Influence Of Project Management Practices On Implementation Of Bb: Fill & Download for Free

The impacts of climate change, combined with natural-resource scarcity, pose significant challenges the world over that require immediate attention. In developing nations, particularly, the high rates of urbanisation have exacerbated the effects of climate change.[1] To address these issues, it is crucial to ensure the funding of mitigation and adaptation measures along with the efficient management of natural resources.In India, there is an urgent need to finance green projects such as clean energy, clean transportation and water management. The Government of India estimated a cost of US$2.5 trillion[2] for the implementation of its climate change actions for 2014–15 (as per 2014–15 prices).[3] In recent years, India has been facing acute water scarcity in urban areas like Chennai.[4] Indian cities require a cost-efficient system for the delivery of safe drinking water as part of its water-management strategy, and the maintenance of such a system will have great fiscal implications in the coming years. As the manufacturing and service industries of India’s urban centres drive the economy, the availability of water (or lack of it) will have an impact on the performance of these growth centres. Water management and infrastructure will play a crucial role in sustaining the industries and incubating further expansion. This will be pivotal for the overall economic growth of the country.The Indian transport sector, too, is soon set to undergo an overhaul, as the recent Budget indicates the government’s intent to move towards electronic vehicles. The required R&D and infrastructure for the vehicles, the charging facilities and urban water management will need financing to fast-track growth.Green bonds offer a viable and lucrative financing option. According to the accepted global definition, green bonds are “fixed-income financial instruments, where the proceeds are earmarked for financing green projects.” They have the potential to attract capital that can generate a positive investment cycle for green projects. In the Indian market, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has introduced certain guidelines for green bonds.[5] It has allocated eight high-level categories as “green projects”—renewable energy, clean transportation, sustainable water management, climate-change adaptation, energy efficiency, sustainable waste management, sustainable land use, and biodiversity conservation.Various studies have indicated a need for innovative solutions to boost domestic and international investment through green bonds.[6],[7] A sound policy framework for green bonds can the financing of green projects in India. In this context, India can learn from the global experience.The Global ScenarioThe international guidelines brought out by the International Capital Market Association (ICMA) for green bonds are called the “Green Bond Principles” (GBP). These were first drafted in 2014 and have since gone through periodic updates.[8] The Climate Bond Initiative (CBI) classifies the bond market associated with green bonds as "climate-aligned bond universe,” which consists of labelled green bonds, bonds from fully aligned climate issuers, and bonds from strongly aligned climate issuers.[9] Bond issuers that derive more than 95 percent of their revenue from green business lines are fully aligned; those that derive 75–95 percent are strongly aligned. The bonds labelled “green” are those whose proceeds are used exclusively to finance green projects. The global market of the climate-aligned bond universe stands at US$1.45 trillion. Globally, the cumulative issuance of green bonds from 2007 to 2018 was US$521 billion.[10] Countries such as the US, China and France have built policy frameworks to promote investment in green bonds.ChinaThe first country-specific green bond issuance guidelines in China were formulated by the Peoples’ Bank of China in 2015.[11] Xinjiang Goldwind Science and Technology issued the first green bond to raise US$300 million, with a three-year maturity period. Since then, China’s green bond market has seen significant growth.[12] By official government definitions, the market was valued at US$36.2 billion in 2016 and US$37.1 billion in 2017.The largest share, in terms of use of proceeds, is renewable energy, followed by clean transportation. In addition to the increase in offshore green bond issuance to finance the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Chinese government has also taken measures to improve the domestic market. In July 2017, China launched the Bond Connect Scheme to attract foreign investments in the green bond segment. In September 2017, the China Development Bank issued the first retail green bond for individual investors and non-financial institutional investors.[13] Retail investors received a 25-percent tax exemption on interest income. The Agricultural Development Bank of China issued Renminbi (RMB)-dominated green bonds worth RMB 3 billion in June 2018, and it was oversubscribed by 4.75 times. Further, China has collaborated with the Luxembourg Stock Exchange to list out price information for green bonds.The Hong Kong government is heavily invested in promoting green financing, and to this end, established the Hong Kong Green Finance Association in 2018. The government is also set to launch the world’s largest sovereign green bond issuance programme worth HKD 100 billion. In 2019, the inaugural issuance of green bond had raised $1 billion which started off the ambitious programme.[14]The certification of green bonds requires external reviews, which costs approximately US$10,000–100,000. To promote certification, the Hong Kong government started the Green Bond Grant Scheme (GBGS) in 2018. It subsidises certification of green bonds for eligible issuers under the Green Finance Certification Scheme, by bearing the full cost of the external reviews, with a cap of HKD 800,000. In the same year, the Hong Kong government launched the Pilot Bond Grant Scheme, which bears 50 percent of the issuance expenses to aid eligible first-time issuers.The Chinese transport sector, led by China Railway, is a major issuer of AAA-grade strongly aligned climate bonds and the largest issuer of climate-aligned bonds in the world. As of 2018, the China Railway Corporation held US$172 billion worth of outstanding bonds.In an annual meeting early this year held by the Macao International Environmental Cooperation Forum and Exhibition, the CEO of CBI, Sean Kidney talked about how China can influence urban environmental policy in Asia through the BRI. Issuance of green bonds and conducting green trade fairs focusing on the BRI can mark a new chapter for the green economy of China as well as other participating nations.[15]The United StatesThe Bank of America was one of the first corporates to have issued green bonds. In 2013, the US municipality issued the pioneering, self-labelled green bond[16] as well as bonds that were considered “green” by market standards under the federal Clean Renewable Energy Bond (CREB) and the Qualified Energy Conservation Bond (QECB). These bonds are attractive for various municipalities due to their direct-subsidy structure. The CBI conducted a study that found US$250 billion in issuance from fully aligned US municipal climate-bond issuers.[17] The outstanding amount of labelled green bonds stood at US$14 billion, issued by 23 municipal agencies. [18]The CBI study further found that the water sector, the largest climate-aligned theme for fully aligned bond issuers, was estimated at US$170 billion outstanding bond issuance amount. Given the current water crises in many parts of the globe, the US has increased focus on financing water-related projects. A Global Water Intelligence study estimates that US$450 billion must be spent on water and sanitation by 2030 to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In 2005 and 2008, respectively, the US federal government authorised the issuance of tax credit green bonds under the CREB and QECB programmes, which give investors tax credit instead of interest payment.[19] However, the implementation of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, 2017 stopped issuance of tax credit bonds by repealing section 54C of the Internal Revenue Code. Despite this, some states such as Arkansas and New Mexico have retained CREBs.A discussion of the Massachusetts green bonds and the DC water green bonds will help understand some of the strategies that the US has deployed to increase the efficiency of the green bonds. In 2013, Massachusetts issued green bonds for the first time, to align investors to socially responsible and transparent environmental projects. The funds raised were spent on four major areas: clean and safe drinking water, river revitalisation and habitat protection, land acquisition and open-space protection, and energy efficiency and conservation.[20] In September 2014, the Massachusetts Treasury opened the bond for the sale of US$350 million, and sold worth US$1 billion.[21] The project was highly successful because of the strategies put in place by the Treasury. They anticipated demand from investors and identified all the environmental projects that could be funded by the green bonds. The monitoring system was robust, being based on the World Bank Green Bond Model. This project financed site-specific audits of 149 hazardous waste sites across the commonwealth.The green bond issued by the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (DC Water) is also interesting for its unique strategy. Washington D.C.’s ageing infrastructure was causing an annual release of almost three billion gallons of raw sewage into its rivers (especially Anacostia). To address the issue, DC Water launched its Clean Rivers Project, which required the construction of a 13-mile-long tunnel. The project is set to be completed in 2030, with a total cost of US$2.6 billion, and is aimed at reducing sewer overflow by 98 percent to River Anacostia.In 2014, DC Water issued a green bond which was unique because of its 100-year maturity period. Since the municipality bond market did not have the required liquidity for such a long maturity period, the bond was issued in the corporate market without any tax exemption. This was the first attempt to issue a green century bond by a water utility in the US. Viego was chosen as an external reviewer to assess the issuer on the environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria. Barclays and Goldman Sachs provided expert opinion. The green bond was in high demand in the corporate market, which led to an increase in the initial target of US$300 million to US$350 million, with a reduced interest rate. Subsequently, DC Water issued a third set of green bonds worth US$100 million to fund the project. This lot was tax-exempted, with a credit rating of AAA.[22] The expected outcome of the project is to improve water quality, creating economic development in the surrounding areas of River Anacostia.BrazilAmongst the few innovative cases in the global green bond market, that of Brazil’s Suzano Pulp and Paper S.A. is notable. Suzano launched BB+ grade green bond worth US$500 million, for a maturity period of 10 years and at a coupon rate of 5.75 percent. This was one of the first forestry-based green bonds issued outside Scandinavia. The bond was certified by Sustainalytics, as an external agency, and its total demand exceeded US$1,500 million.In 2016, the Brazil Green Finance Initiative (BGFI) was launched by the Conselho Empresarial Brasileiro para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável CEBDS and the CBI. The BGFI has 27 representatives from domestic pension funds, insurance companies, banks, major industry sectors and investors, and it aims to develop the domestic green finance market and attract international capital.The Scope of Green Bonds in IndiaRenewable EnergyIndia’s renewable energy sector requires significant financing, which presents one of the biggest opportunities for green bonds. The country needs US$4.5 trillion within the next 10 years to meet its targets of renewable energy and urban sustainability,[23] and green bonds can attract sizeable investment to fulfil this requirement.In recent years, there has been a policy push by the GoI towards electric vehicles (EV). The recent Union Budget reduced the goods and services (GST) slab for EV from 12 percent to five percent. To further boost its demand, the government has allowed an income tax deduction, with a ceiling of INR 1.5 lakh, on loans taken for the purchase of EVs. This move is expected to save the taxpayer INR 2.5 lakh over a period of five years.[24] Additionally, the government think tank, NITI Aayog has proposed that only EVs should be sold in the category of three-wheelers and two-wheelers below 150 cc, from 31 March 2023 and 31 March 2025, respectively.[25] In light of these policy changes, the demand for charging infrastructure and technology is set to increase in the coming years. Car manufacturers and charging facility providers can use green bonds to raise capital from the retail and corporate markets. The financiers in the sector can use asset-backed securities to ease their balance sheets for further lending, and large original equipment manufacturers can issue green bonds based on their creditworthiness.[26] These measures can create a healthy financial ecosystem to facilitate climate change mitigation efforts.In recent years, climate resilience and adaptation have become a primary concern. Changes in rainfall pattern and increased intensity of sudden-onset weather events such as tropical storms have changed the overall risk portfolio of most businesses and settlements. The CBI released in September this year a set of “Climate Resilience Principles” to address the risk profile and promote a climate-resilient economy. Both new and existing investment in built and natural environments must follow these principles, quoted below:[27]1. They recognise that infrastructure design and construction today must incorporate the climactic conditions of tomorrow, the expected volatility and extremes already ‘baked in’ to our global systems2. They require that measures are taken in asset or project design, in construction or retrofits, that ensure the asset or project is ‘fit for climate purpose’ over its operating life3. They recognise that the definition of 'fit for purpose' must now automatically include climate resilience and adaptation measures, or that the project itself must increase the climate resilience of broader systems and networks within the built environment or natural ecosystemsDisaster ManagementDisaster management is another significant area where green bond investments can be utilised, especially by coastal states that are becoming increasingly more vulnerable to tropical storms and cyclones. In the aftermath of cyclone Fani, for instance, it is estimated that the state of Odisha will need some US$14 billion to rebuild its infrastructure.[28] Climate change, which results in the warming of the oceans, has further intensified such extreme weather events.[29] Therefore, the rebuilding strategy must include the creation of more storm-resilient infrastructures to handle similar future events. According to the SEBI guidelines for green bonds, such investments come under the category of “climate change adaptation.”AgriculturePrimary sectors such as agriculture play a crucial role in developing the Indian economy and creating in-situ employment.[30] However, the contribution of the agriculture sector in the Indian economy has steadily decreased at a rate of 14.4 percent in gross value added since 2015–16. Under the SEBI guidelines, organic farming, zero-budget natural farming and sustainable irrigation practices come under sustainable land use and sustainable water management. Some capital-intensive technologies, such as drip irrigation and farm-level anaerobic digestion of manure and crop waste, can be linked with green bonds to fast track fund-raising.[31] The CBI is now collaborating with the World Resource Institute (WRI) to explore the possibility of issuing adaptation and resilience bonds for the agriculture sector in India.[32] Green practices can bring in new investment and become the engine of growth in the agriculture sector, which can help India become a US$5-trillion economy by 2024.Water Infrastructure and ManagementAnother sector with high capital requirements is water infrastructure and management, due to the urgent measures needed to tackle the ever-growing problem of water scarcity in the country. For instance, the Paradip Port Trust of Odisha has planned to set up a desalination plant, with a 10-million-litre per day capacity, and will require an estimated investment of INR 116 crore.[33] The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has recognised the need for funds in this sector, at both household and enterprise levels. WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) has been included in “priority-sector lending,” and SHGs are linked with toilet construction through the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) and State Rural Livelihood Mission (SRLMs).[34]A framework for green bonds can therefore be built with a strategy of aggregation and securitisation, linking the SHGs with programmes such as the National Rural Drinking Water Programme (NRDWP). By 2050, an estimated 50 percent of all Indians will be living in urban areas.[35] Cities are already facing water crises, and the situation will only deteriorate if not managed properly. Urban public water delivery systems will require substantial funding to tackle the water crisis. According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, US$550 billion (2009–10 prices) are needed to build the urban infrastructure planned for construction over the next 20 years. Around 20 percent of the amount will be spent in water supply, sewerage, storm-water drain and solid-waste management.[36]ForestryThe Indian forestry sector is yet to sufficiently explore green bonds in fund-raising. Both corporate and government funding can be streamlined into the forestry sector through the issuance of green bonds. The agroforestry industry can benefit from green bonds through planned forestry and help India achieve its target of 33 percent forest cover, of the total land area of the country.[37] Green bonds can be used to raise funds to protect and conserve the existing forest ecosystems. This will be relevant especially in the Biodiversity Reserves and National Parks where tourism is proving to be successful. The government can issue green bonds in this sector and enable securitisation through a common corpus such as the National CSR Fund[38] or the Green Climate Fund.In this scenario, the government can provide guarantee through funds to lower risks and improve credit rating. Guarantee provided by funds such as those will reduce investor’s risk, and therefore the bonds can be issued at a lower interest rate. Additionally, tax credit bonds can be issued and made transferrable, to make the offer more lucrative for the investors. These bonds are not issued with the purpose of fixed return and provide absolute tax benefit to the investor.Coastal PreservationThe rise in sea levels is a significant threat to coastal cities and ecologically sensitive areas of India. According to the GoI, the sea level has risen 1.3 mm/per year along the Indian coasts in the last 40 to 50 years.[39] With rising sea levels, the frequency of floods will increase significantly along with the cost to the economy. The 2005 flood, for instance, cost Mumbai US$1.7 billion in damages in a single day.There are two ways of preventing seawater inundation, and both require substantial financing. The cities can either build hard infrastructure, such as sea walls and levees, or aim for beach nourishment.[40] For example, the US has utilised over US$787 million from 1995 to 2002 for beach nourishment.[41] Long-term green bonds will provide one of the solutions in terms of raising capital to implement such projects in high-risk areas.Policy Framework for Green Bonds in IndiaIndia has the potential to become a leader in the green bonds market. However, it must first formulate a comprehensive national policy framework, which can identify areas to promote issuance and investment of green bonds as well as minimise the possibilities of “greenwashing.” According to Delmas and Burbano, greenwashing is the intersection of “poor environmental performance and positive communication about environmental performance.”[42] Listed below are measures that will help promote the overall ecosystem of green bonds in India.1. External verification of green bonds can increase investor confidence and avoid greenwashing. External verification can be done in two ways: second-party review, as done by companies such as KPMG, Sustainalytics and Viego; and third-party certification, provided exclusively by the CBI. While extremely useful, external verification is a high-cost process. Therefore, the government must provide subsidies and tax incentives to first-time issuers.2. Securitisation, on a case by case basis, can increase the credit ratings of green bonds. Public-sector banks, non-bank financial companies (NBFCs), the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), and corpuses such as the National CSR Fund, National Disaster Response Fund and State Disaster Response Fund can provide securitisation for the issuance of industry-grade green bonds.3. Public infrastructure in cities, such as water and waste management, can be linked with municipality bonds.4. The issuance of sovereign green bonds and rupee-dominated sovereign green ‘Masala’ bonds can attract international investment. Currently, bonds worth approximately US$13 trillion, i.e. one-fourth of all global bonds, show negative yield. India can leverage this situation to increase investment in its bonds,[43] including green bonds, and use third-party certification to further facilitate such investment. The Netherlands, for instance, launched a certified sovereign green bond on 21 May 2019, worth EUR 5.98 billion. The bond was AAA grade, and the bid amount reached EUR 21.2 billion within 90 minutes of the launch. Investors considering the ESG criteria were given preference in the bid, with priority allocation of up to 10 percent of their bid amounts.[44] However, in the case of dollar-dominated sovereign green bonds, caution is advised. In the current market scenario of economic slowdown, further depreciation of the rupee may increase the redemption cost. Sovereign and corporate green ‘Masala’ bonds, on the other hand, are prudent options and must be actively pursued. In 2016, NTPC raised INR 2,000 crore by issuing a corporate green ‘Masala’ bond.[45] Issuance of sovereign green masala bonds will draw foreign direct investment in the green sector, with reasonable yields for the investors, who will also bear the risk of currency fluctuations.5. The rural sector has immense untapped potential when it comes to funding green projects. India has 87 lakh SHGs with a total deposit of more than INR 19,500 crore and an annual total credit off-take of INR 47,000 crore, as of 2017–18.[46] Here, aggregation can be used to accumulate the fund and invest it in green bonds issued by various public- and private-sector bodies. The NABARD, public-sector banks and NBFCs can provide securitisation, and the funds raised can be utilised in various infrastructural projects in rural India. More research is needed in this area to analyse the intricacies of implementation.6. The retail bond market can be tapped by making it mandatory for institutional investors to purchase green bonds. For instance, a policy mandate can be issued for companies to invest one to two percent of the total annual portfolio in green bonds. The move will be a step towards ensuring ESG compliance in the retail bond market.7. The RBI can put guidelines in place detailing the eligibility of green projects, reporting methods and management of proceeds. This will reduce ambiguity and increase investor confidence, fuelling the overall growth of investment in the green sector.ConclusionThe impact of climate change poses a significant threat to the everyday lives of people, at both local and global levels. To prevent the loss of human and economic capital, mitigation and adaptation measures require urgent financing. This can be achieved by channelling corporate, government and retail funding to the green sector.This brief explored the scope of green bonds in India. It proposes possible measures to create a comprehensive policy structure to promote the use of green bonds, which have the potential to become a vital financing vehicle for green projects. To this end, the Reserve Bank of India must establish a nationally accepted standard definition of green bonds as well as guidelines on the management of its proceeds, to avoid ambiguity and increase transparency. Further, the Indian Parliament must provide legislative support by enacting a green bond law through its Upper and Lower houses.

Read this:Get startedWilfred NyangeFollow, Jul 23 ·Addressing Providers’ Bias: BB Tanzania Lessons LearnedQuora required Attribution: Addressing Providers’ Bias: BB Tanzania Lessons Learned .“””” Beyond Bias is a multidisciplinary project which is lead by Pathfinder International in collaboration with YLabs, Camber Collective and BERI with the support of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.The project is being implemented in Tanzania, Burkina Faso and Pakistan. In Tanzania and Burkina Faso, Pathfinder is working with the respective Ministries of Health while in Pakistan we are implementing with Greenstar Social Marketing.Beyond Bias; as an operational research project, was initiated in 2017 with the objective to learn, design and test innovative and scalable solutions to the existence of Health Provider’s bias towards adolescents and youth seeking contraceptive services.The program seeks to achieve impact across three areas:Clients receive the method of their choice, regardless of age, marital status, or parity.Clients are treated in a non-judgmental, non-biased manner, regardless of age, marital status, and parity.Clients are counseled on a full-range of modern methods, regardless of age, marital status, and parity.The operational research study initiative was driven by the literature reviews on the barriers faced by adolescents concerning access to sexual reproductive health information and services in public and private health facilities. The efforts is backed up by the published document in 2016 by Guttmacher stating that; 28 million sexually active adolescents in developing regions do not want a child within two years. 60% of these adolescents have an unmet need for contraception. (Guttmacher 2016)Project designMajor Gap IdentifiedThe design research discovered several gaps that hinders adolescents and youth seeking sexual reproductive health services in the public health facilities in Dar es Salaam. The gaps are driven by age, parity, marital status of the adolescent clients and have been divided in three major factors; Biographic, Situational and Societal drivers carrying in eleven drivers of the bias.BEYOND BIAS INNOVATION PILLARSActivates, Apply and Achieve is the secret behind the Beyond Bias Innovative Solution pillars. Each component unfolds in the execution of each pillar in this case Summit, Connect and Reward. As separate as they look, the three components just like the pillars cannot stand alone and bring the expected results. They are dependent and complimentary to each other. This can be seen from the execution plan whereby one cannot overtake the other, one has to set the ground to anotherACTIVATESProviders get exposed to bias, effects of bias, its existence and they are guided into self-reflection which leads to realization, and thereafter find the common path to greatness in service provision away from bias. This ACTIVATES Providers zeal to do better after learning the lesson of their behavior through real case studies. Bringing someone to self-realization ACTIVATES the urge to do better with awareness of what is bad, its implications and what is required of the person and the results of the required states. The activates component is only realized in SUMMIT stage.Summit is a one-day event that ACTIVATES providers’ ability to recognize their own biases. Summit is the foundation of the Beyond Bias program. Providers are introduced to the program and the Six Principles framework through a series of facilitated, small-group discussion and reflection activities. Summit has three main objectives- Improve providers’ emotional connectivity with youth- Address provider fears of community backlash- Support providers to recognize and own their biasesImplementation ExperienceIn making sure the providers make connection and own the program, Health Care Providers who are national champions in AYSRH and Trainers were trained on the project package and facilitation/moderation and to take a lead in facilitating the sessions. They took time and share to all participants their journey and struggles they had and their achievements as well.Summit impactSummit resulted to a very high impact to health care providers. Provider were able to reflect and accept their biases. Sharing the real stories from the young clients helped providers to have empathy and connect emotionally with youth. Providers came to realization of the impacts of their behavior towards youth through the impactful stories and came up with strategies to address the behavior and eager to keep learning of the best ways possible to give the quality services to youth.Providers’ Summit Experiences“Until this day and the chance to watch this video, I have never been this Provider who is touched by any youth’s needs, I usually felt like they are rushing things. I am touched today with the experiences shared and the video I promise to gradually change and listen to them and provide FP services to young clients’ RCH In Charge- Summit 2APPLYActivation component matures in Applying the lessons, putting the zeal to change into action in the second pillar of TUNDA Initiative known as CONNECT pillar. Providers do apply their lessons, work in getting away from bias and realize unbiased care contraceptive services to adolescence and youth clients. In the APPLY stage, Health Providers go through a continuous learning phase thus building a strong doing better foundation in applying the best lessons in real time.Connect is a second pillar of the project. It is a learning forum that helps providers apply their lessons, motivation and improve their interaction, treatment of youth clients in their daily work. It is a learning continuation of what providers had learned in summits. Providers problem-solve together to put the Six Principles into practice. Connect has four main objectives;- Dispel misinformation that providers have about what methods are appropriate and safe for youth- Reinforce unbiased counseling practices for youth- Support providers to continuously identify practical actions they can take to improve their service delivery to youth, given the realities and constraints of their workplace- Shift professional norms towards serving youthBoth digital and In-person connect forum uses real case studies of youth clients that drive discussion with Peers, use of technical experts in the selected topic and share practical tips that dispel misinformationConnect implementationDigital Connect is implemented through WhatsApp groups that comprises health providers from different facilities, Facilitators (Experienced Health Providers) and Pathfinder staffs as co- moderators of the sessions. Digital connect was launched in November 2019 and the first quarter ended in Feb 2020. Comprised of eight topics; one each week.The sessions were led by the appointed Facilitators who are in service Health Providers in collaboration with the Pathfinder staff. Simplified and creatively designed case studies, quizzes, talks, videos, audio scripts, infographics were used.Through these groups, providers get enough time to engage with Tunda facilitators, learn and reflect in humanizing biases. The Selection of these facilitators, was done by considering the following: -- They are National Trainers in adolescents and youth sexual reproduction health and FP related issues.- They are still in services thus aware of Providers’ constrains and public health facilities challenges- They are known as youth champions and role models to providers.The forum acts as a platform to address barriers to action, provides safe space to share struggles and successes with peers.In-Person ConnectThis is a continuous learning, Peer interaction and adaptation of solutions as per the respective facility’s needs were accelerated by the In Person Connect. It is done in facility level, conducted by the RCH in-charge together will all RHC members. The model was adopted to give a room for providers who have no access to WhatsApp and internet to participate and learn similarly to those in in digital connectImpact“I was a biased Provider”, giving services to others but not providing FP service to youth. I remember an experience with a young girl, she was a student at the time, came to the clinic and she told me that she wanted FP service. I asked her if she was still in school and she said yes. I denied her service because she was still young and a student, then she left. Couple of days later I attended training on how to provide a friendly service to youth prepared by Pathfinder. I learnt many things in that training. I started to reflect and regret the day I denied that young girl a service. From that day I changed, I started loving youth and serving them well. Again, I had an opportunity to participate in Tunda, I gained knowledge and skills on how to provide friendly service through Six principles. Provider Tunda 2Connecting Health care Providers from 36 different facilities to WhatsApp group, shared experience, and knowledge towards AYSRH and Family planning related issues increases provider’s awareness bias towards youth seek for FP service. “One day I faced a challenge while on duty, a client came for FP service but she asked if she is medically eligible for the method she wants, she had that problem for a long time, and I had no idea on how to provide such service, and I took that concern to Tunda WhatsApp forum and I got the response in time and it helped me to provide the quality service to the client.” — Provider.ACHIEVEBeing achieved at the end, it’s a celebratory point of the initiative. Providers’ achievements in a given timeframe are measured and celebrated under the ACHIEVE umbrella known as Reward Pillar of the project. ACHIEVE components highly depends on the APPLY component whereby both of them are kickstarted by the ACTIVATES component. Providers are measured on how they APPLY their ACTIVATED zeal to change, shared with their ACHIEVEMENTS and the cycle starts again in the same logicReward, this is a third pillar. Is a performance feedback system that celebrates providers when they achieve improvements in service to youth. It is the recognition or acknowledgment of the best performing and improving Health facilities and individual Providers in applying the six principle.Contrary to other rewards; this embraces non-financial rewards thus our currency is recognition and celebration. The reward is expected to increase providers’ motivation to improve services and maintain high-quality unbiased services for youth, reinforce professional norms of high-quality care for youth and support actionable growth by giving feedback on areas for improvement. We also reward facilities that are “growing” and improving in serving well youth not just “a good” facility.Reward is executed in quarterly basis of the project timeline. The process involves the Regional Health Management Team, Council Health Management Team, Heads of Facilities and FP Providers from the intervention supported facilities. A growth — Oriented performance system based on client’s feedback after receiving Family planning service.Facilities receive the scorecards with performance and recommendations for improvements during the ceremony session accompanied by the guided reflection and goals review and reset for the next quarter. Providers are assessed by the six principles of unbiased care.The Key components of reward pillar that influence behavior change are: -- Standardized rubric to work towards six principles of Unbiased Care- Client feedback captured directly after counseling- Institutional recognition for improvement and maintenance of qualityReward implementionFrom Nov 2019, through Feb 29, 2020 a total of 16,244 clients exit interviews have been completed. Among the completed surveys, 15, 724 are clients who came for family planning services/counseling and 5,836 are targeted youth clients (15–24 years) who came for or received family planning counseling/services.The winning facility was selected based on the total performance of all six principles obtained from the client’s exit surveys conducted at the facility grounds. The facility with high marks is the overall winner. Apart from the overall reward winning facility award, we introduced different recognition categories such as was done in the following categories: -Top-performing facilities, three in each district.In-Person connect facilitator recognition. One facilitator per facility.Digital connect participation recognition: 6 providers were selected, 3 from each cohort.Those who won and recognized, shared with the majority success behind their performance and how they value and prioritize clients as well as timely and effectively conducting and participate in the connect and how the sessions help them in their daily operations.The Scorecards were the most favorite part for the providers. They had enough time to understand their scorecards so that later they would be able to interpret to their team in facilities. Providers communicated that all sessions helped them, now they have a place to keep learning and a chance to ask questions each time they are in need. We spent time explaining to RCH in-charges how to interpret scorecards and how to prepare a small reward session in their facilities once they go back.ImpactFacilities that performed well, shared the best experience with other providers aiming at passing knowledge to others. They want the best for each other and declared that all are winners. A winning facility had a privilege to cut and share a cake with their R/CHMT, Tunda Facilitators, and remaining Providers.They as well shared with the low scored facility as the symbol of passing over the winning spirit to the facility. “We are giving you the cake because we want you to be the 95% performer in the coming quarter and we promise to be 98% so we will still be leading, welcome to the winning club” RCH in Charge, Dar es Salaam. This was the cheerful moment and loved by all of the participants including the R/CHMT.Bringing together all providers, giving them certificates and see who scored better made all Providers having an urge for high performance and improvement for the next Quarter. “This is a great initiative, awarding and recognizing providers will increase the quality of service and providers will work hard to improve their performance and facility at large.” — DRCHco-TemekeLessons LearnedFor providers to be able to reflect on their biases, participate fully in different sessions and topics, it is good to use known Facilitators who are fellow Providers to facilitate the sessions. This makes the same feels safe, Providers feeling that the Facilitator speaks their language and understand all it takes to work in a public health facility. Providers do make realistic commitments, challenge each other as well as bringing the sense of ownership of the program by involving them through each stage of the intervention.The use of visuals/cartoon carrying Tunda Message spikes the engagement as they carry some sort of informal modality of delivering the intended message to Providers. Short and precise messages got the high attention of Providers. These are such as: audios, short messages of not more that 2–3 minutes accelerate to good engagement Keeping the sessions funny helped providers to be free to speak their minds. Mentioning Providers by their names to contribute in sessions made them feel appreciated.Considering the fact these providers had very tight schedule, we introduced two ways; 1. Calling individually one hour before the session; 2. Texting everyone individually reminding them to get ready for session 30 minutes before time.Engage with facility heads and RCH leads early in the process, informing them of the upcoming Summits before rolling outEmcee should be well prepared to manage the event successfully in the sense that She tried much to adhere to sessions sequence, engaged participants with music and fun energizers to prepare them for the next sessions. It will make the event well organized, fun and memorable.For provider feel that they are touched with the situation, the reflection video should be realist reflecting the context, good and emotional appealing.The guest speaker should be a credible person someone who is valued by providers should understand the context in which FP services are provided and providers challenges in those contexts. She should not clam rather understand the challenges encountered in provision of services to youth and emphasize with providers.Training two in-personal facilitators and building capacity to other providers to allow in personal meeting to be carried out in the absence of the RCH in-charge.Adding more categories and recognizing providers/facilities in Reward ceremony motivates providers and keeps their morale high””””, Addressing Providers’ Bias: BB Tanzania Lessons Learned .Attribution: Addressing Providers’ Bias: BB Tanzania Lessons Learned .WRITTEN BYWilfred Nyange - Digital Skills/ICDL Africa accredited trainer, Digital Marketing Strategist, Photographer & Content creator.