Accélérateur de partenariat avec la diaspora (DPA) : Un modèle de partenariat innovant pour mobiliser de nouvelles voix et solutions humanitaires

Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 0 Miyamoto International, Inc. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND DISCLAIMER This project is made possible by the support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents of this report are the sole responsibility of Miyamoto International, Inc. and do not necessarily reflect the views of USAID, the United States Government or Vistant. Miyamoto International, Inc. www.miyamotointernational.com Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 1 Miyamoto International, Inc. CONTENTS 1 Project Implementation 3 1.1 Caribbrew 3 1.2 Friends of Matènwa 4 1.3 H.O.P.E. Haiti 6 2 Capacity Building Planning 8 3 Site Visits 12 4 Lessons Learned and Recommendations 13 5 Communications 17 6 Financial Status 20 7 Annex 1: Engineer Oversight Reports from June-July 2023: La Gonave 21 Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 2 Miyamoto International, Inc. 1 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION All three diaspora-led micro-projects were successfully implemented. An overview of the project activities and related recommendations are provided below. 1.1 Caribbrew Caribbrew’s project objective was: To increase credibility and profitability of Haitian coffee farmers, while also reducing disaster and economic risk, by starting the USDA Organic and Fairtrade certification processes with the COOPCAB cooperative, by providing down payments on future orders and raw materials, and by providing training on supply chain standardization and climate-smart methods by March 2023. From Miyamoto’s assessment, the objective was met, but additional projects and funding are needed to maintain the ongoing purchasing, training and certification procedures necessary to increase credibility and profitability in a more sustainable, long-term capacity. Through this preliminary project, Caribbrew was able to solidify and continue relationships with coffee and cacao producers and organizations and develop regional and industry contacts. One of Caribbrew’s main goals was to identify additional sources of funding to continue this work. Though they were connected with some potential funding ideas (grants, USAID DIV, etc.), Caribbrew is in a difficult moment of growth where they need additional staff to write funding proposals but lack the funding to bring on board such additional human resources. They achieved the following activities: 1. Purchased 3,000 lbs of coffee beans from COOPCAB 2. Determined and completed the preliminary steps for USDA organic certification 3. Hosted 2 training sessions for farmers on climate smart farming and DRR methods 4. Hosted an agribusiness course for students Despite limited on-the-ground personnel and activities, highlights from Caribbrew’s evaluation efforts include: ● All students (ages 14-17) who were surveyed (41/41) indicated their interest in additional sessions on agribusiness topics and indicated that they have not yet made decisions about their future career plans. One of Caribbrew’s long term goals is to revive the coffee and cacao industries in Haiti as viable career options, therefore this age group of students represents a promising target audience for additional outreach to shift knowledge and behavior. ● Attendance for the second farmer training session increased from 10 to 50 attendees. Though no formal feedback was collected beyond testing knowledge retention, this demonstrates positive informal feedback and significant interest in additional training sessions. Future funding Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 3 Miyamoto International, Inc. should prioritize training in cacao farming resilience. Notably, 100% of attendees at the first session were male, despite Caribbrew’s objective to target more women farmers. More targeted recruitment, including considerations for accessibility and inclusivity of training sessions, would be needed for future sessions. The main challenges from the Caribbrew project implementation included: ● Lack of human resource capacity within Caribbrew – As a small business operated by one person, there was limited bandwidth for meetings, capacity building and implementation ● Limited financial flexibility as a small business ● Difficult operating context (inflation, safety, remote location of farmers in Haiti). ● Caribbrew did not have designated staff or a specific partner in Haiti for implementation. Main recommendations from the Caribbrew project implementation include: ● Provide diaspora organizations with clear estimates and schedule of time commitment for their participation in the DPA, including expectations around: 1. Onboarding/startup (training on USAID/Vistant procedures, Scope of Work and Task Order drafting, contracting, etc.) 2. Capacity Building session schedule and attendance expectations ● Expand onboarding/training on USAID/Vistant requirements and procedures. Though a kick-off session was conducted, there were still many misunderstandings around contracting and invoicing. Additional training or on-boarding sessions and support could be provided. 1.2 Friends of Matènwa The objective of their project was to: To reduce exposure to natural disasters and public health risks among residents of La Gonave by improving their access to safe and dignified shelter through an innovative, sustainable loan model pilot that provides: a. model homes to influence community members’ and builders’ standards of the level of quality that is possible in their context b. affordable housing for three preliminary cohorts, including innovative designs that reduce disaster exposure, reduce waste, and connect residents with long-term, resilience-building services such as income-generating gardens c. generates funds through a loan repayment program for the provision of additional homes. Given difficulties with construction and attaining construction materials, the project was able to complete 7 model homes (bullet A) and Friends of Matenwa is still finalizing the details on the homeowner cohorts (bullet b) and the loan (bullet c). However, the challenges in construction quality created an opportunity for more awareness and training on disaster-resistant construction practices Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 4 Miyamoto International, Inc. which is an important achievement. The project ultimately provided affordable housing for three cohorts, for a total of 7 houses. Matènwa also received training on housing loan repayment strategies. They achieved the following activities: 1. Constructed 7 houses of which 4 were retrofitted 2. Conducted disaster-resistant construction trainings 3. Explored housing loan options and based on feedback are developing a rent-to-own loan option (pending review by Haitian lawyers and financial partners) that could be a model for private and public investment in affordable housing throughout Haiti. Miyamoto believes the objectives for the homes were met. The homes are now disaster-resistant and Friends of Matenwa was able to keep costs minimized in order to ensure that they remain affordable. Miyamoto led the implementation of an evaluation pre-survey during a site visit in April 2023, which asked project participants (e.g. construction workers, masons, cabinet makers, accountant, vendors, site graders, Matenwa Learning Center staff, community members) about their understanding of the project’s objectives and disaster-safe housing.. Matènwa led the implementation of the post-survey in July 2023. The post-evaluation survey results, which demonstrate project impact, will be submitted with Matènwa’s Final Report, however the results of the pre-evaluation survey are provided below. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 5 Miyamoto International, Inc. Summary of Matènwa Site Visit Survey (April 2023) Number of people that took the survey: 17 1. Gender: 13 M 4 F 2. Age average: 46 3. Have you been involved in the construction of these houses? Y N Everyone that took the survey participated in the project directly or indirectly – Matènwa accountant staff, construction workers, food/water provider, cabinetmaker (provided door and windows), site grading laborer. If yes, have you learned any techniques that you can use in future construction projects? Y N 8 people answered yes: - Matènwa accountant staff: construction logistics - Construction workers: they thought the trainings they attended before the construction began was very helpful as they learned new techniques (i.e., the proper technical terms, proper concrete mix dosage, adding vertical reinforcement in mason block infill wall system) - Cabinetmaker: it is for this project that they learned how to use equipment for wood cutting (i.e., wood cutting circular saw) 9 people answered no: - Food/water provider - Site grading laborer - Two construction workers 4. Are you aware of the project’s end goal? Y N The criteria for selecting potential buyers have not yet been determined but 14/17 people had a general idea of what the project is: - Helping the community by building quality and resistant houses that will be sold to specific families that meet the requirements. If yes, do you think it is a good project? Y N Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 6 Miyamoto International, Inc. They believe this project is beneficial for the community: - It provided training sessions which will be beneficial to workers for future construction projects - It provided work - It is a good opportunity for the community and more specifically to potential buyers - Every community is involved in the process 5. In your opinion, would these houses withstand a natural disaster, like a hurricane? Y N Everyone (17 out of 17 people) answered yes because of the way the houses were built. 6. Do you believe using plastic bottles instead of concrete blocks is a smart use of plastic waste? Y N The plastic bottle infill wall system was only used in “Matènwa” therefore, question 6 of the survey was asked to people living in that community (3 Matenwa Community Learning Center staff and 2 construction workers) – all 5 answered “yes”. Friends of Matènwa’s US-based team was responsive and committed to project implementation. They had strong Haitian-based partners at their project site whom they prioritized. The main challenges for project implementation were: ● Inflation in Haiti and the remote location of La Gonave drastically increased the price of construction materials. This led to a large reduction in the number of houses that could be built and therefore a reduction in project impact. ● Lack of construction oversight, access to quality materials and knowledge of specific disaster-resistant standards led to the construction of houses that did not meet minimum safety requirements and needed costly retrofits. ● Matènwa's original proposal included extensive use of plastic bottles in the construction. Miyamoto further investigated the use of plastic waste in construction, including a separately funded comparative study on the use of plastic in construction across multiple countries, and concluded that it is not safe due to environmental safety and structural considerations; therefore, Miyamoto recommended not to use bottles in weight-bearing walls. It was determined that they could be used in the non-structural partition wall inside the home, and updated structural plans reflected this. In the end, plastic bottles were not used for most houses. The team on ground could not find the quantity of plastic bottles on the island of La Gonave and due to insecurity in Port au Prince, they could not go to purchase them to bring back to La Gonave. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 7 Miyamoto International, Inc. Recommendations ● Future projects should have more extensive requirements around construction implementation, such as requiring engineering oversight and technical review of construction plans. See Section 7 Recommendations for further details. Miyamoto also frequently conducts trainings for materials producers (e.g. block makers) and homeowners themselves, this could help mainstream disaster resilience and code-compliance within the construction industry in Haiti or other host countries. ● Friends of Matènwa applied for this project under the understanding that this needed to be an innovative business model. They therefore emphasized the housing loan model and income generating gardens. However, during the Task Order drafting and project implementation, the focus prioritized disaster-resilient construction instead. Future iterations of the investor tank and DPA model should clearly and repeatedly emphasize the focus from the beginning to ensure that project visions are aligned. 1.3 H.O.P.E. Haiti The objective of the project was to To increase access to life-saving health care and disaster risk reduction education by expanding both the scope and frequency of the five operational elements of the Sante’ nan Lakou health care model to build the capacity of remote communities through decentralized services and training. This objective was clearly met through an extensive schedule of life-saving health care activities implemented and a series of disaster risk reduction training sessions for hospital and outreach staff. These activities included: 1. 18 mobile clinics 2. 6 Mother’s Club organized for prenatal care 3. 5 mobile health screenings 4. 3 multi-day DRR training sessions facilitated by AGERCA (September 2022, December 2022, May 2023). See Section # Site Visits for more information. 5. 42 public health outreach sessions 6. Sante Nan Lakou curriculum outline and expected outcomes drafted Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 8 Miyamoto International, Inc. Miyamoto conducted qualitative interviews during the site visit. Below are translated quotes from two interviewees. Main challenges for the implementation of this project included: ● Limited availability and responsiveness of H.O.P.E. Haiti US-based lead. Busy and conflicting schedules meant very limited time to participate in capacity building sessions or check-in meetings. As a result, Miyamoto focused capacity building sessions on the Haiti-based staff, which seemed to be an excellent use of resources and positive demonstration of commitment to the intended beneficiaries. ● Security concerns limited the ability for site visits and caused some delays in activities. H.O.P.E. staff were directly targeted, causing serious safety concerns, however the team in Haiti was able to garner local support and strengthen their commitment to the community as a result. Take away recommendations from this project include: ● Miyamoto recommends working with diaspora organizations that have a greater number of staff to reduce “bottlenecks” and ensure more than one staff member is available to participate in meetings and sessions. Miyamoto also recommends working with points of contact in both the US and in Haiti as this connection is important to invest resources and training in. The dual points of contact could be included in meetings, emails, capacity-building sessions, etc. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 9 Miyamoto International, Inc. 2 CAPACITY BUILDING Throughout the project, Miyamoto provided capacity building sessions based on initial and ongoing feedback from the Diaspora groups. In addition to the earlier months of capacity building around the SoW writing and approval process, Miyamoto began more thematic capacity building sessions in July 2022. The following sessions were completed: TOPICS ATTENDEES Date OUTCOMES SoW and Task Order writing Matènwa H.O.P.E. Caribbrew Nov 2022-July 2022 (3) signed task orders Grant writing Matènwa Caribbrew HRA November 2022 Increased understanding of searching for grants, main elements of proposal writing Introduction to Monitoring and Evaluation Matènwa Caribbrew August 2022 (2) theories of change drafted (2) M&E plan brainstorms Data for Impact (multiple sessions) Matènwa Caribbrew HRA M&E expert consultant April 2023, May2023, July 2023 Improved understanding of how and why to collect data Data collection tool development Matènwa Caribbrew M&E expert consultant April 2023, May 2023 (2) organizations had clear survey questions and implementation ideas Funding Opportunities: USAID DIV Caribbrew Acceso (USAID implementing partner with similar coffee project in Haiti) May 2023 Caribbrew learned more about reporting requirements for USAID DIV funding. May be above their capacity level at this time. Cacao Industry Networking Caribbrew Uncommon Cacao (cocoa importing and exporting company) August 2022 Caribbrew learned more about cacao processing equipment and connections to suppliers USAID Agriculture Projects Caribbrew Lukker Chocolate (USAID implementing partner for similar project in Colombia) March 2023 Caribbrew learned more about possibilities through a conversation with a similar USAID project at a multi-year phase of implementation Housing Finance Loans (two sessions) Miyamoto expert Matènwa November 2022, December 2022 Matènwa gained insight into different loan models in Haiti and Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 10 Miyamoto International, Inc. around the world to incorporate into their own Block Making and Quality Control Matènwa June-July 2023 Training for local concrete block manufacturer Disaster resistant masonry Matènwa June-July 2023 Shear wall reinforcement design and implementation Quality assurance on 4 housing retrofits Report writing Caribbrew Matènwa H.O.P.E March 2023 -Report template distributed to 3 Diaspora organizations -Organizations had a clearer understanding of timeline and expectations for final report -No responses received for Miyamoto post-session evaluation survey Construction design Miyamoto engineers Matènwa June-July 2023 -Final house design per MTPTC standards -Communication channels opened between Miyamoto and Matènwa engineers Retrofit design Miyamoto engineers Matènwa May-June 2023 -Designs, cost estimates and materials estimates for retrofit of unsafe houses Trainings of masons working on the houses on la Gonave by Miyamoto engineer on site Disaster simulation and evacuation drills AGERCA H.O.P.E. April 2023 -14 participants -100% of survey responders indicated that the training met their expectations -100%of survey responders indicated that the session was helpful and that they will use the information to train community members in risk reduction Disaster simulation planning, vulnerable group identification life-saving skills AGERCA H.O.P.E. December 2022 -15 participants -Participants learned how to identify hazards and unique needs relevant to each vulnerable group Introduction to managing disaster risks AGERCA H.O.P.E. September 2022 -15 participants (46% women) -Increased knowledge about seismic risk, tsunami risk, fire risk, Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 11 Miyamoto International, Inc. family emergency plans, evaluating risks, conducting community assessments Organic certification preliminary meeting EcoCERT (Organic certification agency) Caribbrew July 2022 -Understanding of process and requirements for certification and ongoing maintenance of certification status Organic certification application review EcoCERT Caribbrew March 2023 -Understanding of application sections Miyamoto received 2 out of the 3 possible responses (Participants = the three points of contact from the three 3 diaspora organizations) to an evaluation survey on capacity building. Some of the results are below: How would you rate the usefulness of the capacity building sessions? (From 1 (not useful at all) to 5 (very useful) Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 12 Miyamoto International, Inc. Challenges and recommendations for Capacity Building Sessions: Overall, the capacity building sessions were effective and responded to the needs and interests of the Diaspora organizations. They differed significantly from Miyamoto’s original proposed plan, however it was important to be responsive rather than prescriptive in the approach. For future iterations of the project, Miyamoto recommends: 1. Implementing a survey at the beginning and midpoint of the project to collect ideas and requests for session topics as well as developing a clear, SMART objective for each organization (e.g. “by the end of the project, we would like to submit 1 grant proposal”) that can be measured. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 13 Miyamoto International, Inc. 2. Developing and adhering to a schedule to ensure understanding of expectations and upcoming attendance requirements for organizations and implementing partners. For example, (1) quarterly joint capacity building sessions for all organizations + (1) quarterly individual session per organization. While Miyamoto tried to be flexible and responsive to the challenging schedules and needs of each organization, the result was a lack of clarity around participation and scheduling, a lack of a unified or through-line objective or direction of the sessions, and significant work by Miyamoto’s team to accommodate differing needs. 3. Encourage or require more diverse participation in the sessions beyond the one point of contact per organization. Additional US and Haitian-based staff and Haitian-based partners should be encouraged to participate. A regular schedule would allow for more planning, invitations, and reliability. That way if the point of contact cannot attend the scheduled session, a recording can be made available, but the session can continue as planned. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 14 Miyamoto International, Inc. 3 SITE VISITS Miyamoto was able to conduct a total of (4) site visits. 1. Farmer training session with Caribbrew 2. La Gonave site visit with Matènwa 3. AGERCA session with HOPE (May 2023) 4. La Gonave on-site engineer (June through July 2023) All site visits were successful and effective. Miyamoto’s team was able to meet with many counterparts and transparently discuss project implementation and challenges, as well as observe key activities. The main challenges for conducting site visits were: ● Safety/security concerns, travel restrictions, and remote locations of the sites ● Lack of on-site project activities during early and mid-implementation phases. Recommendations for site visits include: ● If Haitian-based counter-parts or points of contact are established and involved from the beginning (including meetings, check-ins, SoW drafting, etc.), then the Implementing Partner may be able to conduct earlier or more frequent site visits. For example, if there was a Haitian-based point of contact for the Caribbrew project, Miyamoto might have been able to meet with them prior to farmer training. ● Locations for projects should be considered in the project selection and budget for the implementing partners. For example, given the inaccessibility of La Gonave, which included a costly private plane, monthly site visits were impractical and would have exceeded Miyamoto’s site visit budget. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 15 Miyamoto International, Inc. 4 LESSONS LEARNED AND RECOMMENDATIONS 1. Pre/Design phase start up Miyamoto recommends a more extensive and purposeful start-up phase that would include: ● Small pre-project funding (e.g., $5k) for diaspora organizations to fund staff time on project planning, design and proposal development, and participation in onboarding ● Co-creation of capacity building schedule and themes ● M&E expectations and training ● Expanded onboarding and training on USAID requirements and expectations (contracting/amendments, invoicing, reporting, etc.) ● Provision of templates for all requirements (reports, check-in agendas, task orders, etc.) Why? A more extensive onboarding process would clear up persistent misunderstandings and questions around invoicing and payment timelines and might help unify the organizations with a more cohesive goal and vision. HRA and the Investor Tank phase did an excellent job of motivating and engaging the organizations, however with the shift to implementation phase some expectations seemed to surprise organizations. Finally, the task order writing process was extensive for this project, and small organizations and their staff should be compensated for their time with clearer expectations and timelines. 2. Develop more user-friendly template for Scope of Work with clear expectations A simpler and more direct proposal template could be developed for the scope of work and task order. Question-and-answer style templates tend to work well, such as “What is the overall goal of your project?” “What is the problem you are addressing?” with space to address each question. All expectations should be included in the task order, particularly around reporting requirements, capacity building attendance and time commitment, and any M&E that will be expected. A clearer breakdown of budget and disbursement schedule would also be helpful. USAID might consider requesting a project budget from the organizations to help assist with project implementation and oversight. Why? The SoW and TO drafting phase was lengthy and was not a positive way to kick off the partnerships. These organizations did not have grant writers, nor much experience with this kind of writing or contracting. Some also felt they had to stray from their original project ideas. Feedback on drafts was not always clear, for example, about M&E expectations. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 16 Miyamoto International, Inc. 3. Develop and stick to capacity building schedule and curriculum ● Implement beginning, mid-term and post-surveys to collect capacity building session requests and feedback. “At the end of this project, I would like our organization to be able to ___________”. ● Co-create and pre-schedule sessions through the mid-term, and then again through close of project. For example, (1) joint session quarterly and (1) individual session per organization quarterly. Why? A clearer understanding of the time requirements at the start of the project will give organizations more ability to plan ahead. Though Miyamoto tried to kick off the sessions with a clear schedule and linear theme to sessions, we switched courses to be more responsive to individual project needs. The feedback has been that these individual and highly tailored sessions were the most useful, however a more balanced approach would have benefited all parties so that there were clearer expectations and more reliable time commitments. Quarterly sessions might be more realistic than monthly tailored sessions. These can be scheduled ahead of time so that there is opportunity for better preparation, invitations to wider staff and partners, and so that sessions can be recorded (rather than rescheduled) when the point of contact has a schedule conflict. 4. Consider co-branding Though this was not an issue in this project, Miyamoto would recommend a co-branding approach for future projects that would allow project materials to reflect the diaspora groups and their expertise and would also enable the opportunity for more promotion and growth of the small organizations. Why? For future projects that have more on-the-ground activities, it could be especially helpful to promote partnerships in Haiti through local branding of materials, banners, etc. This would align with the DPA goal of strengthening these partnerships. 5. The focus on DRR needs to be emphasized throughout Investor Tank competition and start-up phase Miyamoto recommends more detailed messaging around the requirements for projects to have clear DRR objectives and activities. Why? There was some confusion around DRR as a central theme and projects indicated that they won with projects that were business-focused and then later had to switch to DRR. More clear messaging will help keep a unified vision throughout the program and will improve Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 17 Miyamoto International, Inc. partnership relations. Projects should be selected based on DRR focus, innovation and previous experience in this field. 6. Adapt invoice and disbursement schedules to accommodate lack of overhead Miyamoto recommends that USAID and Vistant continue the process of providing phased disbursements that are advances for work to be completed. This schedule should be clearly marked in the Task Order (including indicating 30 day invoice processing timelines), and clearly explained throughout the on-boarding phase. Why? Diaspora organizations had a learning curve to understand the invoicing schedule and future DPA participants may not have the cash to implement activities and then invoice for reimbursement. 7. Include Haitian points-of-contact in the DPA project team Miyamoto recommends working with a larger group of representatives from each organization rather than one point-of-contact. This includes inviting other staff or partners to attend meetings or capacity building sessions, but also could include Haitian-based counterparts. For example, the Caribbrew project did not have anyone in Haiti, but could have benefitted from it. Perhaps in the competition, having clear and active representatives on the ground in Haiti could be a requirement or a recommendation. ● Note: inclusion of budget, time and personnel for translation during meetings and sessions will also be critical to include if more Haitian counterparts will be engaged. Why? This would help increase the impact of the project. Often, Miyamoto was building the capacity of just one person (the point of contact) rather than an entire organization, or their partners. More involvement of people on the ground in Haiti would also increase accountability to Haitian beneficiaries. 8. Nimbler project partner organization If possible, reduce the number of partners for a nimbler process with more funding and emphasis going to the diaspora organizations and their projects rather than project administration. Why? Though perhaps unavoidable, the number of partners and their roles was not clear to the Diaspora organizations – specifically the different purposes of USAID, Vistant, Miyamoto and HRA. More could be done to clarify this during onboarding, however eventually the number or projects could be reduced so that more of the funding is going to the projects in Haiti. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 18 Miyamoto International, Inc. 9. Pre-determined regulations and due diligence for professional fields such as construction. Miyamoto recommends more clear requirements for projects that carry heightened liabilities, such as construction (and perhaps medicine), that will ultimately carry USAID’s name. For construction, Miyamoto recommends ● inclusion of construction worker and mason trainings ● requirements around engineering oversight and quality-assurance ● due diligence to ensure partner organizations have sufficient staffing and financial capacity to implement these additional components to local and technical standards. Why? For activities that carry additional liability for USAID, investment in independent oversight and quality assurance will ensure that USAID has more insight into the quality throughout the project. 10. Replication and refinement of Investor Tank engagement and voting system The virtual presentations, website and voting process for engaging the Diaspora during the preliminary phase of this project were very effective and well received. Future virtual sessions may not be as well attended as those that occurred at the beginning of the pandemic, however Miyamoto recommends a continuation of this model. Further details on project requirements (such as a DRR focus, capacity session attendance, reporting and time commitment) should be clarified at the beginning and repeated throughout the selection, start-up and implementation phases. Why? HRA did an excellent job with engaging organizations and voters by making the sessions interactive and creative. This aspect of the project helped to solidify its mission of putting diaspora voices and partners first, and was enjoyed by all partners. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 19 Miyamoto International, Inc. 5 COMMUNICATIONS Miyamoto’s communications goal for this project was: To increase awareness of USAID’s innovative and successful model of engaging nontraditional Diaspora actors for the effective implementation of humanitarian assistance. Under this goal, specific objectives included: ● Promote the pilot DPA as a successful and innovative model for humanitarian and disaster risk reduction assistance. ● Promote the ongoing success of the Diaspora groups in their implementation of projects in Haiti. ● Efficiently increase accessibility, relevance and reach of capacity building content and materials to build organizations’ ability to access BHA funding. Miyamoto has supported the project through various communications pieces, including: ● Caribbrew blog: https://investortank.org/a-focus-on-farmers-for-cocoa-supply-chain-resilience/ ● HOPE blog: As of July 26th, Miyamoto is awaiting HRA’s upload to the website. ● Matènwa blog: Please see the blog submission on the following page, which was reviewed by Friends of Matènwa on July 26th. Pending USAID approval, Miyamoto will send it to HRA for posting on investortank.org. ● Caribbrew video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlgKNo8m78o – Ask of July 21 Miyamoto is still awaiting HRA’s upload to the website ● HOPE video clips recorded and shared for HRA closing ceremony ● Miyamoto video clips recorded and shared for HRA closing ceremony ● Per-project updates for the website ● Social media promotion for USAID: https://usaid-pse.exposure.co/haiti-brewing-economic-resilience-with-diasporaled-coffee-business ● https://www.usaid.gov/haiti/press-release/feb-17-2022-usaid-supports-diaspora-led-initiatives-help -address-global-humanitarian-crises The videos and blogs have been shared via social media on HRA and Miyamoto platforms. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 20 Miyamoto International, Inc. Overcoming the odds: Disaster-safe housing on the island of La Gonâve, Haiti Reaching the island of La Gonâve from mainland Haiti requires chartering a small plane or securing a seat on a boat that leaves from a port frequently marked by violence and gang control. The same options are available for the transport of construction materials, such as Portland Type 1 cement and reinforcing steel, which are essential to meet the Government of Haiti’s building standards. For the people of La Gonâve, the cost, availability, and accessibility of materials severely limit their ability to abide by such standards, which were established after the 2010 earthquake to protect residents. As with other life-saving essentials, such as food and medicine, residents on La Gonâve have developed creative approaches for accessing resources to ensure they can provide themselves with the quality of life and housing that all people deserve. Community-led resilience: Matènwa Community Learning Center and Friends of Matènwa Founded in 1996, the Matènwa Community Learning Center (MCLC) runs programs for literacy, agriculture, the arts, and social justice for local residents. These programs are run in Creole in order to center the knowledge of people from within the community. Established in 2010, Friends of Matènwa is a US-based Diaspora organization that directs funding and technical support to the MCLC. In 2020, Friends of Matènwa won a grant for MCLC to build disaster-resistant, affordable housing through the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Diaspora Partnership Accelerator. The project set out to provide shelter to families in the La Gonâve community and to develop a housing model and regenerative loan program that would fund additional houses as the loans are repaid. By using the grant funding to sponsor the purchase of land and the construction of initial houses, the project set out to launch an innovative way for community members to purchase a disaster-safe house while contributing to a fund that would support future construction of safe homes for their neighbors. In the years during and following the Covid-19 pandemic, MCLC encountered numerous challenges that highlight the daily stressors of living, working, and building on a remote island. With inflation Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 21 Miyamoto International, Inc. skyrocketing and violence surging throughout the country, it was difficult to get the necessary materials, but Friends of Matènwa worked with the community to develop creative solutions to these challenges in order to see home ownership become a reality. Disaster resilient housing for all Miyamoto is a global engineering firm with a humanitarian focus that has worked with engineers, construction workers and masons throughout Haiti since the 2010 earthquake. Built on the idea that everyone deserves a safe home, and that simple cost-efficient construction techniques can save lives, Miyamoto has trained thousands of construction workers and masons, advised the government on building standards, and helped thousands of residents build and improve affordable homes. In June 2023, an engineer from Miyamoto’s office in Port-au-Prince traveled to La Gonâve to exchange knowledge with Matènwa’s engineer and construction workers around building safely despite difficult cost and transport restrictions. The engineer provided retrofit designs for existing houses that accounted for the wind hazards and seismicity on La Gonâve, and he worked with local concrete block makers who use a hand-pouring technique, in order to align their skills with government recommendations. By meeting the quality standards, these block makers can continue to make locally available and affordable blocks for housing construction long after the engineer has returned to the mainland and the project has closed. “The USAID-backed project increased our community’s capacity to build houses that meet international norms and resist natural disasters,” said Jean Sauveur Abner, Co-Founder of MCLC. “The project provided job opportunities for engineers, construction workers, and masons. People in the community were empowered by offering their skill set for the construction of the houses and the Miyamoto team increased their capacity to build homes Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 22 Miyamoto International, Inc. resistant to disasters. The lessons learned will allow them to replicate our model throughout the island and beyond.” Through on-the-job training in techniques for constructing new houses and retrofitting existing houses (such as foundation reinforcement), the know-how of local construction workers will be used for the future houses funded through loan repayments and for construction throughout the island, proving that no matter the challenges, disaster safe housing is a right for everyone and can become a reality. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 23 Miyamoto International, Inc. 6 FINANCIAL STATUS All three projects have completed their implementation. Miyamoto has also completed implementation and is submitting the final invoice. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 24 Miyamoto International, Inc. 7 ANNEX 1: ENGINEER OVERSIGHT REPORTS FROM JUNE-JULY 2023: LA GONAVE STRUCTURAL OBSERVATION REPORT Project Name: LKM SHELTER RETROFIT – Construction Surveillance Project Number: Project Location: MI2121014.00 Report Number: La Gonave- Haïti 02 Observation Date: June 18th-24th, 2023 Prepared By: Emilio MOLIN Present: Emilio MOLIN (Miyamoto) Jean Louis LAUVIN (Contractor) Contact Info : Immeuble Hexagone – 5ème étage Angle Rue Clerveau et Darguin Pétion Ville, Haïti C +509. 4439-0813 Signed : SUMMARY OF WORK IN PROGRESS 1. At building 1, shear wall foundation reinforcement and concrete placement was observed at the following locations: ● Along gridline 1 between gridlines A.4 and B.5. ● Along gridline 4 between gridlines A.6 and B.6. ● Along gridline B between gridlines 1 and 1.4. ● Along gridline A between gridlines 1.7 and 2.3. 2. At building 1, shear wall reinforcement and concrete placement was observed at the following locations: • Along gridline 1 between gridlines A.8 and B.1 • Along gridline 4 between gridlines A.8 and B. • Along gridline B between gridlines 1 and 1.2. • Along gridline A between gridlines 1.9 and 2.1. AREAS AND COMPONENTS OBSERVED Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 25 Miyamoto International, Inc. 1. At building 1, shear wall foundation reinforcement and concrete placement at the following locations: ● Along gridline 1 between gridlines A.4 and B.5. ● Along gridline 4 between gridlines A.6 and B.6. ● Along gridline B between gridlines 1 and 1.4. ● Along gridline A between gridlines 1.7 and 2.3. 2. At building 1, shear wall reinforcement and concrete placement at the following locations: • Along gridline 1 between gridlines A.8 and B.1. • Along gridline 4 between gridlines A.8 and B. • Along gridline B between gridlines 1 and 1.2. • Along gridline A between gridlines 1.9 and 2.1. AS BUILT NOTES / ACCEPTABLE DEVIATIONS 1. N/A. OBSERVED DEFICIENCIES / CLARIFICATIONS REQUIRING CORRECTIONS 1. N/A NOTES/ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION 1. N/A. ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT DURING THE 7 DAYS OF THE WEEK ⮚ Sunday June 18th: Excavation and new foundation reinforcing steel placement. ⮚ Monday June 19th: Foundation reinforcing steel placement. Production of concrete blocks. ⮚ Tuesday June 20th: Lean mix concrete placement and foundation reinforcement placement. ⮚ Wednesday June 21st: Training for concrete blocks manufacturers. Foundation reinforcement placement. ⮚ Thursday June 22nd: Foundation concrete placement. Production of blocks. ⮚ Friday June 23rd: Foundation Concrete placement. Shear wall reinforcing steel placement. ⮚ Saturday June 24th: Shear walls formwork and concrete placement. ATTACHMENTS Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 26 Miyamoto International, Inc. Figure 1. Foundation excavation and lean mix concrete placement. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 27 Miyamoto International, Inc. Figure 2. Example of foundation reinforcement in progress. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 28 Miyamoto International, Inc. Figure 3. Example of foundation reinforcement and concrete placement. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 29 Miyamoto International, Inc. Figure 4. Drilling of the existing bond beam for epoxy dowel placement. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 30 Miyamoto International, Inc. Figure 5. Shear wall reinforcing steel observed in progress. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 31 Miyamoto International, Inc. Figure 6. Cleaning the rebar before setting up the formwork. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 32 Miyamoto International, Inc. Figure 7. Example of shear wall concrete placement observed in progress. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 33 Miyamoto International, Inc. Figure 8. Shear wall concrete placement observed in progress. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 34 Miyamoto International, Inc. Figure 9. Training with the concrete blocks manufacturers. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 35 Miyamoto International, Inc. Figure 10. Production of concrete blocks. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 36 Miyamoto International, Inc. Figure 11. Production of concrete blocks. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 37 Miyamoto International, Inc. Figure 12. Storage of materials for concrete blocks production. Diaspora Partnership Accelerator (DPA): An Innovative Partnership Model for Leveraging New Humanitarian Voices and Solutions Final Report: July 2023 38 Miyamoto International, Inc. STRUCTURAL OBSERVATION REPORT Project Name: LKM SHELTER RETROFIT – Construction Surveillance Project Number: Project Location: MI2121014.00 Report Number: La Gonâve- Haïti 03 Observation Date: June 26th-July 1st, 2023 Prepared By: Emilio MOLIN Present: Emilio MOLIN (Miyamoto) Jean Louis LAUVIN (Contractor) Contact Info : Immeuble Hexagone – 5ème étage Angle Rue Clerveau et Darguin Pétion Ville, Haïti C +509. 4439-0813 Signed : SUMMARY OF WORK IN PROGRESS 3. At building 2, shear wall foundation reinforcement and concrete placement was observed in progress at the following locations: ● Along gridline 1 between gridlines A.4 and B.5. ● Along gridline 4 between gridlines A.6 and B.6. ● Along gridline B between gridlines 1 and 1.4. ● Along gridline A between gridlines 1.7 and 2.3. 4. At building 1 and 2, shear wall reinforcement and concrete placement was observed at the following locations: • Along gridline 1 between gridlines A.8 and B.1 • Along gridline 4 between gridlines A.8 and B. • Along gridline B between gridlines 1 and 1.2. • Along gridline A between gridlines 1.9 and 2.1. 5. At building 3 and 4, footing excavation was observed in progress at the following locations: ● Along gridline 1 between gridlines A.4 and B.5. ● Along gridline 4 between gridlines A.6 and B.6. ● Along gridl