By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
i. Understand the principles and components of effective social safety net programmes.
ii. Design inclusive and adaptive safety nets targeting vulnerable populations.
iii. Apply effective beneficiary targeting, registration, and payment systems.
iv. Monitor and evaluate safety net programmes using evidence-based approaches.
v. Develop strategies for integrating nutrition, livelihoods, and resilience into social protection programmes.
Module 1: Foundations of Social Safety Nets and Adaptive Social Protection
Training Focus : Understanding the role of safety nets in reducing poverty, improving nutrition, and building resilience.
1.1 Introduction to Social Protection and Safety Nets
1.2 Adaptive Social Protection
1.3 Policy and Institutional Frameworks
1.4 Safety Nets and Human Capital Development
Practical Exercise: Analyse an existing safety net programme and identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and implementation gaps.
Module 2: Programme Design, Targeting and Beneficiary Management
Training Focus: Designing efficient and equitable safety net programmes.
2.1 Programme Design
2.2 Targeting Vulnerable Populations
2.3 Beneficiary Registration and Management
2.4 Payment Systems and Delivery Mechanisms
Practical Exercise: Develop a beneficiary targeting and registration framework for a nutrition-sensitive cash transfer programme.
Module 3: Programme Implementation and Community Engagement
Training Focus: Delivering effective, transparent, and accountable safety net programmes.
3.1 Programme Operations
3.2 Community Participation and Social Accountability
3.3 Grievance Redress Mechanisms
3.4 Communication and Behaviour Change
Practical Exercise: Develop a community engagement and grievance redress plan for a cash transfer programme.
Module 4: Monitoring, Evaluation and Digital Innovations
Training Focus: Improving programme effectiveness through evidence, technology, and learning.
4.1 Monitoring Safety Net Programmes
4.2 Programme Evaluation
4.3 Digital Innovations
4.4 Reporting and Knowledge Management
Practical Exercise: Develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for an adaptive social protection programme.
Module 5: Practical Field Learning and Action Planning
Training Focus: Learning from Kenya’s social protection programmes and developing practical implementation strategies for The Gambia.
5.1 Field Practicum I – Government Social Protection Programmes
5.2 Field Practicum II – Community-Based Resilience Programmes
5.3 Field Practicum III – Digital Social Protection Systems
5.4 Action Planning and Group Presentations
Practical Exercise: Each group develops and presents an Adaptive Social Safety Net Action Plan tailored to The Gambia, incorporating programme design, targeting, payment mechanisms, monitoring, community engagement, and sustainability strategies.
Practical Field Visits
The following are the field visits to be conducted on specific days:-
Day 4 : Government Social Protection Systems
Visit the State Department for Social Protection and Senior Citizen Affairs and/or National Safety Net Programme (NSNP) to observe programme implementation, beneficiary registration, targeting approaches, digital systems, and payment mechanisms.
Day 7: Community-Based Safety Nets and Resilience Programmes
Visit organizations such as Kenya Red Cross Society, World Vision Kenya, or Concern Worldwide Kenya to observe cash assistance, nutrition-sensitive social protection, community engagement, livelihoods, and resilience programming.
Day 9: Digital Social Protection and Community Learning
Visit a digital payments provider (e.g., Safaricom/M-PESA Foundation) and a community implementing social protection initiatives to learn about digital payments, beneficiary verification, grievance management, and technology-enabled service delivery.
Final Project
Throughout the training, participants will work to design a World Bank-aligned Adaptive Social Safety Net Programme for The Gambia. The final project will include:
• Situation analysis and vulnerability assessment.
• Programme objectives and targeting strategy.
• Beneficiary registration and payment mechanisms.
• Community engagement and grievance redress framework.
• Monitoring, evaluation, and learning plan.
• Risk management and sustainability strategy.
• Budget considerations and implementation roadmap.
This project ensures participants leave with a practical blueprint that can be adapted to strengthen NaNA’s social protection and nutrition interventions under the NAfA Capacity Building Plan and broader World Bank-supported initiatives.
