apolou activity quarterly report
TRANSCRIPT
APOLOU ACTIVITY QUARTERLY REPORT FY2021, Q1: October - December 2020
Photo: New Field Agents Receiving Bicycles and SILC Kits, Mercy Corps, 2020
ACTIVITY SUMMARY
Award No. AID-FFP-A-17-00004
Start Date September 29, 2017
Reporting Period October 1 to December 31, 2020
Total Award $ 46,015,099
This report is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID). The contents of this report are the responsibility of Mercy Corps and partners and do
not necessarily reflect the views of USAID or the United States Government. Apolou is made possible by the support of the
American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and is implemented by Mercy
Corps and partners.
❖ Acronyms
AD – Adolescent Development
AIMS - Apolou Information Management System
AVA - Agricultural Village Agent
AYUDNET - Amudat Youth Development
Network
CAHW – Community Animal Health Worker
CIP – International Potato Center
CLTS – Community Led Total Sanitation
CRS - Catholic Relief Services
CU5 – Child under 5 years of age
DFSA – Development Food Security Activity
DLG – District Local Government
FA – Field Agent
FEG – Farmer Enterprise Group
FIC - Feinstein International Center
FIDA – Women’s Law Association for Uganda
FMD – Foot and Mouth Disease
FY – Fiscal Year
IEC – Information, Education, Communication
INRM - Integrated Natural Resource
Management
KAPDA – Karamoja Peace and Development
Agency
KRSU - Karamoja Resilience Support Unit
LEG - Livestock Enterprise Group
MAAIF - Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry
and Fisheries
MCA - Male Change Agent
MCG – Mother Care Group
MCHN – Maternal, Child Health and Nutrition
MEL – Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
MoU – Memorandum of Understanding
NARWOA – Nakere Rural Women’s Activists
NGO – Non-Governmental Organization
OCI - Organizational Capacity Index
ODF – Open Defecation Free
OFSP – Orange Flesh Sweet Potatoes
PLW – Pregnant or Lactating Woman
PSP - Private Service Provider
Q - Quarter
RAC – Resilience Action Committee
RCF - Resilience Challenge Fund
SBC – Social Behavior Change
SBCC – Social Behavior Change Communication
SGBV – Sexual and Gender Based Violence
SILC – Savings and Internal Lending
Communities
SMU - Strong Minds Uganda
TUNADO – The Uganda National Apiculture
Development Organisation
UNMA – Uganda National Meteorological
Agency
USAID – United States Agency for
International Development
WASH – Water, Sanitation and Hygiene
WEAI - Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture
Index
WFP – World Food Programme
WHO – World Health Organization
WSC – Water and Sanitation Committee
❖ Table of Contents
Activity Overview 1
Context Updates 1
Key Activity Highlights 2
Purpose One: Inclusive and Effective Governance Contributes to Improved Nutrition and Food
Security 3
Purpose Two: Adolescent Girls, Pregnant and Lactating Women (PLW) and Children under Five
(CU5) are Nutritionally Secure 4
Purpose Three: Reduced incidence of WASH related diseases 4
Purpose Four: Improved Livelihoods and Income Support for Household Food Security 5
Resilience Challenge Fund (RCF) 7
Cross-Cutting Activity Updates 8
Gender and Young People 8
Adolescent Development (AD) 8
Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) 9
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning 9
Tufts University - Feinstein International Center 9
Plans for Next Quarter 10
Annexes 12
1
❖ Activity Overview
The Apolou Activity is a USAID Food for Peace initiative with the goal to improve the food and nutrition
security of 310,000 vulnerable households in the Kaabong, Karenga, Kotido, Moroto, and Amudat districts
of Karamoja, the most nutritionally vulnerable region in Uganda. The activity is implemented by a
consortium of partners i.e. Mercy Corps (as prime), Save the Children, Whave Solutions, Tufts University’s
Feinstein International Center, Karamoja Peace and Development Agency (KAPDA), Nakere Rural
Women’s Activists (NARWOA), RiamiRiam Civil Society Network, The Uganda National Apiculture
Development Organisation (TUNADO), FIDA Uganda and Strong Minds Inc. Drawing on the technical
expertise and contextual knowledge of this consortium, Apolou will improve the food and nutrition
security of 310,000 direct participants. Apolou has four purposes grounded in social behavior change and
supporting gender-transformative and resilience outcomes:
1. Inclusive and effective governance contributes to food and nutrition security
2. Adolescent girls, pregnant and lactating women (PLW) and children under five (CU5) are
nutritionally secure
3. Reduced incidences of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) related diseases
4. Improved livelihoods and income support household food security
The following report details are activities implemented from October 1 to December 31, 2020, which
corresponds to fiscal year (FY) 2021, quarter one (Q1).
Context Updates
Insecurity
The security situation in the region was relatively stable with the Uganda People’s Defense forces focusing
their efforts on the recovery of stolen animals and calling the affected communities to identify their
animals. In the process of animal recovery and identification, dialogue meetings (6) were conducted with
the intention of resolving conflicts among the different ethnic groups i.e. the Jie, Matheniko, Tepeth,
Bokora and Pian.
While the security situation was relatively stable, the program observed increased incidents of cattle
raiding in the Karamoja region. The increased theft hurts program outcomes, as it contributes to
participants’ fear that healthy, good-looking animals are the primary targets for theft and therefore it is
better to not invest in treatment and preventative measures.
Political Campaigns
The quarter was generally impacted by political election campaigns, including presidential elections that
began in November 2020. The campaigns delayed program activities, as participants had to choose
whether to attend a rally or program activity, participants began to receive campaign promises of handouts
reducing motivation for contributing to program activities, and activities had to be rescheduled or
cancelled when they overlapped with campaign activities. For example, under the Resilience Challenges
Fund (RCF) we observed program participants less willing to contribute to animal health activities during
the campaign period, since some politicians gave out free drugs as part of campaign incentives. The
environment has since calmed down after the elections held in January and is expected to have minimal
impact through most of the next quarter.
COVID-19
The program has continued to follow standard operating procedures in response to COVID-19. While a
couple of Mercy Corps staff tested positive for the virus during the reporting period, there was immediate
contact tracing to ensure anyone who came in contact went into quarantine, which was a minimal number
of staff. Overall, staff were able to continue implementing activities in the villages and there was limited
impact on implementation beyond needing to follow the standard operating procedures that were put in
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place last year at the start of COVID-19. Mercy Corps has also hired a COVID coordinator to track cases
of COVID across the country, share messaging with staff around good behaviors to reduce transmission
and encouraging anyone who may have symptoms, to get tested.
❖ Key Activity Highlights
Re-Structuring
After the initial rollout in January 2020, Apolou formally launched its revised structure, which now includes
separate technical and implementation teams. The new structure will increase integration across the
purposes and allow Apolou to take on a more facilitative role, while also being more responsive to
community needs. In November, the technical team transformed the Detail Implementation Plan of FY21
into a skeletal work breakdown structure (WBS). As the name suggests, the skeletal WBS outlined the
basic outputs and outcomes, leaving detailed intervention and activity planning to the district teams.
Apolou then conducted internal planning meetings in each of its four districts in December to develop an
integrated plan for the following quarter (Quarter 2 of FY21). The plans developed are based on the
dynamic contexts of the implementation areas in which they are working. Moving forward, Apolou plans
to hold these meetings every quarter so that the technical and implementation team can come together,
learn from and adapt, based on the particular context of the area.
Stakeholder Meeting
On December 1, 2020, Apolou conducted
a one-day stakeholder meeting in Moroto
District. The purpose of the meeting was
to provide updates to the District Local
Governments in regards to Apolou’s
realignment process and implementation,
progress against program targets, and
activity plan and budget for FY21. In
addition, the meeting also facilitated
discussions around the project transition
process to government, and other system
actors in line with the sustainability and exit
strategies plan. The meeting provided an
opportunity for Apolou to seek the
perspectives of authorities on how
different stakeholders can contribute to the
project success, and help the project
develop an effective working relationship with states and other authorities.
This meeting was chaired by the Assistant Commissioner - Office of the Prime Minister, and attended by
15 other government participants (five Resident District Commissioners (RDCs), five District
Chairpersons, five Chief Administrative Officers representing the five districts of Amudat, Moroto, Kotido,
Kaabong, and Karenga. In addition, 10 selected Apolou Senior Management Staff attended the meeting. It
was agreed that moving forward, Apolou and district government stakeholders will meet bi-annually to
have follow up discussions on program progress and build Apolou’s relationship with government to
increase the stakeholders’ sense of ownership over program activities and improve sustainability of
program outcomes.
Partnership with Microfinance Support Center (MSC)
Photo 1: Lively discussion at the stakeholders meeting, Mercy Corps, 2020
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During the first half of the quarter, Apolou held meetings with Microfinance Support Center (MSC)
Limited, resulting in a planned partnership to increase Apolou participants’ access to financial services.
MSC is a Ugandan Government owned company that provides financial and business development services
to Ugandans, and supports legally established entities engaged amid the value chain, including production,
value addition and marketing. In December, Apolou drafted a draft MoU, which will be finalized and signed
in the next quarter. This MOU will link Apolou groups and individuals to MSC’s services to potentially
reach: 244 Savings and Internal Lending Community (SILC) groups with a total of 5,412 members, 120
Farmer Enterprise Groups (FEGs), 256 Livestock Enterprise Groups (LEGs), 19 active Agriculture Village
Agents, 46 Livestock Champions (LCs), 100 CAHWs, 82 field agents (FA)/ Private Service Providers
(PSPs), 680 health promoters, 27 business mentors, and 151 Resilience Action Committees (RACs). Upon
signing the MOU, MSC will be able to choose the individuals and groups that they want to support, and
will then work with Apolou to develop customized loan products for the selected Apolou individuals and
groups.
❖ Purpose Updates
Purpose One: Inclusive and Effective Governance Contributes to Improved Nutrition and
Food Security
Through two local partners, RiamiRiam Civil Society Network and NARWOA, Apolou helped RACs
participate and influence the process of developing sub-county budgets. By engaging government officials
in two sub-counties in Moroto and three sub-counties in Kotido District, the chairperson and secretary
of the RACs were able to attend and participate in the budget conferences held in October. This is exciting
as previously RiamiRiam and NARWOA would directly participate in the meetings, however, in this
quarter RACs were also able to participate. As local government officials use these meetings to determine
and understand the priorities and budget for the next fiscal year (2020/2021), the active participation of
the RACs helped influence the prioritization of services to be delivered to communities.
In a sub-county in Kaabong District, Apolou through KAPDA, helped RACs participate in information-
sharing meetings with multiple communities to discuss issues related to water, land, health and
infrastructure. These meetings provide an opportunity for RACs to develop and strengthen effective
avenues or means of improving service delivery in their areas. They also provide an avenue for community
members to identify priority issues for their respective areas, both of which can be shared with sub-county
authorities. As Apolou has not yet observed a response to the priority issues raised, Apolou will leverage
existing activities being implemented through all four purposes to continue reinforcing the priority issues
to sub-county authorities and ensure they are addressed.
In Amudat, Apolou held an inception meeting between the Amudat Youth Development Network
(AYUDNET) and the Amudat District Local Government (DLG). The purpose of the meeting was two-
fold: 1) To make the DLG aware of the existence of the network and its activities; and 2) To develop
partnership with the DLG stakeholders, which would facilitate the involvement of the youth in LG
programs. As a result of the meeting, the DLG appreciated the work of AYUDNET, promised to link
AYUDNET to existing district youth programs, and pledged to provide office space to AYUDNET, so the
network is able to coordinate activities in the district and address issues affecting youth.
Mercy Corps also built the capacity of Karenga and Kaabong District local governments on planning and
budget cycles. The capacity building exercise for Kaabong DLG staff took place from 30th September to
3rd October 2020, while that of Karenga was held from 14th to 17th December 2020. The exercise was
facilitated by the Ministry of Local Government and aimed to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of
local governments in delivering services to the community and enhance the capacities of local governments
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to adequately and appropriately utilize resources. It also built the capacity of local governments to mobilize
resources required to implement unfunded activities. In the next quarter, Apolou will be assessing whether
Kaabong and Karenga DLG are funding activities identified as key priorities by the communities, following
the promoted bottom-up approach.
Purpose Two: Adolescent Girls, Pregnant and Lactating Women (PLW) and Children under
Five (CU5) are Nutritionally Secure
Apolou team coordinated a meeting on 17th December 2020 to validate and contextualize materials to
promote production and consumption of orange fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) in Karamoja. A total of
15 representatives from International Potato Centre (CIP), World Food Program and Moroto Regional
Referral Hospital, and Moroto and Kotido district local governments reviewed the final set of behavior
change communication materials produced by CIP to promote and popularize the consumption of OFSP
among Karamojong communities. The meeting agreed to use existing contextualized infant and young
child feeding materials to scale up messaging on preparation and consumption of age-appropriate nutrient
dense foods, and CIP requested to print OFSP promotion materials. To promote improved access to
OFSP, Apolou and CIP held a radio talk show in Kotido and another in Moroto to disseminate information
on the availability of good planting material from Apolou vine multipliers in the region. A lot of community
feedback was received during the talk shows, which demonstrates community interest in adopting the
production and consumption of the OFSPs.
In collaboration with Apolou Activity, Strong Minds Uganda (SMU) has discharged 660 adults in Kotido
district from tele-therapy sessions attended to improve mental health caused by depression. To better
understand the impact of the tele-therapy sessions, SMU and Apolou worked together conducting focus
group discussions with participants to understand the common stressors of depression and impacts of the
therapy. Key highlights from those discussions are included as Annex A: Data Report for
StrongMinds x MercyCorps Apolou Project. SMU also conducted one radio talk show at Voice of
Karamoja to sensitize communities about signs, symptoms and negative effects of depression.
Apolou participated in the dissemination for the Uganda National Panel Survey 2020 report. The key
takeaway included the need to integrate gender into programing as female-headed households recorded
poor health and nutrition indicators compared to male-headed households.
Purpose Three: Reduced incidence of WASH related diseases
Apolou, through Save the Children, conducted 102 joint Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) follow-
up visits in triggered villages to encourage and support communities to improve hygiene and sanitation
behaviors and practices. As a result, targeted households built 159 latrines and erected 322 handwashing
stations. A total of four villages in Kaabong (3) and in Kotido district (1) passed the verification, achieving
an open defecation free (ODF) status. Ten ODF celebrations were conducted for the villages of Narengis,
Poet and Nayonae in Kotido (3), Amudat (2) Kaabong (3), and Moroto (2), while still complying with
COVID-19 preventive measures. Apolou engaged the Ministry of Health, district, and sub county officials
during the celebrations. Together with the sub county leadership and other Apolou purpose members,
the team also conducted CLTS triggering sessions with 101 out of 124 communities across the five
districts. This was to promote collective community action towards reducing open defecation and
embracing ODF environments, ultimately resulting in reduced prevalence of diarrheal diseases. In the next
quarter, Apolou will focus on training Apolou Program Officers and Program Assistants (and sanitation
committees) on community health awareness, in line with the realigned structure, to ensure it is
mainstreams across 345 villages.
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Working together, the WASH, health, and livelihoods team members designed products in five business
entrepreneur Toilet Production and Information Centers with 53 masons, on concrete slab production.
The masons supported business entrepreneurs in designing and redesigning 14 product categories (3
Kaabong, 6 Kotido, 3 Moroto and 2 Amudat). The entrepreneurs made 77 WASH products and sold 42.
Products made by entrepreneurs included squared slabs, sanitary platforms designs, and liquid soap. In
response to lower household incomes due to COVID-19, Apolou will pilot a cost share model for the
concrete slabs and conduct more do-it-yourself demonstrations at the household level to ensure 2,691
households invest in quality latrines. This will be achieved by deliberately layering sanitation market
approaches on those villages, which have economic activities supported by Apolou. For example, Apolou
will focus on those villages where Apolou has formed LEGs and FEGs.
In December, Apolou through Save the Children, conducted a M-water training to train Apolou staff and
stakeholders in Moroto and Amudat Districts on how to use the M-water app to design tools - including
borehole mapping and functionality monitoring tools, manage data, and produce reports. During the same
training participants also gained knowledge on how to conduct water quality testing, especially on how to
perform an E. coli and Total Coliform test. Following the training, participants began conducting a water
point mapping exercise with the app to determine which boreholes in Amudat and Moroto are functional
or not; this mapping will be completed next quarter. Apolou also responded to three borehole repairs in
Amudat and one repair in Moroto.
In Kotido and Kaabong, Apolou through Whave Solutions, completed mapping of four new water sources
in Apolou focus villages, which were identified by the communities as needing water source maintenance.
Whave confirmed them as non-functional during the mapping, and combined with six other water sources,
conducted technical assessments and rehabilitated the water sources. In addition, Whave facilitated the
signing of nine new water service agreements. To build the software component, Whave continued to
conduct water and sanitation committee (WSC) trainings, conducting first-time training to 14 new WSCs
and refresher trainings to 44 existing WSCs.
From the 41 communities included in the Whave COVID-19 response from last year, where communities
received water source rehabilitation and were temporarily exempt from making service payments, 22
communities started to pay the community service payment this quarter. Apolou partially attributes this
willingness to start payments to Whave’s constant follow-up with the communities, and communities
embracing Whave’s preventative maintenance model. Since receiving the rehabilitation work, communities
began facing breakdowns and contamination of the hand pumps and expressed willingness to pay for
Whave’s regularly preventative maintenance to avoid paying for costly repairs. Apolou has also been
leveraging sub-county quarterly review meetings and council meetings to promote the idea of investing in
preventative maintenance to key government stakeholders who influence community decision makers.
Apolou has also been using RACs, where members of RAC are also members of the WSC, to advocate
for preventative maintenance and encourage the committee to renew their service agreements.
Apolou worked with Times Analytics Limited on the water quality monitoring assessment. Water quality
testing was completed for a total of 67 boreholes across the five districts, analyzing temperature, turbidity,
electrical conductivity, total dissolved solids, fluoride, total hardness, lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury,
fecal coliforms and E. coli. A total of 83.3% of the parameters assessed were within guidelines. Times
Analytics’ Limited is expected to complete the consultancy during the next quarter and will share a report
with recommendations about an ongoing water quality monitoring plan for the targeted areas.
Purpose Four: Improved Livelihoods and Income Support for Household Food Security
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Livestock
The livestock team, in partnership with TUNADO, completed the honey intelligence assessment and
developed the cost share scheme for apiary equipment for Karamoja. Both reports were presented to the
relevant stakeholders in a validation workshop held in Kotido. Representatives from MAAIF, district
entomologists, apiary champions and farmers from Kaabong, Kotido, Moroto and Amudat took part in
the validation workshop. These reports highlight potential to strengthen the honey value chain and will
help guide Apolou and key stakeholders on how to support farmers producing honey to improve their
productivity and marketing. This is especially critical as honey production in Karamoja was lowered during
early 2020 due to prolonged rains, hurting honey farmers.
Agronomy
The agronomy team conducted two farmer exchange learning visits: Irish seed producers of Kaabong
visited Kapchorwa farmers, and the OFSP vine multipliers of Moroto and Kotido visited Gulu farmers.
The purpose of the visits was to improve farmer skills and knowledge on good quality seed production,
maintenance and preservation throughout the year in order to provide enough quality planting material
to farmers during the rainy season. Apolou also conducted follow-up visits to four post-harvest
storerooms, which were upgraded by Apolou to know the status of their use and it was found that two
stores - one in Kokwam, Kotido and the other in Kamion, Kaabong - were active. Stores were filled with
Sorghum, Maize, Groundnuts and sunflower and beans. Two stores in Kotido were not under proper use
and the communities were advised to use the store for the rightful purpose.
Financial Inclusion
In partnership with Centenary Rural Development Bank, Apolou conducted Financial Literacy training for
Private Service Providers and field agents across the five districts of Apolou. 100 field agents and PSPs
were trained on different financial aspects who will then roll out a similar training to the respective groups
within Apolou existing structures. A total of 245 SILCs groups have formed and registered into databases
translating into 4,900 total participants reached against the 28,000-total life of the project.
In collaboration with respective local governments, Apolou conducted certification and joint graduation
of 17 field agents to transition into PSPs. The certification aims at ascertaining the field agent’s status and
readiness to assume the PSP role to offer demand-driven SILC training services to the groups.
In collaboration with Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Apolou conducted a pre-test of the SILC Field Agent
Guide with members of the SILC groups, PSPs and field agents of Kaabong, Abim, Moroto, Amudat and
Napak, where Apolou and Nuyok are currently operating and implementing a similar DFAP in Karamoja.
After incorporating feedback from the pre-test, both Apolou and Nuyok finalized a user friendly version
and is currently translating it into four local languages: Pokot, Ik, Ngakarimojong, and Thur to cater for
the different needs of participants. Following the reporting period, Apolou will use the guide to help layer
the SILC methodology into other Apolou groups implementing activities across the four purposes, in
order to increase impact and build sustainability of program outcomes.
Economic Empowerment
The Economic Empowerment team distributed start-up grants to selected enterprises through the
economic empowerment grants activity. Apolou, with sub-county officials, first sensitized the 275 (19
males and 256 females) participants across the five districts on the terms and conditions of the in-kind
start-up grants and highlighted the importance of maintaining WASH facilities to ensure improved hygiene
and sanitation in and around business operations. After completing the sensitization meetings, Apolou
distributed in-kind grants worth a total of 37,597,500 UGX ($10,161 USD) to 89 participants (all female)
in Kaabong and Karenga districts in December 2020. The business types supported through these activities
included retail shops, wholesale soda shops, restaurants, salon and a garment shop. A post distribution
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monitoring is planned in the first week of January 2021 to get feedback on the distribution, as well as
check on the establishment of the businesses. While the distribution was done during political campaigning,
the distribution team provided pre-distribution messaging to ensure participants understood that
recipients were active Apolou participants and were not receiving items in relation to ongoing political
activities.
Integrated Natural Resource Management
Apolou worked with Uganda National Meteorological Agency (UNMA), National Agricultural Research
Organisation zonal institute, and respective districts technocrats and Elders forum across the five districts,
to validate the September, October, November and December seasonal weather forecast and developed
advisories. Apolou uses an integrated approach to disseminate weather advisories, using radio talk shows
(2), radio spot messages (100), and Apolou’s established community structures. Apolou has also observed
increased participation and support from district elders to share seasonal weather forecasts, which may
be a result of their involvement in the validation and sharing of seasonal weather advisories. Apolou has
also improved the ability of communities to disseminate advisories by developing a weather advisories
pictorial guide/manual and by promoting the phone-built weather information dissemination platform,
accessible to all Apolou participants with access to a mobile phone.
In collaboration with the respective District Natural Resources departments in Kotido, Amudat, Moroto,
and Kaabong, Apolou continued to engage the targeted communities on ecosystem sites rehabilitation.
Facilitated the assessment of the Dopeth Stream and its catchment ecosystem restoration in Kotido, and
to-date the Wetlands Management activity plan and budget has been developed. In the second quarter
Apolou will continue to work with the district to execute the plan. Apolou formed the ecosystem
management committee along the Kaabong river and facilitated the routine management of the planted
trees. While in Moroto, Apolou facilitated the mobilization and sensitization of over 200 community
members in Rupa sub county on riverbank protection. Additionally, Apolou continued to facilitate routine
pasture improvement tasks for Achorichori rangeland in Amudat district.
Resilience Challenge Fund (RCF)
During this quarter, the RCF focused on improving herd health by contributing funds for community
animal health workers, to various animal health services, to livestock farmers in Amudat and Kaabong.
Apolou and farmers both contribute through a 50-50 cost share. This activity is part of RCF’s larger efforts
to change the behaviors of farmers and encourage them to invest in animal health care. Through this
quarter, participating livestock farmers contributed a total of 7,190,953 UGX (about $1,970 USD).
As part of efforts to work with district officials to co-design, and conduct research and learning to inform
policy development and strengthen operationalization, RCF held two research and learning workshops in
October and November 2020. The workshops included both advisory committee members and external
stakeholders, like animal pharmaceutical companies. The stakeholders identified areas of interest for the
studies, and discussed a public-private partnership model for management of transboundary animal
diseases. The respective districts started working on priority areas for pilot interventions. To further
support this, a study on market systems resilience in the animal health sector is ongoing to understand
how different actors within the value chain react to shocks and stresses. Additional quarterly updates on
RCF have been included as Annex C.
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❖ Cross-Cutting Activity Updates
Gender and Young People
The project partnered with the District Health Office to conduct pre-tests on menstrual hygiene
management practices and preferences. Through the focus group discussions, the girls confirmed that
reusable sanitary pads will solve their menstrual hygiene problems as well as address the stigma related
to menstruation. A total of 48 adolescent girls and young women aged 10-19 years from Amudat, Kotido
and Moroto participated in the consultation meetings.
The Gender and Young People team collaborated with purposes one and four, to conduct preparatory
meetings with youth coalition leaders on the establishment of information and communications technology
driven young people learning centers. The learning centers will provide safe spaces for young people, and
safe space adolescent graduates the opportunity to learn young people-led and young people-friendly skills.
For sustainability, the learning centers will provide basic printing, photocopying and mobile money transfer
services to the public for income generation. Apolou reached a total of 24 youth leaders.
In Nov/Dec, Apolou joined other partners in Karamoja sub-region, under the leadership of the DLG in
marking the 16 Days of Activism. Apolou supported activities on advocacy for stronger health and social
services for survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), placing high priority on police and
justice, prevention measures and improved systems for SGBV data collection. Apolou collaborated with
FIDA-Uganda, Uganda Law Society and MIFUMI Uganda, to participate in radio talk shows and legal clinics
on GBV, and supported community dialogues targeting adolescents, youth, and women to reduce their
vulnerability. Additionally, Apolou supported anti female genital mutilation womens groups campaigns in
Moroto and Amudat. A total of 1,355 (758 females, 597 males) were reached with information during the
16-Days event.
In line with Apolou key learning themes, the Gender and Young People team supported Kaabong DLG
and Gender Department to share the revised national child protection guidelines to stakeholders and
actors. In collaboration with Purpose Two Health System Strengthening, Apolou also facilitated district
GBV coordination meetings in Kotido and Kaabong to plan for a unified GBV referral pathway and Gender-
Based Violence Information Management System to harmonize all GBV data and avoid double reporting.
Through FIDA-Uganda partnership in Kotido, the draft anti-alcohol legislation was revised to incorporate
more gender and legal perspectives to facilitate positive gender norms change and SGBV response.
Adolescent Development (AD)
Apolou-facilitated Adolescent Mentors and Mentor Supervisors conducted 9,104 (80%) mentorship
sessions with out of school adolescents for cohort one and cohort two. The sessions allowed 16,881
adolescents (10,320 females and 6,561 males), to learn and apply new knowledge and skills, and discuss
best practices and barriers for positive behaviors. The sessions allowed adolescents to appreciate the
power in their identity, rights, and responsibilities. It also allowed them to reflect on gender norms and
recognize that girls and boys should have equal opportunities to achieve their hopes in life. The sessions
helped the adolescents to understand puberty changes and the meaning of these changes, practice personal
skills for health hygiene, and save money.
Apolou supported two exchange/learning visits for 31 master trainers, mentor supervisors, mentors, and
AD to facilitate and reflect learning on the quality of activities within the AD Safe Spaces. As well as share
best practices and challenges met, and discuss ways of improving implementation. In Tukumok Safe Space
and Kalaya Safe Space in Amudat District, the visiting team acknowledged some good practices replicated
in their Safe Spaces. These included poultry businesses and apiary business (with 16 beehives so far) by
boys, and cereal banking business by older adolescent girls. In the next quarter, Apolou will continue
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mentorship for cohort two and conduct an end line assessment for cohort one to determine the change
in knowledge and attitudes among cohort one adolescents after completing the safe space curriculum.
Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC)
During this quarter, the social and behavior change (SBC) team continued to implement the branded SBC
campaign 'Eyok Kiyan' (in Nga'Karimojong) or Kengalanena (in Pokot), that developed and launched in the
second implementation year. The key SBC interventions implemented include: Community listening group
sessions (using the recorded positive deviance radio magazine stories), trigger video sessions, advocacy
visits/meetings with key influencers, and collaboration/coordination and partnership building with key SBC
partners.
Together with the Apolou Activity purpose teams, the SBC team conducted 616 community listening
group sessions, reaching 6,843 participants (4,072 Female, 2,771 Male). The stories played during
community listening group sessions addressed key behavior issues around open bathing, women in
leadership, planting early, Lolelia reformed warriors, an exemplary leader, and preparing for birth delivery
in advance, as well as husbands supporting their wives. These sessions provided a platform for interactive
and reflective discussions among participants, focusing on the central themes of the stories. The men
recognized women's role in leadership and decision-making at household and community levels, a shift
away from the entrenched traditional mindset. In the next quarter SBCC, Apolou through Dreamline,
purpose leads, and district implementation team will engage more communities through Eyok Kiyan wagon
shows and build the district implementation team's capacity to effectively implement SBCC activities
across all Apolou purposes to influence positive behavior change.
❖ Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
Following USAID’s concurrence in September 2020 that Apolou could opt out of data sharing with the
still incomplete Karamoja Single Registry, the MEL team installed the novel Apolou Information
Management System (AIMS). AIMS consists of (1) a CommCare-based database and mobile data collection
application, (2) secure data forwarding to the Apolou-MEL filing system, (3) SQL-enabled data processing
in Tableau Prep, and (4) human workflows to guarantee timely, complete and high-quality data collection,
reporting and adaptive decision-making. The set-up of AIMS enabled Apolou to report complete and
accurate results for the ARR, and to facilitate critical adaptive management sessions with the program
team.
Apolou’s information flows from AIMS, the annual surveys conducted in October 2020, research initiatives
from FY2020 and the needs assessment conducted in October-December 2020 produced many critical
insights which the Apolou MEL team facilitated in reflection sessions with the extended Senior
Management Team and local and national government stakeholders. Apolou is ahead of schedule to
achieve its population-level food security and nutrition targets (see Annex B: Outcomes Brief). Yet,
weaknesses remain in improving access to basic drinking water, inclusive local government budgeting,
equitable livestock wealth accumulation, access to finance for female young people, adapting to excessive
rainfalls and mitigating against violent raids, crop pests, and livestock diseases. Apolou has scheduled
further collaborating, learning and adapting sessions in January that will define clear-cut adaptations to the
theory of change and management actions to further optimize Apolou’s targeted impact.
Tufts University - Feinstein International Center
During this quarter, Tufts implemented the third round of qualitative data collection in Moroto, Kaabong,
Karenga, Kotido and Amudat districts. This entailed tracking the 96 male and female young people in the
cohort and conducting individual in-depth semi-structured interviews with these respondents, which was
a success given the extensive time and follow-up needed and delays in collecting data due to COVID-19
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restrictions imposed by Tufts University. During the next quarter, Tufts will hold meetings with Apolou
staff to discuss key themes in the collected data and will develop findings to share, better inform, and
influence program implementation.
❖ Plans for Next Quarter
Purpose 1
● Support and strengthen the capacities of the existing RACs, and articulate the issues of the
communities before the duty bearers. This would be through holding regular interface with the
duty bearers and authorities.
● Create linkages among the different community structures so as to realize effective advocacy,
collaboration and coordination.
● Verify the community projects submitted by the RACs for grants.
● Review the proposal selection criteria and recommend community proposals for granting.
Purpose 2
● Rollout complementary feeding sessions to mother care groups and male change agents members
across the 5 districts.
● SMU to hold a final therapy cycle to enroll 500 community members and update and translate the
depression therapy manual to Karamajong context.
● Help sub county nutrition coordination committees implement and monitor nutrition activities
based on the sub county nutrition action plans.
Purpose 3
● Identification, training and equipping of hygiene promoters.
● CLTS follow-up, ODF verifications and celebrations.
● Conduct mentorship sessions with businesses and community masons.
● Support business design and sell WASH products.
● Conduct demonstrations in the triggered villages.
● Conduct community learning exchange visits among CLTS villages.
● Identify and train additional WASH businesses.
● Distribute latrine-digging kits to CLTS triggered villages.
● Establish and train district water boards.
● Conduct training on water quality testing and analysis.
● Conduct borehole assessment and rehabilitation.
● Pilot cost share and do-it-yourself models to increase uptake of WASH products.
● Follow up with DLG on the handover and sustainability mechanism for ODF villages.
● Finalize report on Water Quality Assurance Testing consultancy and share findings.
Purpose 4
Livestock
● Livestock breeding activities in Kotido and Amudat.
● Input and technology dealer activities across the 4 districts.
● Livestock trader activities across the 4 districts.
Agronomy
● Facilitate linkages of Agro-dealers with microfinance banks.
● Support the Agro-private sector to build the capacity of Households on Agronomic practices,
pest, and disease management.
● Support private sector partners to form FEGs.
Financial Inclusion
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● Facilitate Financial Institutions to establish and encourage uptake of digital savings platforms by
Apolou participants.
● SILC groups validation and registration into the Apolou information management system.
● Facilitate the two refresher trainings for Cohort Two field agents across all Apolou program
districts.
● Strengthening PSP network for effective delivery of services to program participants.
Economic Empowerment
● Continuation of startup grants distribution in Kotido, Moroto and Amudat.
● Post distribution monitoring in areas where grants distributed happened.
● Training of trainers in mentorship for the 27 business coaches.
● Orientation meeting with Apolou community structures so as to integrate Economic
empowerment interventions in their activities.
Integrated Natural Resource Management
● Form and build the capacity of rangeland management committees.
● Continue disseminating early warning information dissemination and facilitate UNMA
stakeholders’ meetings on Karamoja early warning system. Also, work with the governance team
to support RACs in developing resilience adaptation plans.
● Start construction work on desilting valley tanks and rehabilitating mini-irrigation sites.
Resilience Challenge Fund
● Conduct prevalence and socio-economic impact of selected diseases (baseline survey) study and
dissemination workshop.
● Hand over laboratory equipment and consumables to Karamoja veterinary regional laboratory in
Moroto.
● Conduct validation workshops for ongoing studies-performance of veterinary services (PVS),
market systems resilience for animal health services, barriers and enablers for privatization of
veterinary services and review of existing disease control and surveillance plan for Karamoja, and
pilot for the same.
● Conduct quarterly country and district advisory committee meetings.
● Conduct workshop to support districts develop disease calendars.
● Conduct herd health check-ups
Cross-cutting Activities
Gender and Young People
● Hold regional Elders’ Forum.
● Lead the quarterly SGBV task force members meeting.
● Hold staff refresher trainings on gender and young people integration.
● Commemorate International Women’s Day on March 8th.
● Support anti-female genital mutilation campaigns in Amudat by participating in the monthly
stakeholder meeting and identifying safe shelters for girls.
Adolescent Development
● Facilitate the mentor supervisors, master trainers, and mentors to rollout learning sessions in
Cohort One and Cohort Two safe spaces.
● Support bi-monthly supervision meetings for mentor supervisors and master trainers.
● Facilitate training of female mentors on reusable menstrual pads.
● Facilitate quarterly exchange visit for mentors and supervisors for Kotido and Karenga to
enhance learning from better performing safe spaces.
SBCC
● Review and update the SBC strategy.
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● Rollout out experiential (Eyok Kiyan / Kengelanena) Wagon Shows.
● Conduct community listening groups and trigger video sessions.
● Implement more radio interventions though radio magazine.
● Train Apolou structures on interpersonal communication skills and strategies.
● Train Apolou partners on participatory facilitation skills.
● Conduct quarterly Karamoja SBC working group meetings and attend national SBC meetings.
❖ Annexes
Annex A: Data Report for StrongMinds x MercyCorps Apolou Project (see attached)
Annex B: Outcomes Brief (see attached)
Annex C: FY21 Q1 Updates from the Resilience Challenge Fund