I CAN SOUTH SUDAN

Annual Report 2020

About I CAN
I CAN is a Community-Based Organization (CBO) registered in Yumbe District and working in the Child Protection Sector under OPM Bidibidi that aims to engage unaccompanied refugee children in social and musical activities to heal them of trauma.
I CAN was created in October 2017. I CAN South Sudan use musical coaching with an emphasis on group work to build the children’s’ confidence and to create friendships across the tribal divide that led to the South Sudanese civil war. Storytelling and song are important elements in South Sudanese culture, so the musical program focuses on the preservation of traditional stories, songs, and musical traditions. This provides the children with a link to their own culture, and preserves a sense of normality: South Sudanese evenings often involve children learning songs and stories. By teaching across the usual boundaries of tribal culture, the aim is to support peace-building efforts, fostering understanding and empathy across a cultural divide

• Vision

A better everyday life for a child.

• Mission

To work towards improving the wellbeing, protection, survival and development of a child. To inculcate a sense of meaning, purpose and hope in the lives of all children.

• VALUES

I CAN SOUTH SUDAN works in partnership with other communities to achieve a healthy, accommodative and protective society for children.  We place child rights at the center of our development work and believe that through a strong child, communities can promote the economic wellbeing of its people and live in peace.  I CAN SOUTH SUDAN is committed to the following 7 key values in its work and organizational life.  These values serve as our working norms and establish the behavioral guidelines for successful organizational performance.

• Excellence in Performance:  I CAN SOUTH SUDAN works to ensure that its programs are of high quality, results-oriented, development effectiveness while ensuring gender equality.
• Partnership:  I CAN SOUTH SUDAN works respectfully in collaboration with African governments, communities, the private sector and donors, bringing together the unique resources of all to achieve common objectives.  I CAN SOUTH SUDAN enjoys unique access to decision-makers given our long experience and track record of development effectiveness.
• Teamwork:  I CAN SOUTH SUDAN board and staff work on the basis of mutual respect and accountability, dialogue and collaboration.  In our work we seek to understand the views and ideas of others, as well as to recognize the positive contributions of each person, so as to build strong relationships within and beyond I CAN SOUTH SUDAN.
• Integrity: I CAN SOUTH SUDAN consistently works in a spirit of mutual trust, honesty, transparency and accountability.
• Open communications:  I CAN SOUTH SUDAN is committed to sharing information in a respectful and collegial manner.  The timely and regular exchange of quality information – between all stakeholders provides the basis for informed, consultative decision-making in our operations.
• Fear of God. I CAN SOUTH SUDAN seeks to be a God fearing and respecting organization.
• Diversity:  I CAN SOUTH SUDAN seeks to have a workforce that reflects inclusiveness and is diverse by tribe, race, gender, religion and geography.

Motto: Yes we can!

Thematic Area for 2020
1. Livelihood
2. Peace Building
3. Advocacy
4. Child Protection
5. Health

Donors
1. Misereor Germany
2. Oxfam IBIS
3. Oxfam Novib
4. Oxfam America
5. #IMatter Campaign
6. Jesus International Evangelical Ministry
7. Planting Seeds of Love

Current Funding Sources

The table below indicates the current sources of funding for I CAN South Sudan’s 3-year strategic plan that runs from 2020 to 2023. It also exhibits details of funds received annually from different resource partners from 2018-2020 i.e. financial, human, and physical resources.. While $6,000 and $12,500 were realized in 2018 and 2019 respectively, I CAN South Sudan has received $31,700 in 2020 making it the highest amount of funds realized in the past 4 years from various sources, including Misereor, Oxfam, #IMatter, Kids Rights, Jesus International Ministry and individuals. Additionally, in kind contributions in form of capacity strengthening, furniture and stationary were also received..

Financial Gap Assessment
The outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the already dire situation of refugees particularly in Bidibidi zone 1 Refugee Settlement in Yumbe district, Uganda leading to increase in gender based violence cases, crime rates, child abuse, early pregnancy/forced marriage, and gender and protection issues. In a bid to provide psychosocial social support, child rights campaign, awareness raising and sensitization, and peace building. The organization
Financial Gap Analysis Matrix

UGANDA HEAD OFFICE BIDIBIDI REFUGEE SETTLEMENT

Livelihood
a) Training women in Business management skills
A funding from Oxfam IBIS was received for Peace Building activities in Zone 1 on 4th August 2020. Our usual peace building activities has been to organize concerts, football games and bringing children together in social activities.
However due to Covid-19 lockdown situation that limited us from our much social activities, we opted to offer training to women in business management so as to help them recover from the effects of Covid-19 and help them put food on table for their children.
The prolonged Covid-19 in Uganda resulted in collapse of lots of small businesses the refugees were surviving on and with the food ration reduced, most families were running out of food for their families and children were starving and hence our target group in this situation were the most vulnerable single mothers and hence through the Refugee Welfare Councils (RWCs) the beneficiaries to this initiative were selected and trained for 3 days which started on 7th September 2020. After the training 500,000 UGX an equivalent of almost $150 to help them develop a business idea and plan so as to start business to sustain their families.
We believe peace is the availability of everything that makes human happy and fulfilled and a peaceful home can translate into a peaceful neighborhood and the community at large. https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1775917255910664/    https://youtu.be/tjCDTF9CVEs 

Goal of the activity
To protect the vulnerable refugee child headed families from Covid-19 infection

Objectives
• By the end of the training, single mothers in Bidibidi will acquire the basic and important knowledge that can help them manage a business
• By the end of training the single mother trained should be able to start up a small business that would continue to run despite the surrounding situations
• The women should be able to come together regardless of tribe and nationalities and work together to achieve
• The homes from which these children comes from would be able to afford descent food for their children

Events
Training of single mothers for a period of 3 days, taking them through what business is, how to identify business ideas, how to manage money, and sustain their business as long as possible to help them.

Achievements
We trained 10 women with 2 from the host community in business management and gave them 500,000 UGX each
Out of the 10 women 7 are still running their projects and it is growing well
This program has been able to bring peace and unity at home says Lona Juan, one of the beneficiaries of this activity https://youtu.be/hGQ6W4td72E (at minute 4:16)


Challenges
• As all refugees are vulnerable many needed the support but we could not give it to all and hence many thought we are ignoring them
• The surrounding difficulties as a result of food reduction by WFP led to many business collapsing because there were situation that the refugees could not resist and hence they used their capital to solve their situation like sickness

Recommendations
Much as the world has an objective of refugee self-reliance, the challenges of food, education and health continue to hinder some ideas of business that would develop the refugees and therefore there is need to restore the food distribution as before and to provide agriculture space for refugees and increase of efforts in health care program so as to help the refugees stand and do things that can lift them up and they become self-reliant.

b) Training women in tailoring
With Funding from #IMatter in a preparation for World Peace Day, we trained 10 refugee women in tailoring skills with 2 of the women from the host community and gave them the sewing machine so that they can start the business of tailoring. The training that only lasted for a month gave only basic knowledge on how to sew clothes and the women were able to sew for themselves
We further inspired these women to form a Women Organization that can advocate for their issues as women and mobilize funds to support women in Bidibidi Zone 1. https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1791675051001551/ 

Goal of the Activity: To give skills to most vulnerable women, empower and inspire them to stand to support themselves and raise their voices

Objectives
• By the end of the training, single mothers in Bidibidi will acquire the basic and important knowledge that can help them start sewing clothes
• By the end of training the single mother trained should be able to start up a small business that would continue to run despite the surrounding situations
• The women should be able to come together regardless of tribe and nationalities to form an organization and work together towards self-reliance
• The homes from which these children comes from would be able to afford descent food for their children

Events
On 3rd September 2020 we started procuring and transferring the necessary items needed for our tailoring training from Kampala to Bidibidi refugee settlement, a journey of about 587.9 kilometers. These items include ten sewing machines, ten scissors, thirteen sets of clothes and art books among other training materials. We also procured fifteen t-shirts for visibility and written on them a very powerful slogan “Stand with Refugee Women and Girls. #She Matter” as a means to advocate for women emancipation and mobile financial support for refugee women in Uganda.
On 6th September however, we embarked on a three weeks intensive tailoring training for ten refugee women including two host community member. Basing on limited time and inadequate budget, we could not prolong the training up to the required duration for a tailoring training which could have been three to six months. The philosophy of including and considering members form the host community in all our activities is for the refugee community and the host community to embrace peaceful coexistence and live in harmony with one another. This is because our refugee community and the host community on several occasions have got misunderstanding because of social and environmental factors such as afforestation, cattle grassing in gardens and intermarriage. But the vast majority of refugee women in Bidibidi in this case depend totally on cutting trees for firewood, charcoal, yet, members from the host community wants to protect the environment. This issue of environmental, deforestation and conservation has sometimes cost lives in other settlements like Rhino Camp, Omogo and Imvepi among others but we have not yet experienced such in Bidibidi due to our approaches in the settlement.

Achievements
We strongly believe that our tailoring training has restored hope and sense of self-reliance among refugee women and host community members in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement. The theme of “Stand with Refugee Women and Girls. #She Matters” has indeed inspired many partners and vast majority of able women from other settlements to join the advocacy for the wellbeing of refugee women and girls and social inclusion in Bidibidi refugee settlement in Uganda. The tailoring training has healed refugee women of their trauma as well as creating job opportunity for the most vulnerable women in the settlement. It has also promoted peaceful coexistence between refugee women and host community. We however foresee that the training in a long-run will help the trainees and their children to improve on their living standards once they establish their own business. But basing on the fact that there was not startup capital given for this women in terms of money, it might be a stumbling block for most of the beneficiaries to startup businesses. We are further appealing for further assistance in terms of startup and extension of the tailoring training for more five month for the women to acquire skills on how to sew other types of designs. Ideally, a successful tailoring training could have be for a grace period of six months but due to limited funding, we were not able to even cover two months. What we did was to give the basic training or what others could term as phase one of tailoring training. Phase two and three is highly needed in order for these women to startup their own business and sustain their families.

Challenges
• Unexpected mechanical problems
• Out of ten, four trainees were slow learners and couldn’t cope up within one month
• Lack of store for keeping the sewing machines throughout the training
• Unfriendly weather conditions such as rainfall and severe sunshine could slow the training
• Language obstacles. The host community members could not understand or speak Arabic or English.

Recommendations
Throughout our tailoring training and engagement with refugee women we realized that majority of single mothers and young ladies in Bidibidi have got a lot of psychological problems. This prompted us to conducted sensitization and psychosocial support for the trainees at the end of every week to help them heal their trauma. However the psychosocial support we rendered during our tailoring training wasn’t enough and did not impact on other women apart from the trainees. This however, calls for more psychosocial support to be rendered to refugee women and girls in Bidibidi.

c) Distribution of Food
With funding from Oxfam IBIS, we distributed rice, sugar, salt, cooking oil and soap to 40 child headed families, an initiative aimed at supplementing the deducted food ration by WFP for refugees in Uganda

Objectives
• To add up what WFP is giving to refugees
• To save vulnerable families against hunger
• To provide better food for the child headed families

Events
Child headed families were identified with the help of the Refugee Welfare Councils (Refugee leaders) and they came to I CAN Children Music Center where they were given food items
Achievements

Challenges
We received multiple request for similar support from vulnerable families and when we assessed their situation, they really needed support. We had to refer some of the cases to other partners and also seek fundraising on our page for quick support towards such situation

Recommendations
We need to have a reserved budget to support most vulnerable children at a time they may approach us for support, now we receive many emergency cases that needs quick support but lack of resources has hindered us to

Peace Building

d) Song on Peace
With funding from Oxfam IBIS on Peace Building initiative, we recorded a peace song aimed at passing message of peace, love and unity to the community at large and to South Sudan. This songs are composed in consultation with I CAN Children opinion. I CAN Children are a recording under I CAN South Sudan https://youtu.be.be/2ymgJOdRkJg 

Objectives
• To pass message of peace, love and unity to both the refugee and host community
• To call for peace among the South Sudanese both in Uganda, South Sudan and all over the world
• To heal the community of trauma

Events
A consultation was done with the children in form of discussion on the topic and words to be put on the song and the song was written and composed. The children underwent weeks of practice on the song after which they traveled to Arua for recording, They were engaged in dance practices for weeks and then a video shooting was done

Achievements

• The song is being played on various media houses in South Sudan with many calls requesting the song all the time
• The song has more views on social media and YouTube with encouraging feedback through comments and likes on our social media pages

Challenges

• Lack of enough capital to take the children for recording in bigger studios in Kampala
• Lack of transport facility to take more children for the recording and hence few children are selected for recording
• Lack of radios in Yumbe where these songs can be promoted

Recommendations
We need a van or mini bus to facilitate our transport with the children whenever and wherever we wish to go so that it promotes our work
Making the process of radio in Yumbe quickly will help the messages to be passed to the wider community and help the community to release their traumatic situation, bring the community view together for peace building

e) Hold webinar
I CAN Women Recovery Program is an economic intervention that aims at empowering and curbing the economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic on single mothers and HIV/AIDs positive mothers in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, Zone 1. It’s also geared towards the promotion of peaceful Coexistence between refugee women and the host community, organizing and establishing an organization responsible for championing issues pertaining refugee women in the settlement. IMatter partners to establish small campaigns to elevate the on-going campaigns in support of the global ceasefire (calling for implementation of the protection, prevention and participation and recovery and relief) in the Women Peace and Security Agenda and especially during COVID-19. https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1793209327514790/ 

Objectives
• To understand the plight of women in Bidibidi and in urban areas
• To understand how women are responding to issues affecting them as result of Covid-19
• For the women to find common solution to their situation

Events
A webinar was organized and advertised for a week on our page, we made invitations to other partners
The Webinar attracted many participants and different partners

Achievements
We had partners who were part of this webinar and this informed them of the real situation in Bidibidi and hence a better policy can be developed towards supporting these women in Bidibidi

Challenges
• Poor network connection in some parts of the settlement to organized webinar and virtual engagements which could have allowed diversity and inclusion of other able women leaders from other parts of the settlement in the meetings.
• Lack of adequate electronic devices to connect many women to the virtual engagements. Unwillingness and fear by some women to express themselves in a meeting. This hindered us from getting the challenges affecting women in Bidibidi.
• Almost 95% of refugee women in Bidibidi do not speak or write English. This affected the participation of many refugee women in the peace building survey that was conducted in preparation for the International Peace Day.
• Trauma has affected our refugee women to the extent that most cannot speak about their challenges without shading tears.
• Lack of budget to facilitate face to face meetings with refugee women.

Recommendations
• Our capacity be built on holding online webinars
• We need more electronic devices that can run the online events


f) Train Children in playing musical instruments
With Funding from Misereor Germany, we had home to home visit with the children to understand their plight, give them musical instruments to play and give awareness on Covid-19 at family level.

Objectives
• To understand the effect of Covid-19 on the Children
• To give awareness on Covid-19
• To use music as a tool to heal the children of trauma
• To fight the child abuse cases and give psychosocial support to families

Events
Information were given to families to be visited. The I CAN Staff could visit 4 families per day and involve them in discussion about the challenges they face, giving both parents and children psychosocial support, give musical instruments to children to play

Achievements
Our intervention relieved so many children of trauma
We discovered more talents in the community that require us to nurture
This made families excited and parents discovered their children potentials

Challenges
• Some families would need material support but we could not do much
• Some families were so traumatized and ignorant of children rights
• Minimum number of musical instruments would not allow us reach out to more

Recommendations
More of such home to home visits is needed in the community as the community does not have a recreation centers where they can get refreshed from their daily situation

g) Built a Children Music Center

With Funds from Misereor Germany, we have built a children Music Center which will be a rehabilitation, peace building and a trauma healing center for all children.

Objectives
• A center for music instrument learning, singing, dancing and all social musical activities
• To be a center for rehabilitation, trauma healing for refugee children
• To be a Center that unit all children regardless of their tribe and nationality
• A center for all forms of art and craft by children

Events
We constructed the Children Music Center and equip it with some musical instruments and art and drawing materials for drawing and learning. The center has digital TV for children to watch what goes on around the world for inspiration. The center is a small office space for I CAN South Sudan too
This Center was opened officially by Uwe Bergmeire the Misereor Representative to South Sudan on 24th November 2020

Achievements
The Center has provided security and space for all the I CAN South Sudan assets and provided space for learning and trauma healing through music

Challenges
• We still lack enough musical instruments to equip the center to the fullest
• The center is small and can’t accommodate a big number at this time of Covid-19
• The Center is used also for office purpose and hence it is making the space so small to accommodate both the training and staff and hence work is interrupted most time when the two programs collide
• Lack of promotion for the music and art work produced by the children
• Lack of cameras and other electronic equipment to give quality coverage of the activities and art work of the children
• Lack of Recording Studio where these children can record their music most time, we travel up to Arua for all our music production projects

Recommendations
• We would like to build the office for I CAN South Sudan to give enough space for the Children Music Center to run
• The Center need more musical instruments like Ukulele. Keyboard. Guitar. Violin and many others for learning purposes
• We need more drawing materials
• We need more promotion for the work of the children
• We need quality video and photo cameras to document the activities of the children
• We need a Recording Studio for the children to minimize the cost of recording and risk of traveling often with the children to Arua

Advocacy
a) Attended conference to advocate for fair share for children
In September our Human Resource Manager and Cofounder Mr. Seme Ludanga Faustino participate in the advocacy webinar to demand for a fair share of funding to all children during the Covid-19 period which brought the Laureates and Leaders for Children Summit around the world with speakers such as Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein and Kerry Kennedy President RFK Human Rights, organized by 100Million Organization https://facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1769193093249747/ 

Objectives
• To raise the voices of refugee children in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement and explain the effect of Covid-19 on their lives
• To advocate for the fair share of donations towards refugee children intervention

Events
A webinar was organized and attended by Mr. Ludanga online on ____ and he advocated for the consideration of all unaccompanied children to be put in one center

Objective
• To advocate for unaccompanied Refugee children
• To call for unaccompanied children to be put in one center where they can be taken care of

Achievements
• It raised the voices and plight of the children to various policy makers
• It strengthened our network with other Child Related Organizations

Challenges
• Poor network and high cost of internet access
• Lack of lights and quality equipment’s to portray good picture when online

Recommendations
• The organization need more Wifi Router for online meetings and conferences
• Buy quality electronic equipment to facilitate virtual meetings

b) Trained women secretaries in Child Rights

With funding from Oxfam IBIS we trained 18 women secretaries in Child Rights, Peace and Reconciliation at Ebenezer Global. https://facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1816706011831788/

Objectives
• To help the women understand the child Rights content so that they can fight child abuse cases in the community
• To reduce on the child marriage and early pregnancy cases in the community
• To build peace at family level

Events
A two days training was facilitated by Refugee Law Project and World Vision to that took refugee women through the child right abuse case and how to handle them in the community

Achievements
• This helped the women leaders to understand the child abuse cases in the community, putting them in position to report and fight against it
• The women leaders understood the law and penalties in regards to violation of Child Rights

Challenges
The lack of support towards the local justice system makes it difficult to keep the trained women in action as they do this voluntarily
Recommendations
There is need to support and empower the local justice system to be able to handle cases of child rights abuses in the settlement

c) Recorded a song on Child Rights
With funding by Kids Rights International to Angelina Daniel, a Change maker under I CAN South Sudan, we recorded a song on Child Marriage and shot Video for the song to advance the voices of children towards child abuse cases as a result of Covid-19. https://youtu.be/xyg2By-CmpQ 

Objectives
• To call on the world to stand for child rights
• To call on Children to stand up for their rights
• To call on the community to defend child rights

Events
Angelina traveled to Kampala Uganda where she recorded a song title “Calling on the world” a song calling on the world to fight for Children Rights

Achievements
This song is being played on all media in South Sudan and in all events of Child Rights advocacy
It has more reactions on social media

Challenges
• The song delayed to be mixed in the studio
• There was no funding to promote the song on radios in Uganda
• There was no funding for the video shooting of the song

Recommendations
We need money to promote the song on radios in Uganda and to shoot video for the song so that it can go wider

Child Protection
a) Rescue a starving child headed family in village 3
With support from Oxfam IBIS, we rescued a child who fled his home at night and supported the starving family with 3 kilogram of Rice, 3 liters of cooking oil, soap, salt and sugar. https://facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1759950234174033/ 

Objectives
To save the child from sleeping in an open and avoid sickness after he was chased from home
To bring the child home and restore peace between him and his mother

Events
We were called at night that a mother had beaten her child and he fled away from home and was seen sleeping in a football ground in coldness. We reported this to the RWC of Village 4 who then took the child home and in the morning he was returned to his mother. In a follow up by our child protection officer, we realized that the woman is so traumatized because of her positive status, she had run out of food at home and was beating the child out of frustration. We then gave them food support to help their families

Achievements
• We saved the child from sleeping in the open and avoiding sickness or any arm
• We reunited the child with the mother and restored peace at home

Challenges
• We receives numerous of such calls but have no resources set aside to handle emergency issues like this
• There are cases that are reported far away and we don’t have transport to reach there faster
• There is growing frustration as a result of food reduction by WFP which leads to child abuse cases and children fleeing homes

Recommendations
• We need more resource funding to handle emergency issues happening in the community
• We need a vehicle or motorcycle to facilitate our movement and quick response to issues of emergency
• There is need for more consideration for children. Children should receive a fair share of the donation towards fighting Coviod-19 and rehabilitating the community

b) Gave support to a child whose mother died at birth
With support from Misereor, we gave support to a baby whose mother died at birth at Iyete Health Center

Objectives
• To provide enough milk to save the life of the child
• To support the fostering family of the baby

Events
One woman lost her life when she was giving birth at Iyete Health Center in Bidibidi Zone 1. The death was tragic as she left behind a baby and the family were struggling to find enough milk for the baby. When we were called, we bought 2 tin of milk, 50,000 UGX, 3 kg of sugar, 3 kg of rice, 3 litres of cooking oil and soap to the family

Achievements
• We provided more milk for the baby to keep going
• We supported the other 6 children the woman left behind
• We relieved a grieving family

Challenges
• We receives numerous of such calls but have no resources set aside to handle emergency issues like this
• There are cases that are reported far away and we don’t have transport to reach there faster
• There is growing frustration as a result of food reduction by WFP which leads to child abuse cases and children fleeing homes

Recommendations
• We need more resource funding to handle emergency issues happening in the community
• We need a vehicle or motorcycle to facilitate our movement and quick response to issues of emergency
• There is need for more consideration for children. Children should receive a fair share of the donation towards fighting Coviod-19 and rehabilitating the community


c) Supported an HIV positive child
We got a call that a child was refusing to take her RV drugs when she discovered that she is the only sibling at home taking medicine which forced her mother to disclose to her, her HIV status and this made her to refuse her RV drugs. The mother instead was beating the child for refusing to take her medication. We then went to document the case and realized the family had no food and were starving and hence from the funding from Oxfam IBIS we supported the family with food staff

Objectives
• To relieve the family of trauma
• To rescue the family from starvation
• To Build peace at the family level

Events
We donated 3 kg of Rice, 3 Kg of Sugar, 3 sachets of salt, 1 bar of soap and a 50,000 UGX to support the family. We also referred the case to World Vision to extend to them more support

Achievements
• This brought relative peace between the mother and the child
• The child received counseling and start taking her medication
• The family had something to eat for few days as they wait on their food ration from WFP

Challenges
• We never had enough to give to the family but they deserved more
• Our staff are not professionally trained in trauma healing and counseling and hence they had little to offer
• World Vision could not respond as fast as they family needed support
• Lack of transport to quickly respond to the situation

Recommendations
Our organization needs a reserved budget to handle emergencies of that sort and hence we appeal to our partners and any other willing donors to support us to respond to emerging issues of that type

d) Donated sanitary pads to girls
With funding from Oxfam IBIS, we gave 100 sanitary pads to vulnerable girls in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement zone 1. https://facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1740215269480863/ 

Objectives
• To support the girls with reusable sanitary pad for self-hygiene
• To reduce on the early pregnancies and child marriage issues in the community

Events
We identified 100 vulnerable girls with the support of the women secretaries in the 14 villages and we gave them reusable sanitary pads at our center

Achievements
The reusable sanitary pads will help the vulnerable girls for a long period of time
This has helped in minimizing the risk of putting these girls vulnerable to men’s temptations and hence reducing child marriage and pregnancies

Challenges
This was only a one time support but many other girls needs same support and hence we could not sustain the support

Recommendations
We need more resources to keep supporting young girls and protect them against sexual abuse cases

e) Construction and Establishment of Children Music Center
With funding from Misereor Germany, we continued the construction of our Children Music Center which provides a space for children to learn how to play different musical instruments, sing and dance, have non-formal learning, get connected to the rest of the world through internet and television, trauma healing and peace building https://facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1849692051866517/ 

Objectives
• To create a Child friendly space for engagement
• To heal children of trauma
• To bridge gap between children from different tribes and create unity
• To train children in musical instruments
• To develop children talent for the future
• To give children platform to advocate for their rights
• To connect rural refugees to the rest of the world

Events
The Children music center was built and equipped with musical instruments both with support from Misereor and Oxfam
The center was officially inaugurated and we started training of children at the Center
Achievements
• The establishment of the Center is a great achievement in providing child friendly space
• The center serves as a partial office for I CAN South Sudan for the security of the properties and safety of its documents
• The center has drawn more children for trauma healing programs

Challenges
• We don’t have enough musical equipment to engage large number of children in training
• The same center is used as office space for I CAN South Sudan and hence the space is congested
• We don’t have enough furniture for the center
• Lack of reliable power or electrical source to generate the place
• Lack of facilities for children for wider engagements
• The continuous lockdown measures prohibiting the social gathering

Recommendations
• We need more musical instruments of various sorts to help train the children and promote their talents
• We need furnitures to furnish the center
• We need to build a side office for I Can South Sudan and leave the center solely for children engagement
• We need a reliable generator or solar power system to run the system at the Center
• We need books for children to read at the center
• We need computers and strong internet router to provide internet to the center
• We need various playing materials for children to the center

Financial Support to I CAN Children

On 7th We gave a sum of One Million Five Hundred Thousands Uganda Shillings (1,500,000 UGX) to I CAN Children as support for the Music and Video done. Each child got 75,000 UGX, the children were accompanied by their legal guardians who signed on behalf of the children to receive the money. Parents however were advised not to take the money from the children but should help the child use it in the proper way. https://youtu.be/or3wg4ZgBz4 

Objectives
• To give money for children to buy clothes with and food for Christmas
• To build peace at family level
• To put smile on children face and relieve them of trauma

Covid-19 Response
In Bidibidi Refugee Settlement Zone 1, there was less intervention by the humanitarian organization to do awareness on Covid-19 and equip refugees to protect themselves from the disease.
Recently Food Ration is reduced by World Food Program from 12.6 kilograms of maize to 8.8 kilograms per head and 2.5 kilograms of beans to 1.5 kilogram per head for a month which leaves the refugees in a point of starvation at a moment that Covid-19 has terrorizing the world,
Hence it is upon this situation that we decided to stand in solidarity with the refugees as I CAN South Sudan to lessen the impact on the most vulnerable Refugees in Bidibidi

Objectives
To join other partners and supplement their efforts in the fight against Covid-19
To step up for our community and fill gap left by other partners
To mitigate the effect of Covid-19 on the refugee community in Bidibidi Zone 1
Activities Carried

a) First Soap Distribution Distribution of soap
With Support from Jesus International Ministry in May we immediately intervened to give soap and sugar to vulnerable children in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement. https://facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1628822890620102/ https://facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1614886085347116/  https://facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1702114286624295/ 

Objectives
• To make available the protective items like soap for immediate use by the children and families
• To provide protection to families against Covid-19
• To promote hygiene at family level

Events
Vulnerable children and women were identified with the help of community leaders and they were given bars of soap for hand washing plus sugar

Achievements
• We were able to serve 150 refugee children and 50 single mothers in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement.
• This provided protection to most vulnerable families against Covid-19

Challenges
The community at the moment of distribution were in serious lockdown and many reserved the soap for washing clothes rather than hand washing but we had to follow up with the families and emphasized with them to establish a hand washing practice at home
Recommendations
There is need to provide hand washing facilities to every households if the hand washing culture has to be maintained

b) Second Distribution of Soap
With Support from Iryn Tushabe we did a short survey to find out about most vulnerable single mothers and their common needs at the time, and we mapped them and select the most vulnerable single mothers with the support of Refugee Community Leaders and gave them soap https://facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1707405936095130/ 

Objectives
To support the most vulnerable families in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement with Soap
To mitigate the effect of Covid-19 among Refugees

Achievements
We rescued the situation of 50 single mothers and support them with soap
We helped families have soap at home to wash their hands as prevention against Covid-19

Challenges
Many more families needed same support and we had no enough to serve them all
Most families would use the soap only for washing clothes rather than hand washing practices
Recommendations
We need a reserved budget for timely support of most vulnerable families


c) Consortium Project with YSAT and CECI
With funding from Oxfam Novib, we joined a Consortium that was made of Youth Social Advocacy Team (YSAT) and Community Empowerment for Creative Innovation (CECI). This aimed at giving awareness to the Refugee Community and setting up an information center for youth

1.1 MOBILISATION FOR INCEPTION
In the first week of July 2020 YSAT, CECI & I CAN SS started with mobilization for inception meeting to introduce the project to the stakeholders namely; OPM, UNHCR and Refugee welfare Council (RWCs) leadership. During the inception meeting, the community expressed their gratitude for the project. The consortium partners received very warm welcome from leaders and the stakeholders pledged their full support in the due course of the implementation of the project.

1.2 SELECTION OF THE VILLAGE HEALTH TEAM (VHTs)
YSAT, CECI & I CAN SS selected 45 VHTs, 15 (11 F & 4 M) in Bidi-bidi zone 1 and 30 (10 F & 21 M) VHTs in Rhino Camp Refugees Settlement. This selection took place at the village level where RWCs were involved to guide on who could fit and be capable to do the work at their respective villages for both Rhino Camp and Bidi-Bidi Zone 1 Settlement respectively. The leaders will help in the monitoring of the project and how they could support them in their work at the community level since they are based within their communities.

1.3 MOBILISATION & ORIENTATION OF THE VILLAGE HEALTH TEAM ( VHTs )
The consortium partners i.e. YSAT, CECI and I CAN SS did mobilization and orientation of the 45 VHTs in the two locations of Bidi-bidi zone 1 at I CAN SS office in village 14 and YSAT Head Office in Rhino Camp Refugee Settlement .In the orientation of the village health team, we managed to take them through their roles and responsibilities, The Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs), the prevention measures of the corona virus as well as the directives from Minister of Health, that is, DOs and DON’Ts of the COVID-19 pandemic situation. This was done to make sure that the community would be made aware by the VHTs on the sign and symptoms of corona virus and the new guidelines introduced by the government of Uganda to prevent the spread of the global pandemic within the countries at large.
VHTs Orientation at I CAN SS office in Bid-bidi and Rhino Camp respectively.

1.4 ESTABLISHMENT OF THREE COMMUNTY INFORMATION CENTRES IN RHINO CAMP AND BIDI-BIDI ZONE 1.
YSAT, CECI & I CAN S.S also established three community information centres for Ocea Zone, Omugo 6 Village and Bid-Bidi Zone 1 In Village 14 at I CAN SS office. These centres were fully installed with solar power system for use by beneficiaries to charge their electronics and to help them access information about corona virus through online platform by use of internet Wi-Fi. The beneficiaries would further report fake news through rumour tracker system to provide access to latest updates on the disease, feedback and emergency coordination on Coronavirus related issues. Over 500 persons of concern benefited both directly and indirectly through Internet connectivity. This improved community access to reliable, locally available trusted information about COVID-19 from WHO, MoH, District Taskforce committee and connected to their beloved ones abroad or back home. We had over 500 beneficiaries consisting of; youths=50%, men=40% and women=10%, both direct and indirectly.

DISTRIBUTION OF BICYCLES & MEGAPHONES TO THE VILLAGE HEALTH TEAM
YSAT, CECI & I CAN S.S distributed 35 Bicycles and 35 megaphones to the Village Heath Team. This was done to strengthen the awareness creation on prevention measures of the COVID-19 pandemic because some of the villages are very far to be reached by the VHTs by foot. The ride and talk with recorded messages from megaphones helped the communities to get full information despite the fact that some of them don’t bother to implement. The concept of doing the awareness creation by the community structures who are VHTs and sometime Hygiene Promoters in their respective villages is to promote a sustainable community led initiative aimed at avoiding the spread of the disease. The distribution of the bicycles and megaphones was witnessed by OPM, Police and some representatives from the CBOs operating in the settlement especially in Rhino camp Refugee Settlement. During this exercise, the Village Health Team appreciated the support from the sister organizations through their mother partner, Oxfam for the support given to ease their operation at the community level.

MASS COMMUNITY AWARNESSESS & SENSITIZATIONS ON COVID-19 PREVENTIVE MEASURES AND DISSEMINATION OF THE IEC MATERIAL
YSAT, CECI and I CAN SS started going out with the Public education and mass sensitization using the 500 IEC materials translated and printed in local languages most spoken in the refugees’ settlements and the host community namely; Arabic, Bari, Lugbara, Dinka, Nuer, Murle and Kiswahili. These materials were disseminated to communities in text and pictorial form with COVID-19 Prevention measures and signs & symptoms obtained from the World Health Organization (WHO) and Uganda’s Ministry of Health. The VHTs used the bicycles, IEC materials and megaphones in conducting mass awareness and sensitization at their various communities for both Rhino Camp and Bidi-bidi settlement zone 1. The partner organizations reached out to 9,199 refugees and 190 from the host community; (3,862 male and 5,527 females) with the mass community sensitization on COVID-19 preventive measures. This brings the total number of people reached to 9389.

TRAINING OF THE ROMOUR DATA COLLECTORS
On 28th and 31st of August 2020, the training was organized as part of the ELNHA II Project commitment to developing the skills and knowledge of its workforce. 3 refugees were trained on Rumor Data Collection with the main aim to guide Rumor Data Collectors on how to effectively collect and record identified rumors related to COVID-19 across all refugee-residing locations. This was in line to respond to and track rumors circulating in Uganda during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, these Rumor Data Collectors were to find out how the community understood COVID-19, how the community spoke about COVID19, how to respond to those rumors in the community, the community concerns related to COVID-19, find out information the community wanted to know about COVID-19 and the general challenges the community is facing as a result of COVID-19. This platform was also used as a strategy through which community rumors, beliefs, ideas and concerns are collected, presented and analyzed for discussion in coordination meetings and sharing with Communication with Communities Taskforce.

Outcomes of the training.
• Three (M=2, F=1) RDCs community volunteers were trained on the purpose of the SOP, FAQ and how to identify rumors and differentiate rumors, from feedbacks, complaints, and requests and on who to report the complaints, feedbacks, and requests.
• The RDCs were able to identify and record rumors in the kobo collect.
• We were able to record 70 rumors within two weeks’ time and met 141 beneficiaries from Refugees and Host communities. They included; M=63, F=78, mainly RWCs, Children, Youth, Women, Men, Elders, PSN, and persons livings with disabilities. Besides, direct beneficiaries included the Refugees M=63, F=59 and the Host M=9, F=6 and indirect beneficiaries were local government & NGO staff. With the high rumor recorded was on Up-play, 44% rumors recorded, preventions with 12%, others 12% and cure 8%, partner/government response towards COVID-19 was 8% and lastly symptoms 4% and the community Down-play on the virus with 4%.

d) Covid-19 Response by Oxfam IBIS
With funding from Oxfam IBIS in July 2020, we intervened in the fight against COvid-19. I CAN South Sudan Covid-19 Project is a quick intervention supported by Oxfam IBIS to reach out to Biddi-biddi Zone 1 and distribute face mask to refugees for protection, reusable sanitary pads to reduce on the growing cases of early pregnancy as a result of Covid-19, additional food ration to Child Headed families and unaccompanied minors, encouraging messages on radios to the community and have home to home visit to children to listen to their plight and encourage them

Objectives
• To distribute face mask to refugees and other personal protective equipment for health safety
• To support the child headed families with food
• To give sanitary pads to girls

Events
From 31/07/2020-04/08/2020 we started distribution of face mask. The masks were given to each village leader, who identified and mobilize the beneficiaries to which these masks were given. On distribution day, I CAN staff were present to give some guidance and message on Child rights and protection during this pandemic and to demonstrate how to put on the face mask, how to keep the face mask clean and safe. Face Mask that were given to the community across the villages were 1189 of which the face masks were 1189 out of which 603 beneficiaries were women and 589 were male. 150 of the face masks were given to the church, 100 to the transporters for their passengers and 71 to the I CAN Children.

Achievements
• We distributed 1,500 facemask to the community leaders, the women and children for protection against Covid-19
• The distribution of sanitary pads to vulnerable girls helped them in reducing the risk of early marriage and early pregnancy
• Our support to the child headed families rescued the children from starvation and gave them a substitute of food
• We visited children at home and provide the families with counseling and how to prevent child abuse cases

Challenges
• As a non-food distributing partner, we face lots of challenges and question from OPM on the distribution of food. They preferred that we donate the food to WFP to give to our target beneficiaries. However, after OPM came to see and test the food we procured, they gave us a go ahead to distribute the food. Big number of child headed families still need support as they are not able to rely on the reduced ration given by WFP
• Weather: The project implementation falls in a period when it’s raining heavily in the settlement and this delayed and disturbed our implementation plan.
• Transport: Movement of staff to all the villages was difficult since we don’t have a vehicle or any other means of transport and the cost of Boda boda to reach out to the 14 villages of Bidibidi was challenging.
• Insufficient sum of the food, face mask, and sanitary pads which made the community to complain and yearn for more.
Recommendations
• There is a need to strengthen the local refugee justice system to be able to handle issues of child abuse, early marriage and pregnancy happening in the community.
• There is a need to supplement the food ration for specifically child headed families to save children from starvation.
• There is a need for a massive community awareness on birth control, family planning, and the rights of children to minimize child abuse, early child marriage, child negligence and sexual exploitation of women.
• There is a need to develop and streamline reporting mechanisms where refugees can timely and efficiently report issues of child abuse, forced marriage, teenager pregnancy and GBV to other partners, I CAN South Sudan and other relevant authorities.
• There is a need to train refugee-based peer educators who will be educating, sensitizing, and monitoring and reporting child abuses cases in the community.
• There is need to sensitize the community on degradation and preservation of environment and how to make good use of firewood


e) Covid-19 Response by Oxfam America
I CAN South Sudan Covid-19 Response (OSF) is a refugee reliance program that aims at providing mass Covid-19 awareness and sensitization through music, door-to-door outreach, provide Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to both refugee and host community members and install hand washing equipment in candidate schools and other public places. The program also aims at tracking community perception towards COVID-19 to allow accurate policy formulation and decision making by I CAN South Sudan and other partners. Using proactive slant, as a trusted local Child Protection partner operating in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement, I CAN South Sudan is standing with other health and protection partners in the settlement, including the government of Uganda, the private sector, educational institutions, community organizations, community structures and young people to halt and control the spread and transmission of COVID-19 among the refugee communities in Northern Uganda. We are also open to new and long tern partnerships to address the urgent needs in this crisis. Our COVID-19 Response Program has enabled educational institutions, places of worship and communities in Bidibidi Refugee Settlement to withstand and respond to the short-term impacts of this pandemic, while strengthening their resilience in the long-run. By doing so, I CAN South Sudan has enabled refugee and host communities to stay united, alert and to be at the forefront of reigniting their academic, social, and economies.

Stakeholder engagements
On 12th October 2020, we held a meeting with the Assistant Settlement Commandant Focal Person for Humanitarian Agencies, Mr. Christopher Angualia (+256779879244), at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to discuss project implementation and the target beneficiaries. In the meeting, the Assistant Settlement commandant advised us to also target some section of beneficiaries in the host community, specifically the resuming candidate class and some publics and worship places in the host community. He however referred us to Fin Church Aid, the leading partner overseeing and managing education sector in Zone 1 to determine the accurate and latest statistics of primary seven, senior four and senior six candidates, number of candidate teachers and supporting staff resuming for a successful strategic plan, distribution of facemasks and installation of hand washing facilities in different schools within Zone 1. This meeting was conducted at the Office of the Prime Minister in base- Camp.
14th October 2020, our project officer responsible for the implementation of this particular project held a telephone meeting with the Education Officer of Fin Church Aid, Mr. Wilfred Saka, (Wilfred.Saka@kirkonulkomaanapu.fi) to determine the number of schools operating, candidates, teachers and none supporting staff.
On 16th October 2020, we embarked on meeting heads of six primary schools and two secondary schools including two from the host communities to assess the Standard Operating Procedures and installation of Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) that have been established to ensure that leaners, teachers and supporting staffs are safe from contracting or spreading corona virus. We learnt that all schools within the settlement have formed COVID-19 Task Force that comprised of teachers representative, parent representative and RWC representatives. Each individual school has also established isolation rooms for both the learners and staff, but lacking equipment.

On 13th October 2020, we started the procurement Personal Protective Equipment and other necessary project items including 1,500 facemasks, ninety (90) cartons of bar soap, seventy one (71) Hand Washing Facilities (150 litter bucket), digital printer for the office, temperature gun and three (3) litters of hand sanitizers. Ten (10) branded reflector jackets for the Village Health Workers, two (2) official jackets for I CAN South Sudan Public Relations Team, eleven (11) office name tags, customized laptop bags for both staff in Uganda and South Sudan, customized pens, office file holders and internet subscription.

Door to door COVID -19 awareness
On 15th October 2020, we flagged off ten Village Health Workers and two I CAN South Sudan Field Supervisors to conduct 30 days door-to-door COVID-19 awareness across eight villages and the nearby villages of host communities. This was done after orientation on what they are obliged to do within the thirty days. The Village Health Team was selected by the Refugee Welfare Councilors (RWCs) to conduct the massive awareness. https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1812941158874940/

From 21th October 2020 to 20th November 2020 carried out massive COVID-19 awareness to the community in Bidibidi, using illustrated printed copies of preventive measures in four different languages to help the community stay vigilant and promote the Standard Operating Procedures at all times. We have covered 1,633 households including 28 households for the host communities around Zone 1, reaching 5417 male and 4247 female. https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1821954087973647/

Distribution of Personal Protective Equipment
Starting from 22th October 2020 to 30th October 2020, we distributed 1500 reusable facemasks, 620 bars of soap and 90 hand washing facilities to primary seven candidates at six primary schools, senior four and six candidates at two secondary schools in Zone 1. The facemasks were given to both leaners, teachers and supporting staff that have resumed classes. The masks were also given to the village health team, I CAN South Sudan personnel, Secretaries for women affairs, waiters and waitress of Ebenezer Global Hub and I CAN Children. Whereas, hand washing facilities were installed at candidate schools, churches, mosques, police station and markets.
https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1822929311209458/
https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1823611757807880/
https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1820863674749355/    https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1819458188223237/ 
 https://youtu.be/FqpEn1TyfCA 

SOUTH SUDAN COORDINATION OFFICE

Tambura Coordination office
With support from Grace Wenepai Enosa we distributed bars of soap to the disadvantaged children in Tambura County. Every child was given one bar of soap to help them wash their hands at home to protect against Covid-19. https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1626025074233217/ 

Objectives
• To make available the protective items like soap for immediate use by the children and families
• To provide protection to families against Covid-19
• To promote hygiene at family level

Events
Vulnerable children and women were identified with the help of community leaders and church and they were given bars of soap for hand washing plus sugar

Achievements
• We were able to serve 50 children in Tambura County
• This provided protection to most vulnerable families against Covid-19

Challenges
The community at the moment of distribution were in serious lockdown and many reserved the soap for washing clothes rather than hand washing but we had to follow up with the families and emphasized with them to establish a hand washing practice at home

Recommendations
There is need to provide hand washing facilities to every households if the hand washing culture has to be maintained

MASS AWARENESS ON THE ROADS
We carried mass awareness campaign on the streets and roads using loud speakers to disseminate recorded messages and songs in the local languages sensitizing the communities against the risks of corona infection and the preventive measures.

Door to door Awareness
We carried door to door awareness campaign in the villages to sensitize the community on the dangers of covid 19 and the methods that they can use to protect themselves.

MASS AWARENESS ON THE ROADS
We started the awareness campaign in the County Administrative Headquarters and moved to the roads and market places using loud speakers and megaphone to disseminate recorded messages and songs in the local languages sensitizing the communities against the risks of corona infection and the preventive measures.

Objectives
• To inform the community about the Covid-19 pandemic
• To fight against the myth in the community about the pandemic
• To encourage the community to observe the standard operation standard and protect themselves from the disease

Challenges
Many community still doubt the existence of Covid-19 and have lots of myth and believes that needs closer attention.
The community believes more in the local herbs for cure of the disease in case it reaches them

Recommendations
There is need for more intensive awareness to the community and installation of hand washing facility at every households, market places and public places.
Door to door Awareness
We carried door to door awareness campaign in the villages to sensitize the community on the dangers of covid 19 and the methods that they can use to protect themselves.

Yambio Coordination Office
With support from Grace Wenepai Enosa, in Yambio we distributed Soap in response to Covid-19 Pandemic, I CAN South Sudan with help from Grace Wenepai Enosa distributed soap to vulnerable children in Yambio selected with the help of the community chiefdom around Duduma Residential Area. https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1626383640864027/ 

Objectives
• To make available the protective items like soap for immediate use by the children and families
• To provide protection to families against Covid-19
• To promote hygiene at family level

Events
Vulnerable children were identified with the help of the community leaders, the staff of I CAN went on to scrutinize families from where these children stay and came up with list of 30 of the most vulnerable children in the community and supported them with soap

Achievements
• We were able to serve 30 children in Yambio Duduma Area.
• This provided protection to most vulnerable families against Covid-19

Challenges
The community at the moment of distribution were in serious lockdown and many reserved the soap for washing clothes rather than hand washing but we had to follow up with the families and emphasized with them to establish a hand washing practice at home

Recommendations
There is need for more community awareness on covid-19 and to provide hand washing facilities to every households if the hand washing culture has to be maintained

Ibba Coordination Office
In Ibba we distributed Soap in response to Covid-19 Pandemic, I CAN South Sudan with help from Grace Wenepai Enosa distributed soap to vulnerable children in Yambio selected with the help of the community chiefdom around Duduma Residential Area. https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1708205682681822/ 

Objectives
• To make available the protective items like soap for immediate use by the children and families
• To provide protection to families against Covid-19
• To promote hygiene at family level

Events
Vulnerable children were identified with the help of the community leaders, the staff of I CAN went on to scrutinize families from where these children stay and came up with list of 30 of the most vulnerable children in the community and supported them with soap

Achievements
• We were able to serve 30 children in Yambio Duduma Area.
• This provided protection to most vulnerable families against Covid-19

Challenges
The community at the moment of distribution were in serious lockdown and many reserved the soap for washing clothes rather than hand washing but we had to follow up with the families and emphasized with them to establish a hand washing practice at home
Recommendations
There is need for more community awareness on covid-19 and to provide hand washing facilities to every households if the hand washing culture has to be maintained

Juba Coordination Office
In Juba we distributed Soap in response to Covid-19 Pandemic, I CAN South Sudan with help from Grace Wenepai Enosa distributed soap to vulnerable children in Juba selected with the help of the community and our staff https://www.facebook.com/1049340371901693/posts/1701055396730184/ 

Objectives
• To make available the protective items like soap for immediate use by the children and families
• To provide protection to families against Covid-19
• To promote hygiene at family level

Events
Vulnerable children were identified with the help of the community and the staff of I CAN went on to scrutinize families from where these children stay and came up with list of 30 of the most vulnerable children in the community and supported them with soap

Achievements
• We were able to serve 120 children in Juba
• This provided protection to most vulnerable families against Covid-19

Challenges
The community at the moment of distribution were in serious lockdown and many reserved the soap for washing clothes rather than hand washing but we had to follow up with the families and emphasized with them to establish a hand washing practice at home


Recommendations
There is need for more community awareness on covid-19 and to provide hand washing facilities to every households if the hand washing culture has to be maintained


Organization SWOT Analysis
The following section of the strategy provides a summary of I CAN South Sudan’s internal strengths, weaknesses, opportunities for as well as perceived threats with regard to resource mobilization. . The success of this Resource Mobilization Strategy will largely depend on I CAN South Sudan’s ability to consolidate its strengths, overcome its internal weaknesses, take advantage of emerging opportunities and have strategies for overcoming some of the identified threats and those that will emerge in the course of implementing this Resource Mobilization Strategy.

SWOT Analysis

Dimensions Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities Threats Comments
1.Staff involvement: The organization has few competent staff in Resource mobilization I CAN South Sudan staff are not skilled enough in Resource mobilization Recruit more qualified staff with skills and competency New staff will need more training and orientation on the original vision of I CAN South Sudan More capacity building required for the staff and some key positions advertised to get competent staff

2.Legal status: The organization is legally registered as a CBO with the district community service office. Registration number RMG/000387 The organization has not is not registered with the NGO Forum Bureau and upgraded into a National Organization The organization has got the legal documents and requirements to register the organization with NGO Bureau The financial constraints of the organization to complete the process The Organization has to embark immediately on the registration with the NGO Bureaus

3.Organization background: I CAN Sudan has a defined vision and mission statements and core values. The Vision and Mission are not well strategized to our strategic plan To define the Vision and Mission and develop a strategic Plan for the organization Limited knowledge in developing the strategic plan Start on defining the mission, goal and vision of the organization and develop a 5 years Strategic plan

4.Sources of funding: The organization has a number of resource partners that include: Misereor Germany
Oxfam IBIS,
Caritas Austria The organization does not have competent staff who can engage more in resource Mobilization Use the Resource Mobilization plan to guide the Mobilization Only the Executive Director doing all the Mobilization I CAN will work hard to bring in more funding partners

5.Accountability: The organization has good working relationship with donors/resource partners characterized by timely reporting, proper accountability and transparency e.g. audit and compliance The organization does not have updated tools and equipment for accountability Get Accounting systems and seeking training in them Few Computers available and staff low knowledge in computer Literacy Build the Capacity of the financial sector

6.Documentation: The organization has update reports e.g. annual, quarterly, monthly program and financial reports
It has functional systems in place such as governance and operation policies, M&E frameworks The policies are mainly adopted and needs internal review to incorporate to the daily work The availability of the board to review the policies Many Board Members are outside Uganda and hence having a collective decision is difficult and costly Engage the Board to review all policies and approve them

7.Communication and marketing: The organization has a functional and effective communication and marketing strategy with the community, donors, and other stakeholders. This includes social media platforms, feedback mechanisms such as dialogues and focus group discussions Lack of communication equipment for quality and timely communication Availability of trained and competent staff in the area of Public Relations Lack of Cameras, lights and devices for good communication Empower the Public Relations department to acquire all necessary equipment for its effective work

8.Organization website: The organization has updated website uses social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook and SoundCloud to interact with its constituents and the wider community. The website is not regularly updated due to lack of device for its management Availability of competent staff in Public Relations department Lack of phones and cameras for quality pictures and constant update of the organization website and social media platform Empower the Public Relations department to acquire all necessary equipment for its effective work

9.Fundraising strategy: There is a functional 3-year fundraising strategy in place. Only the Director is much involved in the resource mobilization Availability of music videos and fan base to attract audience and organize events Lack of fundraising skills and experienced team to head fundraising Mobilize competent staff who can skillfully handle fundraising

10.Competition: The organization is the pioneer community based Organization in Bidibidi Zone 1 and still old the strong image despite the emerging other CBOs The lack of skilled staff continue to limit the organization progress We have established close and beneficial relationship with the community, the leaders and other partners in Zone 1 There is high competition for funding particularly for donor funding There are limited existent funding opportunities

11.Donor confidence: The organization maintains a transparent and mutual relationship with its donors The lake of accounting system and incompetency of staff Continued funding and partner capacity strengthening Limited number of donors and lack of platform to sell our work More efforts in finding more partners to support our work

12.Board Involvement: The Organization has seven Board members who are competent The Board is not involved in Resource Mobilization Getting new board members who are based in Bidibidi or West Nile Region to get involved and support the organization Some Board Members lack smartphones to be connected online where we easily meet Involve the Board in Resource Mobilization


Conclusion
The Organization needs several intervention to achieve greater results and serve more vulnerable people in Bidibidi which includes the following
• Revise all policies of the organization
• Restructure and bring the Board close to the Organization and engage them regularly
• Terminate all Volunteer contract
• Advertise all positions to recruit new competent, expert and knowledgeable staff
• Write a 5 year strategic plan
• Do institutional audit
• Extend our services to Zone 2
• Put up a strong resource mobilization team for wider resource mobilization
• Upgrade the organization into a National Organization in Uganda
• Establish a coordination office in Juba to lead other branches around South Sudan
• Advocate for the children to get education