USAID Solutions for Peace & Recovery Quarterly Progress Report: January – March 2017

The project's goal is to be achieved in seven priority territories, namely Walungu, Kabare, Kalehe, and Bukavu City in South Kivu, and Masisi, Walikale, and Goma City in North Kivu. Three hypotheses support the SPR team's approach to achieving progress in pursuit of the project goal. First, if communities in eastern Congo are enabled to analyze conflict, they will develop processes that will produce effective solutions. Second, if Congolese women and marginalized groups are given the skills and opportunities to participate in community-based decision-making, their participation will result in better and more sustainable solutions. Third, if community decision-making is inclusive and participatory, it will result in better solutions and greater social cohesion. During the period January-March 2017, the project was introduced to various stakeholders through formal meetings with potential grantees and the formal launch of the project. The overwhelming response to the introduction of the project is positive, with many stakeholders eagerly awaiting the start of activities in targeted areas. Activities in which the project was introduced to stakeholders included meetings with key ministers in both provinces, informational meetings with potential grantees, workshops for peace actors to deliberate on the choice of groupements in each territory, and the official launch of the project in the two provinces. The project also conducted conflict sensitivity skills transfer as part of efforts to enable local stakeholders and potential grantees of USAID SPR to heighten their sensitivity to conflict and to continuously deepen their sensitivity to the impact of conflict mitigation intervention on existing or potential conflict. Both North Kivu territories targeted by USAID SPR were visited during this period to transfer skills in conflict sensitivity and to consult stakeholders regarding the choice of groupement. The project staff recruitment was partially achieved, with the Component 3 Team Leader being recruited but unable to start until May. The Component 2 Team Leader was recruited and then withdrew, and MSI was thus obliged to relaunch the recruitment process. The newly recruited Component 2 Team Leader has been identified and will start work in May. One logistician and two drivers will also be recruited in the next quarter. The USAID SPR team building was fully achieved, with 18 project staff participating in a team-building session facilitated by an expert consultant. The team-building session aimed to acquaint staff with each other, attain a deeper understanding of USAID SPR, and define USAID SPR values. The conflict sensitivity study was partially achieved, with initial scoping workshops carried out with the support of external consultants. USAID SPR received USAID comments on the DNH/Conflict Sensitivity study to carry forward with a full conflict analysis in an iterative manner as communities and partners come onboard. Twenty-three participants from 23 organizations were invited to the initial scoping workshops. The selection of target areas was fully achieved, with workshops held with peace actors in Kabare and Kalehe during the previous reporting period and in Masisi and Walikale during this reporting period. The aim of the workshops was to ensure the transparency of the selection process and to ensure a deliberative process as exhaustive as possible on each selection criteria. Twenty-three peace actors participated in Masisi and 20 peace actors participated in Walikale. The women network mapping was not achieved, with the mapping of networks or organizations working on the empowerment of women and marginalized groups to be finalized during the month of April. The official launch was fully achieved, with the activity carried out in the two provinces.