Academy for Educational Development

Community Action Investment Program (CAIP)





















In June of 2002, AED was awarded a sub-agreement from ACDI/VOCA for a three-year, USAID-funded Community Action Investment Project (CAIP). This new activity, part of USAID's Central Asian Republics portfolio, was to help prevent conflict and promote broad-based citizen dialogue and participation in communities of southern Kazakhstan and western Kyrgyzstan (Ferghana Valley Region), where the majority of citizens are poor and the preconditions for violent conflict are present. The program sought to integrate community members, rural and urban, for broad developmental and political benefits through collaborative participation in community activities.











CAIP aimed to generate benefits for a broad spectrum of community members (especially the youth) in the form of jobs and the achievement of minimum requirements for a decent standard of life, including safe drinking water, sanitation, health, education, and other social services. Joint decision-making by all segments of the community is more likely to produce decisions that will be supported widely by the community. In the process of joint activity, training and strengthening of local networks and enhancement of community systems and processes, civic organizations can be transformed and made more efficient, effective, and sustainable.











During July and August 2002 AED successfully recruited and hired two, field-based, local employees to serve as Public Education Specialists in Osh, Kyrgyzstan and in Shymkent, Kazakhstan. These specialists worked to build public awareness of CAIP activities and develop information networks, with the broad goal of developing a sustainable community participation and information campaign.











Also during this period, Dee Bennett, a social marketing specialist with AED, traveled to Osh to participate in the CAIP staff orientation, and she also designed and delivered training for CAIP staff on public education and coalition building. She also worked with local staff to design the start up and short- and long-term activities for public education. Ms. Bennett also met in Bishkek with several consulting and research firms to discuss capabilities, costs, and timelines to design and complete the research activities important to CAIP's public education components. AED also hired a field-based local employee to serve as a Youth/Workforce Development Specialist to be based in Osh. This specialist designed and implemented a strategy to introduce market-driven workforce skills training into CAIP activities. This ensured further development of human resources capacity at the local level, enhanced the sustainability of local NGOs, and engaged and helped develop the confidence and employability of the regions' youth.











After completion of the Project, an association, Bereke, was established as a successor to the Community Action Investment Program to continue addressing the highest priorities of communities in the areas of civil society development, essential infrastructure, social services and employment needs in order to ease ethnic tensions and prevent conflict in Southern Kazakhstan. Bereke works with community-partners that are conflict-prone due to ethnic tensions resulting from a perceived lack of equal access to municipal financial resources and a high rate of unemployment, especially among university graduates.











AED Program Highlights (submission for July-August, 2004)











Community Action Investment Program (CAIP)











CAIP is part of USAID's Central Asian Republics portfolio, aimed at assisting with conflict prevention and promotion of broad-based citizen dialogue and participation in communities of southern Kazakhstan and south western Kyrgyzstan (Ferghana Valley Region) where the majority of citizens are poor and the reconditions for violent conflict are present. AED is a subcontractor to ACDI/VOCA and a partner with the Urban Institute for this project. AED provides technical assistance in the areas of public education and youth development and is represented by four locally hired field staff, two based in Shymkent, Kazakhstan and two in Osh, Kyrgyzstan.











This past July, AED staff on the ground assisted in the design, development and management of two summer camps for CAIP. The camps were jointly funded by USAID/Central Asia, the AED/START project in Central Asia, and CAIP project funds. Future leaders from 15 of CAIP*s partner communities in Kazakhstan and from 26 partner communities in Kyrgyzstan participated in one of two 12-day camp sessions in Arslanbob, Kyrgyzstan between July 16 and August 13. The youth, all between the ages of 15-17, were chosen based on their demonstrated leadership abilities, experience in community activism, and willingness to conduct trainings based on their camp experiences within their own communities during the upcoming school year. In addition, each camper submitted an essay entitled *My Community and Me,* describing the ways in which s/he envisions the role of the younger generation in community activism and civic participation.











During each two-week camp, the 97 campers participated in interactive workshops, lectures, and discussions designed to further their understanding of democracy, human rights, leadership, and healthy lifestyles. Local and international trainers representing the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES), Project Hope, Young Lawyers of the South, the Sports and Health Education Program (SHEP) and Population Services International (PSI) worked with counselors, including alumni from 2003*s CAIP summer camps, to facilitate dialogue on issues ranging from HIV/AIDS and ethnic tolerance, to street gang violence and conflict resolution.











Commenting on the successful completion of the Democracy and Healthy Lifestyles Summer Camp, Kizyl Kiya camper and youth activist Nazgulya Taalaybek noted that *The themes from camp are very important, especially because they are not discussed in school. We need to share our knowledge, experience, and skills with other kids so that important dialogues happen more often*.











Due to high unemployment rates, few economic opportunities, and a lack of drug and HIV/AIDS awareness, youth are extremely vulnerable in unstable communities. By providing training that will enable youth to obtain needed knowledge and skills, the Democracy and Healthy Lifestyles Summer Camp reflects CAIP*s on-going commitment to youth in partner communities.











CAIP KYRGYZSTAN SUCCESS STORY











March 2005 Youth Organizations Unite to Create an Association













On January 20th, 16 representatives from youth organizations from Kyzyl Kiya, Jalalabat, and Osh cities unanimously adopted by-laws uniting them in the Network of Youth Organizations of Kyrgyzstan (NYOK). At this general meeting, facilitated by USAID-funded Community Action Investment Program (CAIP), active youth from the three local chapters also elected the Board of Directors, Head of Board of Directors, and Executive Director and appointed three Regional Coordinators.











The Network is a direct outcome of the Academy for Educational Development (AED) Consultant Paul Watson''s work with youth in May and October 2004. During his consultancy, Paul met with representatives from a variety of local non-governmental organizations focused on youth programming. Some of these organizations, like Golden Goal, directly address youth concerns. Others, such as Young Lawyers of the South, have been established by youth interested in tackling larger societal problems. Representatives from all of the organizations, however, indicated that they could better further their individual goals through the support inherent in an association.












Following Paul's consultancy, meetings were conducted in Kyzyl Kiya, Jalalabat, and Osh cities to assess interest in and support for a network of youth NGOs. Youth then met in their local chapters in preparation for a General Assembly held in December. At this two-day meeting, participants discussed and reached consensus on issues related to the future structure of the association, including membership, leadership, internal communications, public relations, finances, and sustainability.











Based on the outcomes of the December meeting, representatives from the Osh chapter drafted and distributed by-laws, which were then discussed in each city. Suggestions for amendments were then sent electronically to other chapters. This feedback was incorporated, and the by-laws were approved at the January 2005 meeting.












After much debate and prolonged discussion, participants also created - and approved - a mission statement for the NYOK: "Support for youth initiative by uniting the strengths and opportunities of organizations, informal groups, and youth committees for the solution of contemporary problems." This support will take the form of inter-network consultancies, technical assistance, and trainings, as well as the opportunity to work with others towards the realization of shared goals and addressing common concerns.











Next steps for each chapter now include drafting a strategic plan, creating a budget, and conducting community outreach activities to encourage other interested organizations to join the network. Further, in March, representatives from each city will work with Corrinn WIlliams, an ACDI/VOCA CAIP Volunteer Consultant, to develop a public awareness campaign focusing on issues of concern.











CAIP is a USAID-funded project that brings citizens together to identify and solve social and economic problems through community-designed projects in vulnerable or conflict prone regions. In Kyrgyzstan, operating under the local name "Kosh Araket", (joint efforts in Kyrgyz), CAIP has established partnerships with 30 communities in the Osh, Jalalabat and Batken Oblasts. As of March 1, 2005, CAIP Kyrgyzstan has contributed $1,375,000 towards community-driven projects, directly benefiting over 325,770 people.