Applications

Kairouan Community (KC)

kairouan.community@gmail.com

+ 21622756386 

fixkairouan.org 

KC, thanks to the multisectoral experience of its members seeks opportunities to pursue Kairouan governor­rate & Central Tunisia sustainable development agenda. The main goals: sustainable environmental, social and economic development in Tunisia; mainstreaming of durable solutions to social & economic malaise and underdevelopment of urban and rural communities; political & social and economic empowerment and activation of disadvantageous and marginalized areas and vulnerable groups and communities. KC aims to support local initiatives in Kairouan by launching a stable micro­granting programme (the pilot edition was introduced in 2015).

Please indicate prior experience of your organization working in the same sector, country, or region. Provide as well information on the number of employees and volunteers, the past and on­going key activities of your organization and their focus areas. Max. 650 characters.

KC, est. in 2014 is a grass­root community type CSO/NGO, the 1st of the kind in Tunisia with rep. of 3 sectors (CSO, LA, Business). Focus areas: sustainable environmental, social &economic dev. in Tunisia, empowerment & activation of marginalized areas & communities.
Projects implemented with Municipality of Kairouan & EU Delegation & IFA; http://fixkairouan.org/ civil e­monitoring tool; access to public information(Solidarity Fund, PL), cooperation with association A.G.I.M (PwD).

KC in 2015 launched micro­granting program on local initiatives based on Fix Kairouan civil monitoring reports.

Operational Budget: $50,000 ­ $100,000 

Project responds to needs of members of disadvantaged groups ­ DG (People with Disabilities PwD, mothers, seniors) lacking representation in politics & public space in Kairouan & tools to foster dialogue with local NGOs/LAs & civil society. Project seeks to build capacity of DG leaders for advocacy in action, to support their start in local politics, enhance equal participation in decision making process & equal access to public space, by realizing micro­initiatives as a community project. 

$ 109,000 

Conference hall for trainings/conference in Kairouan, coffee breaks, photo documentation, technical support during events, being in­kind contribution 

Civil society lacks confidence in political actions & its effectiveness due to unprofitableness of public debates & scarce public consultations, causing low public participation on local issues & no examples of public space to be widely accessible & attractive. The challenge is social taboo towards PwD & discrimination in public debate, causing low social support to be a rep. in city council – fought by promoting coop. within community to influence Municipality to foster local initiatives.

Low public participation is caused by public debates formula &unprofitableness: people are disappointed &untrusting to political actions/politicians/local scale decision­making process),and also by dysfunction of LAs ­ unqualified old regime’s rep., chaotic competences, non­transparent procedures, low effectiveness of public consultations –unlikely to change in nearest future. Tangible outcome as initiatives in public space, chosen & projected by community itself in charette event formula, allows also the meaningful inclusion of DG & chance to practice leader skills. 

Minorities, Marginalized & Vulnerable Groups 

o build capacity, competences & authority of leaders from DG in Kairouan as advocacy in action (by realizing project in public space) &to ensure equal opportunities & representation of DG in politics & participate in local level decision making process 

1. DG leaders gain know­how &tools to build authority for advocacy & ability to solve problems, are prepared for active participation in local politics
2. DG gain representation in local politics &equal chances to use& create public space & are involved in local policy making process
3. DG inclusion process& public participation is strengthened due to community­Municipality­NGOs dialogue &cooperation 

Outputs for Outcome 1 - 8 DG leaders trained in 4 workshop sessions

Outputs for Outcome 2 - Consultation event (charette formula) held Debate on public space held

Outputs for Outcome 3 -  Consultation event held (charette formula)

Kick­off meeting in Kairouan (local NGOs/LAs /rep. of DG) – needs assessment; recruitment for the workshops (max 8 persons)
4 workshop sessions run by foreign experts; theme components: accessibility/attractiveness/democratization/needs tailored/cross­cutting social/art actions in public space management; public consultations innovative tools & methodology; cooperation models, fundraising – followed by public debates in local media with participation of experts & working group;
Open public consultation event in Kairouan in charette formula: https://www.wbdg.org/resources/charrettes.php incl. live lab & voting for project of micro­initiative in public space
Implementation of chosen projects in public space
Final conference/debate on public space
Development of workshop materials
Dialogue meetings with NGOs, DG leaders, local authorities
Publishing newspaper articles
Launching a social media campaign
Public debate on public space 

Evaluation will be based on questionnaires filled in after final activities; attendance lists; Internet statistics/ref. in social media; project materials. Upon the project's completion a final evaluation report will be drafted which will assess project implement., its effectiveness & usefulness, participants’ involvement & the subject­matter, organisational and financial sides of the project. The report will determine further cooperation & factors contributing to the project's sustainability. 

Other funds (APPF, NED, EED, LCF, FSP, Europeaid,Transf. Partners. by IFA, Canada Fund for Local Init., U.S.­Mid. East Part. Init., MENA, FFF) will also be sought to expand the activity and cross­cutting socio­cultural aimed programmes. There are programmes for civil society dev. or international granting funds: Programme d’Appui a? la Socie?te? Civile en Tunisie, Enda Inter Arabe financing micro­credit programme for local needs. 

Gender considerations are taken into account in the project design

The project activities are designed to empower equally male and female among disabled people from Kairouan or seniors; mothers are chosen as beneficiaries due to their lack of performance and abilities to participate in public sphere.

Addressing the needs of marginalized or vulnerable groups is a key objective of the project.

The needs of disadvantaged groups from Kairouan are neglected – due to lack of representation and concrete ideas to increase participation and fighting exclusion in public life and decision­making process 

Ecole Nationale d'Architecture et d'Urbanisme, Tunis, TUN

Center Of Education And Adaptation For Disabled, Kairouan, TUN Development Policy Foundation, PL