Bolivia – Special Development Activity Fund (SDAF)

Improving Living Conditions, Strengthening Civil Society

ACDI/VOCA’s USAID-funded Special Development Activity Fund (SDAF) program is contributing to the development of democracy and civil society in Bolivia by empowering citizens to identify and address problems in their communities themselves. 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.

ACDI/VOCA, through the SDAF, implements small self-help projects that respond to the expressed needs of low-income groups in urban and rural areas of Bolivia. Most of the projects receive funding of approximately $7,000, with none exceeding $11,500. 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 small community improvement projects such as building meeting rooms and recreation facilities. The projects also provide training and technical assistance to ensure sustainability.

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. Community in-kind contribution is required in the form of local materials and labor and the programs generally generate temporary jobs for the participating local organizations, communities or neighborhoods. In the end, the completed projects aim to contribute to the improvement of the beneficiaries’ living conditions, both economically and socially.

As of September 2007, $40,754 has been invested directly in 7 small projects and grants with over 2,500 beneficiaries. In addition to these completed projects, ACDI/VOCA currently has 8 projects in various stages of implementation, for a total value of approximately $60,000 and intended to benefit over 20,000 Bolivians.

For more information, contact David Lindgren at dlindgren@acdivoca.org.

Updated: 1/08

PDF version of profile (346 KB)