Informal community participation, which includes day-to-day interactions between the project management team and local authorities, and interactions between project implementers and community members, is expected to have an impact on local program implementation, and, in addition, to affect policy development. Such interactions are meant to bring to light what actually happens on the ground as experienced by community members and what they feel and desire to be happening, and as they relay that to project implementers, who will in turn relay the information through reporting to the project management team. The team will then pass the information through formal reporting to the relevant local authorities with recommendations for government level interventions that might affect policy. The policy impact process will go as follows: ? Identification of the key policy issues to be examined ? or at least the relevant policy areas ? where the project might engage; and this will be done either during initial consultations with the government and other actors as the project design progresses through consultations. ? Coming up with the ideal outcomes or what would change between the status quo of the policy setting and the end of the project. ? Designing a strategy meant to realize the objectives, which will also include, as a fourth step, ? the Design and Identification of specific policy activities that would facilitate the achievement of objectives. ? Defining responsibilities for managing the policy agenda under the project. ? Finally, design teams need to develop indicators and define the required budgets for policy activities. The intended results for policy impact include: ? A change in the way inclusion of vulnerable groups is approached, with specific clarity on expected representation in boards of high standing, funded projects, and administrative roles, and leading positions. ? A change in the way boards of CBOs are chosen and how their succession is carried out. ? Reform (more investment) in the government?s mentoring and monitoring systems for CBNMR projects.

The following socio ?economic or alternative livelihoods activities will be carried out as part of the project: ? As part of the baseline studies, the Needs Assessments will have a component that investigates the state of food security in the region at the beginning of the project. ? This study will also investigate what existing livelihoods apart from CBNRM projects are practiced by local communities that could be developed into bigger enterprises through structuring and requests for funding, e.g. crafts, fishing, Mongongo nut processing, and the processing of mahongo (grain) into flour. 27 | P a g e ? The project will explore challenges pertaining to (lack of) infrastructure; discrimination of women and minorities; and fighting food shortages while developing sustainable sources of income and enabling disadvantaged groups to participate in society and the economy. This will also form part of baseline studies that will provide data as to which areas need intervention. The project?s objective is to improve livelihoods of poor and disadvantaged sectors of the population. Based on the data that will be collected, the project purports to bridge the gaps by working with, encouraging and educating communities and community/district leadership to engage in: ? Strategies that will tackle pronounced food deficits. ? Infrastructural initiatives agreed jointly with the District leadership and the population to offer temporary employment to the disadvantaged, remunerated with money and/or food and supplies, depending on geographical location. ? Creating infrastructures that will improve income prospects in the long term, e.g. development of current low-scale food production to higher scale funded endeavours. ? Increasing agricultural production through irrigation, better seed and resource-efficient techniques. For the most part locals tend to rely on the moisture from the rivers to do crop-production along rivers, which becomes futile when the water subsides and the dry season arrives. ? Commercialization of the food production process, which involves specifically growing food for sale, seed production, further processing to add value and product marketing. ? Development of alternative sources of income through vocational and on-the-job training. ? Improvement of women and other disadvantaged groups? level of education in informal learning centres. They need to be able to read and write and do simple math before they can benefit from the project activities to the same extent as better educated sectors of the population. ? Development of cooperatives or self-run savings and credit groups that can provide micro-loans for income-generating activities. ? Use of learning centres that could be used as platforms for resolving neighbourhood conflicts and launching social campaigns, such as initiatives against alcohol abuse and domestic violence. This would enable participants to advance socially and to play a part in community decision-making.

The participation of People with Disabilities in the project will be guided by the type of disability they have, and the following will be taken into consideration when identifying their activities: ? Consultation with PWDs on choice of activities: Research has shown that the most highly valued forms of participation were self-chosen activities that people with disabilities, like any other individual, undertake with a degree of autonomy. Authoring the process made the experience of being in places qualitatively different. Absence of control over the timing or form of participation might be experienced as demeaning and disabling. ? Ensuring PWDs are given an opportunity for their own social identity - People generally gravitate towards relationships and places where they feel known and therefore will contribute freely. ? Reciprocity and valued contribution ? The projects purports to employ strategies of engagement of PWDs that challenge the negative attitudes of people who prioritize impairment as a way of knowing them. This will enable them to infuse moments of interaction with assistance, which will increase the potential for interpersonal as well as cultural knowing. ? Participatory expectations - Limited expectations are universally perceived to be amongst the most disabling barriers to PWDs? community participation. The project aims to ensure PWDs participate to the best of their abilities without imposed ?expected restrictions?. ? Psychological safety ? PWDS experience a sense of belonging when other members of a community value what they have to say and expect them to contribute to the wellbeing of the community. The project will promote self-confidence in PWDs, to remove the barrier to community participation. ? The projects aims to ensure full engaged of PWDs in community projects without the social history of mainstreaming community settings, i.e. not making isolated specialized spaces that promote isolation. ? Provision of interpretation services for the deaf will be key. 23 | P a g e The project takes into consideration the fact that if people with disabilities are at liberty to negotiate their way of being in the community and new interpretations of bodily difference, new forms of reciprocal association will emerge. The project intends to help PWDs to use and harness drama, cabaret, writing and visual media to express views and experiences of impairment which run counter to mainstream expectation in a narrative controlled by themselves. Involvement of Minority Groups To ensure participation of minority groups in the project, the following measures will be undertaken: ? Engaging the most influential leaders representing the major groups in the communities, and forming a diverse community advisory board or council, from the beginning to provide guidance. The history of exclusion and power differences could be explored during meetings of such community councils. The group could also help in the review, analysis, and summary of information on disparity. ? Working with the community council to identify potential entry points and/or strategies for building an inclusive community. It is important to consider the way in which a problem or concern is raised and described by different groups and their leaders and the groups that may be associated with being the perpetrators, objects, or by-standers of exclusive practices. This information will give a sense of the individuals or leaders who are most ready for change and those who are most resistant to change. ? Bringing together people representing different groups as equals in terms of power, respect, and importance. Processes and procedures, formal or informal, will be put in place to ensure that people are treated equally and that decisions are made collaboratively. Language differences, for instance, will be taken into consideration during meetings and other forms of interaction, e.g. by provision of interpreters. In order to prioritize which common concern should be addressed first, for instance, the project will consider: - The concern that impacts the most number of groups. - The potential consequences, if the concern is not addressed. - The feasibility and practicality of addressing and resolving the concern. - Results from past practices. A common goal helps groups understand that they share certain desires or goals, which compels them to work together rather than against one another. ? Creating opportunities for members of different groups to identify and share their similarities and differences. By getting to know someone as an individual, there is less of a tendency to perceive another group as monolithic and homogenous. This allows members of groups to recognize that even though they may differ in some ways, they may share a common identity or common goals and perceptions in others. 24 | P a g e The project intends to build in time for informal social opportunities to talk, share a meal, etc. as part of these discussions on shared goals. Activities and events to celebrate the community's diversity will also be coordinated. Education of the different groups and the larger community about conditions and forces that help shape a group's identity and current situation is key. This is essential, because otherwise, groups can end up appreciating their similarities only and ignoring the structural factors (e.g., institutionalized racism) that underlie and perpetuate their differences. If the root causes for such differences are not recognized and addressed, the change that comes about from the project might end up being superficial or short-lived. ? Allowing for the identification of each group?s assets and using them as part of the project?s efforts. Assets in this context refer to the values, traditions, historical events, art forms, language structure, and other characteristics that make a group of people proud about their identity. The project intends to find opportunities for this type of exchange to occur throughout the implementation period. Such opportunities could be created for members of the ?community council? and during other community discussions. Local newspapers will be used to publish a series of articles about the assets of each major group in the community, popular radio stations will also be asked to allocate weekly air time to share such information. Such exchange platforms will be used as a way to point out misinformed stereotypes or perceptions. ? Identifying, respecting and transforming conflicts into improved capacity and relations in the communities. In recognition of the fact different cultures have their own ways of dealing with conflict, the projects intends to engage an outside facilitator who will be able to work with project team and the community council throughout the implementation period to transform conflicts. ? Ensuring institutional support for promoting inclusion, equity, and justice. Equity means that everyone has equal access to economic, social, and educational opportunity. Justice means we uphold fair treatment and due reward in accordance with honor, standards, or law. The project aims to garner support from institutions e.g., local governments, schools, community networks, faith groups, the media, to create creating an environment that supports you?re the project?s effort. Making presentations about you?re the effort or inviting them to participate in an event or activity would help attract support. Institutions will be shown how they could benefit by valuing and including all of the major groups. ? Acknowledging and celebrating successful collective action. Successful collective action not only improves a community, but also strengthens the groups' relationships. It reinforces the positive experience and outcome of working together. The ?council? could also be encouraged to make an award to the groups that were part of the success. The organization that played a big part in the success could host an open house and invite leaders and members of all the groups to join in the celebration. The project will ensure that during such celebrations an invite is sent to an important person in the community (e.g., the mayor, school principal, faith leader) to inaugurate the event, with coverage in an article for the local newspaper. 25 | P a g e In the acknowledgement and celebration, it will have to be pointed out the fact that success was possible because the groups built on their strengths, appreciated their diversity, and worked together on a common issue. ? Sustaining the relationships, strategies and changes at multiple levels, including the individual group, and institutional levels. This is important because no matter how minor or insignificant they may seem to be, they become the tools for managing the process of building an inclusive community. To achieve this, the project will create opportunities to maintain frequent contact and cooperation among the groups. The communities will be encouraged to come together to start new multicultural after school programs, for instance, and if successful, they will be encouraged to institutionalize the program. This project will encourage communities to then hire a grant writer to identify additional funds to continue the program Use of local languages ? Engagement of interpreters ? Participatory videos ? Support to local community media, ? Organization of workshops, seminars, trainings, plays, various interactive events, ? Production of media content etc. aimed at improving accessibility to community projects, ? Promoting participation of vulnerable groups in the media and increasing their visibility, ? Developing their creativity through encouragement of participation in local art for alternative livelihoods, ? Enabling active and healthy aging amongst the vulnerable through participation in sports, cultural activities, etc., ? Encouraging active involvement in the community and strengthening caregivers, cultural workers and other relevant experts for work with vulnerable groups. ? Promotion of accessible infrastructure

The project aims to promote the inclusion and participation of marginalized key groups in CBMNR-focused NGO/CBO decision-making platforms and roles, e.g. sitting on Trust Boards. Through constitution and policy review exercises, the project will help the NGOs/CBOs decide on what percentage of Board membership, for instance, could be occupied by individuals from vulnerable groups. Youth Involvement Efforts that are intended to foster effective youth involvement in the ?Jala Peo? Initiative are as follows: ? Involvement of older youth in need of community service credit, skill attainment, and experience in the research or data collection phases of the project, and service of younger adolescents as volunteers and future community activists. Youth audiences to be reached via social media and other youth-friendly platforms. School-going-age youth will be recruited during school assemblies. ? Allowing youth to set an example for other youth. Expected results include youth involvement, leading to positive effects on other spheres of their lives. Such leadership roles will enhance their social and civic development. Youth to address others on CBMNR projects and their advantages to their communities. ? Motivation of youth for involvement by impressing on them how their involvement will make a difference in changing the local conditions they find non-conducive. Youth will be appreciated as sources for new ideas and services. Information on youth roles will be delivered through initial consultations at the onset of the project. ? Significant obstacles to community youth involvement, which present direct implications for applied program and policy development will be removed. If youth were provided with voting privileges in issues relating to the running of community projects, they might be more likely to be active participants in community development efforts. This would indicate that they are welcome in the decision-making process, that their opinions are 22 | P a g e valuable, and that they have the knowledge and understanding of issues to significantly contribute to debates. Providing voting power to youth also is likely to foster a sense of ownership and contribute to youth being long-term players in community development efforts. ? Promotion and recognition of the contributions of youth, including marketing, promotions, media coverage, and other public recognitions. Awards, official acknowledgement, and commemoration events would further promote youth contributions, sending the message that youth participation is important and valued. ? Applied efforts will take the form of public acknowledgement of youth contributions, formal announcements by local leaders that youth are making important differences, and formal invitations for youth of all ages to become involved in a variety of community building activities related to the project. ? Overall, the projects appreciates the fact that civically active youth present a remarkable opportunity for advancing community-based programs and can significantly contribute to the development of new programs and policies. Further, active youth present the opportunity for long-term involvement and ownership of these initiatives. Building on this opportunity, active youth can be a cornerstone of CBMNR efforts designed to improving local well-being.

The project aims to provide specialized capacity building programs for the different CBOs by starting with baseline studies that will identify the shortage of skills and implement mitigation interventions through work-based and practical approaches. The dissemination of best practices will be extended to other areas through tailored training programs. i) Capacity Building The project is designed to be both game changing and additive. It purports to build on the foundations of the NGOs/CBOs? institutional infrastructure and NCONGO?s past efforts towards their development, while also bringing in innovative partnerships and new perspectives. As such, CBOs? will be enabled to progress towards a more robust sector and a more integral role in the country?s development. In particular, the project will: ? Build on the basics of the NGO/CBO framework: Our strategic approach will be to strengthen the core capacities of the funded NGOs/CBOs so they can more fully and effectively carry out their legally approved mandates to support the communities they serve. By focusing on their missions, the project?s capacity building approach will foster and promote specific skills and systems, e.g. management of projects, finances, etc. that can in turn be applied in the field. Move beyond systems development to support the view of the ?organization as an enterprise?: Systems, policies and procedures (the infrastructure of an organization) are indeed critical to organizational development. Past efforts in Ngamiland/Okavango sub Districts have admittedly made great strides in helping the NGOs/CBOs establish these basic structures. This project aims to now build on these foundations to help each NGO/CBO develop its capacity to self-manage as an enterprise. This does not mean as a ?business?, as these organizations are not for profit, rather, it means to 26 | P a g e ? frame the organization as the vehicle for delivering on the bottom line within its services? market. From an implementation and on-going management perspective, this view helps to guide decisions. If the NGO/CBO?s Success Competencies are the components of the vehicle, an enterprise mind-set guides both how to design and operate and also how to navigate. Maintaining this perspective in business planning and building NGOs/CBOs? capacity will help to maximize the value delivered and will work to support healthy, sustainable organizations. ? Leverage value of the Botswana private sector?s resources in management capacity: The strongest institutional capacity for organizational development is not established simply through transfusion from technical experts. Real capacity, which involves much more than systems and policies, will be sustainable only in the presence of a strong local ecosystem of role models, mentors and peers. This project will provide the highest quality of technical content, but will also ensure by way of its very design that this ecosystem is present. It proposes to engage the private sector in an innovative way?not as employers or funders, but as primary partners in strengthening the Panhandle civil society sector. Indeed, private sector institutions are respected for their own management capacity, as well as for the strong systems that support organizational development within the private sector itself. The project aims to tap into that expertise and bring the private sector into the civil society support group as peers and role models through mentoring and coaching. This way, the Panhandle NGOs/CBOs will gain not only on systems, trainings, policies and plans, but also on the local relationships that will help leaders deal with the growing pains of implementation, connect with resources and learn from different perspectives on managing ?an organization as an enterprise?. ? Facilitate registration of GEF funded CBOs with Local Enterprise Authority (LEA): As social enterprises the CBOs do not only qualify for training and mentoring by LEA, but they also have a potential to benefit from other LEA mandates, e.g. promotion of citizen entrepreneurship. By promoting CBO partnership with LEA, sustainability of the projects they run would automatically be ensured.

This project recognizes the need to distinguish between approaches to reach women as participants, those that benefit women, and, finally, those that empower women, in relation to project objectives, set of activities the project undertakes (strategies) and the ways it measures its impact (indicators). Simply reaching women does not ensure that they will benefit from a project, and even if women benefit (e.g. from increased income or better nutrition), that does not ensure that they will be empowered (e.g. in control over that income or making choices of foods for their households). 28 | P a g e Many projects implicitly assume that effectively reaching women is sufficient to benefit and empower them. While counting and facilitating women?s participation is important, programs that only record the number of female participants may miss important intra-household and community dynamics that might dilute or redistribute program benefits away from women. For example, if a woman participates in a livestock transfer program, she may be counted by the project as a livestock owner, but when she takes the livestock home, does she or her husband decide whether to sell it or its products and control the income earned from their sale? The cultural practices in most of rural Botswana have the husband in a decision-making power position over all things happening in the home. The project, though not intending to erode cultural practices, aims to engage women in such a manner as to empower them to make decisions that affect their livelihoods and to get them to understand that this is expected of them when given funded projects that require them to responsibility in seeing to their success and sustainability. The project intends to see women: ? Not only engaging in projects and activities that succeed in increasing their income, but also increasing their control of that not only that income, but also that of overall household income. ? Engaging in project activities that will have sustainable benefits due to increased women?s bargaining power within the household. ? (and if it is accompanied by ) Engaging in projects that would bring material benefits that can be shared by other members of the household, including the man. If this occurs, changing the underlying balance of power between men and women may be easier and less prone to backlash against women. The project takes into consideration that, conversely, projects exclusively focused on benefiting women may fail to consider appropriate roles and benefits for men, and may not be accepted by men (or men and women!) in the household or entire communities. As a result, this initiative aims to have a balanced sand shared power and responsibility amongst males and females, with relevant platforms being availed for men to understand the benefits of shared responsibilities and to appreciate the strength of the woman. Through various interventions, the project also aims to focus on shifting gender norms and attitudes, such as those that aim to change attitudes towards gender-based violence, targeted to the community, particularly influential community members, rather than to individual women. 29 | P a g e The project also aims to increase women?s access to information, form new networks, and strengthen confidence. In order for this project?s theory of change to be tested, project objectives, strategies, and indicators need to be aligned. This project aims to have both men and women participating in development projects that are culturally known to be reserved for the opposite sex, e.g. Agricultural development projects have traditionally targeted men, despite evidence that women are heavily involved in agriculture, while Nutrition programs, on the other hand, have typically targeted women, even if they may not have the bargaining power to control the resources needed for their families? food and nutrition security.