One of the three projects funded by the awards was for capacity development training on budget analysis and advocacy. Titled ‘Improving resourcing of nutritional targets’, the training was proposed by alliances in Kenya and Malawi. Representatives from nine African countries, who are already part of a regional nutrition network, took part. Those who participated were Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, Ghana, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The four-day training equipped the participants with skills and knowledge on budget analysis and tracking and budget advocacy. Therefore, they could influence public sector budgeting in favour of the nutrition agenda in their respective countries. Participating CSAs from Rwanda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zimbabwe then repeated the training they had received in their own countries with the civil society organisations in their membership. Kenya and Malawi’s budget analysis and advocacy expertise were therefore spread to seven other countries.
SUN CSN’s Creativity and Collaboration Award featured an innovative call for applications process, which matched the demand for learning with the supply of expertise. National CSAs were asked to list their top priority learning needs as well as their suggestions for knowledge sharing projects that they could offer to their regional peers in collaboration with other CSAs.
