two-tier approval process prior to country director approval. Japan has ultimate approval authority. The Small Grants Guidelines require submission of proposals on a rolling basis. These processes, though time-con- suming, are expected to improve quality at entry and thus lead to better project outcomes. The changes in the proposal processes explain the decline in the number of projects approved since FY12, compared to prior years, although activities in the pipeline suggest an increase in the num- ber of proposals in the future. Table 1.2 JSDF Grants Approved by Type FY11–15 (US$, millions) FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15 Grant Type Number Amount Number Amount Number Amount Number Amount Number Amount Regular Program Project and 20 48.05 16 43.19 5 14.2 6 18.00 5 14.69 Capacity Building Emergency 3 6.81 4 14.0 8 21.78 - - - - Window Other Grants Seed Fund 11 0.53 14 0.66 5 0.23 6 0.3 5 0.25 Sustainability 1 0.1 - - - - - - - - Fund GDN 1 0.46 1 0.23 - - - - - - TOTAL 36 55.96 35 58.08 18 36.21 12 18.3 10 14.94 Source: DFPTF Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 5 CHAPTER 2 PROGRAM ACTIVITIES IN FISCAL YEAR 2015 OVERVIEW OF FY15 RECIPIENT-EXECUTED GRANT PORTFOLIO The FY15 JSDF Recipient-Executed (RE) grants portfolio included 92 grants, totaling US$234.14 million. In FY15, the final Special Program grant closed with 99 percent disbursement. This grant was for the US$17.65 million Afghanistan Support to Basic Package for Health Services Project, which earned a Satisfactory rating in achieving its development objective. The composition of the overall RE grant portfolio is outlined in Table 2.1. Table 2.1 Composition of JSDF Portfolio of Recipient-Executed Grants by Type and Status (by number and in US$, millions) Regular Program Special Program Emergency Window Total Number Amount Number Amount Number Amount Number Amount Closed 20 33.91 1 17.65  9 23.95 30 75.51 in FY15 Active 51 128.10 0 0 11 30.53 62 158.63 TOTAL 71 162.01 1 17.65 20 54.48 92 234.14 Source: DFPTF Disbursements Cumulative disbursements in FY15 amounted to US$142.03 million which is 61 per- cent of grants in the portfolio. The active grant disbursement rate in FY15 was 48 percent while 90 percent of closed grants were disbursed. The low disbursement 6 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal 2015 rate of active grants can be attributed in part to implementation start-up delays and delays in effectiveness conditions. Four closed grants disbursed 100 percent. Nine closed projects (two each in LCR, AFR, EAP and SAR, and one in ECA) disbursed nearly 100 percent while another six (three in LCR, two in AFR and one in MNA) disbursed above 90 percent. The details are outlined in Table 2.2 and Figure 2.1 below. Table 2.2 FY15 Portfolio: Cumulative Disbursement Performance of Active and Closed Grants by Region Total grant amount Total grant amount disbursed Region Number of grants (US$, millions) (US$, millions) Disbursement (%) Africa (AFR) 27 68.28 39.29 58 East Asia and Pacific 13 33.78 22.80 67 (EAP) Europe and Central  5 12.38 4.23 34 Asia (ECA) Latin America and 25 45.87 31.19 68 Caribbean (LCR) Middle East and 12 31.54 17.43 55 North Africa (MENA) South Asia (SAR) 10 42.29 27.09 64 Total 92 234.14 142.03 61 Source: DFPTF Figure 2.1 Disbursement Performance by Region and Grant Status (as % of total grant amount) SAR MNA Regions LCR Closed ECA Active EAP AFR Disbursement Source: DFPTF Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 7 PROGRAM FOCUS In FY15, the JSDF program remained focused on its mission to address development limitations faced by the poor and most vulnerable communities in WBG member countries. During the fiscal year, 10 grants were approved for approximately US$14.95 million under the Regular Program and Seed Fund. Under the TICAD V window, the approval process for concept notes was initiated and consulta- tions for Seed Fund grants were completed. Details on these grants are provided later in this chapter. Regular Program Five new grants amounting to US$14.70 million were approved in FY15 under the Regular Program. The Africa region (AFR) received about 40 percent of the total approved amount in FY15. The South Asia (SAR) and Middle East and North Africa (MNA) regions each received 20 percent. Europe and Central Asia (ECA) received 18 percent. Table 2.3 provides additional detail on the funds allotment. Table 2.3 New Regular Program Proposals Approved in Fiscal Year 2015 (US$, millions) Activation Total Grant Trust Fund Grant Name Country Region Date Amount TF018040 Creating Inclusive Business India SAR 10/25/14 3.00 Models for Marginalized Tribal Communities in Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand TF018661 Empowering Poor Communities Georgia ECA 1/15/15 2.70 and Micro-Entrepreneurs in the Georgia Tourism Sector TF019238 Female Youths Livelihood and Zambia AFR 7/13/15 3.00 Nutrition Enhancement Project TF019188 Supporting Psychosocial Health Liberia AFR 5/22/15 3.00 and Resilience TF0A0350 Enhancing Income Opportunities Djibouti MNA 8/27/15 3.00 Project TOTAL 14.70 Source: DFPTF Note: Total grant amount for TF019238 is rounded from 2.995. 8 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 Seed Fund Grants JSDF Seed Fund grants are Bank-executed and awarded to individual Bank project task teams. The grants support consultation processes with stakeholders. More important, they support a partici- patory consultation process with targeted beneficiaries at the local level to ensure ownership. This consultative process also ensures that communities identify activities that they believe will address vulnerabilities and key development priorities. The JSDF program targets disadvantaged groups typically living in remote or hard-to-reach rural and marginal urban areas. These circumstances require special outreach activities as well as a facilitated participatory approach for the design and selection of investments to be financed by the grant. Thus, the involvement of local NGOs and other community organizations is essential during the design and preparation phase to ensure maximum effectiveness and sustainability. Five Seed Fund grants worth US$247,100 were approved in FY15. This represents a decline from FY14, when six grants were approved. Among the approved grants was the Piloting Legal Aid Services to the Poor project, which falls under the Djibouti Integrated Package. Details are outlined in Table 2.4. Table 2.4 Seed Fund Grants Approved in FY15 Name of Grant Proposal Region/Country Grant Amount (in US$) Infant and Young Child Feeding Nutrition Pilot AFR/Burundi 50,000 Pre-Conception Nutrition Improvement AFR/Mozambique 50,000 Piloting Legal Aid Services to the Poor MNA/Djibouti 50,000 Local Community Development—Helman South Power Plant MNA/Egypt 47,100 Household and community resilience to food and nutrition AFR/Senegal 50,000 insecurity shocks TOTAL 247,100 Source: DFPTF Tokyo International Development Conference on African Development V (TICAD V) Action Plan Implementation The TICAD V (2013–2017) Action Plan is underway. Under this program, the Japanese government allocated US$30 million in support of several Africa growth, health, and job creation initiatives through two new JSDF windows: ●● Scaling up Nutrition, US$20 million ●● Support for the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-combatants, US$10 million Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 9 Scaling-up Nutrition Under the Scaling-up Nutrition window, activities in six countries are at various stages of prepara- tion. Projects in four countries are at the concept preparation stage while activities in Mozambique and Togo are at the pre-concept stage. See Box 2.1 for more details. Support for the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-combatants In FY15, several grants funded under the Support for the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-combatants window were at the concept review stage. ●● Economic Empowerment for Conflict-Affected Youth in South Sudan: This US$3 million project is expected to provide an economic empowerment training program for conflict- affected youth in three selected areas of South Sudan ●● Social Cohesion and Livelihoods Support Project in Province Orientale, Democratic Republic of Congo: This US$3 million project aims to improve access to livelihoods and Box 2.1 Scaling-Up Nutrition in Africa Several countries have developed project concepts eligible for funding under JSDF’s new Scaling-Up Nutrition grant window. The US$3 million Burundi Infant and Young Child Feeding Nutrition Pilot aims to increase production and consumption of micronutrient-rich foods among targeted groups in Gihofi and Makamba. Focus is on promoting short-term changes in high-impact nutrition behaviors and practices that are known to contribute to medium- and long-term stunting reduction. Development objectives will be achieved by: c mobilizing communities to improve nutrition practices c increasing production of micronutrient-rich foods c strengthening project management, policy advocacy, monitoring, and evaluation In Senegal, the US$3 million Household and Community Resilience to Food and Nutrition Insecurity Shocks project will improve access to food and nutrition security. The work includes upgrading services for vulnerable households in selected areas of the country. In Cote D’Ivoire, the US$3 million Support to Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture and Capacity Development of Small and Marginal Farmers project aims to improve poor households’ access to nutrient-rich food from both plant and animal sources in selected parts of the country. The work includes encouraging diversification of agricultural production, which will increase the availability of nutritious foods and enhance household incomes for poor families. In combination with efforts to improve hygiene, the work will result in better health and nutrition outcomes. In Ethiopia, the US$3 million Pilot Project to Improve Community-Based Nutrition will help selected young women in Sasie Tsaeda Emba and Seharty Samre, Tigray gain better access to community-based nutrition and livelihood services. 10 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 strengthen social cohesion in five selected communities affected by the conflict and vio- lence in Dungu Territory ●● Support for Sustainable Livelihoods’ Promotion Project in the Pool Department, Repub- lic of Congo: This US$3 million is expected to improve access to livelihoods in selected Pool department communities Appraisal for all three activities is anticipated in FY16. JSDF and the Global Development Network Collaboration In 2010, the Japanese government launched a five-year partnership between the WBG and GDN to support innovation in development. The US$4.98 million commitment is administered through the PHRD-supported Japanese Award for Most Innovative Development Project (MIDP). This compe- tition, along with Japanese Award for Outstanding Research on Development (ORD), is part of the Annual Global Development Awards and Medals Competition organized by GDN. In FY15, this partnership was renewed for three more years with a commitment of US$1.66 million. The MIDP awards are provided to NGOs whose early stage projects embody a fresh approach and a high potential for development impact for the poor in developing countries. Selection criteria include degree of innovation, social impact, and the potential for broad application of the project in other countries. The first prize winner also is eligible to apply for a grant of up to US$200,000 through the JSDF. Under this collaboration, GDN receives US$30,000 to supervise activities of the grant recipient NGOs. GDN Conference in Morocco Agriculture for Sustainable Growth: Challenges and Opportunities for a New Green Revolution was the theme of the FY15 GDN conference. India’s Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development won the US$30,000 MIDP first prize for its Women Farmers Empowerment program, which leverages the country’s community-based organization structure to harness the strengths of marginalized women farmers. As the winner, the Chinmaya Organization was given the opportunity to submit a proposal for US$200,000 to be financed under the JSDF through GDN. The US$10,000 second prize was awarded two organizations: JAAGO Foundation in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka Wildlife Conservation Society (SLWCS). The JAAGO Foundation runs an online schooling project in Bangladesh, in which qualified teachers in urban areas are paired with students in rural areas. The second prize proposal aims to scale up this model by switching to solar energy. The SLWCS project proposes the use of oranges to create bio-fences as a way to address the on-going human-elephant conflict in Sri Lanka. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 11 CHAPTER 3 PORTFOLIO PERFORMANCE IN FISCAL YEAR 2015 PORTFOLIO RATINGS As of FY12, the reporting system on the performance of JSDF-funded projects has been aligned with the reporting process for WBG’s investment project financing. Under this system, the TTLs of JSDF-financed projects report on achievements towards reaching the intended project’s development objectives and on imple- mentation performance through WBG’s standard Implementation Status Report (ISR). The TTLs rate project performance in both categories on a six-point scale: Highly Satisfactory (HS), Satisfactory (S), Moderately Satisfactory (MS), Moder- ately Unsatisfactory (MUS), Unsatisfactory (US) and Highly Unsatisfactory (HUS). In FY15, JSDF grants performed well. About 91 percent of the projects were rated MS or higher in achieving the development objective. This represents a one per- cent increase over FY14 and a 3 percentage point improvement over FY13 perfor- mance. Out of all the projects, only one—in Africa—received the HS rating. One EAP project and one SAR project received US ratings. See Table 3.1 for details. Table 3.1 Performance on Project Development Objectives Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Region Grant Number or Higher Unsatisfactory or Lower AFR 27 25 2 EAP 13 12 1 ECA  5  5 0 LCR 25 22 3 MNA 12 11 1 SAR 10  9 1 TOTAL 92 84 8 Source: DFPTF 12 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal 2015 Project Achievements: The Highlights The FY15 portfolio of JSDF-financed projects focused on addressing the complexities inherent in the multi-dimensional features of poverty. JSDF’s strategic approach is to support community-driven development activities by empowering the poor at the local community level to participate in activ- ities that affect their development. These projects aim to improve livelihood opportunities in combi- nation with better nutrition and health, along with improved agricultural practices for increased pro- ductivity, income generation and nutrition. Focus is also on improved access to education, safe water supply and sanitation, and legal services. Other efforts address climate adaptation, empowerment of women entrepreneurs, and good governance. Most of the projects targeted the poorest and most vulnerable groups: female-headed households, mal-nourished children, adolescent girls, pregnant women, lactating mothers, youth, artisanal and small mining communities, indigenous communities, people with disabilities, and communities affected by conflicts, global recession and climate change. A representative sample of JSDF projects implemented in FY15 is provided in Box 3.1. Box 3.1 Selected JSDF Projects Implemented in FY15 and Intended Development Objectives Armenia: generate employment opportunities and provide vital services for vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities Belize: promote sustainable natural resource-based livelihoods and reduce anthropogenic pressures on natural resources Benin: improve nutrition of young children in rural areas with high rates of malnutrition Burkina Faso: assist small-scale livestock herder households in preserving livestock-based livelihoods Comoros: increase access to short-term employment in food-insecure areas Djibouti: generate short-term jobs and improve nutrition practices of children and pregnant and lactating women El Salvador: help farmers in the country’s dry region deal with drought and food insecurity Guatemala: strengthen resilience capacity of Maya indigenous people to cope with food insecurity Honduras: expand Honduran program for community-based school model for grades 7–9 Lao PDR: help poor and vulnerable households through the livelihood-focused community-driven Development (CDD) program Malawi: promote enrollment of children with disabilities in mainstream schools using innovative methods Mongolia: generate additional income for the most vulnerable of Ulaanbaatar’s urban poor Nigeria: enhance access to justice Philippines: increase income and access to financial services; develop community enterprises linked to markets Sierra Leone: support transition into alternative employment for diamond artisanal and small-scale mining communities Tanzania: roll out life-saving food fortification intervention in areas not reached by national programs Togo: provide greater access to social safety nets for rural populations Thailand: provide poor urban households with bridging income support Tunisia: provide emergency income support through short-term youth employment Uganda: promote cultivation and consumption of nutrient-rich crops and nutrition care practices, with a focus on children younger than 2, adolescent girls, and pregnant women in the poorest smallholder households Vietnam: help integrate young deaf children into mainstream society Sierra Leone: enhance the sustainable livelihoods of vulnerable groups in artisanal communities Sri Lanka: reduce malnutrition rates among pregnant and lactating women and young infants in the country’s northern provinces South Asia Region: enhance the development impact, sustainability, and client ownership of pro-poor WBG-financed projects in Bangladesh and Nepal; promote civil society operational engagement, experience and capacity to demand better governance. Yemen: reduce food insecurity at the household level and improve nutritional practices. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 13 The following sections highlight the results and achievements of selected projects implemented in FY15, organized by project objective: ●● Livelihood support ●● Nutrition ●● Education ●● Agriculture ●● Access to justice ●● Water and sanitation ●● Climate change and adaptation ●● Governance Many of the projects feature a cross-cutting thematic focus, including livelihood support, agricul- ture, and nutrition. Results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets are also provided. LIVELIHOOD SUPPORT JSDF’s livelihood improvement projects support poor communities in post-crisis situations and in urban areas. They target vulnerable urban and rural youth, ethnic communities, mining commu- nities, artisans, vulnerable women, and persons with disabilities. Projects also feature activities aimed at boosting economic opportunity. Projects make use of a wide range of approaches, such as short-term labor-intensive community infrastructure projects, community-based small-scale livestock and fisheries projects, sustainable and nature-based alternative livelihoods, youth-led enterprises, and nutrition-based safety net programs, as well as vocational training. ACHIEVING DEVELOPMENT RESULTS 850,000 community 500 4,500 direct beneficiaries subprojects trained in implemented 1,205 livelihood opportunities 40 percent youths 500,000 project households able engaged in person-days of short-term 510,000 to avert extreme vocational employment female poverty training generated beneficiaries 2,900 youths trained in financial literacy 3,600 physically challenged women and youth transitioned from mining activities to alternative livelihood employment* and 14 production consolidation *Life after Diamonds project Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 DJIBOUTI: Crisis Response Employment and Human Capital Safety Net (US$3.64 million) Development objectives: To pilot an innovative integrated safety net for the poor and vulnerable households, combining a workfare program with social assistance for nutrition using communi- ty-driven and participatory approaches as well as capacity building interventions. These goals would be accomplished by generating short-term job opportunities for the poor and vulnerable and by improving nutrition practices. The nutrition efforts focus on pre-school children, pregnant women, and lactating mothers, with educational outreach to enhance knowledge and change attitudes and practices on water management, hygiene, food handling, and childcare. Achievements: Results from this pilot project are consistent with other international experiences in setting up strong and integrated nutrition-based social safety nets. The approach, which seeks syner- gies between workfare and nutrition initiatives, leads to improved health, hygiene, and food practices as well increased household income, women’s empowerment and reduced inequalities. The pilot project has helped raise awareness and elevated the fight against malnutrition to the national level. The JSDF pilot paved the way for the subsequent WBG’s International Development Assistance (IDA) financed project and Additional Financing from IDA. All project indicators have been achieved or surpassed, with success in addressing the multidimensional poverty issues. For details, see Table 3.2. A role model mother is explaining good nutrition habits with the help of a visual tool in Balbala, Djibouti City, Djibouti. This is among a series of public awareness campaigns organized within the framework of the JSDF Social Safety Net program. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 15 Table 3.2 Project Results: Crisis Response–Employment and Human Capital Safety Net in Djibouti Indicators Results Target Extreme poverty in project households averted, 40 20 compared to non-participation (%) Short-term employment generated (in person-days) 223,300 180,000 Change in diet diversity as measured by the household 28 20 survey (%) Improved nutrition practices for project participants (%) 98 40 Source: DFPTF Notes: The rate of extreme poverty averted is estimated based on the number of households that benefited from 50 days of short-term employment. Women comprised 77 percent of the beneficiaries in the community-driven labor intensive public works program LAO PDR: Livelihood Opportunities for Ethnic Communities for Improved Livelihoods and Wellbeing (US$2.62 million) Development objective: To pilot an innovative livelihood-focused CDD program in five poverty reduction priority districts within two provinces (Huaphan in the North and Savannaketh in the South). The goal is to help improve the livelihoods and wellbeing of 28,800 households in Lao PDR’s rural ethnic communities through group-based activities. Achievements: The project has made meaningful progress towards achieving the development objective. The model of livelihood and nutrition improvement using the CDD platform tested under the project shows significant potential for scale up. Table 3.3 Project Results: Livelihood Opportunities for Ethnic Communities for Improved Livelihoods and Well-Being in Lao PDR Indicators Results Targets Number of direct beneficiaries 28,512 28,800 Percent of female beneficiaries 60 50 Percent of targeted households that adopted 60 60 improved pro-nutrition livelihood activities Percent of community members involved in 60 60 decision-making on allocation of grant resources Percent of SHG members who reported 73 70 increased livelihood opportunities Source: DFPTF 16 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 ●● More than 300 self-help groups (SHGs) were formed, with self-selection based on interest and affinity ●● SHGs leveraged seed grants totaling US$660,000 from the project for credit lines extended to more than 4,000 member households ●● Loan beneficiaries started small production of livestock such as poultry and catfish that have a shorter return period ●● Credit was repaid to SHGs with interest within a six-to-twelve month period ●● The asset base of the SHGs has increased. In combination with members’ individual monthly savings—totaling US$24,000 as of FY15—this creates a significant safety net for poorer members, enabling them to borrow money in emergencies at a concessional rate ●● The Village Nutrition Center (VNC) established by the project has been successful in improving the dietary practices of about 60 percent of beneficiary villagers. This outcome has been accomplished by encouraging the cultivation of home gardens to produce nutri- tious vegetables and allow for a more balanced diet, and by classes and demonstrations at the VNS on how to prepare more nutritious food BELIZE: Promoting Sustainable Natural Resource-Based Livelihoods (US$2.8 million) Development objective: To promote viable and sustainable natural resource-based livelihoods for participating communities in Belize, thereby reducing anthropogenic pressures on key natu- ral resources. Project Achievements: The project has largely completed the community mobilization process, including the organization of community mobilization workshops, gender analysis, training in proposal writing, and training in monitoring and evaluation (M&E). The progress on the commu- nity-led alternative livelihoods component is modest. This is primarily due to the time it takes for community mobilization and capacity building, especially given that many of the participating community groups are new to these activities. Table 3.4 Project Results: Promoting Sustainable Natural Resource-based Livelihoods in Belize Indicators Results Targets Number of persons directly engaged in community 850 3250 sustainable resources-based alternative livelihoods, utilizing new knowledge and skills Percent of female beneficiaries 30 25 Number of community resource management plans 2 8 adopted and implemented Source: DFPTF Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 17 SIERRA LEONE: Artisanal Mining Community (US$2.75 million) Development objectives: To pilot community-driven capacity building, empowerment, and par- ticipatory decision-making in artisanal and small scale mining communities. Specific focus is on enhancing social accountability and promoting closer cooperation on environmental and social challenges. Efforts to increase participation and improve sustainable livelihoods are targeted at the most vulnerable groups in these communities, including women. A parallel objective is to support a transition from diamond artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) into alternative and more sus- tainable livelihoods, such as agriculture. Achievements: The project was successfully implemented. All funds were disbursed. The develop- ment objectives were achieved. An independent evaluation concluded that: ●● About 108 sub-projects in 120 communities have brought significant changes to the lives of beneficiaries by empowering artisanal miners to make choices about transitioning into alternative and more sustainable means of livelihood, especially in agriculture and agribusiness ●● Beneficiaries affirmed that the Village Development Council structure has empowered them in participatory decision-making, promoted closer cooperation, and fostered com- munity-driven development ●● The Life after Diamonds project is working in 120 communities in six chiefdoms. To date, through block grant activities, the project has benefited 11,250 people, of whom 80 per- cent are women and youth ●● About 108 community projects are either completed or almost completed. ●● Infrastructure projects have generated over 1,750 job opportunities ●● Local development capacity building and skills training have yielded strong results: 11,250 people benefited from community training and 400 students benefited from the 75 mining school clubs formed. Through the clubs, students learned about environmental and social challenges, raising community awareness on mining-related social issues such as teen pregnancy, child labor, HIV/AIDS and environmental challenges ●● 75 community projects were completed through use of block grants ●● 80 percent of the 4,500 youth, women and physically challenged persons targeted received training. Currently they are working in agriculture after transiting from mining activities Villagers stated that what politicians failed to do in 15 years, the JSDF project has achieved in less than one year. The Fandu bridge will bring significant economic changes to the Kono district. 18 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 TUNISIA: JSDF Emergency Support for Youth (US$2.78 million) Development objective: To provide emergency income support and short-term employment to approximately Box 3.2 3,000 youth. This objective will be achieved by helping tar- Project Results: geted youth meet their basic needs through cash-for-work, training, apprenticeship and self-employment opportunities. Sample Survey of 180 Tunisia Project Beneficiaries Achievements: Key project results as of FY15 include the following: • 98 percent found the training provided under the project useful. ●● About 3,378 youth in Kasserine and Siliana gover- • 93 percent found the project to be useful. norates benefited, of whom 49 percent were young • 80 percent of the beneficiaries are more active women. This figure is well above the project target as a result of the project. of 3,000 beneficiaries • 92 percent have acquired new skills. • Nearly 100 percent of participants improved ●● 2,412 youth participated in youth community their financial literacy skills for better personal projects. About half of the participants were young financial management. women ●● About 525 youth participated in vocational train- ings, of whom nearly half were young women ●● 430 youth were placed in apprenticeships ●● 441 youth participated in micro-entrepreneurship training, of who half were young women ●● 293 youth received start-up grants for youth-led enterprises ARMENIA: Strengthening the Livelihoods and Voice of Vulnerable and Disabled Persons in Armenia (US$2.67 million) Development objective: To pilot an initiative aimed at creating self-reliant livelihoods and gen- erating employment opportunities, combined with the provision of vital services for Armenia’s extremely poor and vulnerable groups, including persons with disabilities. Achievements: The project is on track to complete its activities and meet its development objec- tive by its March 2016 closing date. Table 3.5 Project Results: Strengthening the Livelihoods and Voice of Vulnerable and Disabled Persons in Armenia Indicators Results Targets Number of participants who completed and or 688 800 are participating in vocational training programs Number of graduates in sustained employment  87 200 Source: DFPTF Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 19 PHILIPPINES: Community Enterprise Development as a Pathway out of Poverty (US$2.93 million) Development objective: To improve the livelihood and quality of life for poor households in target municipalities. This objective will be achieved through increased income generation, better access to financial services, development of community-led enterprises linked to markets, and local eco- nomic development support. Achievements: To date, the project has made satisfactory progress in the social aspects of the ini- tiative as well as in creating linkages between community enterprises, local government units, CSO partners and micro-finance institutions. Table 3.6 details key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. Table 3.6 Project Results: Community Enterprise Development as a Pathway Out of Poverty in the Philippines Indicators Results Targets Community enterprises provided with capacity 6 6 building/start-up grants per municipality (%) Number of small producers trained on financial 2,900 6,000 literacy and on meeting market requirements for production Source: DFPTF TUNISIA: Community Works and Local Participation (US$2.87 million) Development objective: To provide direct income support to low-skilled and long-term unem- ployed citizens through their participation in labor-intensive community works. Decisions on the types of projects will be made by civil society associations in Jendouba in a highly partici- patory process. Achievements: Project implementation is rated Satisfactory. A process evaluation was undertaken to identify main bottlenecks preventing effective and efficient implementation of the public works projects and to highlight areas for improvement. The evaluation showed that the introduction of public-private partnerships (PPPs) for infrastructure projects and the development of a robust M&E system are both critical factors in improving effectiveness and efficiency. Among project achievements are the introduction of the PPP model, partnering with NGOs for the identification and implementation of sub-projects, and the development of a robust M&E system. Table 3.7 shows key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. 20 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 Table 3.7 Project Results: Community Works and Local Participation in Tunisia Indicators Results Target Out of 3,000 low-skilled and long-term unemployed 100 90 persons, percent who receive temporary income support through jobs in community projects Percent of female direct beneficiaries  44 30 Percent of local associations that have successfully  94 80 rehabilitated and/or upgraded infrastructure and services in the selected communities Source: DFPTF MONGOLIA: Community infrastructure for Urban Poor in Ulaanbaatar (US$2.77 million) Development objective: To help about 10,000 of Ulaanbatar’s most vulnerable urban poor, who live in ger areas (tent cities) with very limited basic services. The project seeks to generate addi- tional income for these low-income residents by scaling up community-led infrastructure develop- ment activities, which will create jobs for them. Achievements: Although 66 percent of community groups are female-headed, only 36.1 percent of the people employed by the community projects are women. This is due primarily to the physical nature of the jobs, most of which are in construction. Such activities may be difficult for women. To date, more than 34,660 people use the project-financed community facilities on a daily basis. However, maintenance of the new facilities remains an issue to be addressed. Table 3.8 shows key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. Table 3.8 Project Results: Community Infrastructure for Urban Poor in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia Indicators Results Target Number of people earning US$8 per day in 16,900 10,000 additional income through work on community infrastructure contracts financed by the project grant Percent of community groups headed by females 66 50 Percent of beneficiaries who are among the most 98 80 vulnerable people living in ger areas of Ulaanbaatar, including single female-headed households, the unemployed, the disabled and low-income households Source: DFPTF Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 21 THAILAND: Community-based Livelihood Support for the Urban Poor (US$2.85 million) Objective: To provide bridging income support and improved living conditions for about 3,000 vulnerable households in Thailand’s poor urban communities. Achievements: The project has been able to forge strong partnerships and collaboration with municipal authorities. Living conditions have improved as follows: ●● Quality housing repairs have made a significant difference in living conditions ●● More residents have access to potable water and electricity; they are more protected from flooding due to new pumping stations and drainage systems ●● Improvements in drainage systems have reduced wastewater accumulation, yielding signif- icant positive quality of life impacts ●● Income generated by the project has allowed beneficiaries to save, pay off debts, and—in a few cases—invest in small businesses Several communities reported an additional and unforeseen benefit. They noted that the project played an important in fostering stronger social cohesion, which has helped them to mobilize more effectively organize and seek additional support beyond the project. Table 3.9 Project Results: Community-based Livelihood Support for the Urban Poor in Thailand Indicators Results Target Percent of female participants in paid labor component of 30 20 rehabilitation activities Number of community volunteers trained 250 200 Number of community sub-projects implemented 10 50 Number of technically sound community rehabilitation plans 40 50 developed in the four project areas Number of community grants transferred to targeted groups 18 50 Source: DFPTF 22 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 COMOROS: Emergency Food Security and Unemployment Support through Cash-For-Work Program (US$2.37 million) Development objective: To increase access to short-term employment in food insecure areas in the Comoros. Achievements: The project’s overall implementation and progress toward achievement of the development objective have both been rated Highly Satisfactory, due to the active response to the catastrophic floods that devastated the country in early 2012. Through the project, affected house- holds quickly received needed cash and communities organized rapidly for clean-up and rehabili- tation. As of June 30, 2015, 212 cash-for-work micro-projects have been completed, exceeding the project target of 150. The project created 269,861 person-days of employment, resulting in direct benefit to more than 10,700 individuals, of whom 59.6 percent are women. Table 3.10 Project Results: Emergency Food Security and Unemployment through Cash for Work Program in Comoros Indicators Results Target Number of person-days of employment create 269,861 180,000 Percent of female beneficiaries 59.6 50.0 Number of social protection sub-project completed 212 150 Operating ratio (%) 19.75 18.0 Source: DFPTF Note: This ratio achieved a decline from 22 to 19.75. It has not yet reached the target due to increases in transportation and electricity costs. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 23 NUTRITION IMPROVEMENT The JSDF projects aimed at improving nutrition practices had a multi-faceted focus, including reduction of chronic malnutrition in children under 5 and in young children living in poor rural areas, early childhood development in ethnic communities, and efforts to address micro-nutrient deficiencies. Target groups included smallholder families and vulnerable segments of populations affected by crises. Among the approaches used were workfare programs combined with social assistance, conditional cash transfers, innovative delivery mechanisms involving mothers and grandmothers as role models, and empowerment. The following sections report on the achieve- ments of selected JSDF nutrition improvement projects under implementation in FY15. ACHIEVING DEVELOPMENT RESULTS 2,097 children (0–24 months) participated in monthly growth monitoring and nutrition 38,369 children 59 percent of severely malnourished promotion sessions under 5, adolescent children supported 314,885 beneficiaries girls, pregnant women and lactating by project gained weight mothers of cash transfers benefitted from nutrition 67.5 percent of targeted infants education and basic nutrition 300,845 exclusively breast-fed services direct beneficiaries “Experience under this grant should be helpful in informing the implementation of the multi-sectoral food security and nutrition grant soon to be implemented.” —wbg manager 24 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 UGANDA: An Innovative, Integrated Approach to Enhance Smallholder Family Nutrition (US$2.8 million) Development objective: To improve nutrition for an estimated 19,200 vulnerable and poorest smallholder households in Mabara and Masaka districts. This objective will be accomplished by promoting the cultivation and consumption of nutrient-rich crops and by improving the nutrition care practices of children younger than A rigorous impact evaluation age 2, adolescent girls, and pregnant women. Achievements: Progress on community-based agriculture and health is being carried out by service delivery activities is rated Satisfactory. Activities are imple- mented through trained community agriculture promoters, vine pro- the World Bank’s Gender ducers, community health promoters (CHPs), and adolescent health Innovation Lab to estimate the promoters (AHP). Notable achievements include: ●● Trained CHPs initiated growth monitoring and promotion effect of project interventions efforts for children under age 2 ●● Adolescent girls were identified for participation in activities on outcomes, particularly with trained AHPs; health and nutrition activities have begun ●● Farmers received input packages to support cultivation of on the adoption of nutrient- orange-fleshed sweet potatoes rich crops, associated effects ●● 40 vine producers received continued support to expand rapid cultivation of the orange-fleshed sweet potato. This on nutrition outcomes, and support included distribution of vine cuttings for three sweet potato varieties to enable community-based procurement effects of interventions on of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes in preparation for the next round of inputs women’s workloads. Table 3.11 shows key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. Table 3.11 Project Results: An Innovative Approach to Enhance Smallholder Family Nutrition in Uganda Indicators Results Targets Percent of participating farmers adopting orange-fleshed sweet 8 20 potato cultivation Percent of children (6–23 months) with minimum dietary diversity 10 15 Percent of infants (0–5 months) exclusively breastfed 57 67 Number of children (0–24 months) participating in monthly 2,097 8,000 growth monitoring and promotion sessions Number of adolescent girls participating in education sessions 1,362 960 Source: DFPTF Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 25 BENIN: Community Nutrition (US$2.8 million) Development objective: To improve the nutrition of young children in poor rural areas with high malnutrition rates through innovative community-level nutrition services delivery mechanisms such as enlisting mothers and grandmothers to help with outreach. Achievements: The project performance is rated Satisfactory. To date, the project has surpassed all of the target development indicators. Among the notable achievements, the project reached more than double the target number of pregnant and lactating women, adolescent girls and children who ben- efited from nutrition services. Among the positive broader impacts is the influence of the pilot’s best practices and innovations on the design of the IDA-financed Multisectoral Food Japanese Ambassador on Health and Nutrition Project (MFHNP). This a field visit to influence is apparent in the scope of work the JSDF-funded for NGOs to be recruited under the MFHNP Community and in the local government’s capacity Nutrition Project building plans. The IDA-financed project in Benin was approved in December 2013. Table 3.12 shows key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. Table 3.12 Project Results: Community Nutrition in Benin Indicators Results Targets Percent of mothers of children ages 0–6 months who reported 91 54 exclusive breast feeding for the past day Percent of targeted communities implementing the community 400 75 risk pooling mechanism for severely malnourished children Percent of severely malnourished children in the project who 59 50 gained weight Number of pregnant/lactating women, adolescent girls and/ 32,438 13,608 children under age 5 benefitting from basic nutrition services Source: DFPTF TOGO: Cash Transfer for Vulnerable Children (US$2.55 million) Development objectives: To give rural populations in northern Togo better access to social safety nets, with a particular emphasis on social protections for the most vulnerable, who have been the most negatively affected by Togo’s consecutive crises over the past few years. The project aims to accomplish these goals by expanding a pilot cash transfer program, which provides immediate cash support to the most vulnerable households. The program also helps integrate these populations into 26 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 mainstream society through soft conditions such as obtaining birth certificates for their children, attending training and growth monitoring sessions, and enrolling older siblings in school. This JSDF grant supports the pilot cash transfer program in northern Togo in parallel with an IDA-financed project and the government’s own resources. Achievements: Implementation of this pilot project is rated Satisfactory. The first cash transfers were disbursed in two waves: the first covered 39 villages with 3,225 beneficiaries; the second spanned of 82 villages and 6,246 beneficiaries. These groups received their first transfers in FY15 and served as the control group for the impact evaluation. TANZANIA: Rural Food Fortification Project (US$2.63 million) Development objectives: To demonstrate workable and sustainable approaches for addressing micro-nutrient deficiencies in rural Tanzania, thereby providing models for the future roll out of life-saving food fortification interventions in areas not reached by the national food fortification program. Specific aims of the project include: ●● Demonstrate ways to design and implement small scale hammer mill fortification and home fortification programs in selected districts through the use of existing government structures ●● Assess the impact and sustainability of such a program ●● Gain experience on how to scale up such programs more broadly in preparation for future sustainable and effective roll out across the country Achievements: The overall pace of project picked up in FY15. With the completion of the training program, food fortification activities in various regions and districts were launched, along with the rural fortification component. Tanzania’s health ministry and local councils provided proactive support, contributing to raising community awareness. Micronutrient powders and premixes were delivered to selected villages. District and regional organizational capacity is being strengthened to support project documentation processes. Table 3.13 shows key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. Table 3.13 Project Results: Rural Food Fortification in Tanzania Indicators Results Targets Number of direct beneficiaries 295,800 580,000 Percent of children (6–23 months) in target districts using 32 60 micronutrient powder at least once in the last month Percent of households in target districts using fortified maize 19 40 flour in the last month Percent of health facilities in target districts that stock 80 70 micronutrient powder and premix Source: DFPTF Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 27 YEMEN: Emergency Targeted Nutrition Intervention (US$2.73 million) Development objectives: To reduce food insecurity at the household level and improve nutrition practices of targeted household members. Achievements: It is important to note that since the last reporting period, the situation in Yemen has deteriorated significantly. This may adversely affect the project’s implementation capacity and could slow the pace. However, as of FY15, the project has made progress on nutrition-related activities in its targeted areas. ●● 4,750 eligible women beneficiaries were registered ●● 169 health trainers were selected ●● 225 educational sessions were completed ●● 4,569 beneficiaries became eligible for payments, with the first transfer totaling US$197,000 ●● 70 cases of acute malnutrition were referred to health facilities for treatment; follow up care will continue for the next six months Key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets are shown in Table 3.14. Table 3.14 Project Results: Emergency Targeted Nutrition Intervention in Yemen Indicators Results Targets Number of pregnant/lactating women, adolescent girls and/or 4,569 2000 children under age five receiving basic nutrition services Number of direct project beneficiaries 4,750 3,000 Source: DFPTF 28 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 SRI LANKA: Local Level Nutrition Interventions for the Northern Province (US$2.73 million) Development objective: To reduce the compounded effects of the global food and financial crisis on the displaced populations in Sri Lanka’s Northern Province by reducing malnutrition rates among preg- nant and lactating women and children younger than 5. Achievements: At project close, implementation performance and achievements towards meeting the development objective were rated Satisfactory. ●● The supplementary feeding of targeted preg- nant and lactating mothers, infants and young children 0–23 months was completed ●● All trainings and refresher trainings for govern- ment officials supporting project implemen- tation and supervision and for members of women’s groups were completed successfully ●● Community nutrition and communication activities to reinforce health and nutrition behavioral change are underway. Activities include nutrition exhibitions and child-friendly home playrooms (specific to Kilichnochi), home gardening, animal husbandry, home kitchen improvements, and home preparation of Jeevaposha to feed children ages 2–5 (specific to Mullativu and Kilichnochi) Table 3.15 details results to date compared to proj- ect targets. Table 3.15 Project Results: Local-Level Nutrition Intervention for the Northern Province in Sri Lanka Indicators Results Targets Prevalence of anemia (Hb < 11.0g/dL) among children 0–23 months (%) 55.4 55.4 Prevalence of anemia (Hb <11.0 g/dL) among pregnant women (%) 40.4 39.8 Prevalence of underweight (weight-for-age <-2 SD z-scores) among 31.6 29.7 children 0–23 months (%) Proportion of children 0–6 months who are exclusively breastfed (%) 78.2 81.0 Source: DFPTF Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 29 EDUCATION ACCESS In this section the achievements and results of a representative sample of JSDF education projects are showcased. JSDF’s education access projects help children from rural communities prepare for secondary school, deaf children integrate into mainstream society, and improve educational outcomes for the most vulnerable children. ACHIEVING DEVELOPMENT RESULTS 320 adults youth and aged 100 percent transition rate of children from community-based 5,700 direct beneficiaries of inclusive primary 15–40 attend schools to 7th grade education in classes in pilot herding learning center 800 communities 255 200 hearing teachers teachers in Malawi deaf children trained in sign trained on under language-based inclusive age 6 education methods education learned 55 deaf adults trained and certified as deaf family mentors sign language 30 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 HONDURAS: Piloting New Forms of Community-Administered Schools (US$1.71 million) Development objectives: To pilot the expansion of the Honduran Program for Community-Based Schools (PROHECO) into lower secondary education and to pilot learning centers in selected communities. Achievements: Project implementation is progressing towards achieving the intended DO. It has become the main vehicle by which the PROHECO model tests effectiveness for lower secondary education (grades 7–9). All four of the pilot PROHECO schools targeted by the project offer grades 7–9 with a formal educa- tion program, known as the National Basic Curricu- lum. Table 3.16 shows key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. The government of Honduras launched PROHECO in 1999 to expand access to primary education in rural areas. Table 3.16 Project Results: Piloting New Forms of Community-Administered Schools in Honduras Indicators Results Targets Increase in number of students enrolled in lower secondary 183 250 education in four pilot PROHECO schools Transition rate to 7th grade in pilot PROHECO schools (%) 102  90 Number of youth and adults aged 15–40 attending classes in 320 250 pilot learning centers Source: DFPTF Notes: 154 students enrolled in grades 7–9 in the four PROHECO pilot schools are using the National Basic Curriculum offered by regular public schools. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 31 MALAWI: Inclusive Education for Disabled Children (US$1.83 million) Teaching children Development objectives: To test inno- with disabilities vative methods to promote enrollment under the of children with disabilities currently Malawi: Inclusive excluded from mainstream schools and Education to influence the development of an for Disabled inclusive education policy. Children Project Achievements: The project has made satisfactory progress towards pro- motion of enrollment of children with disabilities in mainstream schools. ●● Parents of disabled children in Malawi carried out community awareness and mobilization campaigns in 150 schools ●● Organization and mobilization sessions included fourteen district stakeholder meetings, three community stakeholder meetings, nine community mobilization activities, and two open houses to gather all stakeholders on a common platform ●● 800 teachers in two districts were trained on inclusive education ●● 15 schools received direct hands-on support ●● Staff of the implementing agency were trained on policy dialogue for inclusive education and discussions were held with representatives of the country’s Ministry of Education VIETNAM: Intergenerational Deaf Education Outreach Project (US$2.8 million) Development objectives: To help integrate young deaf children into mainstream society. The key project beneficiaries include deaf preschool children, deaf leaders, sign-language interpreters, and hearing teachers of the deaf. Achievements: The project is making steady progress toward achieving its objectives. The tar- get of enrollment of deaf children in the four project sites has been surpassed. The project now focuses more on providing support for deaf children at special centers and schools to reduce proj- ect cost per child and better prepare deaf children for the primary education environment. As of FY15, the following activities were completed: ●● Family support teams that include deaf family mentors, sign language interpreters and spoken language teachers were set up and trained. They continue to work with deaf chil- dren and their families at eight centers and at home 32 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 ●● Sign language interpreters and deaf family mentors have completed their training pro- grams. They were tested in June 2015 and will receive certification for sign language inter- pretation and training from the Ministry of Education ●● The Ministry of Education issued a new regulation that allows special centers/schools to hire teaching support assistants. The new rule means that deaf mentors can be hired offi- cially to deliver sign language training at the centers Table 3.17 shows key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. Table 3.17 Project Results: Intergenerational Deaf Education Outreach in Vietnam Indicators Results Targets Number of eligible deaf children who can function well in families and are 225 150 well prepared for mainstream school programs Increase in number of preschool deaf children and families seeking screening, 255 400 family support, and preschool support from joint family-institution model The new joint family-institution intervention model for young deaf children is YES YES appreciated, adopted, and replicated in the mainstream education system. Source: DFPTF Note: About 255 deaf children are receiving sign language training at home or at special centers/schools. It is estimated that some 15,500 Vietnamese children age 5 and younger find it very difficult or impossible to hear, and most of them lack access to early education. A JSDF project assigns a deaf The JSDF IDEO project beneficiaries participating mentor to teach sign language to in the International Day of People with Disabilities each child. The approach involves festivities which raised public awareness of sign the children’s families in their language and the deaf community. leaning and development. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 33 Box 3.3 The Intergenerational Deaf Education Outreach Project: a Family-Centered, Learner-Friendly Approach for Inclusive Education Deaf children at Ho Chi Minh City’s Center for Supporting and Developing Inclusive Education for People with Disabilities (CSDIEPD) are not just learning sign language. They are being taught how to understand the world around them and how to express themselves so they can be understood. The center, along with five others, is testing an innovative method to improve the early development of deaf children, initiated in 2014. A “family support team” made up of a deaf mentor, a sign language interpreter, and a hearing teacher, works with young children in their homes, with their families. Four-year old Linh Nguyen said, “Teachers come to my house to teach me to sign. Today I learned about fruits and colors. They also teach my brother Tu, my grandfather, my father, and everyone else in my family.” Both Linh and Tu were born deaf. The model, implemented by WB partner Concern, an international humanitarian organization, has three key features: c Use sign language as the primary mode of communication, enabling deaf children to connect with their families and with the outside world. “Now we can all c Have deaf mentors as role models, advocates and sign language teachers, because they understand “from the inside” the realities of growing up deaf. speak the same c Involve the family in the child’s learning and development. Dinh Vo Kim Ly, mother of Ho Vo Tuong Vi, a four-year old girl with hearing language!”  loss, said “Two months after joining the program, my daughter can now communicate a lot with me. She knows many words now and tells me the —linh nguyen, age 4, names of different fruits when she goes out. She can also count.” ho chi minh city Improving Primary Education Outcomes for the Most Vulnerable Children in Rural Mongolia (US$2.46 million) Development objective: To improve the education outcomes of the most vulnerable children (ages 5–10) in four educationally underperforming and underserved rural provinces of Mongolia. The project promotes innovative initiatives to improve education services and facilities at the local level and to mobilize parents and community members. These initiatives are well suited to the needs of herding communities to reduce the number of school dropouts and out-of-school children. Achievements: The project has achieved good progress in FY15. Among the accomplishments: ●● After successful pilots of compensatory education programs for grades 1–3, the programs were finalized and rolled out more broadly in 30 project soums (villages). The new pro- grams come with significant added value. They represent the first-of-a-kind effort to provide resources and support for community stakeholders who work with primary grade 34 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 drop outs, many of whom are disabled, homebound, or not eligible to enroll in non-formal education classes due to their young age ●● Home-based school preparation programs for herders’ children ages 5–6 and extracurric- ular after-school programs for herders’ children living away from their parents are under- way. These programs are starting to reach children beyond the original project sites ●● Two national workshops were held, at which participants shared program experiences and knowledge for wider outreach ●● With the support of small grants, local communities have successfully implemented their own projects, with the active involvement of parents, community members and local government Table 3.18 shows key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. Table 3.18 Project Results: Improving Primary Education Outcomes for the Most Vulnerable Children in Rural Mongolia Indicators Results Targets Percent improvement in psycho-emotional well-being of children 15 25 enrolled in the extra-curricular after-school programs as reported by teachers, parent, peers, and the children themselves Number of direct project beneficiaries 5,700 7,500 Number of female beneficiaries 2,610 3,800 Source: DFPTF Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 35 Box 3.4 Meeting the Educational Needs of Herding Communities Uuriintsolmon is six years old. She lives in Ulziit Soum (village) with her parents, who are nomadic herders. They move about three or four times a year in search of good grazing lands for the sheep, goats, horses and cows that are the source of their livelihood. This nomadic lifestyle meant that Uuriintsolmon could not go to school. Like other parents of pre-kindergarteners, Uuriintsolmon’s parents worried that she would lag behind her peers when she started primary school. In November 2013, Uuriintsolmon’s parents enrolled her in a home-based school preparation program that was offered at their soum, supported by the JSDF project. Through the program, a child takes home one mobile kit of books and toys from the school library at a time. The parents are trained on how to use the kit to assist their child with learning, effectively becoming the teachers at home. After the child finishes one kit, the family returns to the library to get a new kit. Each child has 10 kits to learn. “The big book is for me. I learn a lot from the books,” said Uuriintsolmon as she pulled out a book from the kit. There is a different book in the kit for the parents to use to assist their children with learning. “I have learned a lot, too,” said Uuriintsolmon’s mother. “Her little sister will reach school age in four years. With this great experience, I am confident to teach her,” said Uuriintsolmon’s father, adding that he saw value in this learning and teaching experience. “When you work with your child this way, you learn to communicate with her. The family bond deepens,” he said. Home-based preparation now common practice in herding community Uuriintsolmon’s family was not the only one to benefit. In fact, 90 percent of her classmates were enrolled in the same home- based school preparation program. “There are relatively few children from herding communities who have enrolled in formal early childhood education,” Uuriintsolmon’s teacher said. “With the program, children can study at home what they should have studied in kindergarten. In my opinion, this is very productive and effective for the children, parents and teachers.” Added Ulziit Soum’s Community Education Council head, “a Community Education Council was established in each of the 30 soums under the project, as a driving force to bring educational changes to the local communities.” JSDF partners with Save the Children Japan on project implementation Targeting 30 soums in 4 aimags (provinces) the home-based school preparation program is s part of a larger project funded by JSDF to improve education for nomadic children aged 6–10 in the most disadvantaged rural communities in Mongolia. Save the Children Japan is implementing the project by promoting and piloting various community-based, culturally appropriate and innovative initiatives to improve education services and facilities at the local level, and to mobilize parents and community members. Other innovations that are being piloted include the Child Development Center at school dormitories for herders’ children. When herders’ children reach school age, they go to the soum center to attend school, which could be miles away from home. So, most of them stay in school dormitories or with relatives who live in the soum center. 36 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 AGRICULTURE PRODUCTIVITY ENHANCEMENT JSDF has financed a wide range of activities in the agriculture sector. Projects aim to: ●● Increase access to livestock feed and health services for small-scale livestock keepers ●● Restore productive capacity of targeted smallholder farmers and herders ●● Help poor farmers in the dry eastern regions adapt their farming practices to better cope with drought, food insecurity, and agricultural and energy price volatility ●● Improve livelihoods of indigenous forest communities ●● Enhance agriculture risk management and boost productivity levels for peasant farmers and indigenous peoples of both genders who live in drought-prone areas through use of environmentally sensitive production systems ●● Develop community driven enterprises linked to markets and local economic develop- ment support This section provides details and development results for a selected group of JSDF agriculture projects. ACHIEVING DEVELOPMENT RESULTS 82,469 small holder farmer beneficiaries 52,185 farms implemented agro-forestry and 18,896 mixed agriculture systems hectares 12 percent reduction in planted 3,750 80,504 farmers provided technical advice in safe operating costs for farmers with certified applying trained handling of pesticides irrigation water seeds in feed for vegetable production to their fields production using crop residues 50,085 female beneficiaries Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 37 BURKINA FASO: Emergency Livestock Feed Access Project (US$2.85 million) Development objective: To increase access to livestock feed and health services for small-scale livestock keepers living in pastoral and agro-pastoral zones with substantial risk of livestock output reduction in 2012. About half of the grant amount is provided for activities aimed at improv- ing access to animal feed concentrates, supplements, and health products. Another 29 percent of the grant funds support efforts to increase use of bulk livestock feed with innovative crop residue shredders. The balance of the grant supports the provision of accurate and timely information on the extent of the crisis and on existing mitigation measures. It also supports effective project coordination, management, monitoring and evaluation, and knowledge sharing. Achievements: The implementation progress towards achievement of the development objective is rated Satisfactory. Table 3.19 shows key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. Table 3.19 Project Results: Emergency Livestock Feed Access in Burkina Faso Indicators Results Targets Number of direct beneficiaries 25,520 28,000 Number of female beneficiaries 18 30 Quantity of livestock feedstuff (tons/year) 3,000 3,000 Quantity of feed supplement procured and distributed (metric tons) 50 50 Number of vaccine doses and veterinary products procured and distributed 200,000 200,000 Number of beneficiary households trained in feed production using crop residues 3,750 5,000 Source: DFPTF 38 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 GUATEMALA: Strengthening the Resilience Capacity of Maya Indigenous Peoples and Peasants to Cope with Food Insecurity and Climate Change in the Dry Corridor (US$2.51 million) Development objectives: To contribute to improved agricultural risk management and increased agricultural productivity for peasant farmers and indigenous peoples of both genders living in the selected areas of the Guatemala Dry Corridor, using environmentally sensitive production systems at lower production costs to ensure food security. Achievements: Project implementation has been challenging. The variety of producers, the remote location of the communities, and the impact of climate change over the last two years all posed obstacles in providing timely and adequate technical assistance. The project has been successful in working with communities and building a solid social fabric with and among beneficiaries. The sub-projects have yielded positive impacts for farms and in the overall ability to adapt to climate change. Reservoirs and drip irrigation systems have made a difference, with visible increases in agricultural productivity. Table 3.20 shows key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. Table 3.20 Project Results: Strengthening the Resilience Capacity of Maya Indigenous Peoples and Peasants to Cope with Food Insecurity and Climate Change in Guatemala Indicators Results Targets Number of farms using rainwater for irrigation 50 52 Number of female beneficiaries 18 30 Number of farms implementing agroforestry and mixed 90 79 agricultural systems (1,560 farmers are involved) Number of farmer organizations with resilience plans 25 25 Source: DFPTF Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 39 EL SALVADOR: Agricultural and Energy Risk Management: An Integral Strategy to Cope with Drought and Food Insecurity (AGRO-ENERGIA) (US$1.83 million) Development objectives: To help poor farmers living in the dry eastern region in adapting their farming practices to better cope with drought, food insecurity, and high and volatile prices of agri- cultural and energy inputs. Achievements: The project has met and exceeded targets. Fifty-four sub-projects are now under- way. AGRO-ENERGIA is working with 50 community-based organizations, benefiting 2,612 peo- ple–more than the 2,000 beneficiaries targeted. About 48 percent of the beneficiaries are women, while 170 beneficiaries come from indigenous families. Box 3.5 Record Drought in Central America: Four Countries, Forty Days without Rain and Two Million Facing Hunger More than 500,000 families in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala are food-insecure due to record drought. Despite the state of emergency, a variety of efforts have been implemented to counteract the impact of climate change on the lives of Central Americans. In Honduras the Dry Corridor Alliance proposal brought together development partners to train local farmers to diversify their crops and engage in subsistence activities other than agriculture. Guatemala has launched a project to help more than 1,000 families in the Dry Corridor improve their agricultural productivity through the use of agroforestry and rainwater irrigation systems. This initiative also provides support for lower-cost production of environmentally friendly basic grains. El Salvador has implemented a project to assist more than 2,000 smallholder farmers in the eastern part of the country to adapt their practices in an effort to mitigate the effects of the drought and food insecurity caused by the volatility of food prices and agricultural inputs (tools, seeds, fertilizers) and energy (fuel and electricity). These projects are supported by JSDF, working with other development partners. HONDURAS: Environmentally Sustainable Cacao Production for Small-Scale Indigenous Peoples and Afro-descendant Farmers (US$2.25 million) Small-scale indigenous and Afro-descended cacao farmers in Honduras are engaged in poor farming and production practices and lack the necessary entrepreneurial skills and management knowledge to expand production and increase their sales by entering new markets. The challenge in this project 40 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 was to introduce new and environmentally sound farming methods Leonidas Zavala and create an entrepreneurial mentality for sustainable growth and development. In addition, with improved production and quality, the Domínguez, one of the farmers would need to learn how to market and negotiate prices. Development objectives: To contribute to increased productivity, farmers from the Olancho measured as at least 6 quintals per hectare, for small-scale cacao department, said that producers by lowering production costs through environmental- ly-sensitive production systems such as agroforestry. Focus is also he had broadened his on building strategic partnerships to improve commercialization. Achievements: The project developed key strategic alliances with knowledge about the Fundacion Hondurena de Investigacion Agricola (FHIA) and with Universidad Nacional Agricola (UNA). These alliances enabled drying of the cacao bean coordination with other organizations without duplicating efforts. and how to improve FHIA’s genetic material knowledge brought subject matter exper- tise to project beneficiaries. UNA’s farm school experience and its quality. Maura Eligia teaching materials contributed to strong performance and better project execution. The project also signed an agreement with the Duarte, from a Pech Federation of Indigenous Pech to ensure inclusion and participation of indigenous peoples. community, reported The increased production of organic cacao helped project benefi- that she had learned ciaries enter a more selective and less volatile market. Use of locally available raw materials and deployment of modern agri-science tech- how to prepare artisanal nologies contributed to cost reduction, productivity improvements, and ability to sell goods in a more selective market. Combined, these chocolate and other cocoa factors led to increases in farmers’ incomes. Table 3.21 shows key results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. derivatives. Table 3.21 Project Results: Environmentally Sustainable Cacao Production for Small-Scale Indigenous Peoples and Afro-Descendant Farmers in Honduras Indicators Results Targets Number of farms using agro-forestry systems 1,181 1,000 Number of farms piloting certification services 3 3 Number of farms producing at least 6 quintals per ha 6 6 Source: DFPTF Notes: The average size of the farms ranges between 1.5 ha and 2 ha. It is important to note that not only was the expected result/indicator exceeded but 1,700 ha benefitted from the project through productivity improvements. There were no organically certified farms before the project was implemented. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 41 EGYPT: Participatory Farm-level Irrigation Modernization (US$2.75 million) Development objective: To pilot more participatory approaches for modernizing farm-level irrigation and cropping practices by targeting about 5,000 small-scale farmers with an estimated irrigation area of 2,800 ha (7,000 feddan) in Egypt’s Nile Delta. Achievements: Project implementation continues to improve. About 22 farmer field schools were set up in two governorates. Male and female extension workers received training on the farmer field school methodology. Equipped with this new knowledge, these workers provide advice and guidance on modern irrigation techniques and agronomic practices to male and female farmers, who can implement these techniques for productivity improvements. Table 3.22 shows key results as of FY15 as compared to project completion targets. Table 3.22 Project Results: Participatory Farm-Level Irrigation Modernization in Egypt Indicators Results Targets Operating costs for farmers applying irrigation water to their 12 10 fields reduced (in US$) Number of beneficiaries who benefited from marwa 4,099 5,000 improvement in selected command areas Source: DFPTF The Gambia Emergency Agricultural Production Support (GEASP) (US$2.85 million) Development objective: To restore the productive capacity of targeted smallholder farmers and herders in the 19 rural districts affected by the 2011/2012 drought in the Gambia. In particular, the grant will complement efforts of the Gambian government and development partners to restore production for the most affected households by: ●● Increasing access to improved seed and fertilizer ●● Providing water sources for vegetable gardening ●● Expanding access to livestock feed and health services Achievements: The project’s progress is rated Satisfactory. To date, it has exceeded all key perfor- mance indicators, as shown in Table 3.23. 42 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 Table 3.23 Project Results: Agriculture Production Support in The Gambia Indicators Results Targets Number of beneficiaries using improved technologies including 50,238 40,000 recommended good agricultural practices Number of female farmers with dry season vegetable gardens 50,914 40,000 who reported production increases Percent of beneficiaries who have maintained their herd size at 40 20 the end of the project Area covered with certified seed (ha) 18,896 16,000 Number of women trained on good vegetable production and 476 400 safe handling of pesticides Source: DFPTF BEFORE GEASP INTERVENTION Deep dry well Drudgery in fetching water Poor vegetable fencing AFTER GEASP JSDF provided bore-holes for ease of access to abundant clean water all year round. This not only helped the farmers to increase vegetable production but provided clean water supply for the rural poor. The new fencing also prevented stray animals from intruding and destroying garden produce. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 43 NICARAGUA: Reducing Vulnerability of Small Farmers to Price Risk (US$1.0 million) Development objective: To reduce the vulnerability of small farmers in Nicaragua to the increased volatility in international food markets. This objective will be accomplished by reducing transaction costs for trading of agriculture products locally and internationally and by increasing access to price risk management tools and strategies. Achievements: Project implementation is rated Satisfactory. Table 3.24 shows key results as of FY 15 compared to project completion targets. Table 3.24 Project Results: Reducing the Vulnerability of Small Farmers to Price Risk in Nicaragua Indicators Results Targets Percentage reduction in transaction costs and after-tax 29 10 margins of products currently not traded through local commodity exchange Number of additional agricultural products (cash and/or 2 2 financial contracts) traded through local commodity exchange Percent increase in the volume of food products traded 1.45 2 through the local commodity exchange Number of new commodity trade and/or price risk 2 2 management strategies/tools for small farmers Number of farmers trained in improved agriculture price risk 2,561 3,000 management strategies Source: DFPTF 44 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 LEGAL SERVICES AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE The poor and marginalized communities often lack sufficient access to legal services. As such, they are often deprived of fair justice. They have little say in local government planning and budgeting processes or in the way local services are provided. Several JSDF projects have helped these mar- ginalized groups obtain fair justice through strengthened free legal services and improved access to legal aid. JSDF projects have also helped communities improve their participatory decision-making processes on local development issues and increase the accountability of local government bodies. ACHIEVING DEVELOPMENT RESULTS 12,386 100 89 local bodies percent of local conducted open government deputies public budgeting and reported increased beneficiaries knowledge and skills planning meetings 1,512 persons reported improved knowledge of local budget formation and execution 850,000 people reached 5,380 persons 830 by radio broadcasts trained 20 legal aid poor and on legal rights and 40 percent vulnerable clinics people accessed Alternative sta ed and newly available female Dispute fully functional legal services beneficiaries Resolution PERU: Integrated Legal Strategies for the Poor (US$1.12 million) Development objective: To strengthen the provision of free legal services for Peru’s urban poor and most vulnerable citizens in selected cities following the results of a gap analysis from the legal demand census. Achievements: Implementation and progress toward achievement of the intended objective are both rated Satisfactory. Main activities focused on setting up free legal services centers, called Free Justice Services Stations (FJSS), in remote areas where the justice services needs of the poor were not being met. Volunteer lawyers from Huanuco, Iquitos, Huancavelica and Cajamarca were trained Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 45 as part of the implementation of a certification process (Diplomado Virtual Semipresencial). The 911 Lawyer Call Centers were opened as well, giving citizens emergency access to free legal consul- tations over the phone. Project progress includes consultations with Peru’s Ministry of Justice and Human Rights to enable continuation of the call center operations. In addition, about 1,000 citizens benefited from a public information and awareness program. Table 3.25 shows results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets, revealing that the project has exceeded its completion targets. Table 3.25 Project Results: Integrated Legal Strategies for the Poor in Peru Indicators Results Targets Number of trained and legal service professionals 140 80 Number of fully functional legal service stations 5 4 Source: DFPTF NIGERIA: Access to Justice for the Poor (US$2.53 million) Development objective: To enhance access to legal aid services for the poor and vulnerable in Kaduna State so they can effectively exercise their socio-economic rights and resolve civil disputes. Achievements: Overall progress toward achievement of the development objective is rated Sat- isfactory. A significant project accomplishment is the support for maintaining the decentralized legal aid clinics piloted by the project after project closure. The implementing partner—Legal Aid Council in Nigeria—along with 12 local governments have all expressed interest in keeping the clinics open. In addition: ●● Front-line staff, including legal aid lawyers, paralegals and Youth Corps volunteers across Kaduna State received training on Alternate Dispute Resolution and on specific legal topics to provide quality services. Local government lawyers/legal service providers were included in these training sessions to ensure seamless continuation of legal service provi- sion after project closure ●● Various outreach and communications campaigns raised awareness about socio-economic rights (or economic, social and cultural rights) ●● These campaigns, featuring radio programs, jingles and road shows, have reached nearly 850,000 people ●● Decentralized services offered through the legal aid clinics were piloted in 20 locations ●● Decentralized services via legal aid clinics across Kaduna State started in late 2011 and the number of cases received has picked up significantly over time: 36 cases were received in 2012; 322 cases were received in 2013; and 830 cases were received in 2014 The project has met or exceeded its targets, as shown in Table 3.26. 46 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 Table 3.26 Project Results: Access to Justice for the Poor in Nigeria Indicators Results Targets Number of functioning legal aid clinics in Kaduna state 15 12 Number of fully staffed centers offering full range of legal aid services 3 3 Number of poor and vulnerable making use of available legal services 830 242 Number of people trained on legal rights and Alternative Dispute Resolution 5,249 5,000 Source: DFPTF KYRGYZ REPUBLIC: Building Demand-side Capacity for Effective Local Governance (US$1.61 million) Development objective: To strengthen local governance in the Kyrgyz Republic by enhancing participatory decision-making and accountability in local government planning and budgeting, service, and investments. Achievements: The project closed in FY15 with Satisfactory ratings for implementation perfor- mance and achieving its objective, despite not hitting most targets. Capacity-building activities took place in 78 poor rural local government areas, with activities selected through a competitive process. These activities focused on sharing knowledge and raising awareness of citizens’ rights, roles and responsibilities in participatory self-governance. Of note, most of the deputies trained under the project were elected to office in the next local council election. Table 3.27 shows key results as of FY 15 compared to project completion targets. Table 3.27 Project Results: Building Demand-side Capacity for Effective Local Governance in Kyrgyz Republic Indicators Results Targets Number of direct project beneficiaries 6,170 9,900 Number of direct female beneficiaries 1,481 3,300 Percent of local Kenesh Deputies reporting increase in their 89 95 knowledge and skills to exercise their representative roles and responsibilities Percent of local government body heads conducting open 97 100 public budgeting and planning meetings Percentage of project beneficiaries reporting improved 88 90 knowledge of local budget formation and execution Source: DFPTF Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 47 SOUTH ASIA: Engaging the Poor for Good Governance and Fighting Corruption (US$1.9 million) This regional project is unique in many respects. The project was focused on two countries (Ban- gladesh and Nepal) in South Asia instead of a single country. The main implementing organization, the Partnership for Transparency Fund, forged a partnership with two NGOs operating in the two project countries–Manusher Jonno Foundation in Bangladesh and Helvetia in Nepal. In turn, these organizations identified local partners to run project activities at the local community level. In addition, the project strengthened the capacities of local communities to understand governance issues and to demand better governance of certain WBG-financed projects that are underway nearby. For outreach purposes, the program was given a new name: Citizen Action for Results, Transparency and Accountability (CARTA). Development objectives: To enhance the development impact, sustainability, and client ownership of WBG-financed pro-poor projects in Bangladesh and Nepal and to promote civil society opera- tional engagement, experience, and capacity to demand better governance. Achievements: Both the Bangladesh and Nepal components and sub-projects have yielded strong results, as follows. BANGLADESH: Local Government Support Project (LGSP) II ●● 100 percent of local government (UP) committee and community members had knowl- edge of the LGSP-II scheme compared to 80 percent in one local government unit and 58 percent in another unit at the beginning of the sub-project ●● 100 percent of UPs properly disseminated information through notice boards, compared to 70 percent in one local government unit and 78 percent in another unit at the beginning of the sub-project ●● Information boards were displayed for 80 percent of the local infrastructure projects in one local government unit and 78 percent of projects in another unit ●● Tax collection improved from 77 percent to 83 percent in one local government unit and from 35 percent to 43 percent in another unit BANGLADESH: Bangladesh Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (BRWSS) II Program ●● Water User Committees (WUC) were re-organized to include 30 percent female members ●● Communication among user groups, WUCs, CSOs and the Department of Public Health Engineering (DPHE) increased ●● Increased monitoring led to service quality improvements ●● A damaged water purification plant was repaired through a WUC initiative ●● Community awareness improved for the planned BRWSSP-II: 88 percent of the respon- dents knew about the plans for the upcoming piped water system in their locality 48 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 ●● Communication among user groups, WUCs, CSOs, and DPHE increased in all CARTA sub-project areas BANGLADESH: Bangladesh Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Development ●● The sub-project in cooperation with partner organizations provided training for 350 first time users on Solar Home System (SHS) equipment maintenance ●● The percentage of households experiencing problems with their SHS unit decreased from 28 percent to 5 percent and from 16 percent to 1 percent for business users ●● The percentage of users briefed by a technician before or during the installation of their SHS and increased from 46 to 68 for household users and from 57 to 70 for business users ●● The time taken by partner organizations to solve problems related to SHS equipment decreased from 31–60 days to 1–15 days NEPAL: Rural Access Improvement and Decentralization Project in Nepal ●● 97 percent of CBO members knew about the Environment and Social Management Frame- work (ESMF), compared to 28 percent prior to the sub-project ●● 92 percent of CBO members knew about the quality of civil work and community monitor- ing methods, compared to 26 percent at the baseline ●● All CBOs received and discussed contract documents by the end of the sub-project, com- pared to 27 percent before CARTA ●● Prior to CARTA, CBOs were not assigned roles to monitor civil works. Only 60 percent of road projects were displayed on information boards. By the end of the sub-project, 84 percent of CBOs were assigned monitoring roles and 96 percent of the road projects were displayed on the boards ●● The number of recorded and redressed grievances increased substantially. Before the intervention, all grievances were verbal. Rarely were they addressed. At the end of the sub-project, 187 grievances were recorded and 89 percent of the recorded grievances were addressed. As a result of the increased number of valid filed grievances, the local devel- opment officer and the district technical office chief conducted additional district-level monitoring visits NEPAL: Emergency Peace Support Project (EPSF) Before CARTA, service providers had neither monitoring nor grievance mechanisms in place. A significant number of conflict-affected persons (CAPs)—who are families of the deceased, includ- ing the 74 percent of these individuals who are widows—had no information about the EPSP program. After the CARTA intervention, service providers became more transparent and account- able. Beneficiaries had a better understanding of EPSP, including eligibility criteria, application process, payment disbursement mechanism, the types of service providers and their services, the formation process of the local peace committee, and grievance mechanisms. The sub-project’s Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 49 capacity-building activities contributed to those improvements. The sub-project successfully met its objectives and produced the following positive results: ●● The end line survey showed that 80 percent of entitled CAPs received rehabilitation ser- vices support, compared to 21 percent at the baseline ●● The end survey showed that 96 percent of the beneficiaries knew about EPSP, compared to 56 percent in the baseline survey ●● 16 village development committee-level grievance mechanisms were established ●● The end line survey indicated that the responsiveness of service providers, as well as ser- vice quality increased from 0 percent in the baseline survey to 60 percent ●● By the end of the sub-project, 89 percent of the service providers knew their roles and delivered appropriate rehabilitation support to entitled CAPs CLIMATE CHANGE, ADAPTATION, AND SANITATION JSDF climate change and adaptation projects addressed a range of challenges associated with these issues, including agricultural practices, conservation, agro-biodiversity, and sanitation and hygiene. ACHIEVING DEVELOPMENT RESULTS 1,522 beneficiaries, including women, trained on 55 local activists 18,000 trained in households water conservation, natural resources sanitation and with access to conservation hygiene promotion improved sanitation 50 community pilots using local knowledge and agro-biodiversity resources designed and developed facilities 50 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADAPTATION YEMEN: Agro-biodiversity and Adaptation (US$2.78 million) Development objectives: To enhance capacity and awareness at key national agencies and at local levels to respond to climate variability and change and to help local communities cope better with climate change through conservation and use of agro-biodiversity. The JSDF grant cofinanced a Global Environment Facility (GEF) grant of US$4 million. Achievements: The project closed in FY15 with a Satisfactory rating for achieving the project development objectives. Results indicators for JSDF were mostly achieved. The project generated awareness of conservation (agro-biodiversity and natural resources, including water) and coping mechanisms to address climate change at the community level in eight targeted districts. It worked with 10 pilot villages under GEF and, beyond the pilot villages, under JSDF. It led to the preparation of community natural resources conservation plans with various water users group under the JSDF as well as implementation of coping strategies based on infrastructure and engineering interventions (GEF and JSDF), and income-generating coping interventions (GEF and JSDF). In addition, to facilitate replication after project closing, modalities, approaches, and lessons learned were documented. Although the project could have implemented even more infrastructure and engineering interventions, the results demonstrate that the con- straint was not the availability of financial resources. Instead, it was the implementation capacity at the local level. The performance of JSDF components is provided in Table 3.28, revealing that the project exceeded original results targets. Table 3.28 Project Results: Agro-biodiversity and Adaptation in Yemen Indicators Results Targets Number of pilot communities that developed plans for 10 8 natural resources management focusing on conservation and adaptation planning based on agro-biodiversity resources Number of beneficiaries trained on water conservation, 1,522 1,500 nutrition, natural resource conservation Number of community pilots using local knowledge and agro- 50 20 biodiversity resources designed and developed Source: DFPTF Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 51 SANITATION MOZAMBIQUE: Maputo Peri-urban Sanitation (US$1.78 million) Development objectives: To improve the sanitation conditions and practices of about 140,000 people in 11 unplanned peri-urban neighborhoods of Maputo and to pilot effective approaches for replication. Achievements: Table 3.29 shows project results as of FY15 compared to project completion targets. Table 3.29 Project Results: Maputo Peri-urban Sanitation, Mozambique Indicators Results Targets Number of people with access to improved sanitation facilities 18,000 28,000 Locally based operators providing adequate emptying service 7 12 Number of local activists trained in sanitation and hygiene promotion 55 55 Source: DFPTF Water-well financed as a community micro-project under the Mozambique, Maputo Peri-Urban Sanitation Project 52 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 CHAPTER 4 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND DISSEMINATION I n FY15, the JSDF Dialogue Series continued with the publication and launch of Barefoot Technicians and Grassroots CEOs. THE JSDF DIALOGUE SERIES Safe migration is The JSDF Dialogue Series in Japan is an innovative initiative to disseminate the results and lessons learned from the implementation of JSDF projects among an increasingly practitioners, academia, CSOs, NGOs and other Japanese stakeholders. The Japa- nese CSOs/NGOs are a significant segment of the audience for the series, which is critical issue designed to provide a better understanding of the power of JSDF and how JSDF works in practice. The series is helping to expand the network of practitioners, in Bangladesh bringing JSDF results and lessons learned within the reach of Japanese practi- tioners and the general Japanese public. with regular The Dialogue Series held its eighth event in FY15, in cooperation with the Tokyo media coverage Development Learning Center and the WBG’s Japan external communications team. Held on December 15, 2014, the event showcased the achievements of of migration JSDF’s Safe Migration for Bangladeshi Workers project in Bangladesh by bringing together key project stakeholders. The project aims to reduce the vulnerability of challenges, approximately 864,000 poor and low-skilled potential migrants and their families who may be seeking employment abroad through better access to accurate and leading to timely information and services for safe migration and reducing dependency of enormous migrants on middlemen by establishing and strengthening CBOs. Under this proj- ect, transparency in the process is being improved by providing key information public outcry about prospects of foreign employment as well as the rules and regulations in host countries through partnership with NGOs and government. The project illustrates for government the use of local and national networks to provide safe migration services, which can be scaled up nationwide by relevant government institutions. action. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal 2015 53 Courtyard meeting at the community level to inform aspiring migrants and their families of the benefits and risks of migration and the required processes to ensure safe migration under the JSDF-Funded Safe Migration for Bangladeshi Workers project. JSDF also sponsors the production and publication of books on the experiences of projects that have pushed the frontiers of new approaches to reach poor women with entrepreneurial poten- tial. In FY15, JSDF published Barefoot Technicians and Grassroots CEOs, about the JSDF project implemented by the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) in India. JSDF initially partnered with SEWA on a capacity-building project that envisioned the SEWA Manager Ni School (SEWA Managers’ School). The goal was to build an army of female grassroots managers, trainers, and entrepreneurs who could guide the way to self-reliance and sustainable income for India’s poor women. The book tells a true story about a spirit—a spirit of shared struggle, dynamic partnership, and daring technological innovation working at society’s poorest margins. It shows how a well-or- ganized women’s movement partnered with an inventive development fund helped to transform 500,000 rural, illiterate, and semi-literate women into grassroots business executives and accom- plished users of information technology to improve their livelihoods and increase incomes. SEWA was established as an offshoot of the Indian labor movement and, for decades, this organization has fought to bring full employment and self-reliance to its self-employed women members. 54 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 The book launch took place at the World Bank on July 9, 2015. Mr. Masahiro Kan, the WBG execu- tive director who represents Japan, spoke at the launch event. Mr. Kan highlighted the unique part- nership between the WBG and the Japanese government. He reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to helping developing countries by working to achieve the WBG’s twin goals to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 55 CHAPTER 5 ADMINISTRATION T he World Bank, as trustee of the JSDF program, ensures that all grants financed under the trust fund are aligned with the objectives of the pro- gram, that expenses incurred are for the purposes of the JSDF projects, and that the program is run in a cost effective way. The JSDF Program Secretariat, under the leadership of the director of the World Bank’s Development Finance, Trust Funds, and Partnerships vice presidency manages the program. Management functions include but are not limited to the following: ●● Providing quality at entry of concept notes and the grant proposals sub- mitted by the TTLs before submission to Japan’s Ministry of Finance for approval ●● Approving the restructuring of JSDF activities under implementation ●● Carrying out oversight missions to sample project sites to assess imple- mentation performance and interact with stakeholders and project beneficiaries ●● Managing the funds flow from the Japanese government ●● Ensuring timely submission of the letters of representation confirming eligible expenses under the project and audit submission. In addition, the World Bank submits an annual report on new grants approved and achievement of development results during the year to the government of Japan, along with annual audited financial statements. OVERSIGHT OF PROGRAM ACTIVITIES From time to time, the JSDF program management team conducts oversight missions to JSDF-funded project sites. During the missions, the team meets with project beneficiaries and representatives of implementing agencies to find out about project progress, learn about implementation challenges, and listen to 56 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal 2015 beneficiaries about the impact of JSDF activities on their lives. The missions provide the enabling environment for addressing any bottlenecks that may hamper project implementation. The JSDF team also visits the Japanese embassy located in the country, as well as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to brief Japanese government representatives on project implementa- tion status. In FY15, the JSDF team visited projects in Vietnam and Benin. The mission debriefed the Japanese ambassador to Benin and the respective WBG country directors on the findings. The mission team also discussed JSDF outreach strategies and donor visibility. The FY15 oversight missions and find- ings are summarized below. Mission to Vietnam: Intergenerational Deaf Education Outreach Project The Vietnam: Intergenerational Deaf Education Outreach Proj- ect is helping deaf children inte- grate into mainstream society by piloting an innovative joint family and institution-based delivery system comprising of screening, family support, and preschool services. The mission met with beneficiaries A Family Fun Day was held in Thai Nguyen province in and Project Management Unit December 2014 to create a partnership between deaf representatives. The mission communities, families, and educators, and to give them a chance to share stories and JSDF grant good practices. team was very encouraged to see the transformative impact the JSDF project had on the children and their families. There is improved communication among these families as a result of the JSDF grant. The mission was informed that: ●● 500 preschool deaf children and families received sign language training; the JSDF project has helped deaf children to acquire sign language in parallel with ongoing opportunities to learn to speak through speech therapy and build up their parents’ knowledge and con- fidence about their children’s capacity to communicate, learn and engage with a wider community; the project has laid the foundation for an affordable and culturally acceptable outreach service to families with preschool age deaf children ●● 255 deaf children are now able to function well in families and prepared to enter main- stream school programs in first grade, representing a 70 percent increase over the target of 150 children Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 57 ●● As a result of the JSDF grant, the Vietnam Ministry of Education issued a new regulation that special centers/schools can hire teaching support assistants, which means that these deaf mentors can be officially hired to deliver sign language training at these centers The mission was informed about a high probability of piloting these activities in different districts and the possibility of scaling up through a future WBG operation. Mission to Benin: Community Nutrition Project The US$2.8 million JSDF grant helped improve the nutrition of young children in poor rural areas with high malnutrition rates through innovative delivery mechanisms of nutrition services at the community level by enlisting mothers and grandmothers as role models in the outreach process. The JSDF activities were aimed at the poorest communities in targeted communes (districts)— those with high malnutrition rates and greater than medium levels of poverty. These communities were not reached by the WBG financed National Community-Driven Development Support Project. The JSDF project was successful in achieving or exceeding most of its performance indicators. The activities piloted under the JSDF were scaled up in the WBG-financed Multi-sectoral Food Health and Nutrition Project. The mission visited beneficiaries at Ouinhi and Athieme communes and met with the mother and grandmother role models, who are members of the Association for Village Development (ADV). The association trains mothers and grandmothers with well-nourished children and grandchildren to serve as role models and monthly nutrition education sessions for mothers with children 0–24 months, as well as for pregnant and breastfeeding women. Although the mother models are not paid for their services, they are provided with performance-based incentives for the services provided. ●● The outreach program was successful, with 91 percent of mothers who participated in the training reporting exclusive breastfeeding of their children compared to the 54 percent target rate ●● The project helped severely malnourished children gained weight, with 59 percent of severely malnourished children supported by the JSDF grant showing weight gains, com- pared to the original target of 50 percent ●● 32,428 pregnant and lactating women with children under 5 years of age were provided with basic nutrition services as part of the JSDF grant; the original target was 13,608; a 138 percent increase ●● About 18,590 children under 24 months benefited from improved infant and feeding prac- tices, representing a 130 percent increase above the target of 8,064 ●● 9,803 children under 5 were treated for moderate-to-severe acute malnutrition against the target of 5,544; representing a 77 percent increase over target ●● The JSDF project mobilized communities with high malnutrition rates through outreach and knowledge dissemination mechanisms (face-face and radio broadcast) on pregnancy 58 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 and feeding practices. The proj- Radio broadcast ect was successful in providing of a mother the framework for testing the model as part of the community methodologies for reducing outreach malnutrition of children in the mechanisms targeted beneficiaries The mission team also discussed the status of the village-based risk pooling mechanism that provided funds in the form of vouchers so that mothers of severely malnourished children could take their malnourished children to recuperation centers for treatment. This mechanism was tested in 25 percent (40 villages) of the communes where the mother mod- els and grandmother mobilization were implemented. The risk pooling mechanism was adminis- tered by the ADVs in collaboration with the mother models. The mission noted that 160 villages participated in the risk pooling mechanism, which is a 300 percent increase above the target. However, the distribution of vouchers was not very successful. Only 22 vouchers were distrib- uted by June 2015, compared to the target of 120. The mission was informed that the number of vouchers for severely malnourished children exceeded 120, but the demand was low because of the reduction in severe acute malnutrition. This can be viewed as a positive outcome. JAPANESE VISIBILITY JSDF’s strategic framework calls for the beneficiaries of JSDF programs to learn about Japan’s contributions and for raising awareness among other development partners about Japan’s finan- cial support for the program. The JSDF Secretariat has prepared a communications toolkit that is distributed to project teams during project implementation and knowledge-sharing events. Project teams also make use of JSDF logos and other indicators of Japan’s engagement as part of the communication strategy in and around project activities. During oversight missions, program management teams visit Japanese embassy and JICA offices to exchange views on the bilateral program and on ways to increase WBG staff collaboration in the context of JSDF. These discussions have affirmed Japanese government representatives’ interest in coordination. Japanese officials also involve partners in promoting lessons learned from project implementation and in sharing knowledge of good practices. To enhance Japanese visibility, WBG task teams are required to help promote Japan’s contribution and build local awareness of JSDF in recipient countries. Guidelines to promote visibility include: Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 59 ●● Publications, training programs, seminars and workshops financed by JSDF grants should clearly indicate that the activities in question have received funding from the government of Japan ●● The logo, which is Japan’s national flag, should be used in publications financed by the JSDF program, and in banners and any other materials used in seminars and training pro- grams financed by JSDF grants ●● All press releases issued by the WBG with respect to JSDF grants should refer to the finan- cial contribution from the government of Japan ●● Recipients are required to ensure that JSDF-financed activities are well covered by local print and electronic media, and that all related publicity materials, official notices, reports and publications explicitly acknowledge Japan as the development partner providing funding for these activities WBG task teams encourage the signing of the grant agreements in the grant recipient country. The grant recipient countries are required to invite Japanese embassy officials, JICA recipient country officials, as well as local and international press to these ceremonies. Examples include: ●● Japan’s ambassador to Uganda was guest of honor at the November 19, 2014 project launch workshop for Uganda: An Innovative Integrated Approach to Enhance Small- holder Family Nutrition ●● Japanese embassy officials were invited guests at the National Workshop on CARTA Pro- gram in Bangladesh “This was the first time the concept of third party monitoring was introduced in Bangladesh,” said Mr. Takayuki Kawakami, the First Secretary of the Embassy of Japan during the CARTA workshop in Bangladesh. “When starting something new, you’re bound to have complications. Our purpose here is to discuss these difficulties and work through them in the spirit of democracy.” 60 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 CHAPTER 6 LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE T he JSDF is considered a flagship program within the WBG, one that has impacted the lives of millions of people in low- and lower middle-income WBG member countries. The program has had a profound impact on devel- opment in many countries. JSDF continues to seek ways to improve projects and innovate to respond strategically to the rapidly changing context of global poverty. JSDF’s future focus is consistent with the WBG’s twin goals of ending extreme poverty—reducing the share of the global population living in extreme poverty to 3 percent by the year 2030—and promoting shared prosperity—increasing the income of the bottom 40 percent of the population in WBG member countries in a sustainable manner. Looking beyond FY15, the JSDF would continue to fund projects that mobilize the poorest and marginalized people so they can create new community organizations to plan, implement, and maintain priority sub-projects aimed at improving their livelihoods. JSDF projects would also target and respond to the needy, providing direct benefits to poor, vulnerable, and disadvantaged groups with rapid results for improved livelihood. JSDF projects would continue to build capacity by encourag- ing communities and associations of the poor to participate in decisions that affect their lives and by strengthening the ability of local governments and local NGOs/ CSOs to provide services. In addition and in order to address Japan’s long-term commitment to fostering peace and stability in Africa through collaborative partnerships under the Special Allocation for Africa (TICAD V) and Scaling Up Nutrition in Africa, JSDF would continue to provide technical assistance to reduce infant and maternal mortality while reducing malnutrition. Under Support for the Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration of Ex-combatants, JSDF would continue to provide technical assistance to reduce the unemployment rate by providing economic empower- ment training program for conflict-affected youth in Africa. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal 2015 61 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DJIBOUTI STRATEGY NOTE The WBG Board of Directors approved the Country Partnership Framework (CPF) for Djibouti in February 2014. As part of the CPF and to help address vulnerabilities in the country, JSDF pro- vided a US$9 million integrated package of livelihoods, health sanitation, energy, and service delivery projects (through strengthening schemes) to help address community-level vulnerability issues. These proposals are key to achieving the goals as set forth in the CPF for Djibouti, which addresses vulnerability as one of two pillars of engagement. Going forward, JSDF will partner with country management units at the upstream stage, to explore replicating the Djibouti model in other countries. 62 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 APPENDIX A JSDF REGULAR PROGRAM GRANTS APPROVED IN FY15 JSDF Regular Program Grants Approved in FY15 Grant Amount Country Grant name ($US million) Project Development Objective India Creating Inclusive 3.00 To create employment and sustainable livelihood Business Models for opportunities to reduce poverty amongst the unemployed Marginalized Tribal youth, women and other marginalized communities in the Communities in Odisha, tribal regions of Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Jharkhand Madhya Pradesh and through supporting their traditional and artisanal skills. Jharkhand Georgia Empowering Poor 2.70 To support employment generation and increase Communities and Micro- household incomes for targeted poor and vulnerable Entrepreneurs in the communities in the Kakheti and Imereti regions by Georgia Tourism Sector helping them to (i) start/grow micro, small, and medium- sized enterprises in the tourism sector and (ii) implement small works in the vicinity of cultural heritage sites. Zambia Female Youths 3.00 To improve access to livelihood opportunities and Livelihood and Nutrition nutrition among selected female youths in targeted Enhancement Project project areas. Liberia Supporting Psychosocial 3.00 To respond to the intermediate psychosocial and mental Health and Resilience health impact of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) crisis and to build long-term psychosocial health and resilience at the individual and community levels in project target areas. Djibouti Enhancing Income 3.00 To improve access to life-skill, livelihood skills training, and Opportunities Project access to finance for at least 3,000 low- and semi-skilled youth and women in poor communities in Djiboutiville and neighboring Arta, the northern region of Tadjoura, and the southern region of Ali Sabieh. TOTAL 14.70 Note: Total grant amount for Zambia is rounded from 2.995 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 63 APPENDIX B JSDF SEED FUND GRANTS APPROVED IN FY15 Name of the Grant FY15 Proposal and disbursement Cumulative Amount Country Region (in US$) disbursement Seed Fund Activities Burundi Infant Burundi AFR 38,636 38,636 To consult stakeholders and potential and Young Child beneficiaries to identify districts and design Feeding Nutrition an innovative pilot project to improve infant Pilot (US$50,000) and young child nutrition in support of Burundi’s current efforts to scale up nutrition interventions. Mozambique Mozambique AFR 41,798 41,798 To hold consultations with stakeholders and Pre-Conception potential beneficiaries to design an innovative Nutrition pilot project to improve pre-conception Improvement nutrition in support of Mozambique’s current (US$50,000) efforts to scale up nutrition. The focus will be to identify potential beneficiaries who are the poorest, and to ensure ownership and participatory design of the project inputs. Piloting Legal Aid Djibouti MNA - To support stakeholder consultations on the Services to the design and development of a JSDF proposal Poor in Djibouti to support the pilot of legal aid models to (US$50,000) provide services to the most poor in Djibouti Local Community Egypt MNA - To provide advance funds to conduct Development— grassroots consultations with targeted Helman South beneficiaries and other stakeholders, including Power Plant NGOs/CSOs/other development partners, (US$47,100) during the grant preparation process to ensure ownership through a participatory design and implementation. SENEGAL Senegal AFR - To support consultation with potential Household and beneficiaries and stakeholders on the community development of an innovative approach for resilience to food building household and community resilience and nutrition to food and nutrition insecurity shocks. insecurity shocks (US$50,000) Total 80,434 80,434 64 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 APPENDIX C THE STATUS OF PROPOSED PROJECTS UNDER TICAD V ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION SCALING-UP NUTRITION WINDOW (US$20.0 MILLION) Status of Project Name of the Project Project Development Objectives Preparation Togo: Pilot Project to Test an innovative approach of improving/expanding Pre-concept Improve Community- community-based delivery of nutrition services through based Nutrition better use of community health workers and other community members, to prevent chronic malnutrition and ensure better access to nutrition services. Burundi: Infant and Design an innovative pilot project to improve infant and young Concept Review Young Child Feeding child nutrition in support of Burundi’s current efforts to scale Nutrition Pilot up nutrition, with a focus to engage with beneficiaries who are the poorest; ensure ownership and participatory design of the project inputs. Mozambique: Pre- Design an innovative pilot project to improve pre-conception Pre-concept Conception Nutrition nutrition in support of Mozambique’s current efforts to scale Improvement Pilot up nutrition, with a focus to engage with beneficiaries who are the poorest; ensure ownership and participatory design of the project inputs. Senegal: Household and Test a new approach for building household and community Concept Review Community Resilience resilience to food and nutrition insecurity shocks to Food and Nutrition Insecurity Shocks Cote d’Ivoire: Support Improve access to nutrient-rich food of plant and animal origins. Concept Review to Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture and Capacity Development of Small and Marginal Farmers Ethiopia: Pilot Project Improve access to community-based nutrition and livelihoods Concept Review to Improve Community- services among selected young women in Sasie Tsaeda Emba Based Nutrition and Seharty Samre, Tigray. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 65 APPENDIX C (continued) SUPPORT FOR THE DISARMAMENT, DEMOBILIZATION AND REINTEGRATION OF EX-COMBATANTS WINDOW (US$10.0 MILLION): PROPOSED PROJECTS WITH DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES AND BENEFICIARIES Status of Project Project Name Development Objectives Project Beneficiaries Preparation South Sudan: Provide an economic Estimated that 220 trainers Appraisal stage Economic Empowerment empowerment-training and 500 conflict-affected for Conflict-Affected program for conflict-affected youth will directly benefit Youth Project youth in three selected areas from the project through of South Sudan. improvement of the shortage of local trainers as well as trainer capacity. Republic of Congo: Improve access to livelihoods With an average household Appraisal stage Support for Sustainable in selected communities in size of 5–7 persons, an Livelihoods’ Promotion the Pool Department. The estimated number of at Project In The Pool PDO will be achieved by least 12,500 plus 120 youth Department providing capacity building, from the 12 youth livelihood income generation activities groups (2 per villages/urban and sustainable energy neighborhoods) will directly production and use to benefit, of which 50% will be households in Goma Tsé Tsé, female Kinhala and Mindouli. Democratic Republic Improve access to livelihoods Estimated that 2,500 Appraisal stage of Congo: Social Cohesion and strengthen social households in Dungu Territory and Livelihoods Support cohesion in five selected and neighboring areas in five Project in Province communities affected by communities; will include, Orientale conflict and violence in among others, the significant Dungu Territory. population of Internally Displaced Persons settled or with intentions of settling, a representative number of women-headed households. 66 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 APPENDIX D JSDF POLICY GUIDELINES AND PROGRAM ALLOCATION FY14–16 1. Objective. To provide grants in support of community-driven development and poverty reduc- tion programs that serve to enhance productivity, increase access to social and community services and infrastructure, and improve the living conditions of poor and vulnerable groups in eligible client countries of the World Bank Group2. Grants approved under the program are subject to the criteria set forth in these Guidelines. 2. Focus. JSDF Project and Capacity Building Grants (see paragraph 5) are designed to comple- ment Bank-financed operations and programs aligned with the development objectives of the relevant CAS, PRSP or poverty reduction elements of Sector Strategies. Project Grants would: (i) respond directly to the needs of the poorest and most vulnerable underserved groups to improve their lives; (ii) encourage the testing of innovative methods that are new or alternative approaches at the project, country, or regional level, or that facilitate new partnerships with NGOs/CSOs or local governments to reach the target groups; (iii) reflect a participatory design and consultation process with the targeted beneficiaries who endorsed the grant inputs; (iv) utilize participatory monitoring and evaluation to help beneficiaries address their vulnerability and to ensure ownership and sustainability; and (v) support initiatives that lead to developing sustainable outcomes through the adoption or scaling-up of the pilot project at completion through Bank-financed operations, recipient government activities, or other entities. Capac- ity Building Grants would build ownership, capacity, empowerment and participation of local communities, local governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and other civil soci- ety groups, through capacity building, to participate in society and government, to affect their development, to learn by doing and facilitate their involvement in operations financed by the World Bank. DFi should aim at allocating approximately 50 percent of JSDF funds to eligible countries in East, South and Central Asia regions. 3. Special Allocation for Africa. Grants under these allocations are subject to the same guide- lines (below) that apply to other JSDF Grants. ●● TICAD IV remaining balance will be used as follows: 44 Up to US$9 million will be used to finance activities under the Djibouti Strategy Note. The remaining US$7 million will be used for activities to be identified in due course. ●● TICAD V has an allocation of US$30 million divided as follows: 44 US$20 million for technical assistance to improve the mortality rate of infant and their mothers; Technical assistance to improve the malnutrition (in close cooperation with 2 Includes the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Development Association and the International Finance Corporation, all referred to hereafter as the Bank. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 67 the projects under the SUN Trust Fund) and US$10 million for technical assistance to improve the unemployment rate by providing job training for young job seekers such as former soldiers (System improvement, Capacity building, etc.) 4. Grant Types and Country Eligibility. There are two types of JSDF Grants: (i) Project Grants finance: (a) activities that directly deliver results in the short-term sup- porting the improvement of services and facilities for poorer population groups, or rein- forcing reinvigorating social safety nets, or (b) innovation and testing of new approaches, particularly in the social sectors. (ii) Capacity Building Grants: finance activities that empower and strengthen knowledge and skills of local communities, NGOs/CSOs, and local governments working with the tar- geted beneficiaries so that they may participate in their development through learning by doing. All low-income and lower middle income countries as defined in the World Devel- opment Indicators in the applicable year, are eligible for both Project Grants and Capacity Building Grants3. The special allocations for Africa apply to all countries on the African continent that are eligible for JSDF grants. 5. Amount. JSDF Grants under the regular program can range from US$200,000 to US$3 million. Under exceptional circumstances and after prior clearance by DFi, a grant proposal of up to US$4 million may be submitted for consideration. Proposals exceeding US$3 million would be subject to higher scrutiny by the JSDF Unit; the latter may request technical reviewers to verify the validity and viability of proposed activities and that their costing follows a disciplined pro- cess. The maximum size for a single grant under the Emergency Window is US$3 million. 6. Concept Notes. The concerned managing unit in the Bank must sponsor the activity and designate a Task Team Leader (TTL). TTLs must indicate the arrangements (including financial provision) for JSDF project supervision. Requests must be in line with the CAS objectives, as confirmed by the Country Director and the sector approach, confirmed by the Sector Manager, and is submitted to the Japan Trust Funds Administration Unit after review and endorse- ment by designated sector specialists. To the extent possible, Concept Notes should promote collaboration with local and international NGOs, in particular, Japanese NGOs and civil society organizations. Ministry of Finance (MoF) will have four-week s to review a brief concept note (MoF may consult Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)). The Bank will be encouraged, but not required to pre-discuss concept notes with MoFA and JICA in the field. At the end of the four weeks, MoF will share with the Bank their decisions on go/no go for the CN to prepare. 7. Review of Proposals and Approval by the World Bank (WB). Once DFi submits proposals to MoF, MoF will review the full proposal while focusing its assessment on the detailed cost table. MoF will provide its final decision within three weeks. Where a seed fund grant has been Where a seed fund grant has been approved, country eligibility for a follow-on grant will be based on eligibility 3 when the seed fund grant was approved. 68 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 approved, country eligibility for a follow-on grant will be based on eligibility when the seed fund grant was approved. 8. Program Administration Costs. In order to cover the costs of FY14–16 JSDF Program Administra- tion and Technical Reviews, DFi may request the replenishment of the Bank Executed Trust Fund established in FY10 to cover costs up to a limit to be agreed in an exchange of correspondence with MoF. All expenditures necessary for Program Management and for Technical Reviews are eligible. 9. Eligible Expenditures. These include goods, small civil works, services (including necessary provision for NGO overheads), training, workshops and operating costs (excluding salaries), with all expenditures eligible for 100% financing under JSDF. Requests may also include the cost of the grant audits. If properly justified, incremental costs of up to 9 percent of the total grant amount may be requested to cover incremental supervision costs for operations of unusual complexity, innovation or community participation which require Bank staff or consul- tant resources beyond those that can be financed by the regular administration budget. 10. Ineligible Expenditures. The following cannot be financed under JSDF:(i) pilot activities with no linkages to the Country Assistance Strategy agreed between the Bank and the recipient country, (ii) academic research, (iii) government or other staff salaries, and central government activities, (iv) foreign training or study tours, or (v) purchases of motor vehicles.4 11. Grant Execution Arrangements. Grants must be recipient-executed. Recipients of JSDF Grants may be Governments (central or local), international or local NGOs, or other local community groups which the Bank has determined are financially sound, have a strong track record, and employ satisfactory arrangements for use and accounting of grant funds. In case the recipient or the implementing agency is an NGO or a local community group, it is required that the central or local government gives its agreement to the arrangement. UN agencies may not be recipients of JSDF grants5. In any case, the normal grant implementation period is four years after signature of the grant agreement. However, up to two year-extensions can be requested from DFi with adequate justification. The TTL of the grant will carry out the Bank’s fiduciary responsibilities for grant supervision, in accordance with Bank standards and use of Procurement Guidelines. 12. Retroactive Financing. Grant recipients may request retroactive financing for eligible expenditures incurred from the date of approval of the grant funding proposal by the MoF to the date of activa- tion of the grant, up to 10% of the recipient grant amount for the Regular Window. The standard clause for retroactive financing would be included in the grant agreement when applicable, includ- ing recipient liability for expenses incurred in case the grant agreement is not made effective. 13. Progress Reporting. For the purposes of monitoring the development outcomes, the grant agreement, based on the grant application, will be the binding document. The Task Team Leader Bicycles and motorcycles are eligible for JSDF funding. 4 UN agencies may participate in JSDF grant activities as consultants, provided that the selection is in accordance 5 with Bank guidelines. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 69 will be responsible for preparing annual Implementation Status and Results Reports (ISR) for the JSDF project, rating the status of project implementation, and documenting the completion of deliverables and outputs. An Implementation Completion Report (ICR) will be prepared at com- pletion documenting actual cumulative inputs, outputs and outcomes through the grant imple- mentation period. The public disclosure ISR and ICR will be shared with the Donor. 14. Reallocation of Funds by Expenditure (Disbursement) Category or Activities. Reallocations among expenditure categories or grant activities, including dropping or adding new eligible categories or grant activities, must be cleared by DFi. The Legal Department should be con- sulted if any amendments are required, to be approved by the Country Director. The proposed changes will be sent to MoF for information. 15. Change in Grant Objectives. For significant changes in the Grant Development Objectives a request must be sent to DFi for clearance which will determine if MoF approval is required. MoF will approve/reject the request within one business week of its receipt from DFi. Subsequent grant amendment letters are cleared with the Legal Department in accordance with Bank procedures. 16. Grant Cancellation Policy. The balance of grants is subject to cancellation under the following circumstances: (i) the grant agreement has not been signed within 6 months of the formal grant approval date, (ii) there has been no implementation progress, including zero disburse- ments, for six months after signature of the grant agreement, or (iii) there is lack of progress as determined by DFi. DFi may clear exceptions on the basis of a satisfactory explanation. 17. Consultation with Local Japanese Officials. In order to ensure harmonization and coordina- tion, the Bank is: (a) encouraged to consult with the JICA at an early stage of project preparation, (b) required to consult with the Embassy of Japan accredited to the recipient country about the JSDF grant application, and (c) required to discuss the proposal with JICA before submission of the proposal to Develop- ment Finance (DFi) for review. Such consultation and information sharing by task teams will help expedite the decision-making process. In addition, the Bank is encouraged to share information related to the design, progress and outcomes of JSDF projects with the Embassy of Japan and JICA in the field. They are also encouraged to invite them to join planning and supervision missions, attend key meetings and share the missions’ aide-memoires with them. 18. Japanese Visibility. The Bank is asked to help promote the visibility and local awareness of JSDF in recipient countries through the following types of activities: (a) Publications, training programs, seminars and workshops financed by JSDF grants should clearly indicate that the activities in question have received funding from the MoF; (b) The logo (usually the Japanese national flag) should be used in publications financed by the JSDF program, and in banners and any other materials used in seminars and training programs financed by JSDF grants; 70 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 (c) All press releases issued by the Bank with respect to JSDF grants should refer to the finan- cial contribution from the MoF; (d) Recipients should be encouraged to ensure that JSDF-financed activities are well covered by local print and electronic media, and that all related publicity materials, official notices, reports and publications explicitly acknowledge Japan as the source of funding received; (e) Grant signing ceremonies in the field should be encouraged, with the Recipients being encouraged to include Japanese embassy officials and to invite local and international press to these ceremonies. In addition, DFi may promote visibility of JSDF by: (i) informing Country Directors of the importance of signing ceremonies to Japanese officials and the public to ensure recogni- tion and support for JSDF funding; and (ii) continuing widespread distribution of the JSDF Annual Report, inclusion of JSDF information in relevant Bank documents, and occasional information sessions for Japanese organizations. A Guidance Note providing samples of other ways to improve visibility is attached as Appendix B. 19. Maintenance of Documentation. Operational departments will keep copies of documentation related to JSDF grants, in accordance with the Bank’s Administrative and document retention policies, among others, Terms of Reference and consultant contracts, reports and other out- puts prepared by consultants, and status reports. 20. Allocation. The total indicative allocation for FY14–16 for the regular window includes the contribution of US$47.6 million for FY14 and the existing unallocated balance of US$93 million. Furthermore, the Special Allocation for Africa includes the unallocated balance of US$16 mil- lion from TICAD IV, along with US$15 million representing the budgeted amount for FY14 and FY15 TICAD V. 21. Schedule. Concept Notes (CNs) are submitted to DFi on a rolling basis following rigorous internal reviews. DFPTF will submit the final CNs to MoF on a rolling basis after their vetting by members of a Technical Review Committee. MoF will confirm its decisions on proposals CNs within four weeks from submission. FY14–FY16 JSDF Indicative Allocation Allocations by Window Amount (US$ million) 1. Regular Window 93.0 over 3 years 2. Africa Window 37.0 3. Integration to Djibouti Country Assistance Strategy 9.0 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 71 JAPAN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT FUND GUIDANCE NOTE ON VISIBILITY OF JAPAN Introduction The Government of Japan has contributed to the Japan Social Development Fund (JSDF) in sup- port of innovative social programs to help alleviate poverty in eligible client countries of the World Bank Group since 2000. The purpose of this note is to provide guidance on measures to ensure that the contribution of Japan in supporting JSDF is widely recognized. Statement on Visibility The Annual Policy Document provides the following clause on Consultation with Local Japanese Officials and Japanese Visibility: Consultation with Local Japanese Officials In order to ensure harmonization and coordination, Bank task teams are required to consult with the Embassy of Japan accredited to the recipient country about the JSDF grant application before submission of the proposal to Development Finance (DFi) for review. Such consultation and infor- mation sharing by task teams will help expedite the decision-making process. In addition, Bank task teams are encouraged to share the information about progress and outcomes of JSDF proj- ects with the Embassy of Japan and other Japanese aid agencies in the field. Japanese Visibility Bank task teams are asked to help promote the visibility and local awareness of JSDF in recipient countries through the following types of activities: ●● Publications, training programs, seminars and workshops financed by JSDF grants should clearly indicate that the activities in question have received funding from the Government of Japan; ●● The logo (usually the Japanese national flag) should be used in publications financed by the JSDF program, and in banners and any other materials used in seminars and training programs financed by JSDF grants; ●● All press releases issued by the Bank with respect to JSDF grants should refer to the finan- cial contribution from the Government of Japan; 72 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 ●● Recipients should be encouraged to ensure that JSDF-financed activities are well covered by local print and electronic media, and that all related publicity materials, official notices, reports and publications explicitly acknowledge Japan as the source of funding received; ●● Grant signing ceremonies in the field should be encouraged, with the Recipients being encouraged to include Japanese embassy officials and to invite local and international press to these ceremonies. In addition, DFi may promote visibility of JSDF by: (i) informing Country Directors of the impor- tance of signing ceremonies to Japanese officials and the public to ensure recognition and support for JSDF funding; and (ii) continuing widespread distribution of the JSDF Annual Report, inclusion of JSDF information in relevant Bank documents, and occasional information sessions for Japanese organizations. A Guidance Note providing samples of other ways to improve visibility is attached. The JSDF Program’s Logo The logo (usually the Japanese national flag) will be used on the JSDF website. All grant approval notifications to the Regions will include this guidance note and a “Word” and a “PDF” version of the logo for use by the Bank and the grant recipients. The Bank will make every e ort to ensure that: (i) publications, training programs, seminars, workshops, financed by the JSDF grants clearly indicate that the activities in question have received funding from the Government of Japan; (ii) all press releases issued by the Bank with respect to the JSDF grants refer to the financial con- tribution of Government of Japan; and (iii) the logo is used in publications financed by the JSDF program, banners and any other materials used in seminars and training programs financed by the JSDF grants. Local Publicity Opportunities In addition to use of the logo, Bank staffs are urged to take all appropriate measures to encourage Recipients to ensure that JSDF-financed activities are well covered by local print and electronic media, and that all related publicity materials, official notices, reports and publications explicitly acknowledge Japan as the source of funding received. Below is a standard text suggested for use by those who prepare publicity materials: “The grant which financed this (name of activity) was received under the Japan Social Development Fund which is financed by the Government of Japan.” Many Bank Country Offices periodically publish newsletters. New grant approvals and signing should be publicized in these newsletters. Most country offices have Communications staff. Task Teams are encouraged to consult with them on ways to increase the visibility of Japan regarding JSDF grants. Opportunities to publish articles on high visibility projects financed by JSDF grants should be explored and utilized. Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 73 During supervision missions of JSDF projects, task teams are advised to interact from time to time with the Embassy of Japan to inform them of progress under their project. They are encouraged to invite them to participate in supervision missions and to visit project sites to meet beneficiaries. Task teams are advised to brief the Country Managers/Country Directors about the implementa- tion status of JSDF grants. Such information will help the Country Offices highlight Japan’s contri- bution, where relevant, in their meetings and presentations in seminars and workshops. Ceremonial Events Country Directors will, at the same time as the task teams, receive notification of grant approvals and will be informed of the importance of signing ceremonies to Japanese officials and the pub- lic. At grant signing ceremonies and other publicity events, the Bank’s country-based staff are expected to foster the attendance and participation of country-based officials of the Embassy of Japan in a manner that provides due recognition of their donor status. Grant recipients should take the lead in organizing such ceremonies, and whenever possible, Recipients should issue the formal invitation to attend. Such ceremonial events should also be alerted to the media and publicity outlets referred to above. Visibility from Headquarters Country-based Bank staffs are requested to forward copies of all visibility material, such as press releases, newspaper and magazine articles, and photographs (including descriptive captions) to the following address: JSDF Unit Development Finance and Partnership and Trust Fund Operations Development Finance Vice Presidency The World Bank Washington, DC 20433 USA 74 Japan Social Development Fund Annual Report — Fiscal Year 2015 Japan Social Development Fund JSDF Program Manager Tel: 202-473-4149 Email: HNkole@worldbank.org The World Bank Group 1818 H Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20433 Government of Japan