USAID-FUNADEH GENESIS Quarterly Report Q3 FY2021- ME&L

The program began as a five-year cooperative agreement in FY 2015 and was initially set to conclude in FY 2020. However, USAID and FUNADEH agreed to a $600,000 cost-extension from December 2020 to November 2021 to focus on the recovery and sustainability of the Youth Outreach Center (OC) network, which was jeopardized due to the pandemic and the November 2020 hurricanes. The FY 2021-FY 2024 time and cost extension focuses on the sustainability of OCs through the diversification of services, promoting a sense of belonging among vulnerable populations amidst national reconstruction efforts, and the interruption of irregular migration through various programs. The extension of the cooperative agreement encompasses the period December 1, 2021, to March 31, 2024, and requests an additional $2,400,000.00 from USAID. The main purpose of extending GENESIS now consists in ensuring the sustainability of the OC's platform in preventing irregular migration incentives by addressing citizen security, economic opportunities, and humanitarian assistance needs in targeted communities while empowering local stakeholders to increase their resilience to shocks. With this extension, GENESIS has two specific objectives: 1) to consolidate the OC network through multi-sectoral alliances to increase protective factors and promote a culture of peace, and 2) to promote economic inclusion in high migration areas. During the third quarter of FY 2021, GENESIS achieved 82 percent of schedule efficiency and 141 percent of cost efficiency, indicating that almost all the planned work was completed on time with an 18 percent deviance from the schedule baseline and that the actual cost of the accomplished work was efficiently managed. GENESIS's leadership is closely monitoring these metrics to sustain its programmatic and financial performance. The OC's platform has been at the forefront of an ambitious logistical effort to facilitate humanitarian aid, playing an essential role in an efficient and transparent manner. The ALCANCE Association will be further strengthened, and humanitarian efforts will continue, while economic inclusion opportunities will be relaunched to promote tangible alternatives to irregular migration. In terms of specific results, the GENESIS program has made progress in several areas. Objective 1, which focuses on consolidating the OC network, has seen significant achievements, including the establishment of multi-sectoral alliances and the promotion of a culture of peace. Result 1.1, OC Sustainability, has reported a 25% increase in the number of volunteers participating in outreach activities, while Result 1.2, ALCANCE Association, has seen a 30% increase in the number of community members participating in association activities. Objective 2, which focuses on promoting economic inclusion, has also made significant progress. Result 2.1, Quality Alternative Education and Increased Rootedness of Populations, has reported a 20% increase in the number of community members participating in alternative education programs, while Result 2.2, Entrepreneurship and Coaching, has seen a 25% increase in the number of community members participating in entrepreneurship and coaching activities. Overall, the GENESIS program has made significant progress in achieving its objectives and has demonstrated its ability to adapt to changing circumstances. The program's leadership is committed to sustaining its programmatic and financial performance and to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the OC's platform.