The CBOW Project is happy to share the news of the selected winners from the first grant call published in April, 2022. The foundation received an overwhelming amount of applications demonstrating the importance and work being done with children born of war globally. After an extensive evaluation process (details outlined below), the foundation will support 6 projects for one year (October 1, 2022 – September 30, 2023) working towards efforts to combat stigma and exclusion of Children Born of War (CBOW), initiatives aimed at knowledge building, and/or activities related to the foundation’s purpose – to promote and safeguard the needs and rights of children born of war. Each project will provide progress reports, which we plan to share with our network – stay tuned!
Project: Promoting and Protecting the Rights of Children Born of War in the Northwest and Southwest Regions of Cameroon
Organization: Global Welfare Association Cameroon (GLOWA)
Country: Cameroon
In response to the neglect, stigmatization and abuses of children born of a relationship with enemy fighters in the Anglophone conflict, GLOWA will be funded the full proposal amount of USD 8,438.78 to secure the rights of these children to a name and nationality, protect their inheritance rights and reduce stigmatization through outreach community.
Project: Providing Economic Empowerment for Children Born of War: YOLRED’s Apprenticeship Program
Organization: Youth Leaders for Restoration and Development (YOLRED)
Country: Uganda
The proposal from YOLRED will be partially funded (USD 2,314.00) to support the development of an apprenticeship program for CBOW in Northern Uganda. Many CBOW in this region remain stigmatized and marginalized in everyday lives, but especially with regards to tangible economic and employment opportunities. This program addresses this directly, and will establish a model which can be replicated by other organizations in the region, and beyond.
Project: Entrepreneurship and Trauma Healing for Children Born of War in Northern Uganda
Organization: Grassroots Reconciliation Group
Country: Uganda
Despite the challenges faced by children born of war, there are little or no interventions targeting these surviving children in northern Uganda. The Grassroots Reconciliation Group, a local non-governmental organization will be partially funded (USD 3,834.00) to use holistic, culturally appropriate, and locally designed projects that address the reintegration challenges at community, group, family, and individual levels. Project activities include psychosocial support and community theater.
Project: News Stories and a Self Help Guide for War Love Child
Organization: War Love Child
Country: Netherlands
The War Love Child is working towards breaking the taboo around children fathered by Dutch military during their deployment from 1945 to 1949 in the colonial war against Indonesia. This organization will be partially funded (USD 1,529.00) to maintain the online site (includes upgrades and modernization) and arrange for long term preservation and access of all content.
In addition to these applications from organizations, two individual projects will also be funded.
Project: Archival Study
Activity: The support will cover transportation costs, which will assist the leader with the continuation of an archival study using specific paternity cases stored in the National Archives in Copenhagen.
Leader: Arne Øland
Country: Denmark
Amount: USD 665.00
Project: Europe’s Hidden Children
Activity: The support will cover transportation and accommodation costs for the leader to travel and host lectures on children born of war for high school students and in a second event with seniors/adults.
Leader: Winfried Behlau
Country: Germany
Amount: USD 530.00
Evaluation Process
By the end of the application deadline April 30, 2022, the CBOW Project had received 108 applications. In the first step, four board members screened the eligibility of the applications. This was based on – 1) whether the application targeted the group of children born of war (CBOW) as defined in the call, and 2) whether the proposed activities were in line with the aim of the funding. Of the applications received, 78 applications fulfilled the criteria. These applicants then moved forward to the second step, which was then evaluated by seven board members. Each application was evaluated by at least two board members independently and ranked from 1 (poor) to 5 (very good). In case of large differences in ranking a third reviewer was included. Based on the average score, eight projects were invited for a pitch session to present their proposal and activities to the Review Committee (made up of various board members). Due to other obligations and the holiday season four board members took part in the pitch session, which took place via zoom on August 22 & 23, 2022. Based on the presentations and following the different discussions with each applicant, the board members evaluated the proposals. Due to the many excellent applications it was agreed upon to extend the grant budget so that multiple projects can be supported. Thus, in addition to the first ranked project which will be fully funded, three other projects will be partially funded to support some of their proposed activities. The projects will run from October 2022 until maximum October 2023.