Dear Friends and Colleagues,
October marked an exciting and busy month for our team. We held an Evidence Summit on Strategic Religious Engagement (SRE) — USAID's 12th summit since 2010 and the first to focus on this topic — welcoming nearly 300 individuals from the NGO community, the U.S. Government, universities, and other institutions from around the world to explore evidence on partnering with local religious communities and faith-based organizations in development. CFOI will draw on the discussions to build USAID's operational capacity to integrate SRE, when and where it is appropriate, to achieve our development goals. More information on the outcomes of our SRE Evidence Summit to come in the weeks ahead.
With best wishes for health and strength to you and your communities.
Best regards,
Kirsten Evans
Director
USAID Center for Faith and Opportunity Initiatives (CFOI)
|
|
|
|
USAID celebrated International Religious Freedom Day on October 27th.
|
|
|
|
Acting Administrator Barsa also participated in an event at the Hudson Institute highlighting how the Trump Administration is using foreign assistance to advance religious freedom. The event was moderated by the Hudson Institute's Nina Shea and is worth watching. Click here to view a recording of the event.
|
|
|
|
Also on October 27th, USAID produced a virtual roadshow hosted by Baylor University’s Center for Global Engagement. This event educated university students and faculty, local organizations, and business groups on the growing persecution of religious and ethnic minorities worldwide. |
|
Acting Administrator Barsa with local faith leaders, youth, and CEOSS in Cairo, Egypt. |
Acting Administrator Barsa visiting Cairo's al-Azhar Park with representatives from the Aga Khan Development Network. |
|
This month USAID Acting Administrator John Barsa traveled to Egypt and Kenya, where he met with several local religious leaders and faith-based organizations. In Egypt he gathered with local faith leaders, youth, and the Coptic Evangelical Organization for Social Services (CEOSS) to discuss how a decade of U.S. funding has helped diverse groups come together to develop their community.
He also visited al-Azhar Park with the Aga Khan Development Network to see how U.S. investments have helped transform the park into a communal green space and build reservoirs that provide clean drinking water to 30 percent of Cairo's residents.
|
|
A-A Barsa's meeting in Nairobi with local religious leaders. |
|
In Kenya, A-A Barsa and U.S. Ambassador to Kenya Kyle McCarter met with local faith leaders to discuss complications of governance in Kenya, and USAID's efforts to strengthen the country's civil-society organizations to help protect the rights of religious minorities through community-based, interfaith efforts.
|
|
|
|
On October 22nd, USAID CFOI Director Kirsten Evans was honored to join the First Hemispheric Forum on Freedom of Religion or Belief, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Colombia. Ms. Evans moderated a panel discussion on best practices in interfaith cooperation for religious freedom and sustainable development.
|
|
Below are open NPI funding opportunities.
|
|
NPI Funding Opportunities |
|
Call for Partnership Concept Papers for Religious and Ethnic Freedom and Inclusion in the Middle East and North Africa |
|
USAID's Middle East Bureau is seeking concept papers that respond to the needs of religious and ethnic minorities in the region. This solicitation is intended to support grassroots, local initiatives that will have sustainable impact. We invite those with creative solutions to submit their ideas. Learn more here.
Deadline: November 4th, 2020
|
|
Youth Excel Addendum
As described in the YouthPower 2 Annual Program Statement (YP2 APS), USAID has a longstanding history of investing in youth development in multiple sectors, including education, agriculture, the environment, economic growth, and democracy, human rights and governance. Yet there is still a need for increased effort to incorporate youth as partners in development activities.
Previous USAID youth programming has supported small scale youth-led learning and implementation grants in low- and middle-income countries that have provided on-the-ground insights into Positive Youth Development programming. However, the local youth organizations involved had limited capacity in conducting research, analyzing data, and applying findings to programs.
Deadline: March 29th, 2021
|
|
Higher Education for Leadership, Innovation, and Exchange (HELIX) Annual Program Statement
Today’s youth are largely inspired by the chance to drive meaningful change, peace and prosperity, and eager to use their skills to better their communities. To harness the potential of the more than 1.5 billion young people worldwide, USAID has released the Higher Education for Leadership, Innovation, and Exchange (HELIX) Annual Program Statement.
This will support the Agency’s higher education programming across sectors by promoting solutions, including:
- Scholarships, exchanges, and fellowships for individuals, and
- Institutional capacity building and partnerships (i.e., policy reform)
Deadline: April 2nd, 2021
|
|
Women's Global Development and Prosperity
Deadline: April 15th, 2021
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
