The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Liberia Youth Opportunities Project (P146827) Liberia Youth Opportunities Project (P146827) AFRICA | Liberia | Social Protection & Jobs Global Practice | IBRD/IDA | Investment Project Financing | FY 2016 | Seq No: 8 | ARCHIVED on 09-Jan-2020 | ISR38673 | Implementing Agencies: Republic of Liberia, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Liberia Agency for Community Empowerment, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection Key Dates Key Project Dates Bank Approval Date: 06-Nov-2015 Effectiveness Date: 30-Sep-2016 Planned Mid Term Review Date: 25-Mar-2019 Actual Mid-Term Review Date: 15-Apr-2019 Original Closing Date: 31-Dec-2020 Revised Closing Date: 31-Dec-2020 pdoTable Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The Project Development Objectives are to improve access to income generation opportunities for targeted youth and strengthen the government' capacity to implement its cash transfer program. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project Objective? No Components Table Name Pre-Employment Social Support and Household Enterprises for Urban Youth:(Cost $3.20 M) Productive Public Works and Life Skills Support:(Cost $6.53 M) Capacity Building for Cash Transfer Program:(Cost $1.20 M) Project Implementation and Coordination:(Cost $2.57 M) Overall Ratings Name Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Substantial Substantial Implementation Status and Key Decisions As of mid-December 2019, the Youth Opportunities Project (YOP) has reached about 67 percent (10,049) of the total targeted (15,000) youth beneficiaries. Under the Productive Public Works and Life Skills Support component, beneficiaries across all 15 Counties in Liberia have cultivated about 8,000 acres of land with various food crops. Under the Household Enterprise Support (HES) sub-component, 1,500 new youth recruited under the second round have completed their orientation training and currently preparing to start their small businesses and/or starting their apprenticeship training. Under the Pre-Employment Social Support (PESS) sub-component, a total of 515 youth have completed training package that includes sessions on health and hygiene, financial management and job-readiness skills. Under the Capacity Building for Cash Transfer (Component 3), results indicators are nil, and the activities are now being implemented by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection 1/9/2020 Page 1 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Liberia Youth Opportunities Project (P146827) under the IDA-financed Liberia Social Safety Nets (LSSN) Project (P155293). Innovation to transfer project benefits through mobile payment is ongoing and lessons will be captured to allow improvements as the implementation progresses. Risks Systematic Operations Risk-rating Tool Risk Category Rating at Approval Previous Rating Current Rating Political and Governance Substantial High High Macroeconomic Substantial Substantial High Sector Strategies and Policies Substantial Substantial Substantial Technical Design of Project or Program Substantial Substantial Substantial Institutional Capacity for Implementation and Sustainability Substantial Substantial Substantial Fiduciary Substantial Substantial Substantial Environment and Social Substantial Moderate Substantial Stakeholders Substantial Substantial Substantial Other Moderate Substantial Substantial Overall Substantial Substantial Substantial Results PDO Indicators by Objectives / Outcomes Improve access to income generation opportunities for targeted youth IN00747668 ►Targeted urban youth initiating or expanding household enterprises with support from the project (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 786.00 786.00 3,000.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747671 (a) initiating household enterprises (Number, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 786.00 786.00 2,000.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747673 1/9/2020 Page 2 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Liberia Youth Opportunities Project (P146827) (b) expanding household enterprises (Number, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 1,000.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747674 ►Share of household enterprises initiated or expanded by targeted urban youth that are operational for more than 6 months (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 67.00 61.00 75.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747676 (a) initiated enterprises (Percentage, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 67.00 61.00 75.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747677 (b) expanded household enterprises (Percentage, Custom Breakdown) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 75.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747679 ►Average annual earnings of targeted rural youth in productive public works (in the year in which they are enrolled) (Amount(USD), Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 216.00 221.00 300.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 Strengthen the government's capacity to implement its cash transfer program IN00747669 ►Average share of beneficiary households receiving bimonthly cash transfers before or on 15th of the preceding month (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 70.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 Overall project outcomes IN00747667 ►Direct project beneficiaries (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target 1/9/2020 Page 3 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Liberia Youth Opportunities Project (P146827) Value 0.00 8,130.00 10,049.00 15,000.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747670 Female beneficiaries (Percentage, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 50.00 50.00 50.00 IN00747672 ►Beneficiaries of Safety Nets programs (number) (Number, Corporate) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 7,344.00 7,248.00 10,000.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747675 ►Beneficiaries of Labor Market programs (number) (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 786.00 2,801.00 5,000.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747678 ►Share of project beneficiaries satisfied with project interventions (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 70.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747680 Females (Percentage, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 70.00 IN00747681 Males (Percentage, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 70.00 Overall Comments PDO The number under the first PDO indicator (targeted urban youth initiating or expanding household enterprise with support from the project), will increase to 1,586 by January 2020, taking into account the delay in transferring business startup grants to the youth groups. The number of beneficiaries of safety nets programs was recorded incorrectly in the previous ISR and thus has been corrected to reflect 7,248. On the beneficiaries of safety nets programs, the PMT has recently concluded the recruitment of 2,776 rural youth in the last wave of recruitment for this component. The indicator on beneficiary satisfaction continues to show zero because a satisfaction survey has not been conducted. The recruitment process for a firm to carry on this task is still ongoing with the PMT reviewing the proposal from the selected firm, aiming to have findings by the next supervision mission in the first quarter of 2020. As reported in the last ISR, activities under Component 3 (Capacity Building for Cash Transfers) are being implemented by another IDA-funded project and that the Component will be removed from YOP in the upcoming project restructuring. The YOP PMT clarified that the start of counting for the indicator on “share of household enterprises that are 1/9/2020 Page 4 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Liberia Youth Opportunities Project (P146827) operational for more than 6 months” is following the first tranche payment for business startup grants to youth business groups. This will be reflected in the HES Handbook accordingly. Intermediate Results Indicators by Components Capacity Building for Cash Transfer Program IN00747684 ►Cash transfer targeting system established and operational (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747687 ►Cash transfer enrollment mechanism established and operational (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747689 ►Cash transfer grievance redress system established and operational (Yes/No, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value No No No Yes Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747692 ►Proportion of cash transfers made through electronic payment (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 10.00 0.00 0.00 40.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 Productive Public Works and Life Skills Support IN00747683 ►Person-days in public works provided by the project (Days, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 361,200.00 894,660.00 2,000,000.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747686 ►Proportion of COCs that are active (Percentage, Custom) 1/9/2020 Page 5 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Liberia Youth Opportunities Project (P146827) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 80.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747690 Rural (Percentage, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 80.00 IN00747693 Urban (Percentage, Custom Supplement) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 80.00 IN00747694 ►Targeted rural youth completing life skills training under the project (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 3,612.00 7,224.00 10,000.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 Pre-Employment Social Support and Household Enterprises for Urban Youth IN00747682 ►Youth receiving start-up grants (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 786.00 786.00 3,000.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747685 ►Share of targeted urban youth groups with business plan developed (disaggregated by sex) (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 100.00 100.00 70.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747688 ►Targeted urban youth completing pre-employment social support training under the project (Number, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target Value 0.00 0.00 515.00 2,000.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 IN00747691 ►Share of targeted urban youth completing apprenticeships or vocational skills training (Percentage, Custom) Baseline Actual (Previous) Actual (Current) End Target 1/9/2020 Page 6 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Liberia Youth Opportunities Project (P146827) Value 0.00 0.00 0.00 70.00 Date 01-May-2015 12-Jun-2019 19-Dec-2019 31-Dec-2020 Overall Comments IR Under the first intermediate indicator (youth receiving start-up grants), the number will increase to 1,586 by January 2020, taking into account the delayed disbursement in payments to the youth groups mobile money accounts. The share of targeted urban youth completing apprenticeships or vocational skills training is zero (0) because as per design of the Impact Evaluation attached to the HES scheme, such training will only be rolled out among beneficiaries under the second wave of recruitment for Round 2 implementation. However, this indicator will reflect the data on the 700 youth beneficiaries under Round 2 of HES, estimated to complete apprenticeships or vocational skills training by March 2020. As per the previous ISR period, activities under Component 3 (Capacity Building for Cash Transfer Program) are being implemented by another IDA-funded project and that the Component will be discontinued under YOP during project restructuring. Data on Financial Performance Disbursements (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P146827 IDA-56210 Effective USD 10.00 10.00 0.00 6.84 3.21 68% P146827 TF-A9505 Effective USD 1.53 1.53 0.00 0.97 0.56 63% Key Dates (by loan) Project Loan/Credit/TF Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Orig. Closing Date Rev. Closing Date P146827 IDA-56210 Effective 06-Nov-2015 24-Feb-2016 30-Sep-2016 31-Dec-2020 31-Dec-2020 P146827 TF-A9505 Effective 29-Mar-2019 09-Apr-2019 29-Jun-2019 31-Dec-2020 31-Dec-2020 Cumulative Disbursements 1/9/2020 Page 7 of 8 The World Bank Implementation Status & Results Report Liberia Youth Opportunities Project (P146827) Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Project(s) P169722-Liberia Youth Opportunities Project Additional Financing 1/9/2020 Page 8 of 8