190611 project plan mirece 300008400 - mud africa2.1 workshop on financial management 2 000 212 158...

Project Plan

Voice of the Suffering Community 300008400

Funded by Forum Syd & MUD Africa

MUD Africa & MIRECE Markus Adolfsson [email protected] Johanna Silebäck www.mudafrica.org

[email protected] www.mudafrica.org

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Table of Contents Project Summary ......................................................................................................................... 3 Background ................................................................................................................................. 4

Ambitions and Purpose from MUD Africa’s and MIRECEs point of view ........................... 5 Responsibilities ....................................................................................................................... 6 Finance .................................................................................................................................... 6 Budget ..................................................................................................................................... 7

Project Timeline – Overview ...................................................................................................... 9 Activities – 2019 ....................................................................................................................... 10

Activity 1 – Project start-up & Corruption ........................................................................... 10 Activity 2 – Organisational development ............................................................................. 10 Activity 3 – Thematic capacity building ............................................................................... 11

Activities – End of 2019 - 2020 ................................................................................................ 13 Activity 4 – Conflict Resolution ........................................................................................... 13 Activity 5 – Advocacy .......................................................................................................... 16 Activity 6 – Evaluation and phase-out .................................................................................. 18

Measurable outcomes and Risk management ........................................................................... 19 Project organisational plan ........................................................................................................ 19


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Project Summary

Where a country has extreme inequalities in access to property, failure of the state to take corrective measures represents a violation of the obligation to fulfil the right to property. Malawi is a prime example of such a country according to the Malawi Human Right Commission. Voice of a Suffering Community shall be a project between the Malawian non-governmental, community-based organization Millennium Information and Resource Centre (MIRECE) and the Swedish organization Mobilizing and Uniting Development in Africa (MUD Africa). The project Voice of the Suffering Community is targeting the ex-tobacco farmer community in the central region of Malawi, with a particular focus on a newly established settlement in the Mchinji District. The aim is to increase the knowledge on land rights, gender equality and human rights within the settlement as a means to empower the community to advocate for their rights to human dignity and land (property) rights. The outline of the project follows a three-module strategy, where the first goal is to strengthen MIRECE’s ability to perform and to function as an organization. From that, MIRECE executive members will arrange training activities for traditional leaders and jointly establish an action plan for the conflict resolution module. Thereafter an advocacy module will follow starting with advocacy empowerment to give the inhabitants the action resources to speak out. MIRECE will then arrange a live debate and an interface meeting with representatives from the community and duty-bearers. In a short-term perspective, the goal is two-folded, and the project aims to start the process toward gender equality by establishing a new gender policy and initiate gender equity in all work. The project seeks to establish a forum for conflict resolution between the different tribes and settlements. On a medium-term perspective, the goal is that the planned project activities will empower the ex-tobacco farmer community, regarding knowledge of human rights, gender equality and land rights. Furthermore, the inhabitants advocate for their right to land, which leads to the start of a registration process of land. The first step of this process is to establish official contact with the new land clerk, appointed by the new Malai land law. In a long-term perspective, the goal is to achieve a stage where the whole ex-tobacco farmer community has access to land and live under secure tenure.


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Background

Malawi is one of the world’s poorest countries, considering per capita income (IMF, 2017; Peters, 2002). Income distribution is one of the most unequal in the world where a small political, bureaucratic and professional elite has a significant share and the rural majority the smaller (Peters, 2002). A high proportion of the population lives in rural areas, around 80% (Chirwa, 2004). Agricultural activities form the bulk of the household’s livelihood strategies, as the country has an agricultural based economy (Chirwa, 2004). The importance of land in agricultural based economies cannot be understated; land in agrarian societies such as Malawi is not an ordinary commodity but rather the basis of life upon which most households rest (Chirwa, 2004). Land is a scarce commodity in Malawi, and its scarcity cause problems for rural families as land is vital for the achievement of a decent living standard (Peters, 2006). Thereto, land is not only scarce; its distribution is unequal, which further enhance structural inequalities. This problem originates from the colonial rule, i.e. the British Empire (Holden & Otsuka, 2014) who alienated the local Malawian population from land in various ways, sometimes declaring them tenants on crown land as a way to collect taxes and/or to extract labour (ibid.). Also, after the British Empire left Malawi a parastatal company, Press Agriculture Limited (PAL), partly owned by the at the time president Hastings Banda (Kishindo & Myula, 2017) took over the tobacco industry and became one of the main employers in Malawi (Prowse, 2013). Between the 1970s and 1980s, PAL was said to be the biggest producer of tobacco in Malawi (Kishindo & Mvula, 2017). PAL opened most of their tobacco estates in the Central region, namely Kasungu, Mchinji and Lilongwe (Prowse, 2013). Furthermore, during the 1970s and 1980s, PAL initiated various farm labour recruitment campaigns where those willing to work on the farms were transported together with their families (migrated in a way) from their home districts to Kasungu to camp on the farms which they were employed by. These workers were taken from districts throughout Malawi, such as Lilongwe, Phalombe, Mulanje, Thyolo, Ntcheu, Dedze and Mzimba. Some of these internally displaced families were forced to leave their home districts as early as 1970. During the following three decades, these workers lost their land holdings back home since they were not given much opportunity and resources to visit and maintain them. Primarily because at the time, there was no enforcement of minimum wages, and they were not paid enough to afford home visits. During the same time, children were born on the farm that is now more than 30 years old, and these individuals, today, lack knowledge of their parents original home location. After the one-party rule was overthrown the Press Agriculture closed most of their farms and suddenly lay off the farm labourers, leading to mass unemployment and a vast conglomerate of marginalised people.


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The tobacco industry has been dwindling for years, and as a consequence, there has been little to no investment in tobacco and therefore, no labour demand from estate owners. Seeing no relevance of having labourers around the estates as well as the fear of losing land, the owners chased the families out of the farms, leaving them in destitution and land poverty. This development led to a mass migration of former tobacco workers to other areas within Malawi. Those laid off now have nowhere to go. They cannot encroach on the farmland for settlement; nor can they encroach on customary land owned by local citizens in the district. These people are now stranded in displaced person's camps throughout Malawi. MIRECE, as of now, work and advocate for the right to land and human dignity of 1800 families.

Ambitions and Purpose from MUD Africa’s and MIRECEs point of view

All work conducted in the name of MUD Africa, and under the umbrella of MUD Africas projects is undertaken with respect of every human equal value and must be treated with respect. Mobilising and Uniting Development in Africa works to:

§ Promote development in alliance with and for vulnerable and marginalized people living in African developing countries and regions. Doing so by improving their financial and social wellbeing with the long-term goal to develop the area in which they live.

§ Collect funds and receive donations from private and public sources in Sweden and other parts of the world.

§ Undertake research, formulate and hand over suggestions to accurate organizations concerning poverty reduction worldwide.

§ Support and initiate activities that aim to raise awareness for the necessity to fight poverty.

The focus of MIRECE could, therefore, be said to be that to help transform the livelihood of homeless ex-tobacco farmers, previous PAL estate workers, through advocacy and empowerment projects and different resettlement, relocation projects. MIRECE currently has approximately 1712 families affiliated to the organization, residing on different idle land.

§ Vision: A society without poverty and injustice, in which every person enjoys their

rights to life and dignity.

§ Mission: To secure safe tenure for all its ex-tobacco member families through a five-year proposed project focusing on advocacy, empowerment and active collaborations with the civil society.


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Responsibilities

MUD Africa shall provide overall direction and oversight of the implementation of the activities and provide financial resources necessary for the execution of the activities. MIRECE shall implement the activities, with support from MUD Africa and activities shall be specified in project plans designed in collaboration between MIRECE and MUD Africa. Principles of the understanding shall be the following:

• Openness, honesty and transparency • Mutual respect and shared responsibilities • Commitment to gender equality and respect for women’s rights

Finance

• MIRECE shall prepare timely and appropriate reports for MUD Africa as agreed upon. • MIRECE shall keep all receipts and signed documents in original files, and upon

request, be able to provide MUD Africa with copies of the documents. • MUD Africa shall transfer funds as agreed, following a satisfactory delivered report

and when presented with a requisition signed by two authorised. • When funds arrive the accounts of MIRECE, they shall send a bank receipt to MUD

Africa as to inform receiving of funds.


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Budget The budget of Voice of the Suffering Community is specified in Swedish Krona, USD and Malawi Kwacha. Updated to exchange rates of 10 June 2019. Exchange value: 1 SEK to 0,11 USD. 1 SEK to 78,94 Malawi Kwacha The work carried out by the MIRECE executive members are acknowledged in the budget with reimbursement for lunch and transport. All meeting expenses are also covered by the project budget. The project is funded by Forum Syd (95 %) and MUD Africa (5 %). Summary 2019 (for a more detailed budget of the project see the budget appendix)

Description Swedish Krona US Dollar Malawi

Kwacha 1.1 Anti-corruption 4 000 424 316 678 2.1 Workshop on financial management 2 000 212 158 339 2.2 Training on bookkeeping and financial reporting

3 000 318 237 508

2.3 Workshop on project reporting and meeting documentation

2 000 212 158 339

2.4 Training on computer skills 4 000 424 316 678 3.1 Training on Land Rights 7 000 743 554 186 3.2 Training on Human Rights and Women Empowerment 2 000 212 158 339

3.3 Training on Conflict Resolution 7 000 743 554 186 3.4 Documentation 4 000 424 316 678 4.1 Training on land rights and human rights, gender equality

10 000 1 062 791 694

4.2 Round Table Discussion(s) 10 000 1 062 791 694 4.3 Meeting(s) with surrounding settlements 8 000 850 633 355 7.1 Administration MIRECE 2 000 212 158 339 7.2 Annual Audit Malawi 4 000 424 316 678

Total 69 000 7 322 5 462 691


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Summary 2020 (for a more detailed budget of the project see the budget appendix) Updated to exchange rates of 10 June 2019. Exchange value: 1 SEK to 0,11 USD. 1 SEK to 78,94 Malawi Kwacha The work carried out by the MIRECE executive members are acknowledged in the budget with reimbursement for lunch and transport. All meeting expenses are also covered by the project budget. The project is funded by Forum Syd (95 %) and MUD Africa (5 %).

Description Swedish Krona

US Dollar Malawi Kwacha

4.2 Round Table Discussion(s) 11 000 1 165 868 176 4.3 Meeting(s) with surrounding settlements 10 000 1 062 791 694 4.4 Documentation 4 000 424 316 678 5.1 Advocacy empowerment 21 000 2 224 1 657 426 5.2 Live Debate 14 000 1 483 1 104 951 5.3 Interface meeting 14 000 1 483 1 104 951 6.1 Final Report 14 000 1 483 1 104 951 7.2 Administration MIRECE 2 000 212 158 339 7.2 Annual Audit Malawi 4 000 424 316 678

Total 94 000 9 960 7 423 844


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Two (2) Days

Activity 1Corruption WorkshopStart: Mid-July 2019

25 days

Activity 2Organisational Development

Start: Mid-July 2019

FeedbackMUD Africa –> MIRECETimelimit: 15 Oct 2019

1st ReportReport regarding activity 1-3

MIRECE à MUD Africa

Timelimit: 15 Sept 2019

30 days

Activity 3Thematic capacity building

Start: Mid-August

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2020

03 04

2019Year one

280 days

Activity 5Advocacy

Start: March 2020

Project End31 Jan 2021

Project startMid-July 2019

Activity 4Conflict Resolution

Start: Oct 2019

360 days

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Final ReportReport regarding full project

MIRECE à MUD Africa

Timelimit: 31 December 2020

2020Year two

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Project Timeline – Overview For a detailed description of the project timeline please read below. The green circles indicate the report dates. 2019-12-15, Annual Report. 2020-04-01, 2nd report – activity 5.1. 2020-08-01, 3rd report – activity 5.2. 2020-10-31, 4th report – activity 4. 2020-12-01, 5th report – activity 5.3.

02 03 04 05

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Activities – 2019 Activity 1 – Project start-up & Corruption

1.1 Workshop about corruption between MUD Africa and MIRECE in the initial phase of

the project to start and enable continuous discussion about corruption alive throughout the Voice of a Suffering community project.

§ Two (2) meetings, with all executive members (15).

Discuss and establish the following

§ Fruitful sources of verification to minimise the opportunity space for corruption to occur.

§ Create a document where we state a “zero-vision/zero-tolerance” regarding corruption for the cooperation and our projects.

Estimated time limit: Mid-July 2019

Activity 2 – Organisational development

2.1 Workshop regarding the project financial agreement with the aim to provide all

MIRECE executive members with information and knowledge of the financial agreement, its demands and its limitations.

§ One (1) meeting, with all executive members (15).

Source of verification

§ Minutes Estimated time limit: Mid-July 2019

2.2 Training on financial bookkeeping and financial reporting

The responsible executive members will gain knowledge regarding bookkeeping, handling receipts, budget follow-up and compiling financial reports needed for auditing.

§ Two (2) meetings, with two (2) executive members.


§ Training material/handouts Estimated time limit: 15 August 2019


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2.3 Workshop regarding project reporting and meeting documentation

The responsible executive members, two (2), will gain knowledge of the needs and demands of documentation and reporting throughout the project. However, all executive members of MIRECE will attend the workshop.

§ One (1) meeting, with all executive members (15). Source of verification

§ Activity report(s), a continuous source of verification as all reports throughout the project will be assessed and discussed to improve and modify reporting if needed.

Estimated time limit: Mid-July 2019

2.4 Training on computer skills

All MIRECE executive members will gain basic computer skills and manage to, individually, write a short text in the form of an email to MUD Africa.

§ Two (2) meetings, with all executive members (15). Source of verification

§ Individual emails from MIRECE executive members to MUD Africa. Contact info: [email protected]

Estimated time limit: 15 August 2019

Activity 3 – Thematic capacity building

3.1 Training on Land Rights and the new Malawi Land Act

All MIRECE executive members will gain deepened knowledge and understanding regarding land rights with a specific focus on the new Malawi Land Act, and the new registration process.

§ Four (4) preparatory meetings, with all executive members (15), at which activity 3.1-3.3 are planned.


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§ One (1) day of training with an invited facilitator, with all executive members (15).


§ Training materials/handouts.

Estimated time limit: 30 August 2019 3.2 Training on Human Rights and Women Empowerment

All MIRECE executive members will gain deepened knowledge regarding human rights, gender equality, and women empowerment needed to increase women participation in future activities.

§ One (1) day of training with an invited facilitator, with all executive members (15).


§ Action plan on encouraging women participation in upcoming project activities

Estimated time limit: 30 August 2019 3.3 Training on conflict resolution and mediating skills

All MIRECE executive members will gain knowledge regarding conflict structures in and outside the Rusa New Settlement. Thereto, increase their capacity to initiate meetings and discussions with relevant actors to solve conflicts threatening secure tenure.

§ Three (3) days of training with an invited facilitator, with all executive members (15).


§ Training materials/handouts Estimated time limit: 30 August 2019


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3.4 Documentation and reporting

§ Five (5) days of compiling and report writing, with all executive members (15).

Report encompassing activity 1-3. The report shall include the following:

§ Receipts that can validate all expenditures § Documentation including all of the above source of verifications, as well as

filled out report template that has been distributed by MUD Africa. Send the report to [email protected]

Estimated time limit: 15 September 2019

Activities – End of 2019 - 2020

Activity 4 – Conflict Resolution 4.1 Training on land rights and human rights, gender equality

All chiefs and religious leaders in Rusa New Settlement will attend a training session and be provided with information that enhances their knowledge regarding land rights, human rights, and the importance of gender equality.

§ Five (5) preparatory meetings, with all executive members (15). § One (1) day of training for local chiefs and religious leaders (28), with all

executive members (15). Source of verification

§ Training materials/hand-outs

Estimated time limit: 15 November 2019


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4.2 Round table discussion(s) on land rights and internal conflict structures

Establishment of a forum for conflict resolution within the settlement.

§ 4.2a MIRECE executive members meet chiefs and leaders between the meetings to facilitate the meetings and the setting of the same, six (6) in total.

§ 4.2b Chiefs and religious leaders meet every second month, 12 meetings in total


§ 4.2a Action plan for carrying out the round table activity § 4.2a Agenda for the round table discussions § 4.2b Commitment list

Estimated time limit: 15 October 2020

4.3 Meeting(s) with surrounding settlements

Establish a dialogue between local leaders and chiefs within Rusa New Settlement and the surrounding settlements.

§ 4.3a MIRECE executive members meet chiefs and leaders from surrounding settlements between the meetings to facilitate the meetings and the setting of the same, six (6) in total.

§ 4.3b Chiefs and religious leaders from within Rusa New Settlement and surrounding settlements meet quarterly, eight (8) meetings in total.

2019

Year one

2020

Year two


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Figure 2 Example setup/plan for activity 4.3


§ 4.3a Action plan to carry out the meetings with surrounding settlements § 4.3a Agenda for the meetings § 4.3b Commitment list


4.4 Documentation and reporting


Report encompassing activity 4, in full. The report shall include the following:




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Activity 5 – Advocacy 5.1 Advocacy empowerment

The goal is to empower and equip all participants with knowledge to meet with duty bearers and demand their rights.

§ Five (5) preparatory meetings, with all executive members (15). § One (1) day of training for inhabitants of Rusa New Settlement (100), with all

MIRECE executive members (15) The inhabitants shall be the following:

§ Women (50) from Rusa New Settlements § Men (50) from Rusa New Settlement § 25 % of participants are traditional and/or religious leaders


§ Training materials from the facilitator § Evaluation from participants

Includes: Documentation and reporting


Report encompassing activity 5.1, in full. The report shall include the following:


filled out report template that have been distributed by MUD Africa. Send the report to: [email protected]

Estimated time limit: 1 April 2020

5.2 Live debate

The situation at the Rusa New Settlement is on the agenda. How will duty bearers act to improve the living conditions?

§ Five (5) preparatory meetings, with all executive members (15). § One (1) day of live debate with inhabitants of Rusa New Settlement (50), all

MIRECE executive and boards members (20).


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The invited individuals shall be the following:

§ MIRECE executive and board members (20) § Women (25) from Rusa New Settlements § Men (25) from Rusa New Settlement § 25 % of participants are traditional and/or religious leaders § Media, duty bearers, landowners, and civil society organisations (2) § Participants in the live debate (5)


§ Article(s) from invited media representatives.


§ Five (5) days of compiling and report writing, with all executive members

(15).




Estimated time limit: 1 August 2020

5.3 Interface meeting

A dialogue between duty bearers and rights holders, which aim to established channels of communication between inhabitants of Rusa New Settlement and relevant duty bearers and stakeholders.

§ Five (5) preparatory meetings, with all executive members (15). § One (1) day of live debate with inhabitants of Rusa New Settlement (50), all

MIRECE executive and boards members (20). The invited individuals shall be the following:

§ MIRECE executive and board members (20) § Women (25) from Rusa New Settlements § Men (25) from Rusa New Settlement § 25 % of participants are traditional and/or religious leaders § Media, duty bearers, landowners, and civil society organisations (2) § Participants in the live debate (5)


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§ Commitment list






Estimated time limit: 1 December 2020

Activity 6 – Evaluation and phase-out

Reporting and evaluation of the project, in full.

§ Ten (10) days of compiling and report writing, with all executive members (15).

Template for evaluation and phase-out will either be provided per email or through a field visit from a MUD Africa representative. Send the report to: [email protected]

Estimated time limit: 31 January 2021


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Measurable outcomes and Risk management

All the activities outlined above need to be measured to enable evaluation and monitoring. All the activities might encounter problems and require risk management. The sources for verification needed for measuring outcomes as well as information regarding risk management are available in the goal and risk matrix. As such, please see the goal and risk matrix appendix for a more detailed plan on measurement and risk management of the project.

Project organisational plan

MIRECE are responsible for the collection of the needed sources of verification, such as minutes; attendance sheets, and evaluations from the different activities. Moreover, MIRECE is accountable for the documentation and reporting throughout the whole project. Documentation that will be sent to MUD Africa following the estimated time limits outlined above, for MUD Africa to stay up-to-date with the process of the project and to enable proper adjustments in the time needed. The executive members of MIRECE, with support from the board of MIRECE, are responsible for finalising required reports within the project on a set time. Each sub goal with activities shall be reported by MIRECE and reviewed and approved by MUD Africa’s board before the further transfer of funds for the next activity. The reports contain measurements and reflections on the indicators for each activity, such as the number of attending participants and media coverage. These documents will provide a deeper understanding of the progress of the on-going project, and in this way, both MIRECE and MUD Africa can see more clearly in what direction the project is heading and thus be able to act and react to possible indications of change. Forum Syd is the grant provider and the primary source of economic resources to this project, and we are as such bound to provide them with annual reports and a final report. Ultimately, Forum Syd is overseeing the project through the reports and carry-out annual evaluations to monitor and evaluate that the granted funds are going to where they are supposed to and rendered correctly. Wrongdoing might result in the termination of this project; thus, it is of utmost importance to keep excellent communication and reporting standards between MUD Africa and MIRECE.

MIRECE -Executive members MUD Africa - Board Forum Syd

MIRECE - Board

MUD Africa -Project Management

Figure 3 Project organisational plan, indicating the chain of responsibilities

190611 project plan mirece 300008400 - mud africa2.1 workshop on financial management 2 000 212 158...

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