Child Labor in Botswana

The U.S. Embassy Gaborone announces an open competition for organizations to submit applications to carry out a program to strengthen children's rights in Botswana. The program would raise awareness of child labor, particularly in agriculture, empower civil society and local leaders to contribute to solutions, and ensure the government enforces laws to protect children. Program Objectives: Child labor exists in Botswana, particularly in the commercial agriculture and cattle farming sector, but the scale of the problem is largely unknown, and enforcement of Botswana's existing laws on child labor is minimal. A lack of research and inconsistencies in knowledge about child labor likely contribute to these problems thus driving conceptions that child labor is isolated and that children's work is mostly harmless. There is also little public awareness of the issue. Many child workers are from the San ethnic group, a minority population that has faced considerable discrimination on land rights, education, and language. The Government of Botswana has little capacity to enforce labor laws due to insufficient data too few inspectors, and poor access to agricultural sites. The proposed project includes the following activities: Research: A study of child labor to identify trends, current numbers and demographics of victims, and possible tactics to counter the problem. This would provide much needed data to assess the scale of child labor in Botswana, the type of work children are engaged in, potential hazardous work, government actions to respond to child labor, and obstacles to enforcing child labor laws. Outreach: Engage with stakeholders in agricultural regions, including the cattle farming areas of Ghanzi and Tsabong, to ensure they are aware of child labor regulations, can identify child labor, know their responsibilities under the law and the legal ramifications of violating the laws, and are able to play a productive part in solutions. This outreach would include traditional leaders, the San ethnic group, parents, journalists, and most importantly, farmers and cattle industry organizations. Local government labor divisions would also be included. Public Awareness: The project will fund media campaigns including radio, local television, and social media in farming areas to raise awareness of what child labor looks like, its deleterious effects on children and their rights, and how to report it. This public awareness would also focus on government officials, encouraging them to take greater action to address the problem. Victim Assistance: Botswana’s system of child victim assistance, including for issues such as Gender Based Violence and Trafficking in Persons (TIP), is highly dependent on a loose network of poorly funded NGOs and victim assistance groups. Most NGOs are based in Gaborone, meaning any child in need of assistance must be brought to the capital, often more than a thousand kilometers in distance. The project would work with these NGOs to improve their capacity to identify and provide services to children in child labor situations. The role of the grantee will be the following: Organize logistics; gather, analyze, and present information; and host a series of events or educational/cultural sessions, each focused on at least one of the priority areas listed above. The award amount includes venue, travel, speaker, media, refreshments, or any other fees directly related to the project. No funding request above the $300,000 award ceiling will be considered. Applicants should consider that much of this work will occur outside of Botswana’s capital and major population centers. Therefore, budgets must include travel to rural areas outside of public transportation networks. Successful applicants must provide a detailed strategy on how to gain access to traditional communities, farmers, local leaders, government officials, and local business communities. Given the ongoing constraints on public gatherings and travel posed by COVID-19, as a contingency, grantees should be prepared to explain how their proposals could be conducted virtually if in-person events are not possible. FEDERAL AWARD INFORMATION: Length of performance period: 18 months; Anticipated program start date: January 1, 2022. This notice is subject to availability of funding. ELIGILIBITY INFORMATION Eligible Applicants: The following organizations are eligible to apply: Not-for-profit organizations, including think tanks and civil society/non-governmental organizations; Public and private educational institutions; Individuals; Public International Organizations; Cost Sharing or Matching: None : Other Eligibility Requirements: In order to be eligible to receive an award, all organizations must have a unique entity identifier (Data Universal Numbering System/DUNS number from Dun & Bradstreet), as well as a valid registration on www.SAM.gov. Individuals are not required to have a unique entity identifier or be registered in SAM.gov. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION: Application Package: Application forms required below are available at grants.gov Please follow all instructions below carefully. Proposals that do not meet the requirements of this announcement or fail to comply with the stated requirements will be ineligible. Content of Application: Please ensure: The proposal clearly addresses the goals and objectives of this funding opportunity; All documents are in English; All budgets are in U.S. dollars; All pages are numbered; All documents are formatted to US Letter size paper (8.5” x 11”), and; All documents must be in Microsoft Word or Microsoft Excel, the paragraphs must be single-spaced, the font must be 12-point Times New Roman, and the margins must be 1-inch. Mandatory application forms: SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance – organizations) or SF-424-I (Application for Federal Assistance --individuals) at Grants.gov SF-424A (Budget Information for Non-Construction programs) at Grants.gov SF-424B (Assurances for Non-Construction programs) at Grants.gov (note: the SF-424B is only required for individuals and for organizations not registered in SAM.gov) Summary Page: Cover sheet stating the applicant’s name and organization, proposal date, program title, program period, proposed start and end date, and brief purpose of the program. Proposal (10 pages maximum): The proposal should contain sufficient information that anyone not familiar with it would understand exactly what the applicant wants to do. You may use your own proposal format, but it must include all the items below. Proposal Summary: Short narrative that outlines the proposed program, including program objectives and anticipated impact. Introduction to the Organization or Individual applying: A description of past and present operations, showing ability to carry out the program, including information on all previous grants from the U.S. Embassy and/or U.S. government agencies. Problem Statement: Clear, concise and well-supported statement of the problem to be addressed and why the proposed program is needed. Program Goals and Objectives: The “goals” describe what the program is intended to achieve. The “objectives” refer to the intermediate accomplishments on the way to the goals. These should be achievable and measurable. Program Activities: Describe the program activities and how they will help achieve the objectives. Program Methods and Design: A description of how the program is expected to work to solve the stated problem and achieve the goal. Include a logic model as appropriate. Proposed Program Schedule and Timeline: The proposed timeline for the program activities. Include the dates, times, and locations of planned activities and events. Key Personnel: Names, titles, roles and experience/qualifications of key personnel involved in the program. What proportion of their time will be used in support of this program? Program Partners: List the names and type of involvement of key partner organizations and sub-awardees. Program Monitoring and Evaluation Plan: This is an important part of successful grants. Throughout the timeframe of the grant, how will the activities be monitored to ensure they are happening in a timely manner, and how will the program be evaluated to make sure it is meeting the goals of the grant? Future Funding or Sustainability: Applicant’s plan for continuing the program beyond the grant period, or the availability of other resources, if applicable. Budget Justification Narrative: After filling out the SF-424A Budget (above), use a separate sheet of paper to describe each of the budget expenses in detail. See section H. Other Information: Guidelines for Budget Submissions below for further information. Attachments: 1-page CV or resume of key personnel who are proposed for the program; Letters of support from program partners describing the roles and responsibilities of each partner; If your organization has a Negotiated Indirect Cost Rate Agreement (NICRA) and includes NICRA charges in the budget, your latest NICRA should be included as a PDF file; Official permission letters, if required for program activities; Unique Entity Identifier and System for Award Management (SAM.gov) Required Registrations: Any applicant listed on the Excluded Parties List System (EPLS) in the System for Award Management (SAM) is not eligible to apply for an assistance award. Additionally, no entity listed on the EPLS can participate in any activities under an award. All applicants are strongly encouraged to review the EPLS in SAM to ensure that no ineligible entity is included. All organizations applying for grants (except individuals) must obtain these registrations. All are free of charge: Unique entity identifier from Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS number), NCAGE/CAGE code; SAM.gov registration; After receiving the NCAGE Code, proceed to register in SAM.gov by logging onto: https://www.sam.gov; SAM registration must be renewed annually. Submission Dates and Times: Applications are due no later than August 23, 2021 Funding Restrictions: Funding is intended for activities in Botswana Other Submission Requirements: All application materials must be submitted by email to [email protected]; [email protected]; and [email protected]. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION: See NOFO for details. Federal Awardee Performance & Integrity Information System (FAPIIS): See Notice of Funding (NOFO) for more information. FEDERAL AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION: Federal Award Notices: Issuance of this NOFO does not constitute an award commitment on the part of the U.S. government, nor does it commit the U.S. government to pay for costs incurred in the preparation and submission of proposals. Further, the U.S. government reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: Before submitting an application, applicants should review all the terms and conditions and required certifications which will apply to this award, to ensure that they will be able to comply. See NOFO for more information. Reporting Requirements: See NOFO for more information. Foreign Assistance Data Review: As required by Congress, the Foreign Assistance Data Review (FADR) requires tracking of foreign assistance activity data from budgeting, planning, and allocation through obligation and disbursement. See NOFO for more information. FEDERAL AWARDING AGENCY CONTACTS: If you have any questions about the grant application process, please contact: [email protected]; [email protected]; and [email protected] OTHER INFORMATION: Guidelines for Budget Justification: See NOFO for more information.