AMNet has considerable and practical experience in the management of Community solar Energy livelihood project. This knowledge gained from Christian Aid Solar Energy for opportunity project and the Solar Energy Mobile Phones recharging center at Mattru will be infused into the project including community mobilization, small business training and financial accountability, group dynamics, advocacy and networking.
Emphasis will be placed on the relationship between gender especially women and misuse of environment, climate change and land degradation. All trainings will have at least 70% of women?s participation. Women will be educated on the hazards of using traditional three fire stone wood as energy source and its effects on the forest. Local knowledge on the use of efficient and cleaner sources of energy will be focused in subsequent years.
Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment
Focus will be placed on capturing changes which will be documented. Case studies, lessons learnt, success stories will be documented and shared with donors and partners. Photos, video clips, testimonies will be shared and contained in report. The project will be replicated to other remote communities, while at the same time documentaries will be produced on the effects of mining activities on the lives of the poor and vulnerable. Pre-intervention and post-intervention results will also be accentuated.
Notable Community Participation
Project planning and design: The stakeholders are mapped out during the Participatory Action Research (PAR) sessions by application of the Venn/Chapatti diagrams. They are initially contacted and briefed on the goal and objectives of the actions. They help in nominating participants based on agreed criteria developed in a participatory manner. The participants through the PAR methodology feed into the project planning and design by incorporating their voices and concerns. Key discussion points during the radio discussions will be captured during the PAR session. Women and children will be particularly targeted to contribute to designing the project. Schools, community based organization and local councils will provide local information which will form the strong basis of the intervention. Vulnerable communities prone to natural disaster will be identified by community members. these communities will be sensitized on community preparedness and mitigation techniques
? Project implementation: Women and children will lead the process of implementation, supported by the two community based organizations. The CBOs will provide oversight roles and they will help in networking and advocacy for the formulation of bye-laws. The children?s clubs will be trained on the three legal instruments-climate change, desertification and biodiversity. Communities will provide space for the solar energy kiosk and management will be totally community ownership. To ensure that communities are committed to improve on their living standards, 50% of project will be returned to AMNet and later rotated to other communities
? Project monitoring and evaluation to ensure efficiency and effectiveness in delivery. This is the basis for generating and understanding project impact. Monitoring, mid-term and project evaluation will be conducted from project inception to . Participatory monitoring and evaluation will be conducted to capture changes, intended and unintended results. As the project results are two tier, focus will be riveted on the first tier: a) change of attitudes and behaviors triggered by capacity building interventions on treaties signed by GoSL to hold stakeholders accountable and enforcement of laws especially mining activities in Bonthe district b) grassroots advocacy/engagement to formulate bye-laws that will mitigate the impact of climate change in various communities and inclusion of efficient environmental governance in district development agenda and secondly the improvement in living conditions of twenty families expressed through reduced hunger, access to clean source of energy and general well-being.
Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods
The impact of the project will be seen by the achievement of the following changes: (i) 100 women small scale fishers/processors and their families will benefit from increase in their standard of living; (ii) 100 small scale fishers and their families will see measurable improvements to their income, livelihood security and nutritional status; (iii) 100 small scale fishers within the riverain communities, being able to access market for fresh fish in nearby towns and large urban markets in Freetown and Bo; iv) 100 small scale fishers will be able to store fresh fish, especially during periods of abundance, and regulate processing (i.e. drying/smoking). (v) Technical capacity of 10 member Management committee strengthened to improve effectiveness of project, directly benefiting at least 20 small scale fishing households. vi) School children and women in 120 households, will have access to solar powered lighting facilities to do their home works and hold meetings respectively; 30% reduction of household fire related incidents through the use of solar lights; (vii)20% reduction in household expenditure on dry cell batteries & fossil fuel for lighting.
Gender Focus
The project will target women and girls as they form the higher percentage of the population. All project activities will promote the participation of women and girls. However as women are the most vulnerable and disadvantaged, the solar cooling facilities livelihoods project will be slanted towards women. Women will be further targeted to become solar mechanics and train their peers. Women?s participation will also be sought in radio discussion programmes. This will guarantee economic sustainability and employability thereby reducing poverty.
