Quarterly Report 2: Regional Workforce Development Program

The program is implemented by FHI 360, a nonprofit organization, and is managed by the Office of Regional Sustainable Development (RSD) at USAID/LAC. The RWDP began implementing various start-up activities in January 2016, including hiring key personnel and local staff, holding initial meetings with USAID/LAC and key FHI 360 stakeholders, and establishing country offices and local operations. The program focused its efforts in Honduras and Guatemala during this quarter. Key personnel hired by the program include Antonieta Harwood as the Honduras Country Program Director, Ana de Molina as the Guatemala Country Program Director, and Juan Carlos Rodriguez as the Regional Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Manager. The program also continued recruitment efforts for the key personnel positions of Jamaica Country Program Director and the Director of Finance and Administration (DFA). The program established country offices in Honduras and Guatemala, adapting the FHI 360 local operations manuals available in these countries and finalizing procedures and systems for finance, procurement, accounting, banking, and human resources. The program also made progress in establishing office space in Honduras and Guatemala, providing a secure setting and convenient location in accordance with USAID/mission standards for each country. The program developed and submitted first drafts of the Initial Annual Work Plan (AWP), the Life of Agreement Strategic Plan, and the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Plan to USAID/LAC on March 8, 2016. The program solicited input from partner organizations, local stakeholders, and FHI 360 technical experts in the design of these plans. USAID/LAC provided feedback on the AWP at the end of the quarter, and the program team began developing a second draft of the AWP based on the feedback received. The program also developed a project summary, which was approved by USAID/LAC, and released it in February 2016 to announce the launch of LAC RWDP. The program initiated contact with USAID missions, local stakeholders, and partner organizations, including holding its first official meeting with the USAID/Honduras mission's point of contact, Ana Rubí, on March 3, 2016. The program's next steps include completing the second draft of the AWP, finalizing the M&E plan, and initiating crosscutting assessment activities, including a labor market assessment in Honduras. The program will also continue to establish office space in Jamaica and finalize procedures and systems for finance, procurement, accounting, banking, and human resources in all three countries.