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Region: Sub-Saharan Africa

Creative and VNG International form global strategic partnership

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Posted March 8, 2023 .
3 min read.

Creative Associates International and the global consulting arm of one of Europe’s leading local government associations, VNG International, have formed a partnership that will leverage their complimentary expertise, it was announced March 6.

“By working together, we can provide even better and smarter programming for the clients, people and communities we serve,” says Leland Kruvant, President and CEO of Creative, a social-impact company with development programs in more than 30 countries. “VNG International and Creative have a positive history of collaboration and this new long-term partnership strengthens that bond.”

VNG International – formally called the International Cooperation Agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities – is one of the oldest local government associations in the world, working at both the technical and political level of local government. VNG’s expertise is in strengthening democratic local government in developing countries and countries in transition. VNG designs and manages complex development projects for the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, World Bank, the European Commission and other donors.

“VNG International and Creative have a lot in common, we are result-driven, innovative and willing to work in partnerships. We can strengthen each other. This strategic partnership can help our organizations to grow and diversify,” says Pieter Jeroense, Board Chair of the Hague Academy for Local Governance. “Just as Creative gives VNG access to its U.S. government funded programming, we at VNG are enthusiastic about having Creative contribute its expertise to our Dutch and other European funded work.”

Creative and VNG International will work together to develop joint programming for U.S. and European bilateral donor and multilateral development agencies that utilize their respective talents and resources in locations such as Ukraine and the rest of Eastern Europe, sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. The global partnership is a collaborative effort, not a joint venture, and both organizations will continue to operate independently.

Building on an Existing Relationship

Executives from Creative and VNG International together at Creative’s headquarters.

VNG International continues to be a key partner in the Creative-led Active Citizenry-Effective States (ACES) IDIQ funding mechanism, a five-year contract designed to support the U.S. government’s efforts to strengthen good governance, transparency and accountability around the world. It is administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Through this global partnership, VNG International brings expertise in decentralization policy reform, local government capacity building, municipal finance, and local economic development.  It also brings to the mix its relationship with the Hague Academy for Local Governance, a non-profit organization that aims to strengthen local democracy worldwide through practice-oriented training.

Partnerships to Expand Reach and Capability

This strategic alliance with VNG is part of a larger effort underway by Creative to establish authentic, mutually beneficial, partnership platforms to expand our reach and impact globally. This agreement with VNG follows on the heels of Creative’s November 2022 launch of the Development Alliance in the Middle East and North Africa region.  The Dev-Alliance leverages talents, skills, cultural knowledge and geographic expertise of emerging regionally-focused development companies – including three in Jordan and one in Palestine – to facilitate locally conceived, designed and led programming. To learn more, please read a Q&A with the Dev-Alliance members and this short video.

About Creative Associates International

Creative collaborates with local, regional and national stakeholders in the areas of education, economic growth, governance, democratic transitions and stabilization in post-conflict environments. Based in Chevy Chase, Maryland, this global development organization was founded in 1977 by four enterprising women and now has a field presence in more than 30 countries and a strong client portfolio that includes USAID and the State Department. 

About VNG International

VNG International are experts in strengthening democratic local government in developing countries and countries in transition. It is a medium-sized company with 60 staff in its headquarters in The Hague and another 150 staff in its project offices abroad. VNG International has one fully owned daughter company in Tunis, Development Center for the Innovative Local Governance (CILG) and has recently founded VNG International USA LLC.

10 ideas about systems strengthening from Creative’s leaders in Africa and the Middle East

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Posted February 24, 2023 .
By Ashley Williams .
3 min read.
Cory Heyman, VP of Creative's Education Division, introduces leaders from projects in Africa and the Middle East as they share their insights on strengthening education systems.

Cory Heyman, VP of Creative’s Education Division, introduces leaders from projects in Africa and the Middle East as they share their insights on strengthening education systems.

Leaders from Creative’s projects in Africa and the Middle East came together for a summit at Creative’s headquarters to discuss systems strengthening in education. Four Chiefs of Party and one technical expert shared their experiences about how projects in Ethiopia, Jordan, Nigeria, Somalia and Yemen are working locally to build up the systems that support education.

All five of the project leaders are from Africa, and three are Chiefs of Party in their home countries, making their insights particularly interesting.

These 10 quotes from the summit explore what systems strengthening entails and how it can succeed.

What does systems strengthening mean to you?

  • “To me a system is different interconnected parts that come together to work together as a whole.” –Faiza Hasan, Chief of Party for Bar ama Baro in Somalia
  • “Education systems are what turn policies and strategies into actions.” –Mamdouh Fadil, Chief of Party for Jordan Technical Assistance Program
  • “When I think about systems strengthening, what comes to mind is holistic thinking and seeing how individual parts of the system align and work together to become effective.” –Tassew Zewdie, Chief of Party for READ II
  • “Systems all have a life of their own. Systems all have their own culture, and understanding the norms is very important to being able to operate within the system.” –Nurudeen Lawal, Chief of Party for LEARN to Read in Nigeria
  • “Systems strengthening requires a practical approach where you put a plan in place. That way you can be sure you are leaving behind a system that is implementable.” –Ayo Oladini, Senior Technical Advisor for Gateway to Education in Yemen

What are the ingredients for successful systems strengthening?

  • “Systems strengthening implies change, and change is scary for people. The most important thing is to engage stakeholders from the beginning so they buy in to the expected transformation. We have to think holistically but also consider each of the individual parts of the system, like the structure or hierarchical model, policies, human resources and information flow. These different parts need to be aligned so they can work together smoothly towards the expected result.” –Tassew Zewdie, Chief of Party for READ II
  • “Systems strengthening has to be realistic and there should be local leaders. It is also important to incentivize good performance and make it public. I see creating standards and benchmarks as crucial.” –Mamdouh Fadil, Chief of Party for Jordan Technical Assistance Program

What stands in the way of successful systems strengthening?

  • “Silos are a major problem I’ve seen standing in the way of systems strengthening. Everyone can do their own thing instead of working together, and we don’t see results.” –Ayo Oladini, Senior Technical Advisor for Gateway to Education in Yemen
  • “You need to understand the system inside and out. You need to understand stakeholder power dynamics in the system. You can’t start if you don’t get those two right.” –Nurudeen Lawal, Chief of Party for LEARN to Read in Nigeria
  • “If something is already working well, there is no reason to throw something new in there. It is important to understand what is already working in the system and improve on that.” –Faiza Hasan, Chief of Party for Bar ama Baro in Somalia

10 years of USAID’s early grade reading programming: A retrospective

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Posted February 19, 2023 .
4 min read.
A female teacher in Nigeria stands in front of her class, reading from a book
Photo by: Erick Gibson

In 2011, the USAID Education Strategy emphasized the importance of early grade reading in lower- and middle-income countries and shaped our sector’s focus for years to come.

A recent USAID webinar reviewed a study on a decade of early grade reading support, which revealed that an estimated 246 million students, along with millions of teachers and administrators, in 53 countries have benefited from the U.S. government’s initiatives.

USAID has invested heavily in improving early literacy rates, with mixed results. There are positive trends in the most recent generation of early grade reading programs which have been able to more successfully scale, have better impact on reading outcomes and are more cost effective.

“USAID programs made significant increases in learning outcomes when they built on the success of multi-generational programs, utilized existing systems, and worked in partnership with governments to ensure sustainability,” the report said.

“To support meaningful reform, [early grade reading] programs must reflect a deep understanding of the local context, be based on close collaboration with partner-country governments, and apply evidence-based reading instruction approaches adapted to reflect existing capacity and systems.”

These findings did not come as a surprise to Creative as we have been implementing early grade reading programs in lower- and middle-income countries, particularly those in crisis and conflict contexts, for decades and our programs are built upon these core principles.

A prime example is our NEI+ program in Nigeria which was one of eight early grade reading programs to be cited as showing impact at scale in the recent RTI Learning at Scale Report.

So how do we apply these principles and build on these key elements?

Multigenerational programs

Creative’s early grade reading work in Nigeria is a prime example of how multigenerational programs can build on success and invest the time needed to see lasting change. Creative has implemented more than 14 years of consecutive USAID-funded programming, including the Northern Education Initiative (2009-2014), the Northern Education Initiative Plus project (2015-2021), and, currently the Leveraging Education Assistance Resources in Nigeria to Read project (2022-2027).

NEI focused on improving early grade reading in Bauchi and Sokoto states through evidence-based teacher practices, improved access to context- and language-appropriate materials, better assessment and stronger government systems.

NEI+ continued those activities and scaled up its work to strengthen Bauchi and Sokoto states’ capacity to improve reading outcomes for more than one million children and youth and increase access to basic education, especially for girls and out-of-school children.

We are now implementing the five-year LEARN to Read project, which leverages the wider education system resources to expand successful reading practices to additional states.

Change must come from within a system in order to be sustainable. We have seen real progress and sustainable outcomes in places like Nigeria where we have been able to move from programs that implement technical assistance hand in hand with the government (NEI and NEI+) to a program (LEARN) that now has the government in the leading role with Creative providing support on demand. This transition has not been overnight but is the direction that is necessary for lasting change. 

Reflect a deep understanding of the local context

Leading three generations of programs in Nigeria has enabled Creative to gain a deep understanding of the local context, actors and system so that we can ensure our programming is tailored to local needs and conditions. To strengthen systems you have to understand how they function, who the actors are at different levels of the system, the distribution of power and resources, levers for change and more. This information can only be gained through deep relationships and trust built over time.

Utilize existing systems

Creative works within and through local systems with the Ministry of Education as our key partner to ensure sustainability. We work within the system from the schools all the way to the national level to build a stronger foundation rather than building a parallel system. For example, instead of hiring coaches to support teachers or using our staff as trainers, we work with existing stakeholders in the system to build their capacity through a learn-by-doing approach so that the capacity is developed within the system to continue this work.

Work in partnership with governments to ensure sustainability

Creative believes that interventions must be owned by the host country to be successful. This is why we focus heavily on strengthening Nigeria’s education system and its actors from the federal to local levels. Through 14 years of working together with the Ministry of Education and other education actors we have built trusted relationships that enable us to quickly gain buy-in, create collaborative approaches, and build capacity to maintain and sustain activities.

We partner with relevant government ministries, departments and agencies to manage education more effectively and enhance teacher training, coaching and regular monitoring and assessment related to early grade reading. Examples of how this led to sustainable systems in Nigeria are that the state governments used their own budgets for printing textbooks, training teachers outside of NEI+ schools and conducting assessments such as the EGRA and the LEMA.

Apply evidence-based reading instruction approaches adapted to reflect existing capacity and systems

Creative applies our tailored structured pedagogy approach across all of our early grade reading programming. This approach prioritizes a comprehensive package of inputs such as student books in local languages, scripted teacher guides, frequent teacher training and coaching necessary for quality teaching and learning of foundational skills.

What’s next?

Implementers and funders alike need to account for these lessons learned in order to see real progress in early learning and literacy outcomes. The next generation of programs should provide more time to establish reading programs that are embedded in local systems and offer a system strengthening framework so that the Ministry of Education and other educational stakeholders are leading the process from day one.

Nigeria – LEARN to Read

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Program.
1 min read.

Leveraging Education Assistance Resources in Nigeria (LEARN) to Read supported efforts to improve reading outcomes among first and second-grade pupils in Nigeria.  

The project built on lessons learned from prior reading programs in Nigeria to introduce a flexible, cost-efficient early-grade reading intervention model that could be tailored to state contexts.

LEARN to Read, funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development, was a technical assistance activity that aimed to support federal and state governments in effectively utilizing their operational and technical resources to strengthen, scale, and sustain improvements in early-grade reading outcomes for pupils in grades 1 and 2.

Creative has a track record of successfully implementing education and early-grade reading reform programs in Nigeria since 2004. LEARN to Read was a continuation of two successful USAID early-grade reading programs, the Northern Education Initiative and the Northern Education Initiative Plus, which Creative implemented.

LEARN to Read built on Nigeria’s prior reading programs, leveraging lessons learned to introduce a scalable and adaptable intervention model. The project collaborated closely with federal and state education agencies and partners to embed standard-based, context-appropriate assessments, materials, and training within policy frameworks, aiming to improve literacy skills for over 3.5 million pupils in the first and second grades.

Program Achievements

LEARN to Read ensured that standard-based, context-appropriate assessment, materials, training, and administrative supports needed to improve literacy skills for more than 3.5 million pupils were embedded within the federal policy funding and monitoring frameworks. States and local authorities were supported to have the implementation protocols, capacity, and resources to carry out and sustain early grade reading reforms. 

Building the capacity of educators and school administrators is key to successful early-grade reading outcomes. LEARN to Read helped develop teacher training plans and coaching and mentoring tracking systems to help state and federal ministries carry out comprehensive training.

LEARN to Read intervention strategies built ownership, accountability and use of data from the ground up, ensuring that stakeholders at all levels (classroom, school, community, local government area, state and federal), as well as the private sector, understood their role in improving education quality and learning. By leveraging data, policymakers and educators could make informed decisions and continuously improve early-grade reading programs.

Recognizing the critical role of parents and community leaders in supporting children’s education, LEARN to Read fostered these stakeholders’ active involvement in early-grade reading initiatives. By promoting awareness, mobilizing resources, and encouraging community participation, the project created an immersive reading-supportive environment for children.

Education transformation in Muslim societies: A discourse of hope

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Posted January 27, 2023 .
By Dr. Ilham Nasser .
3 min read.

A 14-year-old Arab teenager sat in front of me while her mind and eyes were focused elsewhere. She had spent more than an hour glued to her phone and ignoring everyone, so I tried to start a conversation by asking about her aspirations for the future. She looked up and replied, “To immigrate and live in the West!”

When I asked why, she firmly said, “To have a future of happiness.”

Having to stay in survival mode feeds into the psyche of Muslim youth, especially when a general feeling of skepticism, helplessness and a perceived sense of collective hopelessness hangs in the air.

Distressing situations are quick to crush virtues like dignity and creativity, and a shared vision for the future is lost. This describes life for many people and societies, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Some Muslim youth see immigration as the only way to break free from their socioeconomic conditions. As they search for a better life elsewhere, they focus on escaping their communities rather than investing in them.

In the face of economic, political, health and educational declines, developing societies must adopt agendas of hope to break the cycle of depression that lack of progress brings and to galvanize energy for finding solutions.

Education offers hope that counters the discourse of negativity and powerlessness. Education can be an antidote to despair, a concept that inspired the recent book I edited — “Education Transformation in Muslim Societies: A Discourse of Hope.”

Hope in schooling has been connected to academic achievement, life satisfaction and flourishing. This book introduces educational models for interacting with students to instill a positive future orientation among the next generations.

It also includes stories and perspectives on changing the educational discourse from being deficit oriented to being hopeful and action-oriented. It fills a gap in the existing literature on promising practices in Muslim societies and communities.

A photo of Ilham Nasser next to text that says "Education transformation in Muslim Societies: A discourse of Hope, Edited by Ilham Nasser."

Expanding the discourse of hope

Hope is not about an ideal concept or perfection; rather, it encompasses the dreams, visions, wishes and values of people (Kaethe Weingarten writes more about this). In other words, hope is grounded and real, and it focuses on what is possible.

It also has deep cultural connotations and can be a catalyst for bringing people together. In Muslim societies, this approach to instilling hope is grounded in Islamic teaching and verses, but it also has a basis in the cultural contexts and traditions of many Muslim majority societies.

Though progress has been made in many Muslim societies on early education and girls’ enrollment in school, it is not well documented. Investment in Muslim countries can be motivated by negative and sometimes stereotypical views of these societies.

By examining effective educational initiatives and analyzing them, educators and policymakers can create a catalyst for educational reform and transformation and highlight asset- and strength-based educational approaches.   

Contributors to “Education Transformation in Muslim Societies” reveal how critical the whole-person approach is for enriching the brain and the spirit. They identify indicators and conditions needed to implement successful educational interventions and document those as they are expressed in curriculum, pedagogy, policy and educational settings.

The book brings the voices of educators and teacher educators from multiple countries and communities to the forefront, such as Egypt, Palestine, Turkey, Malaysia, Switzerland, South Africa and the United States.

These contributors are not naïve enough to think that hope is the only path to reform education and transform societies. Instead, they examine hope as part of an integrated system, considering diverse approaches and research findings to highlight what is hopeful in Muslim societies.

As we rebuild from the pandemic and face modern challenges, it is more important than ever to have these discussions on ways we can manage, coordinate and further hope to foster well-being for Muslim youth and society.

To learn more, check out Education Transformation in Muslim Societies: A Discourse of Hope.

Supporting distributed leadership in Somalia’s education sector

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Posted January 24, 2023 .
By Nadya Karim-Shaw .
3 min read.

Conflict, environmental disasters and displacement make it difficult to provide quality education to Somalia’s children and youth. Instability derails access to school, training educators and getting materials to students. It also destroys a community’s sense of trust and wellbeing, which are critical to building resilience and learning.

Officials across Somalia’s Ministry of Education, Culture, and Higher Education are working to improve basic education services for the country’s three million out-of-school children. One of the Ministry’s flexible, age-appropriate education solutions is Bar Ama Baro (“Teach or Learn”) — an accelerated education program funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development.

The program teaches children ages 9 to 16 the skills needed to reintegrate into different stages of the formal school system or achieve Grade 8 equivalency certification. In partnership with USAID, the Ministry formulated new policies, created a streamlined curriculum, and developed a set of teacher guides and student textbooks. Over-age Somali students can now complete an eight-year primary education cycle in four years.

“This collaboration allowed for diverse perspectives and expertise to be brought together to create a well-rounded and effective curriculum [that was] led, developed and owned by Somalis,” says Mohamed Hassan Mukhtar, the Ministry’s Director of Curriculum.

Supporting the national education vision — States and Districts

Scaling the Ministry’s vision for rigorous, inclusive, student-centered accelerated education required extending the spirit of teamwork beyond the federal level to include member states and districts.

“From inception to implementation, state-level Ministries of Education officials played a critical role in the operationalization of the accelerated education program, including the validation of the Accelerated Basic Education Policy and curriculum, as well as mapping resources such as identifying available learning spaces, teachers, and students,” says Fadal Abdullahi Mursal, the Director General for the Southwest State Ministry of Education.

One effective solution was repurposing existing infrastructure and human resources. Today, across all states, accelerated classes are hosted at formal schools, supervised by the same school management committees, and taught by the same schoolteachers as a second shift. Districts have been able to rapidly provide educational access to over 100,000 out-of-school students.

“Incorporating the accelerated basic education program into the overall education system will have a great impact on improving access and outcomes,” says Abdiaziz Nur, the Ministry’s Director of Non-Formal Education.

Another impactful solution proposed by the states was expanding the roles and responsibilities of education officers. The officers previously only monitored formal schools, but now supervise accelerated basic education classes as well.

Since taking on greater ownership, the officers work in tandem with school leadership to conduct door-to-door awareness-raising campaigns and have reduced school dropouts and the number of out-of-school children in their districts.

Communities’ vital role in education

“Engaging with the community members — including elders, women, and youth groups — helped build trust and collaboration, which increased enrollment and retention of students,” says Nur Abukar Nur, a District Education Officer in Barawe.

Communities play a vibrant role in sustaining education. They have raised awareness about the accelerated basic education program and the benefits it offers, encouraging more parents to enroll their children.

From setting the course at the federal level to operationalizing the program through state ministries and bringing communities together, USAID celebrates the Somali Government’s commitment to strengthening systems that are helping ensure education for all Somali children.

With reporting by Alinor Osman and Ashley Williams

Sewing a path to resilience in Mali

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Posted January 23, 2023 .
3 min read.

Balkissa is not only a model of success but an inspiration to those around her

At age 16, Balkissa Idrissa left school to get married and join her new husband in Bentia village, near Mali’s border with Niger. Soon after the wedding in 2011, her community and others in the area were beset by a conflict that officially ended with the signing of the 2015 Algiers Peace Accord.

Balkissa proudly showing a dress made in her tailoring shop.

Nonetheless, ongoing conflict is common and communities often fall prey to occupation by violent extremist organizations.

Balkissa tried to pursue work outside of her home, but this proved difficult and dangerous. The group that controlled the area prohibited women from outside employment, particularly in agriculture and trade. As she turned 26, she was already a mother to three children and needed safe work that would earn enough to contribute meaningfully to her growing family’s household expenses.

Following a futile search for employment, she heard about the Groupe de Réflexion pour les Initiatives de Développement (GRIDEV)—a community-based organization conducting training for young women like her. GRIDEV received a grant from USAID Peacebuilding, Stabilization and Reconciliation program to work in Balkissa’s community advancing local solutions to the on-going conflict through livelihood and leadership training with youth.

With the grant, GRIDEV conducted a four-day training on tailoring for young women and, at the end, attendees received starter kits that each included a sewing machine, fabric and basic tools of the trade. With her starter kit in hand, Balkissa launched her tailoring business.

Family members were her first customers and she methodically set competitive prices and delivered quality goods. Through hard work and determination, she earned the approval of neighbors who praised her skills and spread the word. Soon, her customer list expanded and so did her profits, averaging $75 a month, enough to modestly expand the business while covering a meaningful portion of her family’s budget.

Balkissa is an inspiration to others and shares her skills with local youth whose school closed due to threats of violence.

“Despite a rough start to my life, I have been successful,” Balkissa says. “Now, with the closure of the Bentia school, I have welcomed three additional girls and a boy, ages 15 and 16, into my workshop to learn the ropes of this job. These days, I am looking for additional support to expand the business and enhance the workshop’s capacity.”

To strengthen the capacity of youth as leaders and agents of change in their communities, and to develop their resilience in the face of violent extremism, Peacebuilding, Stabilization and Reconciliation program has delivered entrepreneurship and skills-based trainings to more than 1,400 people. Among these were 714 people reached by grants to eight local civil society organizations like GRIDEV in the regions of Segou, Mopti, Gao and Menaka. 

Mariama, a female community leader in Bentia, praises the seamstresses’ dedication and quality.

“Balkissa’s tailoring workshop is beneficial to the community and she is a great role model for youth who are looking for funding opportunities to carry out similar activities. This kind of support is necessary and will help to reduce the risk of the youth being recruited and joining armed groups.”

Creative Attends U.S. – Africa Business Forum

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Posted December 16, 2022 .
2 min read.

On Wednesday, December 15, President Joseph Biden, along with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Corporate Council on Africa, hosted the U.S. – Africa Business Forum in Washington, D.C.

The summit brought together over 50 African Heads of State and senior U.S. senior officials including The President, Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, U.S. Trade Representative, Katherine Tai, Secretary of Commerce, Gina M. Raimondo, and Members of Congress.  

Creative Associates International was honored by being one of the few USAID development implementing partners invited by The White House to attend, represented by President and CEO, Leland Kruvant and Dr. Jim Winkler, Vice President, Economic Growth Division. Other organizations included Anglo America, GE, IBM, VISA and the Rockefeller Foundation as well as numerous distinguished African  business leaders and entrepreneurs.

The forum agenda focused on issues of critical importance to Africa’s future development. These included panel discussions on The Future of U.S. – Africa Trade and Investment Relations, Partnerships to Finance African Infrastructure and Energy Transition, Growing Agribusiness and Strengthening Food Security and Advancing Digital Technology.

“For over three decades Creative has partnered with African governments, organizations, and communities to expand economic opportunity, strengthen educational systems, and build country resilience. It was inspiring to see first-hand the depth and breadth of America’s partnership with the continent.” said Kruvant.

During the forum, Leland thanked Representative Gregory Meeks, Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, for his exceptional support for development assistance funding. In a conversation with Her Excellency Samia Suluhu Hassan, President of Tanzania, Leland spoke about the legacy of the TZ21 education program implemented by Creative to strengthen the teaching-learning process in early grade reading, mathematics, and science supporting over 200,000 students.

Jim used the opportunity to speak with many business leaders and officials about the unique blended finance framework of the Trade Hub and what is being accomplished through its 91 partnerships in West Africa in improving trade relations.

In closing remarks, President Biden spoke eloquently about the bright future of U.S. – Africa Trade Relations, including the establishment of the U.S. – Africa Continental Free Trade Area with a continent-wide market of $3.4 trillion.  “Together, we want to build a future of opportunity where no one — no one is left behind,” stated The President.

Remarks by President Biden at the U.S. – Africa Business Forum

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The U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit & voices from the continent

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Posted December 9, 2022 .
6 min read.

Economic growth, peace, youth and climate change are among the eight topics to be addressed during the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. In anticipation of the Summit (Dec. 13 to 15, 2022) in Washington, D.C., Creative gathered comments from its implementing partners, grantees and others in Africa about a few of these issues. The answers have been edited for length and clarity. They do not reflect the opinions of Creative or its clients.  

What investments can U.S. and African leaders make to increase or enhance the contribution of youth to peace, security and good governance? 

Kassim Fomba, Director of Think Peace in Mali, whose organization is a partner and consortium member of the of the USAID-funded Peacebuilding, Stabilization and Reconciliation program. Think Peace is a Malian organization that focuses on peace, security, reconciliation, governance and the fight against violent extremism at the local, regional and national levels. It specifically works to improve peace and governance in Mali through youth engagement. 

Answer: Mali, like several countries in the Sahel, faces multiple crises. We need to ensure collaboration that will contribute to the strengthening of institutions for better governance. Diplomacy must be part of promoting the free movement of people and goods and the creation of conditions conducive to Africa’s successful participation in the global market. There are a few investments that U.S. and African leaders should make that would enhance youth engagement: 

Increase youth inclusion in decision-making bodies with the goal of increased participation in development activities. In communities, youth are excluded from the management and benefits of public resources. This leads to a rural exodus, a loss of labor, banditry and more. 

Support African governments’ efforts to strengthen and enforce legal frameworks governing the exploitation of natural resources. In Mali, populations residing in the geographical areas of these natural resource sites often benefit least. On the contrary, they suffer consequences including armed insurgency, rural exodus and poverty. 

Develop vocational training and business creation strategies that facilitate young entrepreneurs’ access to financing. Youth who are seeking funds for their startups cannot access traditional banking services.  

Finally, create jobs through the industrialization of African countries, including the establishment of raw materials processing units.  

Why is it important to work with women in peace and security? 

Rakiatou Tchassama Salifou, President, Centre de Recherche et d’Appui pour le Développement Local (CRADEL), Benin 

Answer: In Benin and many parts of West Africa, our mothers would put three stones together, place a pot on these stones and cook. With only two stones, the pot would be unstable, and all the food would eventually spill over. In building peace and social cohesion, women represent the third stone – often overlooked but essential to the stability of their community. 

In our context in the north and especially along the border, women are the first to notice strange behavior and the presence of unknown faces; they pick up and share a lot of information while trading and going about their daily activities. This information may not seem relevant at first but may be of significance to the security forces and community leaders. 

That’s why in our engagements with women, we train them about early warning and reporting; we encourage them to speak up and explain to them that they are the ‘third stone’ of their community and should therefore be ambassadors for peace – and it’s working! 

Africa has its share of conflict, including violent extremists and farmer-herder conflicts. As a peacebuilder, what is peace? 

Father Thaddeus, Executive Chair, Northern Peace Council, Tamale, Ghana, whose organization is a grantee of the USAID/OTI-supported Littorals Regional Initiative. 

Answer: I always say that peace is when people are living nonviolently and with respectful attention to the legitimate needs of others or one another. My major measure of peace is nonviolent relationships. And that is why I’m very disheartened to say that we are still not there. Because if you look at nonviolence, it’s not just about physical. You can suppress physical violence, but psychological violence is very pervasive. How can we minimize this?  

Frequently in my interventions, I’m trying to help people to relate with each other with great attention to the fact that in our relationships we are not violating each other either physically, psychologically, culturally or even structurally. So my answer if you ask the question “what will be my measure of future for peace” is when I see our communities living together, cohesively, nonviolently, with respect to one another and respecting our differences. For me that is my measure for peace. But some people will tell me it’s very difficult to measure that.

How does working in a conflict area affect your operations, and how have you navigated through this challenge?

Mira Mehta, Founder & CEO, Tomato Jos in Nigeria, whose company is a grantee of the USAID-funded West Africa Trade & Investment Hub.  

Answer: The security situation within Nigeria in general, and Kaduna State specifically, has deteriorated significantly since 2019. Kidnappings for ransom have been on the rise, and large groups of bandits have taken control of many rural areas, including forests in and around the Kangimi Dam where Tomato Jos and its partner farmers are located. Tomato Jos has had to increase its security significantly. Secondly, we have restricted our operations to our allocated land which enjoys this security. With the help of all our security, we ensure that no farmer stays on the farm beyond 5:30 p.m. 

Last and most importantly, community engagement. Our smallholder program engages more than 1,000 farmers who usually have more than seven other persons working for them each. The tomato factory and other operations also employ more than 4,000 people from the surrounding communities. And many other small businesses have opened up as a result of this project. These opportunities have engaged the vast majority of people in the community and we believe these have significant impacts on the security we enjoy. Since the whole Tomato Jos farm is cultivated by smallholder farmers, the whole surrounding communities are stakeholders in the project and have therefore shown commitment to ensuring the farm is secured. By engaging the community and making them have a stake in this project, community members are our very first layer of security. 

How does your business model incorporate climate-smart mitigation and adaptation strategies to improve productivity and performance? 

Christopher Zaw, CEO & Partner, Warc Ghana, whose organization is a grantee of the USAID West Africa Trade & Investment Hub. 

Answer: Warc’s mission has two pillars: Getting subsistence farmers out of poverty; and helping them become climate heroes. Given that Warc’s farmers are based in the Upper West of Ghana in the Sahel region, where climate change can critically impact farmers’ production, we are key supporters of ensuring agriculture becomes climate smart, as fast as possible. 

Warc is a major promoter of no-till agriculture and regenerative agricultural practices. Since our inception, we have been converting farming land in West Africa from traditional and conventional agriculture to low- and no-till practices. Our focus has always been on soil management and protecting humanity’s greatest resource – its soil.  

We also encourage farmers to engage in crop rotation – a key element of fighting disease and pests, as well as conserving natural biodiversity of soils. We promote maize and soybean crop rotation for farmers, to allow soybean, a legume that fixes nitrogen in the soil, allowing the following maize crop to benefit and reducing farmers’ reliance on additional chemical fertilizers.  

The benefits for this change occur over time. Ultimately, we’re referring to an entirely new system of agriculture.  

How does your business model incorporate climate-smart mitigation and adaptation strategies to improve productivity and performance? 

Sjoerd Melsert, Senior Investment Manager, Cordaid Investment Management B.V., which partners with the USAID West Africa Trade & Investment Hub. 

Answer: Cordaid Investment Management invests in fragile states like Mali and Burkina Faso, where armed groups threaten peace and security in the region and draw in local youth. With the devastating numbers of youth unemployment, many see no alternative. We want to give that chance to vulnerable populations. With USAID’s support, we invest in small- and medium-sized enterprises that create jobs and economic opportunities for women and youth. 

For instance, one of our investees in Mali Access SA, a mini-grid developer, is providing clean energy access to rural areas that in many cases have only 2 percent electrification rate. We helped finance the project that supported 745 microentrepreneurs and created 240 direct jobs during construction. The company hires and trains young engineers, many of whom are women. Moreover, solar power enabled rural communities to engage in small businesses, like becoming a tailor or opening a small café. Investments like this create an impact on many levels that, in turn, support peace, security and good governance in the Sahel.

Trade Hub grant takes aim at plastic pollution

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Posted December 9, 2022 .
3 min read. 
USAID co-investment grant to Coliba SARL will help reduce plastic pollution, create jobs in Abidjan

Reducing plastic pollution, recycling plastic waste for industrial use, and creating hundreds of jobs in Côte d’Ivoire are the goals of a USAID-funded grant from the West Africa Trade & Investment Hub (Trade Hub) to COLIBA Africa a company with a unique business model to help clean the environment.

Pollution from disposable plastic bottles, packaging, and utensils is a global problem, and West Africa is no exception. Côte d’Ivoire’s business hub of Abidjan, with more than five million people, produces 290 tons of plastic waste daily, most of which is not disposed of properly nor recycled. Côte d’Ivoire only recycles about three percent of the plastic it uses.

Coliba Africa, established in 2017, views this problem as an opportunity to create jobs for people living in disadvantaged communities while improving the environment. The company has developed a mobile app that connects households and small businesses with informal waste collectors. In exchange for plastic waste, households receive points that can be converted into payment for basic foods, while the collectors earn a wage.

“The Trade Hub’s co-investment grant will help us fulfill our commitment to providing jobs in Côte d’Ivoire, improving the environment, and raising awareness of the dangers of plastic pollution in West Africa,” said Genesis EHIMEGBE Co-founder & CEO of Coliba Africa.

The Trade Hub grant with a loan from the Alliance to End Plastic Waste, and other stakeholders will fund a project to train 6,000 informal waste collectors, set up modern waste collection and recycling facilities with a capacity of 14,000 tons per year. The Alliance also provided the technical expertise needed to help the project develop a holistic waste management ecosystem.

The Trade Hub co-investment grant will enable Coliba to integrate these informal waste collectors into its value chain, and it will be the first step that Côte d’Ivoire will take in training its collectors and help them build a better business.

COLIBA Africa is working with municipalities to install 65 waste collection centers (kiosks) where collectors can sell their plastic waste. In addition, Coliba has already installed +100 plastic waste collection boxes at gas stations, supermarkets, schools, and companies in Abidjan where residents can drop off their plastic waste to be recycled. The company plans to increase their kiosks to reach 500 boxes by 2025. The company expects to collect up to 2,383 tons of plastic waste per year on average during the 28-month project.  

The project also includes the construction of a new recycling facility to be fully operational by December 2022. With a processing capacity of 14,000 tons of plastic waste per year, the plant’s machinery will convert the plastic waste into high-quality food-grade flakes in accordance with international standards for plastic recycling. The flakes will be exported to markets in the European Union. The project will create 250 direct full-time jobs; 70 percent of them to be occupied by women.

With Trade Hub’s support, Coliba will be able to pay staff salaries and training costs and explore more business development outside Abidjan.

“It’s gratifying to help fund a project that not only creates good jobs, especially for women, but also addresses a critical social need, in this case helping to eliminate toxic plastic waste from the environment and turning it into a marketable product,” said Robin Wheeler, Chief of Party for the Trade Hub. “It’s an ingenious solution to a growing global problem.”

Poised for growth, Coliba Africa is investing heavily in waste collection infrastructure, with plans to expand its operations to other West African countries like Senegal or Nigeria.

The Trade Hub partnership with Coliba Africa marks its second in the waste management sector. In September 2021, the Trade Hub awarded a grant of almost $1 million to Delta SA in Senegal to improve existing sanitation facilities and increase access to improved sanitation services in the country.