The Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) is the Caribbean Development Bank’s main vehicle for pursuing poverty reduction in the Region by investing in community-led development.
CIDT was commissioned to capture evidence of the BNTF Ninth (BNTF 9) programme outcomes in a focused Programme Closing Report that looks both backward and forward to tell the stories of change from BNTF 9 and also inform decisions for future programming.
BNTF 9 was implemented between 2017 and 2022 in nine Participating Countries: Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname. A total of 114 sub-projects worth over USD 38 million were delivered across three priority areas – Education and Human Resource Development, Water and Sanitation Systems Enhancement, and Basic Community Access and Drainage – benefiting more than 54,000 people.
The CIDT team designed a tailored approach that was participatory, gender-responsive and socially inclusive. We applied complementary data collection and analysis methods, including a rigorous document review, engagement with key stakeholders and beneficiaries though interviews and consultation, and developed case studies in three countries: Jamaica, St. Lucia and Suriname.
Providing examples from across the BNTF 9 priority areas, each case study offers insights into how relatively small-scale interventions can impact the lives and well-being of vulnerable people. For instance, documented projects include the installation of rainwater harvesting systems for access to safe potable water in Suriname, the professionalisation of once informal, unregulated, boat operators in St. Lucia, and the creation of Jamaica’s first Child Therapeutic Centre centralising previously inaccessible, inconsistent services, and serving as a professional training ground. A small video was produced as part of CIDT’s work to showcase selected sub-projects.
Following on from this successful project, CIDT is currently carrying out a small review to strengthen the BNTF Country Project Completion Report templates and process.
Case study examples
Video stills
