TANZANIA IMARISHA:ECONOMIC STRENGTHENING FOR HOUSEHOLDS

AFFECTED BY AIDS

OVERVIEW OF THE PARTNER ASSESSMENT PROCESS AND OUR PROGRAM TO ADDRESS GAPS

COLLEEN GREEN, DAI 4TH AUGUST, 2011

WHAT IS IMARISHA?**Specialized TA provider for economic strengthening of HIV vulnerable households in TZ; we help facilitate improved ES programming for IPsRegions: Dar es Salaam, Dodoma, Iringa, Mbeya, Morogoro, Mwanza, ShinyangaPartners: PEPFAR MVC and HBC Implementing Partners•Feed the Future Partners and other economic development organizations•Government of Tanzania

WHAT DOES IMARISHA MEAN BY “ECONOMIC STRENGTHENING?”

• USAID defined as “the portfolio of strategies and interventions that supply, protect and/or grow physical, natural, financial, human and social assets.”

• For IMARISHA ES is about helping households and individuals reduce risk and vulnerability, stabilize their income and assets, increases assets and take advantage of economic opportunities

• IMARISHA supports:– A “sustainable livelihoods” approach which includes food security but is also

focused on enterprise growth– Integrated programs that draw from expertise in a variety of other sectors

including government and the private sector, build upon a variety of disciplines (agriculture, business, education, financial services), and engage the broader community

BROAD OVERVIEW OF IMARISHA PROGRAM• General training, mentoring and capacity building

– Introduction/ demystification of ES concepts/ jargon for health and child protection laypersons, building capacity/ knowledge  to undertake better, more integrated ES activities

• PEPFAR partner ES assessments – National and Sub-national level of Implementing Partners– Results will be: national level report on the state of economic

strengthening and foundational understanding of the capacity building needs of partners

• Partnerships with PEPFAR MVC/HBC implementers– TA facility for specialized/strategic advice on ES– NOTE: IMARISHA will not fund MVC/HBC ES programs, but instead

provide technical advice for more integrated and effective programs

ELEMENTS OF IMARISHA CONTINUED• Baseline household economic assessments

• Competitive innovation grants fund

• Support to GOT in: – Collaborating across ministries/ district offices/ward levels, – Preparation of guidelines, job aides and other publications

focused on sustainable ES and livelihoods– Engaging district, ward and village level officers in training

• Better ES M&E indicators, systems and tools

Partner Assessment: Preliminary Results

Purpose: understand current state of ES provided by MVC and HBC partners/ sub-partners to inform our strategy

• Assessment process - late May through August 2011– 68 organizations visited by IMARISHA staff– 43 organizations (so far) fully or partially completed partner

assessment questionnaires (8 National, 35 Regional partners)

• Limitations: – Data self reported– Some questionnaires incomplete– Inability/unwillingness to share or inaccurate financial data– Only focused on IMARISHA’s 7 regions

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS: TRENDS

Many organizations are involved in small-scale animal husbandry activities; few are involved in agriculture

Many organizations are involved in small-scale animal husbandry activities; few are involved in agriculture

Few organizations are undertaking economic creation activities

Few organizations are undertaking economic creation activities

Most common category of activity undertaken is acute poverty support; most common individual activity is provision of school fees/scholarships

Most common category of activity undertaken is acute poverty support; most common individual activity is provision of school fees/scholarships

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS: TRENDS

Graduation definitions for OVCs are often the most well-defined (e.g. 18 years old and finishing Form 4)

Graduation definitions for OVCs are often the most well-defined (e.g. 18 years old and finishing Form 4)

Many organizations state “financial stability” as a criterion for graduation, yet many do not assess income/asset levels of beneficiaries

Many organizations state “financial stability” as a criterion for graduation, yet many do not assess income/asset levels of beneficiaries

Most technical manuals are for SILC/WORTH groups; very few are for small-scale animal husbandry, agriculture, or IGAs

Most technical manuals are for SILC/WORTH groups; very few are for small-scale animal husbandry, agriculture, or IGAs

SOME INTERESTING GAPS

• Almost no referrals are being made for livelihoods or ES activities• Many organizations do not have specific criteria for graduation of

beneficiaries from programs; common definitions cited include:– Beneficiaries reaching 18 years of age and/or finishing Form 4– Household considered “financially stable”/able to meet basic

needs; no metric cited on how this is determined• Provision of livestock is most common type of asset stabilization

activity; however, many organizations cited lack of training on animal care/ vaccinations and thus, had high rates of animal fatalities

• Very few organizations working with MVC age 0-6 years; focus appears to be school aged kids (and provision of school fees)

• Met with more than 30 district councils in 7 regions to introduce them to IMARISHA; strong enthusiasm for expansion of ES;

• District level activities fell into 3 categories:

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS: DISTRICT GOVT

DCDO CHAC TASAF

Women and Youth Funds

MVC Support Funds from TACAIDS

MJADU funds

Soft loans for micro businesses

Grants for vulnerable children

Grants for vulnerable groups including PLHA

Petty trade, food vendors, commodity (rice) sales

School fees, uniforms, scholastic materials

Local chicken, animal husbandry, fish ponds, vegetable gardens,

Activities/ Special Funds

Types of Funding

Activities funded

PARTNER ASSESSMENT: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

Women and Youth Funds

MVC Support Funds

MDAJU Funds

Some supported micro businesses thriving (e.g., Kilosa, Mbarali)

Most CHACs working well with IPs

Good collaboration between districts and IPs in identifying groups;

Political influence weighs in on lending decisions; less than 50% loan repayment and funds for activity being reduced; limited knowledge of entrepreneurship/ business training

MVC funding not sustainable; no funding for ES

TASAF requires group based projects thus participation issues; no deep analysis of projects thus lots of failed projects; limited monitoring and follow up;

Achievements

Challenges

AN OBSERVATION ON THE ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR ES

• Very limited market of “service providers” to support ES and entrepreneurship development – Some IPs have contracted DALDOs and DCDOs on a one-off

basis to train on topics such as entrepreneurship, poultry, etc– Some IPs have engaged VETA for vocational training*– Private training or business services are limited or not available,

particularly in rural areas– Also referrals not being made by IPs for livelihoods or ES

services

Source: Interviews with IPs, DEDs, and Technoserve 2009 Tanzania BDS Market Development Survey

More creative solutions needed to address gaps and improve sustainability

SO… IMARISHA HAS MADE SOME MODIFICATONS TO ITS THINKING AND APPROACH

TRAINING, CAPACITY BUILDING AND MENTORINGBasic topics: • Economic Pathways Framework:

an expanded view• Savings led microfinance: setting

up new savings groups• Using savings groups to build

other sustainable livelihood skills and activities

• Improving HH horticulture • HH animal husbandry: best

practices for improving success• Undertaking market

analysis/market opportunity identification

Advanced topics:• Group formation and dynamics• Entrepreneurship• Strengthening producer groups

for market access• Negotiation skills• Market linkage activities• Advanced agric practices

including PH handling, storage, value addition

• Inclusion of vulnerable groups in value chain activities

PARTNERSHIPS WITH IMARISHA• Purpose: to build more sustainable, lasting ES interventions

that transition HHs from handouts to resilience• Consultative process whereby IMARISHA, IPs and sub-

partners agree upon and sign MOU in part based on needs and findings of assessment

• MOU outlines agreed upon terms/contributions, e.g.,– Consultant/staff time on strategy and operations (IMARISHA)– Agreement to report against specific set of indicators– Agreement to participate in training/capacity building– Agreement to share learning results

• ES activities funded largely by partner; IMARISHA will serve as adviser and specialized TA provider

HOUSEHOLD ECONOMIC NEEDS ASSESSMENT (HEA)

• IMARISHA HEA used to gain a foundational understanding economic dynamics at the household and community level; establishes a baseline for measuring impact of ES activities on HIV vulnerable HHs

• Tool analyzes how HHs access and consume food; acquire and expend income and assets; access financial and technical services; cope with seasonal vulnerabilities; and prepare for and respond to shocks

– Measures household vulnerability, as well as household resiliency to better monitor impact of ES interventions over time

• Roll out planned for 2,000 households in approx 21 districts in 7 regions

• Partner staff and enumerators will be trained in use of the tool; roll out done jointly with IMARISHA

TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FACILITY

• Ability to provide specialized TA on strategies, different economic strengthening areas, or operations

• Partners would be able to apply for TA for specific needs

• For example:– Staff training– Assistance in an ES strategy or program design– Troubleshooting existing issues of an ES intervention– M&E support– Stakeholder training on a specialized topic such as permaculture/HH

horticulture, animal husbandry, market assessment, other market development area

** TA facility is limited

GRANTS FACILITY• Is competitive; organizations will need to compete for the

awards; a cost share/contribution will be expected

• Focus on sub-partners but likely role for prime partner

• Criteria likely to include: innovative idea/activity, commitment of resources (staff, cost share), willingness to track impact, willingness to share results and learning

• Fixed obligation grants - tranches disbursed based on completion of benchmarks/agreed upon activities

• Considering rolling grants with different themes

• Start of grants planned for late 2011

ENGAGEMENT WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF TZ• At the district level, engagement of different extension

officers to support activities, and understand their role– Training and capacity building on fundamentals of ES such as

group dynamics/formation, business and entrepreneurship– Work with DCDOs and TASAF on selection criteria, loan procedures– Assist with improved monitoring techniques/indicators to ensure

better impact

• At the National Level engagement will seek to engage a variety of GOT entities working on health, HIV, poverty reduction, agriculture and social safety nets around ES– With TACAIDS and DSW we believe there is room for engagement

on the topic of economic strengthening

BUILDING THE EVIDENCE BASE THROUGH M&E CAPACITY

• Getting partners to adopt and track the same set of indicators – not just outputs (e.g., people receiving training) but also outcomes (increased HH assets, greater uptake of health services, improved nutrition)– Working group on performance monitoring for ES

• Encouraging partners to build feedback and learning process into project framework and modify approaches if needed

IMARISHA’S TIMELINE

• Partner Assessment – May to August 2011

• State of Economic Strengthening Report and Partner Assessments – Late August 2011

• Discussions, planning and finalization with IPs on Partnership MOUs–August to September 2011 for FY11

• Conduct HEA - September onward– Meeting with Chiefs of Party in August 2011 to discuss and plan

• Provide TA and mentoring – September onward

• Begin training and capacity building – September onward

• Work with GOT – throughout

• Start of Grants – late 2011

MONITORING PROGRESS

• HEA will serve as baseline• ES Performance Monitoring TWG

– Working by consensus with TWG to develop a common set of indicators for ES activities

• Plans for the development of other tools for IPs and Govt such as supportive supervision checklists that allow the tracking of ES behavior change

• Currently no consensus on “graduation” or what we mean by sustainability…we will continue to debate and discuss with partner and govt

Thank you