Quarterly Report: FY 2020 Quarter 3 (Q3)

The project is led by FHI 360 and is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under Cooperative Agreement AID-72060318-LA-00001. During the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2020, the PRECAD project team transitioned to remote work in response to the global coronavirus pandemic and the Government of Djibouti's quarantine restrictions. To continue advancing project activities, PRECAD adapted its capacity-building activities for virtual spaces and supported its civil society partners in modernizing their operational capacity via provision of equipment. Key achievements from Quarter 3 (Q3) Fiscal Year 2020 include the procurement and provision of office equipment, supplies, and internet connections to 12 Djiboutian associations based on their immediate COVID-19-related needs. PRECAD also successfully adapted its capacity-building strategy to the COVID-19 context by conducting online training series for partners in Project Management and Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL). Additionally, PRECAD maintained a virtual group of Djiboutian civil society organizations (CSOs) via WhatsApp to share tools and information related to capacity-building opportunities and COVID-19. The project's objective is to strengthen civil society organizations to foster accountable governance and improve service delivery. PRECAD supports Djiboutians to engage in constructive dialogue with government officials to improve service delivery in education and health, and to advocate for gender equality, equitable service delivery, and the protection of vulnerable populations, while improving the enabling environment for civil society. PRECAD contributes directly to the following USAID development goal and objective: Improve Djiboutian government delivery of key services, and furthering collaboration among citizens, civil society, and government and advocating for reforms, in coordination with relevant ministries and other development partners. The project aims to achieve three results: accountable governance better integrated into education and health sectors, civil society organizations (CSOs) more effectively advocate for gender equality, equitable service delivery, and protection of vulnerable populations, and improved enabling environment for CSOs in Djibouti. The project's results are expected to be achieved through the support of Djiboutian Civic Association (DCA) partners, who will be equipped to more effectively mobilize citizens, engage government officials, and promote improvements in service delivery in education and health. More women and young people will be engaged in education and health oversight, and DCAs' expertise in gender equality and social inclusion will be improved. Civic activism will be expanded around gender equality, social inclusion, and protection of vulnerable populations. PRECAD's quarterly report for April 1 – June 30, 2020, highlights the project's achievements and challenges during this period. The report provides an overview of the project's key achievements, detailed reports of activity implementation under each objective, and an analysis of lessons learned, challenges, best practices, and a success story to illustrate the impact of the project. The report also describes activities planned for next quarter, which build upon the accomplishments to date.