Advancing Arts for Youth in Pemba and Metuge

The U.S. Embassy in Mozambique of the U.S. Department of State announces an open competition for organizations to submit proposals to advance U.S. government stabilization goals through support for the youth arts program at the Provincial Cultural Center in Pemba in Cabo Delgado Province. This support is essential to providing the growing number of children and young adults living in the provincial capital with life skills and a safe outlet for self-expression, in the face of violent extremism ongoing in the region. This award will support the existing music, dance, and visual arts classes for youth in Pemba and will expand the classes to youth in Metuge. Part of the support includes furnishing the center to ensure proper equipment and conditions are in place for programming. A grant for up to $400,000 U.S. Dollars (USD) will be awarded (pending availability of funds) for work that will support program objectives. The period of performance is 18 months. Funding authority rests in Global Fragility Act (U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability). Contact Person: For questions on the application and technical content please contact MaputoPDproposals@state.gov Priority Region: Cabo Delgado - Pemba Background: The U.S. Embassy in Mozambique is accepting proposals to equip the Cabo Delgado Provincial Cultural Center with necessary support to expand its arts program for youth in Pemba and to implement the local government’s Mobile Artist initiative in Metuge. The Cultural Center is managed by the Provincial Directorate for Culture and Tourism in the province and serves as the main cultural center for residents in and around the provincial capital, Pemba. It also oversees a district cultural center in Chiure and is responsible for implementing cultural programs in Metuge. The ISIS-Mozambique insurgency has committed heinous acts of violence in Mozambique’s northern provinces, displacing nearly one million people, mainly women and children. The number of young people has increased exponentially in Pemba. Many are battling trauma from the violence they experienced in their communities of origin, struggling to settle in their new home, and living with limited employment opportunities, education, and other social services. Program Description & Objectives: The overarching long-term goal of the U.S. Government’s Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability (SPCPS) is: Mozambican individuals, communities, and institutions are strengthened and empowered to foster enduring stability through the development of open political participation and governance, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, accountable security and justice sectors, and resilient social cohesion. To achieve this goal, this award seeks to increase the number of young Mozambicans aged 7 to 21 years old who participate in the Cultural Center’s arts classes, which teach life skills, offer a path towards economic self-sufficiency, promote self-expression for all, and use arts as a way to help heal from trauma. The Provincial Cultural Center currently accommodates children and youth between the ages of 7 and 21 for various cultural activities and lessons including: music, dance, and visual arts. However, the Center is facing the following challenges: shortage of musical instruments for music lessons, shortage of materials for lessons of visual arts and crafts, lack of a recording studio, damaged classroom furniture, no access to internet, and no proper storage facility for books and equipment. Interventions should respond to these challenges, to include training for staff to maintain the updated spaces and new equipment. This award would cover the costs to: · Refurbish outdoor seating. · Refurbish the stage platform. · Outfit three arts classrooms, a storage room, and recording studio with the equipment needed to improve arts teaching. · Launch the “Artistical Movel” initiative that allows already-trained Center staff to conduct art therapy activities for the thousands of internally displaced children and young adults in Metuge. Note: Detailed plans for these three projects are available to interested applicants. Please email MaputoPDproposals@state.gov to request these documents. Applicants are expected to present clear and detailed description of all the activities they expect to do within the total amount available listed. Applicants should take into consideration that this Provincial Cultural Center caters mostly to children, teens, and young adults. As such, all safety measures should be taken into consideration. We highly recommend the involvement of local labor, implementing partners, and service providers. Inclusion of American culture and expertise is strongly encouraged. The Embassy will not cover pre-award costs incurred by applicants when doing the initial work survey to prepare an application. Participants and Audiences: Children and youth aged 7-21 who frequent the Provincial Cultural Center in Cabo Delgado.
Categories: Other (see text field entitled "Explanation of Other Category of Funding Activity" for clarification).