Sustainability
Working towards a sustainability plan is extremely important if the CSA is to become viable, self-financing, and have impact over the long-term process and should be initiated from the start of the CSA life. While in some contexts this can be extremely challenging, it is nonetheless useful to think about how the group might enable the CSA to become as independent as possible. Sustainability is about more than finance but also about developing human resources and investing in development of youth and younger professionals within the alliance.
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Case study: Kenya SUN CSA – Mobilising financial resources externally and from within the CSA
Through one of the SUN CSA members, the Grassroots Alliance for Community Education (G.R.A.C.E.) Africa, the Kenya CSA has entered into an agreement with the USA-based Population Reference Bureau (PRB) to implement a project whose goal is to ‘Contribute to the national goal of having a healthy Kenya, with human resources that effectively contributes to economic growth and development of the country.’ The PRB has pledged US$35,000 that will enable the CSA to strengthen CSO multi-sectoral coordination forums at national and county levels to address the nutrition agenda, learn and share good practices to SUN CSA activities, establish SUN CSA chapters at county level, orient and disseminate RENEW advocacy tools, and empower nutrition champions on nutrition advocacy at county level.
In addition, one CSA member, International Rescue Committee (IRC), has pledged US$1,800 to complement MPTF funds towards nutrition advocacy training in one county.
The SUN CSA Host, World Vision Kenya, committed US$14,000 as co-funding for MPTF grant to support media field visits and County engagement processes to elicit discussions on the County Nutrition Action Plans and County Integrated Development Plan processes to enable CSOs and community participation.
Through this cooperation key objectives in the SUN CSA Work Plan are being addressed by various members at national and county level.
Underpinning this, the CSA has established a Resource Mobilisation Committee that will be responsible for development of proposals for funding and pooling of resources from partners to complement MPTF funds.
Aside from financial support most CSA members provide technical support to the Alliance’s Secretariat, during advocacy trainings, development of position papers and policy documents. A cost-effective capacity building programme has been adopted by the CSA, whereby trained members including lecturers from universities are identified as resource persons and facilitators. The trainers are not compensated for for their services, but receive minimal incidental allowances of around US$30 – US$45 per day.
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Case study: Zambia – towards an independent CSA
The CSA in Zambia was established in 2012. While it was initially hosted by Save The Children, the CSA has worked to become an independent organisation and recently registered as an independent entity in Zambia. All NGOS in Zambia are required to register with the government and this process has enabled them to continue their planned activities and seek funding independently. They have been successful in obtaining funds from key donors, the United Kingdom Department for International Aid (DfID) and Irish Aid as a result of having clear transparent financial management structures and appropriate staff capacity in place. Expanding their activities into additional regions of the country and building a greater local base of support for the scaling up nutrition movement will enable them to demonstrate their commitment towards the Zambian population and the value of including CSA members as active participants in the SUN Movement .
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