Nicaragua - Sustainable Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Sector
The development objectives of the Sustainable Rural Water Supply and Sanitation (WSS) Sector Project for Nicaragua are to: (a) increase the access to sustainable WSS services in selected poor rural areas of Nicaragua through the consolidation of rural WSS sector institutions and the provision of adequate infrastructure; and (b) to improve Nicaragua's capacity to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible emergency. The project has four components. The first component, strengthening of the rural WSS sector finances the following sub-components: institutional strengthening of the rural WSS sector; strengthening of an integrated structure for sustainability of rural WSS services - "sustainability chain"; project management, monitoring, and evaluation. The second component, increase sustainable water supply and sanitation coverage in rural areas, supports the increased coverage of rural WSS services through the financing of sub-projects to provide technical solutions and level of service tailored to each beneficiary community. The third component, innovations in rural water, sanitation, and hygiene supports developing, carrying out, monitoring and evaluating pilot subprojects in selected municipalities aimed at testing new approaches to needs in the areas of water quality; resilience to climate change and natural disasters; operation and maintenance strategies; and innovative technologies for rural WSS access. The fourth component, immediate response mechanism - contingent component (IRM-CC) improves Nicaragua's capacity to respond promptly and effectively to emergencies by providing immediate response to an eligible emergency, as needed. Commitment Amount: US$ 30.00 million.

Activities:
Component 1 - Strengthening the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Sector: This component strengthens the rural WSS sector through institutional support to the national rural WSS agency and by building capacity to plan and manage WSS at municipal and community level. - Component 2 - Increase Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Coverage in Rural Areas: This component increases sustainable WSS coverage, especially in municipalities with lowest coverage and highest extreme poverty, in both Atlantic and Pacific areas of the country. - Component 3 - Innovations in Rural Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: This component undertakes pilot projects to test new methodologies that enhance the sustainability of rural WSS investments in an innovative way. Component 4 - Immediate Response Mechanism (IRM) contingency: This component provides immediate response to an Eligible Emergency, as needed.

http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P147006?lang=en

Beneficiaries: Poor inhabitants of selected rural areas in Nicaragua

Partners and financing: Government of Nicaragua, Emergency Social Investment Fund

Jamaica Integrated Community Development Project
Also addressing thematic area: Citizen Security and Transnational Organized Crime - The development objective of the Integrated Community Development Project for Jamaica is to enhance access to basic urban infrastructure and services, and contribute towards increased community safety in selected economically vulnerable and socially volatile inner city communities of Jamaica. The project has three components. The first component, basic infrastructure and access to services develops infrastructure investments across project communities according to identified community priorities, including: (i) widening, rehabilitating, and paving existing roads; (ii) improving storm water drainage; (iii) installing water supply and sanitation household connections and promoting behavioral change for the use and maintenance of water supply and sanitation infrastructure; and (iv) improving electricity connections and lighting. The second component, public safety enhancement and alternative livelihoods focuses on supporting the development and roll-out of programs that focus on key safety concerns and high risk groups. The third component supports institutional strengthening for urban management and public safety through carrying out capacity building activities for selected entities of the Government of Jamaica responsible for urban management. Commitment Amount: US$ 42.00 million.

Activities:
Component 1 - Basic Infrastructure and Access to Services: Improving existing roads; improving storm water drainage; installing water supply and sanitation household connections and promoting behavioral change for the use and maintenance of water supply and sanitation infrastructure; and improving electricity connections and lighting. - Component 2 - Public Safety Enhancement and Alternative Livelihoods: Supporting the development and roll-out of programs that focus on key safety concerns and high risk groups. - Component 3 - Institutional Strengthening for Urban Management and Public Safety: Carrying out capacity building activities for selected entities of the Government of Jamaica responsible for urban management.

http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P146460?lang=en

Beneficiaries: More than 80,000 Jamaican citizens in 18 vulnerable inner-city communities

Partners and financing: Government of Jamaica, Jamaica Social Investment Fund

Strengthening Service Delivery for Growth, Poverty Reduction and Environmental Sustainability in the State of Ceará Program for Results
The objective of the Program to Strengthen Service Delivery in Skills Development, Early Childhood Development, and Water Quality Project for Brazil is to support the Government to improve public service delivery particularly in the areas of skills development, family assistance and water quality. The operation has two complementary components, a Program using the Program-For-Results, or PforR instrument (Program), and a technical assistance component using the Investment Project Financing (IPF) instrument. The program consists of government expenditure programs in vocational training, family assistance and water quality. The technical assistance component consists exclusively of high quality firm and individual consulting services and non-consulting services and comprises support for: i) cross-cutting public sector management functions; ii) sector-specific public sector management functions; and iii) strengthening fiduciary systems. Its purpose is capacity building. In several cases, technical assistance inputs are required to meet Disbursement Linked Indicator (DLIs). The Government's record in executing technical assistance is sound and it prioritizes the processing of those activities necessary for DLI compliance. Commitment Amount: US$ 350.00 million.

Activities:
The project consists of two complementary components – a Program-for-Results Program, and a technical assistance component. The Program consists of government expenditure programs in vocational training, early childhood development and water quality. The technical assistance component consists exclusively of high-quality firm and individual consulting services and comprises support for: i) cross-cutting public sector management functions; ii) sector-specific public sector management functions; and iii) strengthening fiduciary systems. The development objective of the operation is to support the Government to improve public service delivery particularly in the areas of skills development, family assistance and water quality. The operation continues the broad approach pioneered under the Sector-wide approach, combining support for select sector interventions with capacity building to strengthen the efficiency and quality of public service delivery. The thrust of Bank support in each area is to align the incentives of sector secretariats with the Government’s strategic objectives, to reinforce collaboration among public agencies and with the private sector and to strengthen evaluation and feedback loops, including through citizen participation and impact evaluation.

http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P127463?lang=en

Beneficiaries: Millions of people facing poverty in Brazil’s northeastern Ceará State

Partners and financing; Government of Brazil, State of Ceará

Improving Maternal and Child Health through Integrated Social Services, Haiti
The objective of the Improving Maternal and Child Health through Integrated Social Services Project for Haiti is to increase the access and use of maternal and child health, nutrition and other social services in the Recipient’s territory. The Project supports services in three departments with a total catchment population of around 1.8 million people, targeting pregnant women, children under five and vulnerable families. Progress on the objectives of the project is measured by the following: (i) percent of children under five immunized; (ii) percent of institutional deliveries; (iii) contraceptive prevalence rate; and (iv) decrease in percentage of families categorized as extremely vulnerable. The project has two components: (1) Providing maternal and child health, nutrition and social; and (2) Strengthening the stewardship and management capacity. Commitment Amount: US$ 70.00 million.

Activities:
The objective of the proposed Project is to increase the access and use of maternal and child health, nutrition and other social services. The Project supports services to pregnant women and children under five and increase use of social services for vulnerable households. The project has two components. Component 1: Increasing Utilization of Maternal and Child Health, Nutrition and Essential Services. Component 2: Strengthening Government’s Capacity to Manage Service Delivery.
http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P123706/ensuring-health-nutrition-social-services-vulnerable?lang=en&tab=overview

Beneficiaries: 1.8 million women and children in Haiti

Partners and financing: Government of Haiti

Honduras, Social Protection
The project development objectives are to: (a) improve the management of the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) Program; (b) provide income support to eligible beneficiaries; (c) increase the use of preventive health services and school attendance in rural areas; and (d) improve emergency response through an Immediate Response Mechanism (IRM). The project consolidates and expands the Bono 10,000 Program, as well as addresses its implementation bottlenecks by: (a) supporting the de-concentration of program operations; (b) strengthening the information system; (c) supporting reliable payment systems; and (d) investing in beneficiary registries to guarantee fiscal sustainability. Commitment Amount: US$ 40.00 million.

Activities:
The project supports the Government's objective of building an improved social protection system mainly by strengthening institutional capacity to design and implement a Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) program. Within this context, the Project’s development objectives are to: (a) strengthen the institutional capacity of government’s institutions to manage the Bono 10,000 Program, through the development of transparent mechanisms and instruments for targeting Program beneficiaries, monitoring compliance with Program co-responsibilities, and making payments to Program beneficiaries; (b) increase school attendance among students in grades 1 to 6, and the use of preventive health services among families participating in the Program in rural areas; and (c) improve the Recipient’s capacity to respond promptly and effectively to an eligible emergency.

http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P115592/social-protection?lang=en&tab=overview

Beneficiaries: Population of Honduras

Partners and financing: Government of Honduras

Ecuador, Manta Public Services Improvement Project
The objective of the Manta Public Services Improvement Project for Ecuador is to support the Municipality of Manta in increasing the quality and sustainability of public services for water, sanitation, and urban mobility. The project has three components. The first component is investments in water supply and sewerage. This component supports: (i) the increase of water storage capacity and rehabilitation of the water network in selected districts through, inter alia, the rehabilitation of primary and secondary networks and the installation of household connections and meter; and (ii) the rehabilitation of the sewerage network in selected districts through, inter alia, the rehabilitation of networks, rehabilitation of a pumping station and the installation of household connections. The second component is investments in road improvement. This component supports the improvement of urban streets in selected districts through, inter alia: (a) the carrying out of urban street upgrading works; (b) the resurfacing of urban streets, including street paving; and (c) the construction and reconstruction of sidewalks with pedestrian facilities. The third component is institutional strengthening. This component supports the institutional strengthening of Empresa Publica Aguas de Manta (Manta Water Utility) (EPAM) through: (a) the development and implementation of a management improvement program, comprising operational and commercial efficiency activities; (b) the development and implementation of a medium-long term institutional strategic plan; (c) the development of a household connections program for both water and sewerage aimed at improving water usage and tariff collection, as well as promoting the health and environment benefits of connecting to the network; (d) the development of a water and sewerage quality control program including, the development of a monitoring plan, the construction of a small laboratory to measure water quality and the provision of technical assistance to improve the maintenance of the existing wastewater treatment plan; and (e) the preparation of a water resources integrated management plan. Commitment Amount: US$ 100.00 million.

Activities:
The Project Development Objective is to support the Municipality of Manta in increasing the quality and sustainability of public services for water, sanitation and urban mobility. The objective is achieved by (i) increasing availability of water supply and efficiency of water and sewerage services; (ii) improving urban mobility and accessibility through improvements to the street network, including sidewalks; and (iii) enhancing the capacity of the municipal government in planning and managing the provision of water and sanitation and urban transport services. The project contains the following components: - Component 1- Investments in Water Supply and Sewerage: This component supports storage capacity increase as well as water and sewerage network rehabilitation, amongst others. - Component 2 - Investments in Road Improvement: This component supports urban streets upgrading, including sidewalks, street furniture, upgraded bus stops, and cycle infrastructure, amongst others. - Component 3 - Institutional Strengthening: This component supports institutional strengthening activities for EPAM, the Traffic Directorate and the Public Works Directorate of the Municipality of Manta.

http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P126364/education-quality-improvement-project?http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P143996/manta-public-services-improvement-proj?lang=en&tab=overview

Beneficiaries: More than 85,000 Manta residents

Partners and financing: Government of Ecuador

Costa Rica Higher Education
The objectives of the Higher Education Improvement Project for Costa Rica are to improve access and quality, to increase investments in innovation and scientific and technological development, as well as to upgrade institutional management, all in Costa Rica's public higher education system. There are two components to the project, the first component being institutional improvement agreements. The objectives of this component are: (i) to help public universities increase access by investing in infrastructure for teaching, learning and research; (ii) to increase the quality of higher education by, among others, upgrading faculty qualifications and fostering evaluation and accreditation; (iii) to increase relevance in higher education by focusing resources on priority subjects that are key to the country's development; and (iv) to strengthen public universities' management capacity and accountability. Finally, the second component is strengthening institutional capacity for quality enhancement. This component includes three sub-components: (a) strengthening the national system for the accreditation of higher education; (b) developing the labor market observatory and the public higher education information system; and (c) supporting the project's coordination, supervision, and evaluation. Commitment amount: US$ 200.00 million.

Activities:
Improving infrastructure and learning facilities at the following universities: Universidad de Costa Rica, Universidad Estatal a Distancia, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional At the above mentioned universities the following activities, among others, are carried out: - Widening access and coverage in the area of Engineering: electric and computer science and multimedia technology, civil, industrial, electric, chemical, naval and industrial, as well as in Biology. The general objective is to increase enrolment in biology and in civil, electric, industrial and chemical engineering, and in the degree in computer science and multimedia technology. This project focuses on the development of infrastructure, equipment, and human resources in these disciplines. - Support the modernization and flexibilization of institutional processes that impact quality management and academic pertinence and, especially, to create a system that articulates the following institutional processes: evaluation and training of staff, curriculum innovation and management, program innovation and management, academic projects and activities, planning, information systems, decision making and accountability, internationalization and access of society to academic production. This is done through a series of management activities, academic mobility activities, and the acquisition of hardware and development of software.

http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P123146/costa-rica-higher-education?lang=en&tab=overview

Beneficiaries: 95,000 students from low-income families in Costa Rica

Partners and financing: Government of Costa Rica

Pernambuco Rural Economic Inclusion
The objective of the Pernambuco Rural Economic Inclusion Project for Brazil is to promote rural business initiatives and expansion of rural access to water and other complementary infrastructure by supporting the Borrower's Results Management Framework. There are two components to the project, the first component being investments in rural economic inclusion. This component promotes investments in rural economic inclusion in the Borrower's territory, through the provision of support to: (a) pro-rural business plan preparation activities to inter alia, elaborate and implement a communication strategy to strengthen local productive alliances; identify and develop viable business plans with defined territorial strategies; and train and certify local service providers on how to prepare business profiles and business plans, as well as on how to improve management and develop innovative financing mechanisms for the rural economy. The second component is the complementary rural infrastructure. This component promotes investments in complementary rural infrastructure in the Borrower's territory, through the provision of inter alia: support to rural producer-based organizations for the carrying out of complementary rural investments, through matching grants, for the implementation of infrastructure subprojects. Commitment Amount: US$ 100.00 million.

Activities:
Component 1 - Investments in Rural Economic Inclusion: This component finances matching grants (i.e., subprojects), consultants’ services, training and technical assistance, toward the promotion of rural businesses in the Borrower’s territory. Specifically, activities under the Component consists of: (i) Support to Local Productive Alliances (LPAs); and (ii) Productive Investments. 1a. Support to Local Productive Alliances - supports pre-investment activities to: (i) promote the overall project concept and outreach to rural producer-based organizations (RPOs), potential commercial partners, financing institutions and other potential LPA stakeholders; (ii) facilitate territorial forums toward the development of territorial strategies across selected value chains; (iii) consistent with these territorial strategies, create and consolidate LPAs; (iv) identify potential business opportunities on the part of these LPAs; (v) fully prepare the business opportunity into a business plan; and (vi) build capacity among technical service providers to enhance the quality of their services provided to these LPAs. Component 2: Complementary Rural Infrastructure: This component supports the State’s efforts to extend its basic infrastructure network in rural Pernambuco, primarily: (i) access to water supply and sanitation services for both productive use and household consumption; (ii) investments to reduce logistics bottlenecks; and (iii) promotion of innovative management models for decentralized administration and service delivery for water and sanitation services and improved water productivity. The component supports actions to: (i) reduce social, cultural and environmental vulnerability in the communities of participating RPOs, and (ii) complement Component 1 investments in contributing to the productivity and competitiveness of productive chains, including LPAs and RPOs.

http://www.worldbank.org/projects/P120139/br-pernambuco-rural-economic-inclusion-project?lang=en&tab=overview

Beneficiaries: 25,000 family farms in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco

Partners and financing: Government of Brazil

For more than a decade, the Bank has worked with countries in LAC to develop home-grown CCT programs. With Bank support, CCTs have been implemented in 15 countries in LAC for approximately US$4.6 billion, where the programs are improving the lives of some 100 million people.

More generally, protection for the most vulnerable gained momentum in LAC. About 5 million Mexican families will continue to receive healthcare, food and education for their children thanks to the Conditional Cash Transfer program ‘Oportunidades’ that got an additional US$1.25 billion funding approved in November 2010. ‘Oportunidades’ provides a regular income to poor families on condition their children stay in school and go to medical checks. Since it was launched in 1997, high school enrollment rates have risen 33 percent and high school drop-out rates have fallen 20 percent. Other initiatives include: a US$1 billion loan to Rio de Janeiro to improve the quality of health and education services as part of its overall support to sound economic growth and fiscal policies; a loan to expand conditional cash transfers to 360,000 Jamaicans to help them maintain their purchasing power and ensure that high school students graduate; and a US$200 million loan to bolster Brazil's CCT program, ‘Bolsa Familia’.