The YWCA will improve its project management skills and capability to manage a long term training programme.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
This project is expected to establish a training programme which will invite people to participate by paying a registration fee which will create an additional income stream for the YWCA. Sales of produce are also expected to generate income.
Gender Focus
This project will use various methods to ensure gender equality.
Notable Community Participation
Through training workshops, theory and practicals will be used to inform and train persons in organic principles and methods of cultivation. The media will also be used to promote the project and invite persons to participate.
Project Results
OUTPUTS
Environmental
Too early to determine
Social
? Partnership built with one local NGO, the Organic Growers Association. The Association provided organic seeds to the participants of the Square Foot Garden Course with the agreement that they would harvest the seeds from the organic vegetables grown and supply the members of the association.
Economic
? Part time employment created for one person (Administrative Assistant) at a rate of US $200 per week for four weeks (US $800).
? Part time employment created for the course lecturer at a rate of US $80 per session for 10 sessions (US $800)
? Part time employment created for 2 workshop Facilitators at a rate of US $30 and US $40 per hour respectively for 2 hours (US $140)
? US $120 was generated from the sale/rental of scales to the course participants.
Capacity Development
? 21 persons (4 males, 17 females) trained in Organic Backyard Gardening.
? 21 persons (4 males, 17 females) trained in Compost Building & Management.
? 1 person (female) obtained a local farmer?s license during the reporting period.
OUTCOMES
Too early to be determined
IMPACT OR CONTRIBUTION TO IMPACT
Too early to be determined
GENDER
Decision making
? Due to the type of organisation and their focus (Young Womens Christian Association YWCA) the Project Committee and organisation?s Board Members are all female.
Participation
? Both males and females participated in the training course and the workshop organised by the grantee thus far. However, the ratio of males to females who participated was 1: 4.25. This is a clear indication that more women are currently participating in the project than men.
Benefits
? One female was hired as a part time employee to provide administrative assistance to the project. The employee is paid at a rate of US $200 per week and has earned wages totalling US $800 thus far.
? One male was hired as the course lecturer and was paid at a rate of US $80 per session (10 Sessions = US $800). Two male workshop Facilitators were also hired and paid a rate of US $30 and US $40 per hour respectively (2 hours each = US $140). Total wages earned by men thus far is US $940.
? Both males and females benefitted from the training offered through the project. The training was open to both males and females, and 4 males and 17 females participated in the training activities.
Challenges
? Thus far the project has not encountered any challenges specific to men or women.
PROJECT CHALLENGES
? The grantee experienced difficulties in attracting its target group, namely young unemployed persons, to participate in the training activities. However, the current participants have been asked to recommend at least one young unemployed person for the next set of training. Additionally, the course will be advertised on television (this was not previously done) and the grantee has launched a facebook page in an effort to attract young persons to participate.
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/ywcabarbados
? The passage of Hurricane Tomas to the island in October 2010 delayed the start of the Square Foot Garden Course as flooding was experienced and several seedlings which were grown in advance to facilitate the start of the course were also lost in the storm. This resulted in reduced crops available for planting in the demonstration garden and the harvesting of seeds. The delayed start of the course resulted in difficulties in coordinating the workshop which had to be rescheduled to December and required significant effort to find a date that was suitable for everyone as it was then competing with several Christmas activities.
? The grantee sustained damaged to their hanging basket garden as they were apparently used as punching bags by the neighbourhood children. The seedlings planted were lost and the cross bar was damaged, this has to be repaired. Additionally, the grantee was a victim of praedial larceny as all the tomatoes were stolen from the demonstration garden. The grantee is in the process of repairing the current fence on the property and constructing a gate which should limit damage to the garden structures and praedial larceny.
? Several of the training participants were overwhelmed and intimidated by the number of forms they were required to fill out during the course. To reduce the paper work the grantee has eliminated the mid-term evaluation form as the course is relatively short. However, all participants are still required to complete the baseline form at the beginning of the training course and the evaluation form at the end.
LESSONS LEARNED
? Facilitators should be extremely knowledgeable with the topic and highly capable of communicating this knowledge to the lay person.
? More targeted promotional strategies must be used when aiming at specific socio-economic groups (youth)
(Updated March 2011)
