Monthly Report: August 2021 - Jamaica Positive Pathways Activity

under Contract No. 72053220C00001, with funding from the United States Agency for International Development. The program's primary objective is to promote positive deviance in Jamaica, with a focus on preventing violence and promoting community development. In August 2021, the program conducted various activities aimed at achieving its objectives. The team conducted a two-day staff retreat, which was initially planned for August 17-18 but was cut short due to Tropical Storm Grace. Despite the challenges, the team was able to meet its major objective of work plan development. The retreat was co-facilitated by DI Program Officer Karina Valenzuela, who led the development of the work plan during her August Jamaica trip. The program also hosted two webinars on "Can Positive Deviance Be Used to Prevent Violence in Jamaica," led by expert consultant Dr. Arvind Singhal. The webinars received positive feedback from participants, including members of the Government of Jamaica, community organizations, civil society, the private sector, other donor groups, academia, and persons from 11 of the 12 target communities. A total of 114 individuals participated in the webinars. In addition to the webinars, the program conducted various training activities, including a Sport-for-Development (S4D) workshop for community members from the six target communities in Clarendon and St. James. Thirteen persons participated in the in-person training, including representatives of all six target communities from these parishes. The program also began planning and participant mobilization for the upcoming virtual Financial Literacy training, scheduled to take place between September 23-30. The program's Gender Analysis was conducted by consultant Mary Ellen Duke, who visited Jamaica from August 13-27 and conducted 15 Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with 20 interviewees. The consultant also facilitated a virtual gender and inclusion session with Positive Pathways staff on August 25 and a USAID debriefing on August 26. The program's Grants team made significant progress in August, with all seven peacebuilding grants being approved by USAID. The Violence Prevention Alliance (VPA) agreement was signed on August 20, and activities have started. The Forward Step Foundation (FSF) agreement is currently being finalized by the DI home office, and the team is awaiting essential documentation from other prospective grantees. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the program's team maintained a consistent presence with community members and groups in the four parishes through phone calls, video chats, WhatsApp groups, and other means. The program's activities for the next month include a Financial Literacy Virtual Training, a grant signing ceremony, oversight of small grants in target communities, and the release of the S4D RFA.