US embassy cable - 00KINSHASA8490

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 008490 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
FOR AF/RA, DRL, USAID/AFR/SD, USAID/AFR/DP 
NAIROBI FOR AID 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KDEM, EAID, CG 
SUBJECT: SSH PROPOSALS FOR FY 2001 
 
 
1.  EMBASSY REQUESTS USD 130,774 FOR NINE SMALL SPECIAL 
SELF-HELP PROJECTS FOR FY2001: 
 
 
--  FOUNDATION ON CONGOLESE AFRICAN STUDIES, EDUCATION AND 
DEVELOPMENT (FOCASED).  REQUEST: USD 25,000.  DESCRIPTION OF 
PROJECT: PROVIDING PREMISES FOR LITERACY SESSIONS FOR 
ABANDONED CHILDREN, TEENAGERS AND ADULTS BY SUPPLYING 
BUILDING MATERIALS, USED CLOTHES, TEXTBOOKS AND OTHER 
TEACHING MATERIALS.  SSH OBJECTIVE: EDUCATION. 
 
 
--  ASSOCIATION DES FEMMES DEPLACEES DE GUERRE POUR LA 
PROMOTION DE L'AGRICULTURE (AFEPA). REQUEST: USD 7,000. 
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: BUYING/RENTING LAND TO ENABLE THESE 
LADIES TO SOW SOYBEAN AND 112.5 TONS OF PEANUTS AND CORN. 
SSH OBJECTIVE: INCOME GENERATION AND FOOD SELF-SUFFICIENCY. 
 
 
--  RESEAU SHALOM. REQUEST: USD 20,000.  DESCRIPTION OF 
PROJECT: TRAINING UNEMPLOYED ABANDONED GIRLS TO PRODUCE 
INCOME-GENERATING ITEMS FOR EVERY DAY CONSUMPTION TO ACHIEVE 
SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN POOR HEAVILY POPULATED AREAS OF KINSHASA. 
 SSH OBJECTIVE: INCOME GENERATION. 
 
 
--  ASSOCIATION DE DEVELOPMENT INTEGRAL DE LOMBEOLO (ADILO) 
EQUATEUR.  REQUEST: USD 4,195.  DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: 
BUYING MACHETES, SHOVELS, AXES, HOES AND SUCH EQUIPMENT FOR 
PRODUCING CASSAVA, CORN AND RICE IN LINKAKE, IYALI AND MONDJE 
CENTERS IN THE EQUATEUR PROVINCE.  SSH OBJECTIVE: INCOME 
GENERATION AND FOOD SELF-SUFFICIENCY. 
 
 
--  FORUM DE COMMUNICATION, D'EDUCATION ET D'ENCADREMENT DES 
MASSES (FOCEM).  REQUEST: USD 8,079.  DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: 
NUTRITIONAL MANAGEMENT OF AT-RISK PERSONS IN THE KIMBONDO 
DISTRICT AND THE FUNA VALLEY, KINSHASA.  SSH OBJECTIVE: 
HEALTH AND NUTRITION. 
 
 
--  ASSOCIATION COOPERATIVE DE MBINDA, (ASCOM).  REQUEST: USD 
19,500.  DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: TO CONSTRUCT A PIG FARM IN 
BAS CONGO FOR A COMMUNITY COOP PROJECT.  SSH OBJECTIVE: 
INCOME GENERATION AND FOOD SELF-SUFFICIENCY. 
 
 
--  UNION POUR LE BIEN ENTRE DE POPULATION DEMUNIE (UBEPD). 
REQUEST: USD 20,000.  DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT:  RECONSTRUCT 
FOUR DILAPIDATED SCHOOL BUILDINGS IN POOR AREAS OF THE CITY 
AND FURNISH BENCHES FOR THE CHILDREN.  SSH OBJECTIVE: 
ASSISTANCE TO NEEDY CHILDREN IN IMPOVERISHED COMMUNITIES OF 
KINSHASA. 
 
 
--  SOEURS DE STE MARIE DE NAMUR.  REQUEST: USD 20,000. 
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: TO PROVIDE VOCATIONAL TRAINING IN 
TAILORING AND START A POULTRY FARM TO PROMOTE 
SELF-SUFFICIENCY.  SSH OBJECTIVE: INCOME GENERATION AND FOOD 
SELF-SUFFICIENCY. 
 
 
--  CENTRE D'ACCUEIL BETHANIE. REQUEST: USD 7,000. 
DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT: PREPARING PREMISES OF A CONFERENCE 
CENTER FOR CIVIL SOCIETY WORKSHOPS, FOLLOWING LOOTING BY 
MILITARY IN JANUARY 1999 WHEN RWANDAN CIVILIANS WERE 
EXPELLED.  SSH OBJECTIVE: SOCIAL ASSISTANCE. 
 
 
2.  CRITERIA OBSERVED IN SELECTING THESE SSH PROJECTS: 
 
 
--  IN SELECTING THE ABOVE SSH PROJECTS EMBASSY HAS CAREFULLY 
CONSIDERED THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE THESE PROJECTS WILL BENEFIT, 
THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CONDITIONS OF THOSE REQUESTING THE 
PROJECTS, AS WELL AS THEIR ABILITY TO COMPLETE THE PROJECTS. 
THE MAJORITY OF THESE PROJECTS ARE AIMED AT IMPROVING 
CONDITIONS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN.  WE HAVE ALSO TAKEN INTO 
CONSIDERATION THE NEED FOR LOCALLY PRODUCED FOOD THAT CAN 
GENERATE INCOME AND RESULT IN FOOD SELF-SUFFICIENCY. 
 
 
--  TWO PROPOSALS FROM OUTSIDE KINSHASA WERE INTRODUCED THIS 
YEAR.  WE ACCEPTED BOTH OF THESE PROPOSALS, ONE IN BAS-CONGO 
AND THE OTHER IN EQUATEUR.  THE MAJORITY OF THE PROPOSALS 
COME FROM KINSHASA, HOWEVER, WHERE IT IS MUCH EASIER TO 
ADMINISTER PROJECTS DUE TO THE TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS OUTSIDE OF 
THE CAPITAL CITY.  KINSHASA, WITH ITS GROWING POPULATION OF 
OVER SIX MILLION PEOPLE, HAS AN IMMENSE NEED FOR SMALL 
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.  OUR SEVEN PROJECTS ARE A DROP IN THE 
BUCKET, BUT WILL GO A LONG WAY TOWARD IMPROVING THE LIVING 
CONDITIONS OF THE APPLICANTS. 
 
 
3.  THE POPULATION OF THE DRC IS ESTIMATED AT OVER 50 MILLION 
PEOPLE.  THE POPULATION OF KINSHASA, WHERE THE MAJORITY OF 
THE EMBASSY'S SSH PROJECTS ARE LOCATED, IS SAID TO BE 
APPROXIMATELY SIX MILLION.  POST'S MISSION PROGRAM PLAN NOTES 
THE STRONG US NATIONAL INTEREST IN PURSUING HUMANITARIAN 
GOALS IN THE DRC, AND THESE SELF HELP PROJECTS WILL PROMOTE 
THAT US INTEREST.  USAID HAS A PRESENCE IN THE DRC.  THE 
PEACE CORPS DOES NOT HAVE A PRESENCE. 
 
 
4.  PREVIOUS POST ADMINISTRATION PERFORMANCE: 
 
 
--  FY00.  FUNDING FOR FY2000 HAS NOT YET BEEN RECEIVED 
(NEITHER BY THE EMBASSY, NOR BY THE PROJECT RECIPIENTS.) 
CONTRACTS FOR 2000 PROJECTS WERE SIGNED ON SEPTEMBER 22, 
2000.  DUE TO LOCAL BANKING RESTRICTIONS, WE PLAN TO PAY 
VENDORS DIRECTLY FOR MATERIALS AND/OR SERVICES NEEDED IN 
ORDER TO COMPLETE THEIR PROJECTS. 
 
 
--  FY99.  DUE TO LOCAL BANKING RESTRICTIONS, FUNDS ALLOCATED 
FOR THESE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN SLOW IN GETTING TO THE 
RECIPIENTS.  CONTRACTS FOR ALL 1999 PROJECTS HAVE BEEN 
EXTENDED AND RECEIPTS ARE COMING IN.  ONE OF OUR RECIPIENTS 
HAS NOT RECEIVED ITS FUNDS.  HOWEVER, WE ARE CORRESPONDING 
WITH USAID CONCERNING THIS. 
 
 
FY98.  NO FUNDS WERE ALLOCATED DUE TO THE WAR AND THE 
EVACUATION OF THE EMBASSY. 
 
 
FY97.  TEN OF THE ELEVEN AGREEMENTS WERE LIQUIDATED. WE HAVE 
WORKED HARD TO CLOSE OUT THESE PROJECTS, AND ARE PLEASED TO 
REPORT THAT WE HAVE SUBMITTED TO USAID ALL THE DOCUMENTS 
NECESSARY TO LIQUIDATE THE ONE REMAINING PROJECT.  ALL 
AGREEMENTS PRIOR TO 1999 HAVE BEEN COMPLETED AND WE 
ANTICIPATE A FAVORABLE REPORT FROM USAID. 
SWING