Bolivia – Special Development Activity Fund (SDAF)

Improving Living Conditions, Strengthening Civil Society

ACDI/VOCA’s USAID-funded Special Development Activity Fund (SDAF) program contributes to the development of democracy and civil society in Bolivia by empowering citizens to identify and address problems in their communities. The program serves as an efficient mechanism for disbursing small grants that respond to the immediate needs of poor Bolivians in a way that creates a culture of peace and open dialogue.

Through SDAF, ACDI/VOCA implements small self-help projects that respond to the expressed needs of low-income groups in Bolivia’s urban and rural areas. Most projects receive funding of approximately $7,000, with none exceeding $11,500. Communities are required to provide in-kind contributions to the projects in the form of local materials and labor to instill a sense of ownership. The types of projects that SDAF finances include school completion or remodeling; provision of school equipment and materials; upgrading water and sanitation systems; building small irrigation systems; supporting small agricultural and handicraft activities; and facilitating small community improvement projects such as building meeting rooms and recreation facilities.

The completed projects aim to contribute to the improvement of the beneficiaries’ living conditions, both economically and socially. The programs generally generate temporary jobs for people working in the participating local organizations, communities or neighborhoods. The projects further provide Bolivians with training and technical assistance to ensure that project interventions are sustainable even after assistance ends.

As of June 2009, over $300,000 had been invested directly in 42 small projects and grants with almost 28,000 beneficiaries. ACDI/VOCA also has two projects currently being implemented. Recently implemented projects include providing equipment and furniture to a 24-hour facility for mistreated or abandoned children; constructing bathroom facilities for a children’s daycare center; and providing specialized education to children with learning disabilities.

For more information, contact Nicole Chao-Villegas at nchao-villegas@acdivoca.org.

Updated: 8/09

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