2020 was a challenging year. Especially for program staff who are working on the frontlines facilitating change in communities. To recognize their hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic, SCALE (Strengthening Capacity in Agriculture, Livelihoods, and Environment), an initiative funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), created the Award’s Facilitators of the Year (FOTY) Initiative. Nominated by their peers, 14 individuals working on USAID/BHA-funded emergency or development activities received an award recognizing their abilities like respectfully and actively listen to workshop participants and effectively draw on participants’ experience.
Among the recipients are Arinda John Bosco and Ruth Ninsiima, AVSI Uganda staff members that have been working hard during the pandemic to implement AVSI’s Graduating to Resilience Activity.
"Interactive demonstration helps to promote learning of a new skill, with active participation. With this technique, first I explain and perform a step, and then all the participants perform the same step under my guidance.” says Arinda John Bosco, Graduating to Resilience Community Based Trainer working in agriculture and livelihoods sectors.
“Be your true self to create powerful connections with participants.” remarks Ruth Ninsiima, Graduating to Resilience Community Based Trainer working in the agriculture and livelihoods sectors
AVSI’s Graduating to Resilience Activity will also receive one of SCALE’s Creative Adaptation Awards for Strongest COVID-19 Innovations.
“In two weeks, we went from, ‘Keep yourself safe,’ to these very rapidly increasing lockdowns,” remembers Andrea Procopio, Senior Research and Learning Advisor with IMPAQ International, AVSI’s partner alongside Trickle Up. “Among other adaptations to the program, we modified our village savings and loan associations by breaking up groups of 25 into small groups and having them meet in groups of five, making sure everybody had their personal protective equipment, like masks, hand sanitizers, soap, water and sat two meters apart, and had people come at staggered times so that people could continue saving.”