Strengthening the Capacity of Indigenous Organizations in the Amazon 2021 Q3 Quarterly Narrative Report

The project aims to enable IPOs to directly access international funding to advocate for indigenous peoples' governance of the Amazon, particularly in relation to significant infrastructure and extractive activities. To achieve this, Pact has designed a set of activities under four Key Results areas: Key Result 1, Activity design adapted by incorporating Applied Political Economy Analysis (APEA) results, social inclusion strategy, and indigenous organizations' input; Key Result 2, IPO's capacities gaps addressed and strengths cultivated; Key Result 3, IPOs demonstrate improved financial and organizational performance; and Key Result 4, At least one key tool or resource identified and developed to be shared with other IPOs facing infrastructure and extractives development on their lands. During the reporting period, covering April through June 2021, the SCIOA team continued to exercise caution and avoid international travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the capacity development organizations (CDOs) continued to work remotely, and remained in communication with IPOs, mostly through WhatsApp and virtual meetings. Over this period, the IPOs from Guyana and Suriname began the implementation of their small grant projects, while the IPOs from Peru, Brazil, and Colombia worked to finalize the implementation of their small grants. One of the IPOs from Colombia, the Nonuya-Villazul Reservation, concluded its small grant activities to support traditional medicine and design a governance structure, which was presented to Colombia's Ministry of Interior for endorsement. The remaining IPOs are expected to conclude and close their small grants during the next reporting period. The SCIOA team also held its second virtual event, "A Amazônia Indígena Propõe," which convened IPO leaders from Brazil via Zoom, as well as Pact and USAID representatives, to put into practice the IPOs' virtual abilities and to make visible their efforts to advocate for the rights of indigenous peoples in the Brazilian Amazon. The SCIOA team also participated in the annual Organization Development Network (ODN) Virtual Conference, which focused on how to stay connected in a disconnected world. SCIOA's Regional Capacity Development Activity Manager (RCDAM) and Knowledge Management Specialist, as well as Pact's Capacity Development Officer supporting the Activity, led a session focused on "Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion" and shared insights on ways to remain connected with local organizations, such as the IPOs. The SCIOA team also continued the Outcome Harvesting process begun during the prior reporting period to carry out a qualitative evaluation process to identify positive and negative, intended and unintended results of the Activity. The IPOs' understanding of strengths and weaknesses increased during the reporting period. In Brazil, the CDO, Instituto Internacional de Educação do Brasil (IEB), organized a meeting with the three IPOs to evaluate the impact of SCIOA on their performance and reassess their Organizational Performance Index (OPI). In Colombia, the IPO, Asociación Zonal de Consejo de Autoridades Indígenas de Tradición Autóctona (AZCAITA), made progress towards its Institutional Strengthening Plan by leveraging its strengths and focusing on its priority areas to research and analyze approaches to strengthen and continue traditional knowledge of medicinal plants. In Guyana, the SCIOA's CDO, the Amerindian Peoples Association (APA), facilitated a capacity development activity to operationalize the approved financial manual developed during the previous quarter. The project's progress is expected to continue in the next reporting period, with the remaining IPOs concluding and closing their small grants. The SCIOA team will also continue to exercise caution and avoid international travel due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The project's activities are expected to contribute to the strengthening of indigenous organizations in the Amazon region, enabling them to effectively advocate for their rights and interests.