Resources
Our research in 2010-11 influenced government policy and NGO practice. In Kenya, the government has committed to using our Clan Study as an induction document for staff going to work in North Eastern Kenya. In Malawi, our report on decentralisation has informed the government debate on decentralization in Malawi. Our food security project in Jamalpur District, Bangladesh also produced one learning document on cash and assets transfer in March 2011 which outlined the benefits of our smallholder lean season cash transfer programme for 10,000 farmers. Key learning from the research includes using the local government administration to ease disbursement, promoting direct cash disbursement to encourage income generating activities, and ensuring use of ID cards to record proper disbursement.
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Gambia Newsletter
Get the latest updates from our programme in The Gambia and Senegal.
Newsletter
(PDF 551kb) Associated Countries: The Gambia and Senegal
Associated Sectors: Food, Health, Rights, Skills, Climate
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Ghana Annual Report
Read our Ghana Annual Report 2010
Ghana Annual Report 2010
(PDF 16877kb) Associated Countries: Ghana
Associated Sectors: Food, Health, Rights, Skills, Climate
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Ghana Country Strategy
Find out more about our Ghana programme by reading the Country Strategy below
Country Strategy Paper
(PDF 9929kb) Associated Countries: Ghana
Associated Sectors: Food, Health, Rights, Skills, Climate
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Ghana Impact Assessment 2011
In April 2011 Concern Universal Ghana and local partner organisation Nature Conservation Research Centre (NCRC) conducted a field based impact study of an environmental conservation and livelihoods programme (Rural Environmental Empowerment Project – REEP) in the Brong Ahafo region of western Ghana.
The study field work was conducted over five days in 14 out of the 51 project villages.Rural Environmental Empowerment Project (REEP)
The overall objective of the REEP project was to reduce poverty by empowering communities toward environmentally sustainable development and resource management. This was to be achieved by increasing environmental conservation and awareness among rural communities through participatory analysis of environmental problems and potential solutions, and the promotion of sustainable livelihood options. The project aimed to promote local actions which would reverse the trend of diminishing natural resources and bio-diversity in Brong-Ahafo region.
Ghana Impact Assessment 2011
(PDF 1577kb) Associated Countries: Ghana
Associated Sectors: Food
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Improving business markets for smallholder farmers in Ghana
A new project just launched in Ghana is improving the way smllholder farmers market and sell their produce. Read more about the Development of Market Access and Postharvest Services for Smallholder (D-MAPS) farmers in Brong Ahafo.
D_MAPS Project
(PDF 1966kb) Associated Countries: Ghana
Associated Sectors: Food
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Concern Universal Kenya Strategic Plan
Concern Universal Kenya (CUK) was registered in Kenya in 2001 as a relief and development Organization. Focusing currently on Arid and Semi Arid areas, the scope of CUK’s programme covers 8 counties, within the Eastern and Rift Valley provinces of Kenya. CUK works through National Civil Society Organisations, Government departments and Communities, on sustainable development and disaster risk reduction initiatives.
This Strategic Plan (2011-2015) draws on the experience of CUK’s senior management team, its Board members and the lessons learned over the years by both CUK and its Implementing Partners. A Strategic Planning workshop, held at the Karen Country Lodge on the 29th of April 2011, synthesized and collated the many ideas, lessons, challenges and the different perspectives on both the external and internal environments in which CUK works, and culminated in the production of this document.
Kenya Strategy
Associated Countries: Kenya
Associated Sectors: Food, Health, Rights, Skills, Climate
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Concern Universal Kenya Strategic Plan 2011-2015
This document provides a quick reference to matrix tool. Read more about the way we are working in Kenya, and when the work will be carried out.
CU Kenya Strategy Matrix
Associated Countries: Kenya
Associated Sectors: Food, Health, Rights, Skills, Climate
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CU Kenya on a page
Find out more about Concern Universal Kenya programme
CU Kenya on a page
Associated Countries: Kenya
Associated Sectors: Food, Health, Rights, Skills, Climate
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A Review Of The Malawi Decentralisation Process: Lessons From Selected Districts 2010
Decentralisation of power to local authorities was adopted in October 1998 as a vehicle for poverty reduction in terms of delivering better services to the Malawian population but also as a means for strengthening democratic institutions and participation at the local level. Decentralisation is expected to improve the delivery of public goods and services to people at all levels, especially in rural parts of the country where the majority of Malawians reside.
The specific objectives of the study were to: appraise the extent to which district and community structures are established in line with the Act and their functionality with respect to their contributions to the process; assess the effects/impacts of decentralisation on food and nutrition security and access to services at the community level; identify key factors that enhance or inhibit the effectiveness of the decentralisation process; examine the support provided to districts by donors and NSAs for the decentralisation process and its effectiveness and make recommendations on how the Government, Concern Universal (CU) and other NSAs could realistically support and contribute to improving the effectiveness of the decentralisation process on rural livelihoods.
Decentralisation process
(PDF 2231kb) Associated Countries: Malawi
Associated Sectors: Food, Health, Rights, Skills, Climate
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Malawi Country Strategy 2011-2016
Concern Universal began working in Malawi in 1988, initially focusing on supporting the Mozambican refugee population and their Malawian hosts in the Dedza area.
Today CU is one of Malawi’s largest NGOs, working in partnership with District Councils and communities to implement development interventions reaching over 300,000 rural people each year.
Over the past twenty years we have gained significant experience across a range of areas including agriculture; climate change and disaster risk management; water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); microfinance; malaria prevention and control; community mobilisation and capacity building at District, Sub-District and
Community level; and cross-cutting work on HIV/AIDS, Gender, Rights and Environment.Read our Country Strategy to find out how we will continue working to improve people's lives in Malawi.
Malawi Country Strategy
(PDF 1253kb) Associated Countries: Malawi
Associated Sectors: Food, Health, Rights, Skills, Climate
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Malawi Conservation Agriculture Research Study 2011
A study was jointly commissioned by Concern Universal (CU) and the Ministry of Agriculture & Food Security (MoAFS) to assess the appropriateness and viability of conservation agriculture (CA) as a technological approach to increasing the agricultural production of smallholder vulnerable households in Malawi. The aim of the study is to inform policy and practice and stimulate discussions and critical thinking amongst government, donors and development practitioners.
Conservation Agriculture Report
(PDF 1291kb) Associated Countries: Malawi
Associated Sectors: Food, Rights, Climate
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Malawi Local Development Support Programme Agricultural Brieifing Note 2012
As part of the Irish Aid funded Local Development Support Programme (LDSP) in Dedza and Ntcheu districts staff interviewed a number of programme participants to capture their opinions of what changes they observed in their lives as a result of being involved in the LDSP agriculture component. Respondents were involved in a number of agricultural practices, namely:
- Conservation Agriculture,
- Traditional agriculture,
- A combination of both Conservation and
- traditional agriculture on different plots of land.
This is a short briefing paper to summarise and present the main finding of those interviews.
LDSP Agricultural Briefing Note
(PDF 413kb) Associated Countries: Malawi
Associated Sectors: Food
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Report on Community Based Voluntary Service Providers in Malawi 2010
CU commissioned an Irish Aid funded study to analyse the process of volunteerism, particularly as it relates to services provided by community members to fellow community members within livelihood improvement programmes. The study was conducted from 3rd May to 19th May, 2010, in the Traditional Authorities of Kachindamoto and Kachere in Dedza district; Kwataine and Makwangwala
in Ntcheu district; and Bvumbwe in Thyolo district.
The study focuses on the contributions made by community-based Voluntary Service Providers (VSPs) and community-based volunteerism as a development approach. The overall purpose of the study is to inform the Government of Malawi and other development practitioners on how best to mobilise, utilise, and motivate community-based VSPs as a means to sustaining livelihoods programmes. The study analyses the extent to which the volunteerism strategy is sustainable and provides recommendations for improving the delivery of community based voluntary services.
Volunteerism Study
(PDF 3470kb) Associated Countries: Malawi
Associated Sectors:
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