Program Overview CARE started its operations in Angola in 1989, mainly focusing on emergency interventions including food, health, water, and sanitation, and one urban development program. In 2002, when the 30-year civil war ended, CARE’s programs shifted, and eight years later more than 80 percent of the programs are rights-based and focus on good governance and decentralization in both urban and rural areas. Out of Angola’s 18 provinces, CARE Angola now works in Luanda, Bie, Kuando Kubango, Cabinda, Benguela, Cunene, Huambo, and Huila. The resource-rich country has a strong potential to become independent from foreign aid, but it will be a challenge to ensure those resources benefit all Angolans. In light of this, CARE Angola focuses on two main areas: promoting good governance and the government’s decentralization program; and livelihood programs for poverty reduction among the most vulnerable populations—particularly women and children.

Good Governance CARE leads the Municipal Development Program in four provinces. This program builds the capacity of municipal administrations and civil society organizations to develop joint projects, such as school construction or health centre rehabilitation. The Program also provides funding for those projects, which are mostly managed by the communities. This promotes government’s establishment of pro-poor policies and civil society organizations’ involvement in the municipal planning process. CARE manages a Non-State Actor Strengthening Program in Luanda and Benguela that aims to strengthen the capacity of community-based organizations and networks to influence and monitor the development and implementation of municipal development plans. CARE uses participatory municipal development planning and budgeting in Kilamba Kiaxi, Viana, and Cuanhama to establish 20 community-managed childcare centres, directly benefiting 2,600 children and their families. Children attending the centres receive care and nutritious meals in a safe environment. CARE and its partners provide local

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Angola Country Snapshot Population: 18 million

Life expectancy at birth: 47 years

Adult literacy rate: 67%

Access to improved water source: 51%

GDP per capita (PPP)*: US$5,385

Infant mortality rate: 130 per 1,000 live births

Maternal mortality rate: 1,400 per 100,000 live births

HIV prevalence: 2.1%

Sources: UNICEF State of the World’s Children Report 2010, *UNDP Human Development Report 2009

©2006 Ilan Godfrey/CARE

©2006 Ilan Godfrey/CARE

management training and will also help women’s groups use a proven savings-and-loan method to assist centre users and sustain the centres after CARE is gone. The project aims to ensure that the early childhood period is seen as a critical part of long-term development and poverty-reduction strategies. By the end of the project, municipal child protection networks will be well established, and governments will plan and budget for early-childhood centres based on CARE’s model. The Luanda Urban Poverty program, also implemented in Viana and Kilamba Kiaxi, established the central approaches and best practice models for the three good governance/decentralization programs in Angola. The program is mainly focusing on advocacy and influencing government policies for pro-poor urban planning and development, and strongly influenced the recently enacted decree on decentralization. The Renewable Energy Program in Andulo aims to establish a decentralized, pro-poor, sustainable, participatory, and environmentally friendly energy supply system that reduces carbon emissions. CARE assists the municipal administration of Andulo, which finances half of the program, to plant trees and install solar panels and energy-saving household equipment. In addition, the program supports the establishment of small businesses that require energy for their operations and builds the capacity of communities to manage and maintain their own solar energy systems. Livelihoods CARE works to incorporate HIV/AIDS issues into livelihoods and food security projects. Currently the project in Angola works to build the capacity of community-based organizations in three provinces and mainstream HIV/AIDS into their day-to-day work. In Huila Province, the Conservation Agriculture project aims to sustainably improve agricultural productivity and economic livelihoods of people in communities with large numbers of ex-combatants. In partnership with the

Ministry of Agriculture, CARE introduced conservation techniques and village savings and loan associations in Matala, Chicomba, Caluquembe, Quipungo, and Caconda. The program helps farmers use crop cover, minimal soil disturbance, and crop-rotation techniques to improve livelihoods. A similar project in Bie Province aims to increase women’s productivity and asset accumulation. Using soil conservation techniques and savings and loans, CARE increases livelihood security of 2,000 vulnerable households in Andulo, Chinguar Kunhinga, and Nharea e Kuito. The project will also link vulnerable households to markets and conduct soil conservation and crop variety research through strong links with research institutes, universities, and the Ministry of Agriculture departments. In order to provide universal access to financial services, CARE works to incorporate rural and peri-urban women into village savings and loan associations. These associations improve women’s position and voice in governance and community development. The project also links members with the formal financial sector for services such as savings, credit, and insurance. The project will enable CARE to take its savings-led model to scale, demonstrate the sustainability and replicability of the methodology, promote universal access to microfinance, make effective links with formal finance providers, introduce new technologies to reduce transaction costs, and significantly increase the financial sector’s ability to reach the poor with accessible, appropriate services. Major Donors

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), UK Department for Foreign International Development (DFID), UNICEF, World Bank, the European Commission, Chevron, Lazare Kaplan International (LKI), Coca Cola Africa Foundation, the Global Environment & Technology Foundation (GETF), the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the ELMA Foundation, Daey Ouwens Fund, BP, and private donors.

CARE Angola Robert Jan Bulten, Country Director, rjbulten@care-angola.org Daniel Miji, Program Director, daniel@care-angola.org T: +244 222 407 264

Southern Africa Regional Office Johannesburg, South Africa T: +27 11 234 1221 F: +27 11 234 1107 www.care-international.org

CARE is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Affirmative Action Employer (AA/M/F/D/V) dedicated to workplace diversity. CARE® and CARE Package® are registered marks of CARE. Copyright ©2008 by Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, Inc. (CARE). All rights reserved. Unless otherwise indicated, all photos ©CARE.

Last updated August 2010

©2006 Ilan Godfrey/CARE ©2006 Ilan Godfrey/CARE