Overview : Under its new Country Programme Document 2013-2015, UNDP’s livelihood support is programmed to address social cohesion issues in Myanmar, and is targeted across 311 villages across 07 ceasefire and high-poverty states. To-date livelihood assistance has largely been needs-based, and comprising of capital assistance, training and infrastructure. UNDP wishes to add-value to the work it has started in its target locations by strengthening the twin elements of technological innovations and entrepreneurship.
In May 2014, UNDP undertook a scoping mission on introducing affordable technologies to vulnerable communities. This mission undertook consultations with government institutions at the local level and non-governmental organizations (I/NGOs); and conducted technology fairs that showcased a sample of products (in Mon and Kayin states). These consultations and technology fairs were well-received and demonstrated interest in the ideas and demand for products, and relative purchasing power for affordable products.
Based on findings from the scoping mission, UNDP wishes to implement a 15-month pilot project on AFFORDABLE TECHNOLOGY INNOVATIONS FOR RURAL COMMUNITIES.
The objectives of this pilot phase are:
- To increase market access to affordable technologies to poor and vulnerable communities;
- To increase income-generation and enterprise-development opportunities, especially of women and youth in target locations;
- To use the intervention as a further strategy for strengthening social cohesion among target communities;
- To test model for scale-up across all target locations.
The key principles of this pilot phase are:
- Strengthening social cohesion: Social cohesion will be an underlying thread across the intervention which will aim to a) reduce socio-economic disparities and improve socio-economic opportunities for vulnerable persons and communities; and b) improve intra and inter-community networks, interactions, trust and unity. At the local level, village-based CBOs will play a lead role in planning, mobilization and monitoring activities. In some locations they will be complemented by federated women’s groups, who will support mobilization and the identification of women entrepreneurs. The technologies themselves will help improve livelihood and income-generation opportunities directly (of local entrepreneurs) and indirectly (of end-user communities). The action will especially benefit women, directly (local women entrepreneurs) and indirectly by reducing women’s socio-economic burdens for example around firewood collection and cooking and improving women’s security, for example through improved lighting. The intervention will help reduce local/community conflicts around natural and energy resources, for example, in some communities where there are localized conflicts around firewood shortages.
- Adopting market-based approaches: the intervention will help to connect demand and supply that will be sustainable beyond this intervention and contribute to developing local entrepreneurship capacities.
- Benefitting livelihood development and income-generation: the intervention will provide direct income generating or employment opportunities for local distributors and help individuals and communities to increase productivity and reduce overhead costs.
- Building on past work: As part of its larger livelihood and social cohesion portfolio, UNDP has established relationships with communities in the target locations and with government institutions and I/NGOs at the local level; provided a package of social protection (food-banks), capital grants for agriculture, fisheries, livestock and SME; provided community extension training for agriculture and livestock services; constructed small livelihood and community infrastructure; facilitated interaction, exposure and dialogue activities; strengthened the capacity of community governance mechanisms; and provided livelihood and vocational training. The intervention will build on this work. The network of village-based CBOs are well-placed to lead community mobilization, planning and monitoring activities.
While the feasibility mission showcased a number of innovative technology products, during the pilot UNDP wishes to work with 3 products only.
1) Fuel-efficient cook-stoves
2) Portable Solar lights (d. light S20)
3) Solar light/charger (brightbox)
These technologies demonstrated the highest need/demand during the feasibility mission. They are also likely to contribute to the most direct improvements to socio-economic development and livelihoods. The solar lights and chargers are also likely to have the highest value for the community as a whole (for example, useful for community buildings etc).
UNDP wishes to identify an Implementing Partner (IP) (non-governmental organization) to undertake the scope of work for the pilot project. |