SWIFT IV Semi-Annual Progress Report: October 2016-March 2017

The program's overarching objectives are to increase citizen support for and participation in the development of a modern, inclusive Ukrainian identity, increase constructive engagement between government and citizens at the local level, and increase citizen resilience against divisive and biased information. UCBI works in Kyiv and the liberated territories of Luhansk and Donetsk oblasts. During the reporting period, UCBI cleared 54 activities totaling over $1.5 million. Program activities focused on social integration of internally displaced persons and other vulnerable groups, encouraging local unity and civil engagement by uniting participants through common interests in social activism and music, improving service delivery, and enhancing the reach and effectiveness of independent media. One of the key activities implemented during this reporting period was the production of a news article titled "Telling Mariupol's Post Maidan Story." The article aimed to inform and inspire more Ukrainians throughout the country to learn from and replicate the unique approaches used by Mariupol activists so that they are better able to play an active role in Ukraine's ongoing social and political transition. UCBI also supported the development of online culture networks, which provided beneficiaries with access to knowledge about contemporary culture and best practices in the field of innovative social activism. In addition, UCBI empowered activists to promote inclusive engagement around issues of national identity and generate a greater vested interest in Ukrainian culture and literature through the "Libraries Alive" activity. This activity organized the first-ever book festival in Donbas in November 2016, which attracted more than 5,000 local residents of northern Donetsk. The Libya Transition Initiative II (LTI II) is a three-year program that was launched on August 11, 2014. The program builds on the work of the original Libya Transition Initiative (LTI) and currently supports credible, participatory, and responsive governance at the national and local levels. During the reporting period, LTI 2 cleared 38 activities totaling over $1.2 million. Notably, the project received funding to expand programming to the then-newly liberated Sirte area and opened a new office in Misrata to manage this new portfolio of activities. The program experienced delays related to the recruitment of a long-term monitoring, evaluation, and learning manager (MELM), but a short-term monitoring and evaluation specialist was engaged to ensure coverage for this critical function. Activities implemented during this reporting period included service delivery and outreach campaigns, which aimed to build the capacity of Libya's local and national governments to deliver services through tangible service delivery projects complemented by public outreach campaigns. For example, LTI 2 supported the Tripoli Center Municipal Council to conduct a two-month clean-up campaign that promoted cooperation between local residents, neighborhood councils, private companies, civil society groups, and national level ministries.