Project News

• Strengthening the Capacity of the Accountant General of the Federation of Nigeria: A DevTech consultant has returned to Nigeria as the leader of the Organizational Change Management (OCM) component of the "Strengthen the Capacity of the Accountant General of the Federation of Nigeria" project. The project's goal is to build the capacity of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation and Auditor General's Office to use a new electronic Transaction and Recording System developed through assistance from the World Bank and IMF. The consultant's role will be to develop an OCM strategy to ensure a smooth transition as users begin to integrate the new system into their daily tasks. Previously, the consultant has made a number of trips to Nigeria with DevTech, most recently as a part of the Nigeria REFORMS project.

• USDOL "Eliminating the Worst Forms of Child Labor through Education", Dominican Republic: In April, the project continued its efforts at sustainability through a luncheon with 50 business leaders, representatives of international donor organizations and the press. At the luncheon, businesses were called upon to take social responsibility by investing in the Espacios para Crecer (EpCs) educational program for working or at-risk-for-working-children. The EpCs are a high-impact after-school educational program that have improved the access and completion rates of the populations at highest risk of dropping out. Invitees' participation indicated strong interest on the part of the private sector and other organizations to sponsor such programs. DR staff and subcontractors will spend the summer - the last months of the program - building on the sustainability successes to date.

• Safe Schools Program: Safe Schools Program (SSP) country offices have been busy managing the implementation of several activities. In Malawi, more than 200 teachers from 20 Safe Schools intervention schools participated in a training on school-related-gender-based violence (SRGBV) prevention conducted by a Safe Schools local partner. This landmark training follows a tremendous effort involving the development of the Teacher Training Manual, its adaptation and pilot testing, and Training of Trainers. In addition, another Safe Schools local partner has trained more than 180 teachers from 20 SSP intervention schools to use life skills to instruct their students on SRGBV prevention.

• Guatemala Decentralization and Local Governance Program: DevTech works with 30 municipalities in the Guatemalan departments of Quiché, Chiquimula, Chimaltenango, Baja Verapaz and San Marcos. Its principal objectives are to increase: transparency and effectiveness of local governance; citizen participation in local government decision-making processes; the delegation of resources and responsibilities to the municipalities; and the implementation of reconstruction programs post-Hurricane Stan. Recently, the program supported the public presentation of a study performed by the municipal associations entitled "Relevance of the Application of the Law of the National Registry of Persons (RENAP) for the Citizenry, Decentralization and Municipalities of Guatemala." A commission has formed to discuss a comprehensive reform to the aforementioned law based on recommendations from the study, which would strengthen the law in alignment with the decentralization process.

• WaTERS: DevTech has been working on the Water Tracking, Estimating and Reporting Support (WaTERS) program, which provides accurate and timely information for and about USAID's water and coastal resources management activities, and about the levels of financial support being provided by USAID, Department of State, and other federal agencies. Awarded through the Water II IQC, the program also provides technical support for writing, analysis, and reporting in support of the USAID EGAT Bureau's Office of Natural Resources.

• New! GBTI II IQC Win: DevTech was awarded the Global, Business, Trade and Investment II (GBTI-II) IQC contract as a subcontractor. The contract falls under the USAID Support for Economic Growth and Institutional Reform (SEGIR) project, with the goal of reducing poverty and promoting economic growth and prosperity in developing and transition countries. USAID's primary program objectives for GBTI-II focus on devising and implementing robust strategies in order to: promote real economic growth, reduce poverty, graduate transitional countries from aid to trade, promote open competitive markets, develop the private sector, and mobilize private financing sources to supplement and eventually replace development assistance. The IQC is in effect from 2007-2012.