AUDIO CASSETTE LISTENING FORUM PROJECT

Evaluation covers the period 11/77-11/78 and is based on an onsite review and a logframe developed ex post facto. The project was tested in the villages of Majengo and Kimundo, and was affiliated with the Institute for Communication Research at Stanford University and the Institute of Adult Education in Tanzania. Results have been impressive. Project activities in Majengo consisted of combatting drunkenness among men, cooperative gardening, building a cooperative store, formation of a sewing group, and group discussions on common problems. In Kimundo, activities included improvment of the village water supply, a village latrine project, health and nutrition discussions, and development of a basket-weaving cooperative. Audio-cassettes and visual aids were used in the discussion and planning stage. An unexpected result of the project was the use of audio-cassettes in the waiting rooms of local health clinics and the use of information tapes during a cholera outbreak. No major problems surfaced, and the project staff was highly competent. Ten village group leaders were trained during the first quarter of the project. Village needs surveys were conducted, and women"s groups (of about 60 women) met weekly. Pre-project and post-project surveys indicated that women who participated in the project developed greater confidence. A confrontation with a village chairman who owned an over-priced village store and who was blocking the construction of their own low-priced store is an example of the initiative demonstrated by the women of Majengo. The participating group approach used in the needs survey proved to be a significant advance over traditional survey techniques in terms of speed, cost, and accurancy of data. The evaluation team recommends that consideration be given to a follow-on project -- which should take into account the need for further experimentation, possible replicability, and the need for full government support. Also, preparation of a handbook should be included as an output.