Japan fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) Grant 9159-NEP: Support for Targeted Sustainable Development Program for Highly Marginalized Groups

Funding Agency: Asian Development Bank
Client: : Ministry of Federal Affairs & Local Development (MoFALD),
Date:  Oct 2013 – Dec 2015

The objective of this project is to identify present socio-economic situation of targeted groups (4 highly marginalized groups-Dalit, Majhi, Kumal, Bhote) of Nepal and make them aware about their social rights by organizing social awareness campaign, seminars, and workshops. It aims to empower these deprived groups for strengthening their institutional networks so that they can initiate themselves to participate in local development and governance process. Through this project, ADB seeks to provide entrepreneurship training & support to 2000 of poorest households among these targeted groups to uplift them economically. For this, a group of experts are assigned to formulate economic empowerment strategies and action plans.

This grant considers gender analysis as a cross-sectional issue and provides input to incorporate women’s empowerment measures throughout project components, focusing on the particular socio-cultural context of the target group. The project also ensures organizational development of Dalit NGOs specially focusing on their institutional strengthening so that they would be able to assert their rights.

The main end of this grant is to make an enhanced participation by men and women of the target groups in local decision making processes and economic activities.

Overall Services provided by firm:

In this project, TMS along with its other associates are responsible for overall project management as such:

A.  Household Socioeconomic Survey (2000 household) and Resources Mapping

1. VDC Selection and recruitment of social mobilizers
2. Design socio-economic survey methods and training to Social Mobilizer on PRA approach
3. Conduct survey, data processing and produce survey report

B. Capacity Building for Social Empowerment of Target Groups

1. Develop REFLECT Course and ensure its delivery in the field
2. Brief Gender Assessment, develop social empowerment strategy and action plans
3. Design Partnership framework to implement social activities in partnership with IPOs and Dalit CSOs
4. Facilitate to design and deliver social awareness activities
5. Liaise and coordinate with NEFIN, NEFIN DNF and other organizations
6. Assess the potential of self-help approach in the target community
7. Produce revolving fund mobilization guideline and facilitate for revitalizing the groups for initiating group saving
8. Selection of IPOs and Dalit CSOs based on defined criteria and develop institutional strengthening plan at different level
9. Develop strategy/concept paper for networking of IPOs and Dalit CSOs with likeminded organizations and their federations
10. Convene periodic coordination meetings with different stakeholders including NFDIN, NEFIN DNF and NDC
11. Facilitate for office support to IPOs and Dalit CSOs

C.  Entrepreneurship development for economic empowerment

1. Develop Economic Empowerment Strategy and Action Plan
2. Ensure Right Selection of the Participants for Entrepreneurship Development
3. Recruitment of Market Survey Firm/Business Development Service Provider/Product Branding and Marketing Firm and mobilization
4. Monitoring and supervision  of Market Survey Firm/Business Development Service Provider/Product Branding and Marketing Firm and mobilization
5. Ensuring proper use of revolving fund and facilitate the Execution of Technology Support

D. Grant management, monitoring, and audit

1. Establishment of project offices and team on board
2. Operational Manual
3. Human resource mobilization and management
4. Planning and budgeting
5. Procurement and hiring of equipment
6. Auditing and establishing Project Monitoring and Evaluation System
7. Conduct mid-term project review
8. Final project evaluation
9. Coordination and liaison
10. Progress Reporting and Producing Inception report

Final/Project Completion Report by incorporating Client’s Comments.