Yemen Communities Stronger Together (YCST) Quarterly Program Performance Report Y3Q2 – January 1 to March 31, 2021

The program aims to mitigate conflict, strengthen social cohesion, and promote peaceful resolution of differences in Yemen. YCST is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and is being implemented in partnership with local communities. The program has four main objectives: Engaging Communities, Building Capacity, Promoting Peace, and Enhancing Outcomes. Objective 1, Engaging Communities, focuses on engaging communities in an inclusive approach to identify and implement service delivery and conflict mitigation projects. This is achieved through the Participatory Action for Community Enhancement (PACE) approach, which builds the capacity of community members and local leaders to develop a vision for their community and to collaboratively identify and address issues. Objective 2, Building Capacity, aims to build the capacity of formal and informal local leaders, organizations, and networks to serve as neutral arbitrators and peace builders and meet community and constituent needs. This is achieved through the Peacebuilding Grants Fund (PGF), Women, Peace and Security Sub-fund (WPS), and Innovation Grant Sub-fund (IGS), which support initiatives to increase women's participation in peacebuilding, form youth networks for positive engagement in civic life, and use technology and creative approaches in peacebuilding. Objective 3, Promoting Peace, focuses on pilot stabilization activities to identify effective models to create where credible and local authorities and systems can peaceably manage conflicts and prevent a resurgence of violence. This is achieved through stabilization activities implemented in areas controlled by the Republic of Yemen Government, which include assisting local authorities to understand the priorities of their constituents, facilitating authorities' plans for a response to those priorities, and providing capacity building of local authorities to sustain investments, build communications with constituents, and demonstrate transparency and accountability. Objective 4, Enhancing Outcomes, aims to carry out regular and action-oriented learning and contextual analysis across YCST interventions to support adaptive management for enhanced outcomes. This is achieved through action learning, which examines the effectiveness of projects, initiatives, and activities, and incorporates mapping, piloting, scenario planning, and feedback loops to test, adapt, and scale-up evidence-based programming. As of March 31, 2021, 553,308 people were expected to benefit from YCST once all projects are completed in Phase 1 communities and Phase 2 communities. The program has reached 51,893 people through 5 completed projects, engaged 479 people during 17 community workshops, and provided 138 people with opportunities to participate in 9 capacity building activities.