Quarterly Project Report Narrative FY 2016: April 2016-June 2016

The program's goal is to promote inclusive planned growth, improve physical and social connections to the rest of the Port-au-Prince urban fabric, and transform the economic and cultural life of its residents. The CUCD program is divided into three pillars: Pillar I, Community Mobilization, led by the American Red Cross; Pillar II, Livelihoods, led by Global Communities; and Pillar III, Physical Renewal, also led by Global Communities. Pillar II focuses on encouraging the growth of both the informal and formal sectors in Canaan, providing access to finance, improving micro-enterprises business skills, and implementing Village Saving Loan Associations (VSLA), vocational training, mobile money, solar charging stations, micro-franchising project, and business linkages. The Global Communities CUCD team has organized over 142 stakeholder engagement events to date, resulting in progress towards the overall goals of the CUCD project. These events include workshops and networking events for the Haitian private sector, community round table meetings to identify beneficiaries, and coordination with the Red Cross staff for criteria in selecting beneficiaries for Digicel Mon Cash (mobile money) kiosks. The program has made significant progress in implementing its activities, including the completion of the Canaan-Wide Urban Renovation and Projects Identification report and submission to the UCLBP for validation. A large site visit was held with over 40 participants from the UCLBP and 2 consultants to facilitate their approval of CUCD's infrastructure sites. The program has also continued and reinforced cooperation with other implementers in Canaan, such as Habitat for Humanity, Mercy Corps, UN Habitat, and the International Organization for Migration (IOM). However, the program has faced several challenges, including assessment fatigue among the community, which has led to a lack of receptivity towards CUCD efforts. The CUCD team is mitigating this challenge by pressing forward to complete the Quick Impact Projects (QUIPs), which were identified through community participation and mobilization. The QUIPs include solar lamps, Digicel Mobile Money Kiosks, Digicel Recharging Stations, and Digicel Foundation National School. The program is also facing challenges related to the political instability, wide-spread demonstrations, and a lack of government for an extended period of time, which has hindered the ability to effectively implement the project. The program is working with the donor to create a feasible construction contracts bonding policy with regard to the context of Haitian law, and the issue of compensation for structures that need to be demolished needs to be resolved to allow for the implementation of infrastructure projects. The CUCD program has made significant progress in its first year, with over 142 stakeholder engagement events organized, and has identified several challenges that need to be addressed to ensure the successful implementation of the project. The program is working to mitigate these challenges and is committed to supporting the Government of Haiti's vision for equitable and resilient urban development in the Canaan zone. The program's progress in implementing its activities has been significant, with the completion of the Canaan-Wide Urban Renovation and Projects Identification report and the organization of over 142 stakeholder engagement events. The program has also made progress in implementing its QUIPs, including the installation of solar lamps, Digicel Mobile Money Kiosks, and Digicel Recharging Stations. The program's focus on community mobilization and participation has been a key factor in its success, with the identification of 23 Village Saving Loan Associations (VSLA) groups and the implementation of vocational training, mobile money, and solar charging stations. The program's commitment to supporting the growth of both the informal and formal sectors in Canaan has also been a key factor in its success. The program's progress in addressing the challenges it has faced has been significant, with the completion of an Environmental Monitoring and Mitigation Plan to get environmental approval from USAID to complete the QUIPs. The program is also working to create a feasible construction contracts bonding policy with regard to the context of Haitian law, and the issue of compensation for structures that need to be demolished needs to be resolved to allow for the implementation of infrastructure projects. The program's commitment to supporting the Government of Haiti's vision for equitable and resilient urban development in the Canaan zone has been a key factor in its success. The program's focus on community mobilization and participation, and its commitment to supporting the growth of both the informal and formal sectors in Canaan, have also been key factors in its success.