Background and objectives
The project will assess the degree of poverty in three selected second-level towns in Lesotho.  An assessment has already been completed in three first level cities-including the capital Maseru.  The objective of the exercise is to prepare an action-oriented strategic plan for the alleviation of urban poverty with particular attention to women. An action plan will be formulated for donor assistance. 

Activities
Project activities include agreeing with the Ministry of Local Government on the second-level cities for the assessment, reviewing documented information on poverty alleviation and specifically the completed assessment for the first three cities, carrying out the assessment using local personnel and ensuring full participation of affected communities, synthesizing the findings and preparing a report showing levels of poverty and recommended actions for poverty alleviation and using the assessment report of the first-level towns and other relevant information on socio-economic situation of Lesotho, for preparation of a national urban poverty alleviation strategy with well-articulated and budgeted interventions. 

Results 
The expected results include a report on urban poverty in the selected three second-level towns, a national urban poverty alleviation strategy with well-articulated and budgeted interventions and an increased understanding of the poverty situation in urban areas.