In 2021, Spark Microgrants in partnership with the Government of Rwanda and with the support of the World Bank as well as Comic Relief launched the Advancing Citizen Engagement (ACE) project which aims at improving the livelihoods of 76,000 people in 249 rural villages through small grants and capacity building. Through the Facilitated Collective Action Process (FCAP), the project focused on strengthening participatory planning and citizen engagement in government processes by training local government officials on FCAP tools, supporting villages to lead their development and increasing citizen capacity, self-reliance, confidence, financial literacy, and project management. The ACE is also working with the central government to develop a framework for a national-scale roll-out of FCAP - the National Framework for Participatory Village Planning.

Spark Microgrants organized a handover ceremony to the local government of the ACE project in the seven sectors that benefited from the project. The project empowered villagers to participate in decision making about their development which resulted in a stronger sense of ownership and a more sustainable future for the communities. The ACE project provided microgrants that funded village development projects, improving the lives of the villagers in the 249 villages.

The project provided multi-level capacity building

The FCAP process equipped stakeholders with the necessary knowledge and skills to achieve its goals and ensure successful project implementation: 70 Sector officials, 38 Socio-Economic Development Officers (SEDOs), 498 Community-Based Facilitators, 2,319 FCAP leaders from all the 249 villages, 63 TAs, 249 village leaders, 38 Cell ESs, 114 FCAP coordination committees at Sector and Cell levels. Training a significant number of people across various levels enabled stakeholders to understand the project’s goals and made everyone aware of what s/he was working towards. Mbarushimana Emmanuel, the Executive Secretary of Kinyababa Sector mentioned that the training equipped participants with the skills necessary to fulfill their roles in the project, and increased their effectiveness.

“This widespread training across different stakeholder groups suggests a multi-layered approach. At the Sector and Cell level, the FCAP empowered Sector officials, Cells Executive Secretaries, SEDOs, and Technical Advisors. These higher-level officials received knowledge on project management, oversight and potential resource allocation”, Emmanuel highlighted.

Jean Claude Hakorimana, the Design Fellow at Spark Microgrants who previously served as a Community-Based Facilitator (CBF) in Kinyababa Sector, said that the FCAP empowered CBFs, FCAP committees, and village leaders on communication, community mobilization, and facilitation techniques to effectively engage local communities.

“The training also enhanced the capacities of FCAP Coordination Committees on coordination, collaboration, and potentially conflict resolution to ensure smooth communication and problem-solving within and between different sectors and cells”, he mentioned.

The focus on community-driven development (CDD) within the FCAP program

The projects implemented were chosen by the villagers themselves. These empowered them to address their most pressing needs and priorities. Livestock rearing; including dairy and beef cattle, pig, sheep, and goat rearing, as well as crop business projects, animal feed selling, transport, and loan scheme projects, helped them improve livelihoods through increased household income, nutrition, and food security.

The Advancing Citizen Engagement (ACE) project helped villagers in 249 villages implement their chosen project through microgrants amounting to over FRW1.4 billion and Districts’ contributions totaling over FRW85 million.

Communities considered factors like climate, market access, cultural preferences, and sustainability. Community members across villages implemented projects responding to their well-being with long-term success. Hafashimana Louise from Muhororo Village, Mutete Sector said that all villages started by bringing village members together to allow people to connect, share experiences, and build friendships based on shared interests or backgrounds, and they did not leave anyone out.

“Our project selection process became more holistic and ensured a project that is both beneficial to the community and has a strong chance of success”, Louise said.

Tangible improvements from the project

Villagers implemented among others livestock projects which increased household income and created new community jobs. An increase in livestock production increased high yields/harvests, and sales of milk and meat, resulting into more household income. The chosen projects also created space for new job opportunities in areas like veterinary services, providing animal supplies, or transporting goods to market.

Livelihoods

Overall, the monetary value of the household assets more than doubled between baseline and endline i.e., an increment of 122% from baseline to endline mainly driven by ownership of livestock and other non-livestock assets like mobile phones and radio sets. The percentage of households consuming only one meal a day significantly dropped from 54% at baseline to 33% at endline, an indication that more households were having more than one meal per day after the FCAP. Also, 80% of the households within ACE villages were food secure compared to 65% at baseline. The percentage of households saving increased from 80% to 91% while median household savings increased from 2,000 FRWto 15,000 FRWat the endline.

Social Cohesion

The percentage of citizens reporting to be a part of their villages increased from 59% at baseline to 76% at endline while citizen participation in planning for their villages towards a shared vision improved by 24%. Community meeting attendance increased from 66% at baseline to 79% at endline and contribution of ideas by speech during those meetings increased from 24% to 33%. The sense of togetherness has improved: the percentage of citizens reporting to be close to other village members increased from 55% at baseline to 68% at endline.

Looking at social impact, the FCAP program fostered collaboration among community members as they worked together to choose and implement projects. Different projects empowered members, especially women, by providing them with a source of income and increasing their decision-making power within the household.

The FCAP has also contributed to stronger social cohesion in the villages. During the graduation, Villagers affirmed that by bringing villagers together to discuss and plan for their development needs, the project fostered a sense of common purpose, which significantly reduced feelings of isolation and encouraged collaboration.

Mukeshimana Enatha from Kigoma Sector, Huye District said that the FCAP has created an environment where villagers could connect, collaborate and work towards a better future together.

 “The FCAP has facilitated a space for villagers to work together towards achieving their shared goals. This experience of working for a common good can strengthen social bonds and trust within the community”, Enatha highlighted.

“Beyond that, the ACE project activities like attending village meetings increased, which also had a sense of ownership and responsibility within the community, leading to stronger social connections”, she added on.

While choosing and implementing their projects, villagers in Kinyababa Sector considered the aspects of environmental protection. Livestock rearing does not lead to deforestation for grazing land, and no negative impact on water usage or water pollution from manure. “During the FCAP process, we have been educated on the importance of preserving forests. The manure management techniques learned throughout the FCAP process help us mitigate these concerns by planting trees and grasses for livestock feed”, Villagers from across seven Sectors said.

Villagers confirm that their chosen projects will be sustained in the long run without further financial support. “Livestock projects depend on factors like access to veterinary care, feed costs, and market availability for selling livestock or products. The skills and commitment we have now are an asset to help our projects continue without ongoing financial support”, Villagers said.

The Impact of the FCAP Program Across Villages

The FCAP process fostered a culture of financial responsibility among villagers. “We are more aware of their income and expenses, we can budget more effectively, and make informed financial decisions. The program enhanced our financial abilities, improved participation, and sustainable development through savings, and fostered community initiative. Villagers are now empowered to manage their finances effectively and the example is our experience in participating in saving groups”, said Eric Kampayana, Rukaya Village, Musasa Cell, Kinyababa Sector.

Beyond, Village members in 249 villages developed sustainable income-generating activities. Mbarushimana Emmanuel, the Executive Secretary of Kinyababa Sector affirmed that the project provided villagers with additional funding opportunities beyond the initial project budget. “Members implemented efficient and cost-effective project management practices. The project encouraged communities to contribute to project costs and maintenance”, he mentioned.

ensuring long-term benefits for the target communities.

Inclusive Decision-making

 FCAP meetings empowered villagers to participate in their development decisions. This suggests a more inclusive approach where everyone has a say, potentially leading to better development outcomes that reflect the needs of the entire community. “Equal opportunities for men and women in this process are particularly noteworthy for promoting gender equality. We’re thankful for the project. The FCAP program empowered women to participate equally in decision-making”, Rachel Mukadisi, Gitenge Village, Rutovu Cell, Kinyababa Sector highlighted.

During the past three years, the project increased community ownership and empowerment thus equipping villagers with skills and knowledge to sustain project initiatives beyond the project's lifespan. Local leaders were given capacities to champion the project's goals and mobilize community resources.

Apart from capacity building, villages in the target districts saved over FRW65 million which demonstrates the success of saving groups. The savings support future community projects, household improvements in education and healthcare and promote overall well-being. In the ACE villages, saving groups helped villagers implement other initiatives such as buying house utensils, agricultural equipment,and  small income-generating projects.

Community Initiative: Villages implemented independent initiatives worth FRW 16,823,900 which showcases the program's success in fostering self-reliance and initiative within the community. The FCAP program empowered villagers to go beyond the initial projects and undertake new ventures on their own.  “I am happy that beyond the project, we will be able to share the project lessons learned with other stakeholders and also support the replication of successful project components in other areas”, one villager said.