Save the Children Malawi Localization Project Final Assessment Report

SCI is supporting the implementation of the Localization project with the aim of strengthening institutional capacity in prevention and management of emergencies. The Project is targeting Local Authorities and Civil Society organizations (LACS) in Neno and Zomba districts out of which two local partners were identified, Beyond Our Hearts Foundation (BOHF) in Neno and Youth for Development and Productivity (YODEP) in Zomba.

The project contributes to the localization agenda in Malawi by supporting capacity strengthening, networking, access to funding and institutional sustainability of promising local authorities and civil society that are currently involved in emergency preparedness and humanitarian response.

Save the children conducted a final assessment to show progress on project objectives and draw some lessons to inform future programming. The following were key focus areas of the assessment: Capacity building, Finance management, Community involvement, Coordination with other stakeholders, Resource mobilization, Communication, Documentation of interventions, best practices and approaches and Identification of challenges.

Some key findings include:
-The Inventory Management System training helped the LACs during the Cyclone Freddy response in beneficiary identification, registration, verification, stocking of relief items in following procurement procedures, handling and record keeping for distributed items.

-LACS used the knowledge gained from NBD and resource mobilization trainings in writing winning proposals, networking and donor engagement.

-LACs and community structures (ACPCc, VCPCs) trained in the establishment of Early Warning Systems (EWS) use local and scientific systems to prepare for disasters.

-Community structures ably conduct community awareness campaigns on disaster preparedness leading to early action by communities.