REPORT ON THE LAUNCH OF THE REFUGEE LIVELIHOODS PROJECT AT MANTAMPALA REFUGEE SETTLEMENT IN NCHELENGE DISTRICT – MANSA DIOCESE
Responding to the Congolese refugee crisis in Nchelenge District of Luapula Province in Zambia, Mansa Diocese, on 20th July 2018, officially launched a one-year project to ease the sufferings of the Congolese refugees at Mantapala Refugee Settlement, with funding from the Vatican. The “Revolving Refu
gee Farmers Input Support for Value Chain Development Project’” will see the refugees attain significantly improved and sustainably transformed lives through improved agriculture production and productivity, improved resilience to economic shocks and disasters and improved marketing of agro-products and non-agro commodities. The project will be implemented by Caritas Mansa, a development department of Mansa Diocese which has a strong and long history of working on livelihood projects with diverse communities. The project activities will result in refugees engage in sustainable crop production and alternative livelihoods, have access to business knowledge and credit for micro enterprise development, and have access to viable market for agro-products and non-agro commodities. The Activities that will produce the above stated results in the lives of the refugees include:
1. Facilitating the election of 2 refugee volunteers from each of the 12 refugee farmer groups to be trained as Lead Farmers
2. Training of refugee volunteers (Lead Farmers) in agro-ecology (climate robust) methodologies and other relevant basic extension skills
3. Promoting agro-ecological (climate robust) farming practices among refugees through various skills training approaches, including the Farmer Field School Approach (FFS) and demonstration sites
4. Supporting refugees with start-up revolving inputs for crop production
5. Promoting simple irrigation technologies in the refugee settlement to ensure all year round crop production
6. Conducting training in seed selection and multiplication of local seeds that are adaptive to the local environmental conditions
7. Conducting quarterly mentorship to refugee facilitators (Lead Farmers) in facilitating basic extension services to fellow refugee farmers
8. Supporting refugees with revolving inputs in establishing other alternative livelihood activities, including small livestock rearing, bee-keeping, and fish farming
9. Promoting food processing, preservation and value addition for some cash crops such as sunflower, groundnuts and soybeans
10. Facilitate savings and lending schemes among the refugee community in order to enable them diversify into other small business ventures
11. Conduct entrepreneurship training for refugees
12. Supporting refugee farmers in establishing practical market linkages between institutional buyers, established business chains and promote innovative information pricing system including use of mobile phones for marketing
13. Supporting refugee farmers to start bulking their produce for better marketing bargaining power. All the project activities will be implemented within 12 months, up to June 2019, but due to the revolving and/or passing on system most of the project activities will go beyond the life-time of the project and this will allow more refugees, apart from the initial project beneficiaries, to benefit from the project.
The official launch of the project was graced by the District Commissioner for Nchelenge District, Mr. Mwelwa Derrick. Also at the launch was Chieftness Kanyembo of the Lunda people of Mwata Kazembe in whose chiefdom is where the refugee settlement located. Other notable people that attended the launch include:
1. The UNHCR staff
2. Office of Refugee Commission in Zambia – Nchelenge District
3. The Village Headperson
4. Government Official from various government departments
5. Other non-governmental organisations implementing various development projects within the refugee settlement and the host community
6. Representatives from various Churches
7. The refugee community at Mantapala refugee settlement
During his key note speech to officially launch the project the District Commissioner thanked the Catholic Diocese of Mansa, through the office of the Bishop, for standing with Government in responding to the refugee crisis at Mantapala Refugee Settlement. He also extended his sincere gratitude to the entire Livelihood Working Group in the district, the UNHCR, the Office of the Commissioner for Refugees, the local leadership for Nchelenge District and all stakeholders taking part in addressing the plight of the Congolese refugees in the district.
In his welcoming speech the Vicar General of Mansa Diocese, Rev. Fr. Mwila Crispin, who represented the Bishop at the launch, re-emphasised the commitment of the Holy Father and the Holy Catholic Church to supporting refugees and migrants throughout the world. He however, urged politicians in the Democratic Republic of Congo to put the interest of the ordinary Congolese Citizens above their own interests by finding a lasting solution to the political conflict the nation is going through. The Vicar General took this opportunity to remind politicians and the citizenry in Zambia not to take peace, Zambia is enjoying, for granted. In his concluding remarks, the Vicar General urged all the people entrusted with resources meant to alleviate the sufferings of the refugees at Mantapala not to take advantage of the situation for their personal benefits, but rather demonstrate true stewardship of the resources entrusted under their care. He also urged the will be be
neficiaries from the project to demonstrate their commitment to whatever support they were going to receive through various activities of the project in order for them to improve their food, income and nutrition securities for their respective households.
The Vicar General also took time during the launch of the project to donate to the Catholic Refugee Community Various Liturgical Materials which included Liturgical Books and Bibles written in the local language, Bemba.
Budget
Code: Inception meeting Amount: 4,297.00
Code: Formation of Refugee Farmer groups Amount: 2,488.00
Code 1.1.1: Facilitate the election of 2 refugee volunteers from each of the 12 refugee farmer groups to be trained as lead Farmers Amount: 764.50
Code 1.1.2: Train refugee volunteers (lead farmers) in Agro-Ecology methodologies and other relevant skills Amount: 7,677.00
Code 1.1.3: Promote Agro-Ecological farming practices among refugees through skills training, approaches, including the farmer field school approach (FFS) and demonstration sites Amount: 31,358.00
Code 1.2.4: Support refugees with start up revolving inputs for crop production Amount: 17,882.40
Code 1.1.5: Promote simple irrigation technologies in the refugee settlement to ensure all year round production, especially for cash crops Amount: 64,082.00
Code 1.1.6: Conduct training in seed selection and multiplication of local seeds adaptive to the local environmental conditions Amount: 16,562.40
Code 1.1.2:Conduct quarterly mentorship to community based facilitators (lead farmers) in facilitating basic extension services to fellow farmers Amount: 9,608.00
Code 1.2.1: Support refugees with revolving inputs in establishing other alternative livelihood activities, including small livehood rearing, bee keeping and fish farming Amount: 115,322.00
Code 1.2.2: Training refugees in alternative livelihood methods Amount: 8,218.00
Code 1.2.3: Promote food processing, preservation and value addition for some cash crops such as sun flower, groundnuts and soya beans Amount: 40,202.00
Code 2.1.1: Facilitate saving and lending scheme among the refugee community in order to enable them to diversify into other small businesses Amount: 12,542.00
Code 2.1.2: Conduct entrepreneurship training for refugees Amount: 15,542.00
Code 3.1.1: Support refugee farmers in establishing practical market linkages between institutional buyers, establish business chains and promote innovative information pricing system including use of mobile phones for marketing of Agro produce Amount: 15,102.00
Code 3.1.2: Support refugee farmers to start bulking their produce for better marketing bargaining power Amount: 15,102.00
Code 3.2.1: Support refugee farmers in establishing practical market linkages between institutional buyers, establish business chains and promote innovative information pricing system including use of mobile phones for marketing of non Agro produ Amount: 15,542.00
Code 3.1.4: Support refugee farmers to start bulking their non Agro commodities for better marketing bargaining power
Total: 15,542.00
GRAND TOTAL ZMW 407,833.30
