SANTO DOMINGO, June 21, 2010.-The World Bank today awarded US$243,000 to 20 initiatives through its Social Development Civil Society Fund, formerly known as Small Grants Program. The World Bank made the 2010 call for proposals jointly with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and Distribuidora Corripio.
The winners will develop innovative activities to promote the inclusion of the poorest and most vulnerable groups in three components: 1) promoting reproductive and female health, 2) training and exchange between the Dominican and Haitian civil society, and 3) support recovery efforts in areas affected by the devastating earthquake in Haiti. Among winning institutions are Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales, El Centro Bonó, Mujeres en Desarrollo, Fundación Dominicana de Desarrollo, and Asociación de Personas con Discapacidad Fisico-Motoras, among others.
"The Dominican society is very creative when seeking solutions for development and we hope that these funds will contribute to these solutions, because despite the high levels of economic growth, the Dominican Republic still faces multiple challenges to fight poverty and inequality," said Yvonne Tsikata, World Bank Director for the Caribbean.
Seven winning initiatives will receive US$7,000 each for the creation of video clips from 60 to 90 seconds on various social issues such as the impact of women entrepreneurs in the national economy, the rights of disabled persons and persons deprived of their freedom, and promoting sexual and reproductive health, among other topics. Thirteen initiatives will receive between US$12,000 and $15,000 each to support recovery efforts in Haiti.
"For the World Bank social inclusion is a priority for the development of the Dominican Republic. I am sure this new edition of the Social Development Fund will give us the opportunity to continue working with many civil society colleagues in building a more just country, with opportunities for everyone,” said Roby Senderowitsch, World Bank representative in the Dominican Republic. “We also believe that this collaboration can be a vehicle to train and empower citizens in decision-making and promoting their participation in reform processes,” added Senderowitsch.
The Social Development Fund has been implemented in the country since 2001 and this latest version is aligned with the World Bank's Country Partnership Strategy which defines the support plan for the Dominican Republic during the period 2010-2013and specifically provides for the creation of new partnerships with civil society, private sector and the media.
The monitoring and evaluation of the winning 20 projects will be undertaken by the “Union y Cooperación para el Desarrollo de los Pueblos (UCODEP), a non-governmental institution selected to help strengthen the implementation capacity of winning institutions and the proper use of the funds. USAID will support initiatives through its institutional support programs and the Distribuidora Corripio will help with the dissemination of the video clips in cinemas and television programs. All activities of the winning projects will be completed in six months.
