COMMUNITY SERVICES FOR WOMEN AND DISADVANTAGED PEOPLE

EVALUATION, THE SECOND AND FINAL ONE FOR THE PROJECT, IS BASED ON DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN CONEB AND USAID. THERE WERE NO MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE DELIVERY OF INPUTS. MAJOR OUTPUTS INCLUDED THE OPERATION OF 22 WORKSHOPS IN SUCH FIELDS AS DRESSMAKING, CARPENTRY, HANDICRAFTS, AND GARDENING; COMPLETION OF 32 COURSES FOR SOCIAL WORKERS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, AND VOLUNTEERS; AND TECHNICAL VOCATIONAL TRAINING COURSES. IN ALL CASES, OUTPUTS EQUALLED OR EXCEEDED PLANNED TARGETS. A MAJOR SUCCESS WAS THE INCORPORATION BY CONEB AFFILIATES (AND TOTALLY AT THEIR EXPENSE) OF NEW INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE FORM OF LAND AND WORKSHOP BUILDINGS FAR IN EXCESS OF THE PLANNED AMOUNT. THROUGH ITS WORKSHOPS, CONEB IMPLEMENTED ALL 20 PLANNED SUB-PROJECTS. THESE SUB-PROJECTS BENEFITED APPROXIMATELY 790 PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED OR OTHERWISE DISADVANTAGED PERSONS, MOST OF THEM WOMEN, AND HELPED THEM TO ACHIEVE INCOMES RANGING FROM $25 TO $265 THE FIRST YEAR. ABOUT 70% OF THE WORKSHOPS ARE ALREADY SELF-FINANCING, AND THERE IS REASON TO BELIEVE THE REST WILL BECOME SELF-FINANCING THROUGH THE EFFORTS EITHER OF CONEB OR ITS AFFILIATES, WHOSE TECHNICAL CAPABILITY HAS BEEN IMPROVED THROUGH CONEB VISITS. AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT, CONEB HAS BEEN ABLE TO CONSOLIDATE ITSELF AS AN ENTITY CAPABLE OF SYSTEMATICALLY PLANNING, SUPERVISING, AND EVALUATING INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES AMONG ITS AFFILIATES; AND ITS TECHNICAL STAFF IS NOW ADEQUATE TO PROVIDE ITS AFFILIATES WITH ALL NEEDED SERVICES. THE PROJECT HAS TAUGHT THE POSSIBILITY OF REORIENTING LOCAL WELFARE INSTITUTIONS, TRADITIONALLY ENGAGED IN ALMSGIVING, INTO ENTITIES ABLE TO PLAN AND CARRY OUT INCOME-PRODUCING PROJECTS FOR THE POOR, GIVEN MANAGERIAL COMPETENCE, ADEQUATE FINANCIAL RESOURCES, AND A CAREFUL SELECTION OF TRAINING SKILLS GEARED TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY.