Assessment of Special Self-Help (SSH) Funding Needs

UNCLAS ACCRA 000411 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/EPS PASS AID FOR AFR/DP E.O 12598: N/A TAGS: EAID GH SUBJECT: Assessment of Special Self-Help (SSH) Funding Needs for FY 2006. ¶1. Post requests SSH funding in the amount of $120,000 for FY2006. The request is based on a number of factors that have made post's Self-Help program a success and on Post's desire to maintain this strong grassroots program. ¶2. The SSH coordinator reviewed 400 formal applications in FY05. That demonstrates the growing awareness and popularity of the Self-Help program, which has generated tremendous good will through coverage in state and independent media. Thirty three applicants qualified for funding ranged from $2,500 to $11,000. Applicants collectively requested $186,179.00. The SSH committee selected twenty two projects for an allocation of $70,000.00, which means that fewer than 10% of proposals received were selected for funding. As in prior years, many worthwhile projects were not funded because of inadequate resources. ¶3. Post was able to fund twenty two projects because we focused on small-budget projects. The largest commitment was $4,500 for a women's skills training center. The $120,000 allocation requested would allow post to fund projects that went unfunded in FY05, as well as projects that were passed over in FY04 because the costs exceeded $5,000. ¶4. The SSH office has sought to ensure that all ten of Ghana's regions benefit from the program and that grants are distributed for projects in health, education, environmental protection, water/sanitation, housing and income generation. ¶5. The development of the rural areas - a prime goal of the SSH program - will help solidify and strengthen Ghana's efforts in democratization and ease pressure on the country's urban centers. Our Self-Help projects instill a sense of civic responsibility and pride in the communities that undertake them; this in turn, contributes to a better understanding of democracy and the benefits derived from local empowerment. ¶6. Post will continue to target self-help projects that show a strong level of community support and involvement, and for which the community has a minimum amount of technical skill to ensure the continued and successful operation of the project. To ensure wide distribution of available funds and to encourage truly small-scale projects, post established a ceiling of $10,000 for any single grant but had to reduce it to $5,000 to enable Mission to reach all ten regions. In FY06, post intends to fund projects above $5,000 to increase press participation and reduce administrative costs. Post will continue to work with project leaders to ensure that estimates for quantities and cost of materials are realistic and that materials purchases are sufficient to bring the projects to completion. ¶7. The following is a summary of projects targeted in FY05 but for which funding was not available. An expanded budget for FY06 would allow for funding of these projects and other worthy proposals post identifies during the year. Brong Ahafo Region: Sector: Income Generation - Mpatasie Cashew Processing Center Project: To complete Processing Center building and purchase equipment Request: $9,204 Community's contribution: Building to roofing level and labor. Eastern Region Sector: Education Project: To complete a 3-unit classroom building. Request: $9,105 Community contribution: Previous partial construction and labor. Northern Region-Tamale Sector: Water/Health Project: Construct 5-hand dug wells. Request: $6441 Community contribution: Labor and transportation. Ashanti Region - Bekwai SDA Health Center Housing Block Sector: Housing/health Project: To construct a 2-units duplex for health staff quarters. Request: $10,000 Community's contribution: land, cement, iron rods, stones and labor. Bridgewater