Communities Leading Development Project Quarterly Report 6

The project will be implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in partnership with Mercy Corps, National Cooperative Business Association, CLUSA International, Association for Integral Development of the Western Highlands, Caritas Los Altos, and Caritas San Marcos over a five-year period. The project's primary objective is to improve the quality of life for project participants, including women, indigenous populations, youth, and people with disabilities, in some of Guatemala's most marginalized communities. To achieve this objective, CLD will leverage $50 million from Guatemalan and international public and private sectors, bilateral and multilateral donors, and social impact investors. The project will focus on empowering citizens through participation in development and implementation of Community Development Plans (CDPs). During the second quarter of fiscal year 2018, CLD made significant advances in the data-driven and transparent selection of participating communities. The project team finalized the initial community surveys and ranking assessment to select an additional 80 communities for year two, bringing the total number of participating communities to 200. CLD field teams shared this information with the communities involved in the selection process and began training field teams on community data collection using stakeholder mapping, household surveys, and qualitative focus groups. The project's methodology involves inclusive participation of the full community, including vulnerable populations, in the identification and prioritization of community needs and assets. CLD contracted the Association for the Advancement of the Social Sciences in Guatemala (AVANCSO) to facilitate this process, which involved training field teams on community data collection and conducting initial data collection with key social and economic actors in 120 year one communities. The project's focus on empowering citizens through participation in development and implementation of CDPs is critical to its success. By involving the full community in the identification and prioritization of community needs and assets, CLD aims to ensure that development projects are responsive to the needs of the community and that citizens are empowered to build upon and sustain these improvements. The project's use of innovative private sector approaches and strong relationships with relevant stakeholders will also be essential to its success. In addition to its focus on empowering citizens, the project will also prioritize the development of community-based services and income-generating activities for healthy and prosperous citizens. CLD will work to establish a Community Development Fund (CDF) to support community development projects and will leverage private sector engagement and resources to increase the long-term sustainability of community development. Overall, the Communities Leading Development Project has the potential to make a significant impact in some of Guatemala's most marginalized communities. By empowering citizens through participation in development and implementation of CDPs, the project aims to improve the quality of life for project participants and increase the long-term sustainability of community development.