Community-Based Livelihood Development (CBLD) for Women and Children in Swaziland Quarterly Report Year 2 Quarter 3 (April 1, 2013 – June 30, 2013)

under a five-year cooperative agreement with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The program aims to improve the livelihood capabilities of vulnerable households, particularly women and orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) caregivers, and to protect and promote the rights of women and children. The program's three objectives are to improve livelihood capabilities, protect and promote the rights of women and children, and strengthen the capacity and coordination of the government, communities, and other organizations to protect and promote the social and economic well-being of women and children. CBLD will implement activities in close collaboration with community organizations and institutions and their government, NGO, and private sector partners, providing support to enhance their capacity to deliver effective services to the community and manage community development initiatives. During the current reporting period, CBLD continued with the implementation of program activities in Ndzingeni and Herefords communities, and began the process of selecting two additional communities. CBLD interventions continued alongside community planning activities, which will lead to the presentation by community development committee members of strategic plans to their respective bandlancane and/or inkhundla development committees, and eventually to the Regional Development Office. Marketing support was provided to 69 beekeepers and 12 baby corn farmers, and 200 cotton farmers were trained on harvesting and planning for the next season. CBLD concluded a study on homestead-level Income Generating Activities (IGA) and presented its findings with 27 organizations. The main takeaway from the presentation was the importance of feasibility and market analysis. CBLD also assisted three companies in developing grant applications for the Marketing Investment Fund, and all three companies won grants totaling E 1,094,000. Community engagement and sensitization reached a total of 1,703 community members in Herefords and Ndzingeni with information on human rights, constitutional provisions, the Child Protection and Welfare Act of 2012 (CPWA), as well as pertinent family law and legislation on succession, marriage, and inheritance. Students and faculty in nine schools were sensitized on children's rights, how to prevent and respond to child abuse, as well as CPWA, reaching a total of 1,129 students and their teachers. CBLD began implementing a community legal aid clinic, with support from law students from the University of Swaziland, and there have been an initial 11 clients. At the community level, CBLD strengthened the capacity of community institutions such as the inner council, community police, and child protection committees from Ndzingeni and Herefords. To mainstream gender at the organizational level, all 12 CBLD staff members were trained on gender concepts and introduced to different gender analytical frameworks. Value chain development was a key focus area for CBLD during the reporting period. No new value chains were selected, but CBLD completed, distributed, and trained on baby corn planting and harvesting guides to participating farmers. Beekeepers were trained on beehive building training materials developed by CBLD, and the development of a cotton farmer's record book began. CBLD held cotton orientation and training meetings in six candidate communities, which validated the understanding that the livelihoods of many community members are heavily dependent on cotton, and the majority of these farmers are women. CBLD also held a series of coordination meetings with the Sikhulile Cotton Ginnery, which provided guidance and feedback on candidate communities from a value chain perspective. Relationships with Eswatini Swazi Kitchen Honey (ESKH) and Sdemane Farm were strengthened, and CBLD assisted these companies in developing grant applications for the Marketing Investment Fund.