Quarter 1 Report, Fiscal Year 2019: October 1 - December 31, 2018

The activity is implemented by a consortium of Mercy Corps (as the lead), Save the Children, Whave Solutions, Tufts University's Feinstein International Center, and four local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The Activity has four interrelated purposes: inclusive and effective governance contributing to food and nutrition security, adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women, and children under five are nutritionally secure, reduced incidences of WASH-related diseases, and improved livelihoods and income support household food security. Apolou's Purpose One focuses on inclusive and effective governance, which absorbs learnings from USAID's baseline report. The report indicates that 91.1% of respondents in Apolou Districts report that government is responsive to the needs of citizens, contradicting the sentiment that emerged through the Resilience Action Committee (RAC) needs assessment. Through the Communities Acting Together to Advance Linkages Yielding Social Engagement (CATALYSE) approach, the Purpose One team aims to further understand the baseline findings and ensure that community members are well-versed in what responsive governance entails. Apolou continues to learn and collaborate with partners in Karamoja, participating in multiple meetings, including the District Disaster Management Committee meeting for Kotido District, the Adventists Relief Agency's (ADRA) validation workshop for their study on emerging land tenure systems and conflicts in Karamoja, and the Karamoja Nutrition Program launch. Over 500 people attended the program launch, where both Purpose 2 and the WASH team showcased Apolou activities. Purpose Two modeled locally available nutritious foods, cooking demonstrations, and WASH products and services. The WASH team erected demos on tippy tap use, drying racks, narrow neck pots for safe water storage, and readily available sanitation products such as plastic slabs and sato pans. Trained masons from Nakapelimoru Sub-County demonstrated actual concrete slab production at the launch. Through these engagements, Apolou has increased its understanding of the current context, the interaction between Apolou and other programs or developments, and realized how to maximize the potential for collaboration. Apolou takes the lead in coordinating nutrition activities, with a focus on locally available nutritious foods, cooking demonstrations, and WASH products and services. The activity aims to improve the food and nutrition security of vulnerable households in the Kaabong, Kotido, Moroto, and Amudat Districts of Karamoja. Apolou's collaboration with partners in Karamoja has increased its understanding of the current context and the interaction between Apolou and other programs or developments. Apolou's Purpose Two focuses on adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women, and children under five being nutritionally secure. The activity aims to improve the nutritional status of these groups through the provision of locally available nutritious foods, cooking demonstrations, and WASH products and services. Apolou's collaboration with partners in Karamoja has increased its understanding of the current context and the interaction between Apolou and other programs or developments. The Apolou Activity has made significant progress in the first quarter of FY19, with a focus on inclusive and effective governance, nutrition, and WASH. The activity has increased its understanding of the current context and the interaction between Apolou and other programs or developments. Apolou's collaboration with partners in Karamoja has maximized the potential for collaboration and improved the food and nutrition security of vulnerable households in the Kaabong, Kotido, Moroto, and Amudat Districts of Karamoja.