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The Community Development Support Program in the Russian Federation. Round 3

Project Complex

Youth Development and School Infrastructure Improvement as a Factor of Improving Educational Services

Requested amount $61 946            Grantee contribution $10 027    Total cost   $71 973

Thematic projects included in the Project Complex :
1. «Improving living conditions in Residential School # 1 in Zavodskoi District, Grozny»
2. «Installing a water supply system and improving sanitary standards in Middle School # 35 in Andreyevskaya Dolina Settlement, Zavodskoi District, Grozny»
3. «Motivating youth to become active citizens with positive life attitudes»

Municipality Profile: Zavodskoi District in Grozny, Republic of Chechnya, where Residential School #1 and Middle School # 35 are located, is one of the city’s areas that was most badly destroyed during military operations. Despite the current infrastructure restoration activities in the city, the raion still lacks water supply and the two schools have not yet been refurbished. The main reason for this is their location at the edge of the city. Such a location is also the reason of the inadequate involvement of local school pupils in the current educational, social and other processes now taking place in the Republic of Chechnya.

The community is still in a situation of information isolation. School #35 has 36 teachers, 20 support employees and 510 pupils. Residential School # 1 has 300 pupils, of which 84 stay their around-the-clock and 49 are orphans. There are 25 teachers in this school and 42 support employees (inlcuding night-shift attendants, library staff, cooks, etc.).

Community problems addressed by the Project Complex:

• Lack of  a water supply system and a fire-prevention reservoir  in School # 35, which is the reason of poor sanitary and fire-prevention conditions;
• The building of Residential School # 1 is not suited for life and study. During the heating season it is very cold in the classrooms, the dining room and in the dormitories, which leads, on the one hand, to an increase of respiratory illnesses among the pupils and, on the other hand, to excess and inefficient power consumption;
• The youth living in the city outskirts does not have access to personal development opportunities and is not involved in addressing local socially significant issues – this gives young people a feeling of needlessness and social isolation. 
• The low social involvement of the youth leads to an increase of delinquency and forms negative attitudes and false stereotypes; municipal management principles are not understood by the community, including the youth;
• The lack of effective forms of interaction between the municipal government and local residents is considerably hampering community development. Neither the local government, nor the residents strive to cooperate or to delegate rights and obligations to each other.

This situation prevents all the sectors of the community to properly prepare for the introduction of Federal Law # 131 “On the General Principles of Local Self-Government” in the Republic of Chechnya, which, in turn, makes it impossible to form effective local self-government structures that are essential for community sustainable development.

Contact information:
12 Zelenaya St., Apt. 11, Grozny, Republic of Chechnya, 364008.
Tel.: 8-928-737-72-20, fax (8712) 22-34-57, e-mail  stimul-ruslan@yandex.ru

Contact person of the Project Complex:
Vasily Yerkiyev, chairman of Stimul, a regional NGO.

Synergetic effect of the Project Complex:

Develop a model for resolving problems facing educational institutions in Zavodskoi District in Grozny by means of consolidating the efforts of local government, the community and the school management;

Utilize the capabilities and resources of non-government organizations to further interaction between the local self-government of Zavodskoi District and government authorities at the level of the city and the republic, as well as with  youth from the educational institutions;

Attract additional investment for dealing with the most critical problems; promote energy efficiency and install a water supply system in local general education institutions; and create mechanisms for reinvesting energy savings;

Enhance the quality of public health measures in educational institutions; educate youth to become socially responsible; and identify and train youth leaders as one of the key factors of sustainable community development.

In accordance with an agreement reached with officials from the Republic of Chechnya Ministry of Education and the City of Grozny Department of Education, funds saved by the Project Complex on heating, lighting and supplying water to educational institutions will be redistributed for the needs of School # 35 and Residential School # 1. The specific use of these moneys will be decided taking into account the opinions of organizations, members of the Project Consortium, as well as of schoolchildren and their parents.

Organizations, members of the Project Complex

Project	Title	Category	Profile
CDSP3-3/1	Stimul, a regional NGO	Non-profit	Assistance in the sphere of health protection of educators; support to educational, scientific and sports activities; and aid to educators, whose social and legal rights are violated.
CDSP3-3/2	Dialogue, a regional youth public movement	Non-profit	Engaging youth in civic activities; ensuring an observance of civil rights; and promoting the health of citizens.
CDSP3-3/3	Regional Public Philanthropic Fund for the Support of NGOs	Non-profit	Pooling the efforts and resources of legal entities and individuals for the implementation of charitable, educational and social training programs; facilitating a greater influence of NGOs on the government’s social policy and assisting them in promoting citizen awareness.

Duration (months)

9

Start date

01/04/ 2008

End date

31/12/2008

Project «Improving living conditions in Residential School # 1 in Zavodskoi District, Grozny»

Organization:
Stimul, a regional NGO
Type of organization:
Non-profit

Start date April 1, 2008

End date September 30, 2008

Project summary:
This project will replace 14 windows (in the school’s cafeteria, 2 bedrooms and 2 classrooms) with plastic multiple glass units. In the rooms of Residential School # 1, old lamps will be replaced with new energy-efficient ones. The students will take an active part in project activities. The old wooden window frames and glass will be used for other purposes.

Location of dissemination:
Zavodskoi District in Grozny with a population of 15,000.
Contact information:
12 Zelyonaya St., Apt. 12, Grozny, Republic of Chechnya 364008
Tel.: 8-928-737-72-20; fax: (8712) 22-34-57; e-mail: stimul-ruslan@yandex.ru
Project coordinator:

Vasily Yarkiyev, Chairman of Stimul Regional NGO

Project objectives:
The school building of Residential School # 1 has not been renovated for over 10 years. The building is not fit for the educational process. During the heating season, it is very cold in the classrooms, cafeteria and bedrooms, which causes, on the one hand, an increase of colds among the pupils, and, on the other hand, an inefficient use of electricity (for example, when the electric stove in the kitchen is turned on, a power failure occurs at the entire school). Considering that 350 children attend Residential School # 1 (84 of whom live there permanently and of these 60 are orphans) and there are 25 teachers and 42 general staff members (inlcuding night attendants, librarians, cooks, etc.), this critical problem requires immediate attention.
Anticipated results:

• 30% of heat will be saved after 14 new windows are installed;
• The 150 new energy-efficient lamps will allow to save, on the average, 50% of electricity – the saved funds will be used for addressing the priority tasks of the school;
• The health of the pupils will improve (at present, 30% of them are ill constantly);
• The living conditions of 84 children who stay at the school year-round will improve; and the general conditions in the school and in the cafeteria, in particular, will improve for all the children and staff (417 people);
• 20-25 high school students will be taught, in the form of business games, to monitor and analyze price formation on the economic market in Chechen Republic; to negotiate and cooperate with the administration of Zavodskoi City District and NGOs; and to take part in volunteer activities.

Total project amount $ 26 180

Grantee contribution $1 242

Awarded grant $24 938.

Project «Installing a water supply system and improving sanitary standards in Middle School # 35 in Andreyevskaya Dolina Settlement, Zavodskoi District, Grozny»

Organization:
Dialogue, a regional youth public movement
Type of organization:
Non-profit

Start date April 1, 2008

End date September 30, 2008.

Project summary:
This project will carry out a set of measures to provide the school with a standard water supply system that will involve installing a water storage tank and acquiring and installing a water supply system and service lines for supplying water to the school’s cafeteria.

Location of dissemination:
Andreyevskaya Dolina Settlement, Zavodskoi District, Grozny. Number of beneficiaries – nearly 600 people from the school. There are 3,200 residents in the settlement.
Contact information:
13/a Kutuzova St., Apt. 2, Leninsky District, Grozny, Republic of Chechnya 364020
Tel.: 8-928-781-73-97; fax: (8712) 22-34-57; e-mail: linda58@mail.ru,
lindgirl-69@yandex.ru
Project coordinator:
Laila Aubova, Chairman of Dialogue, a regional youth public movement

Project objectives:
School # 35 in Andreyevskay Dolina Settlement lacks a water supply system. Water is delivered and stored in a plastic container that is kept near the school building in summer and is brought into the cafeteria in winter. There is no system supplying water to the cafeteria. This water storage practice violates existing sanitary and health standards. Water is delivered to the school once or twice a week and because of a lack of a stationary water storage tank there is always a shortage of water for preparing food, washing and for other needs.
Anticipated results:
As a result of installing a water supply system in School # 35:

• Nearly 600 people will be provided with water at all time;
• The school’s fire security system will be improved;
• The quality of food in the school’s cafeteria will improve;
• The infrastructure of the school will be upgraded: a water storage tank with a capacity of 15 tons will be installed; over 25 m of pipes will be laid; water will be supplied to the cafeteria; and a pump, kitchen sink, a geyser and a washstand for the children will be put in place.

Total project amount $ 19 015

Grantee contribution $ 1 190

Awarded grant $ 17 825

Project «Motivating youth to become active citizens with positive life attitudes»

Organization:
Regional Public Philanthropic Fund for the Support of NGOs
Type of organization:
Non-profit

Start date April 1, 2008

End date December 31, 2008

Project summary:
This project will organize a series of activities in School # 35, Residential School # 1, School # 6, School # 47 and School #39 in Zavodskoi District in Grozny aimed at:

• Educating youth and acquainting it with the principles of interacting with the government and non-government sectors;
• Identifying and developing youth leaders;
• Forming  sustainable multi-sector cooperation mechanisms (pupils, educational institutions, NGOs, government authorities of Zavodskoi District, the Public Chamber, and the Commissioner for Human Rights in the Republic of Chechnya);
• Increasing youth participation and legal awareness and involving it in local decision-making.

Location of dissemination:
Zavodskoi District in Grozny
Contact information:
4 Prospekt Revolutsii, Grozny, Republic of Chechnya
Tel.: 8 (928) 740-78-27; fax: (8712) 22-34-57; e-mail: rbfnpo@mail.ru
Project coordinator:
Louise Aubova, President of the NGO Assistance Regional Public Philanthropic Fund

Project objectives:
Local children and youth are unable to become engaged in recreation and sports activities due to a lack of relevant facilities in schools and residential schools. There are no after-school activities centers in Zavodskoi Raion. Residential School # 1 does not have a gym, but there is a sports ground in the schoolyard that needs improvement. In School # 35, a gym was built but it has not been equipped with athletic equipment. These two schools are located in the outskirts of the city and, thus, are not properly involved in educational, social or other processes that are taking place in the Republic of Chechnya.
The low social activity of youth results in growing juvenile delinquency, dissemination of negative notions and perpetuation of false stereotypes. Both the local authorities and the community have no inclination to cooperate or delegate rights and obligations to each other. The principles of governance on a raion level are unclear to the local population, including the youth. The lack of effective interaction between local government and the community significantly curtails the prospects of future development.

Anticipated results:
Nearly 125 graduates of five local schools (Residential School # 1 and Schools #3, 35, 39, 6, and 47) will:

• receive new knowledge in various spheres (education, governmental and municipal governance, volunteer work, NGO activities, etc.);
• obtain experience in negotiating and interacting with local administrations and other government and non-government organizations; and
• work as volunteers in addressing local socially significant concerns.

Sports equipment will be acquired for the gym in School # 35 and for Residential School # 1, which lacks a gym. In the yard of School # 35, a sports ground will be built.

Total project amount $ 26 777

Grantee contribution $7 595

Awarded grant $ 19 182