Actively involve CSOs and parishes in mobilising communities and monitoring project activities
Set up water and school committees to manage their water points and schools, respectively
Create Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA’s) to take part in school management
Have the GoSS become a section committee member and participate in monitoring visits
Standardise reporting formats and community mobilisation and monitoring tools
Have local water and sanitation organisations demonstrate knowledge, correct use and promotion of PHAST and CHAST methodologies in their work
Strengthen the capacity of local contractors
Hold coordination meetings
Strengthening the capacities of local partners and their empowerment is crucial as it contributes to long-term sustainability. Caritas Switzerland has an institution development policy designed to capacitate and strengthen the forces of civil society. In Sudan, as well as elsewhere, projects are set up in accordance with the needs and possibilities of partners and target groups. The Bridge Project works with and through local partners responsible for mobilising and training the communities. The decision to work with and alongside local CSOs is meant to bring ownership of the project closer to the people and simultaneously build local capacity. The project will use the opportunity to interact with CSOs on their proposed projects to further strengthen their management capacities on specific aspects identified together. It is Caritas Switzerland and the Bridge Projcet's strategy to build local capacity through the training of essential staff such as teachers, health workers and artisans so that they are able to work in the facilities being constructed. Capacity priorities in all three sectors include: support to knowledge, policy, planning and strategy; the strengthening of basic infrastructure and facilities at both County and GoSS levels and increasing capacity in the monitoring and regulation of technical standards at county level. Capacity building is an integral part of the project aimed at supporting CSOs and LAs, where requested, to build viable structures and systems.
Key Achievements and Pending Activities
Strengthening the Capacities of the GoSS
Capacity building has thoroughly been interwoven in the 3-SWA. Many of the sector-specific trainings that have taken place and will be held in the near future have served to strengthen the capacities of the GoSS as well as those of local structures. The PHAST and CHAST trainings, the fast-track training for teachers, the INEE-MSEE trainings, Income Generating Activities (IGAs) for schools, supporting a nursing school and training health staff in HIV/AIDS, all have contributed to this end. A number of the above-mentioned outputs, such as the setting up of water committees and PTAs and the PHAST and CHAST trainings have therefore been discussed in the water and sanitation, education and health posts and will not be reiterated here. All the above have strengthened the capacities of the GoSS by providing education and training to improve the skills and knowledge resource base through formal training at various levels ranging from teachers and health workers to state directors.
Moreover, ministries have successfully been encouraged to participate in monitoring activities and are now requesting regular progress reports and updates. Specific trainings, such as good governance trainings, have also been provided to higher level GoSS staff and an intensive management course is being organised by the Bridge Project. The management training will train 20 GoSS staff members over a period of three weeks. They will be be trained on such aspects as the Project Management Cycle (PMC), logframe analysis, proposal and report writing, leadership and administration and financial management. More management training will be provided, depending on time and available resources.
Strengthening the Capacity of Local Contractors
Education and training are also being provided to local contractors in order to improve the skills for manpower in the short term. This includes apprenticeships, on-the-job-training and training of sector management committees at the village level. For instance, the Bridge Project has trained masons and a wielder on-the-job during the construction of base camp. Local artisans working on the constructions of the schools and the health care centre will likewise be trained on site in order for them to gain practical experience and advance their skills in masonry, carpentry and steelwork. Furthermore, a number of community members received basic training in plumbing to help with the implementation of the Isoke Water Catchment Project. These will be responsible for the subsequent maintenance and repair of the water system after project hand-over. Technicians will similarly be trained in the pending water catchment projects. Furthermore, entrepreneurship will be stimulated through the IGAs to be managed by the PTAs.
The Bridge Project is also organising a bricklaying course for at least 20 builders, some of whom are currently working on the St. Teresa School and some of whom will be put forward by the Catholic Diocese of Torit (CDoT). The local contractors will be trained on such topics as safety at work, building materials, building drawings, building walls, calculating and measuring tools over a period of four weeks. This will be an interactive and participatory training, consisting of practical work and simplified theory. Successful trainees will return home with a toolkit with masonry and bricklaying tools in a wooden, lockable box.
Holding Coordination Meetings
A lack of coordination among international Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), particularly in the initial phases of the project, was mentioned earlier as one of the constraints facing the project. The Bridge Project therefore played an instrumental role in redressing this situation. Stakeholders’ workshops with the Ministry of Education Science and Technology (MoEST) and the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Health were planned and facilitated by the Bridge Project. Meetings have taken place at various levels in order to map all development efforts taking place in Eastern Equatoria State as well as to identify training needs of Government and NGO staff. In addition, a number of consultative meetings were held with International NGOs. This has paved the way for the State Strategic Planning Meeting, increased the coordination and collaboration among stakeholders and helped the Bridge Project to provide targeted trainings.
Bicycles for CSOs and Committees
In order to further support local partners, CSOs and established water and school committees, the Bridge Project will distribute 52 bicycles. These will, for instance, be used as a means to mobilise communities, spread hygiene and sanitation messages and monitor ongoing activities.
