Day care center for hardship children

PURPOSE OF PROJECT WAS TO ASSIST HARDSHIP CHILDREN BECOME WELL-INTEGRATED MEMBERS OF THEIR SOCIETY BY ASSISTING THEM WITH THEIR STUDIES, IMPROVING THEIR SOCIAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS THEIR FELLOW PARTICIPANTS AND THEIR COMMUNITY, AND BY IMPROVING THEIR NUTRITIONAL INTAKE. EVALUATION IS BASED ON INFORMATION GATHERED FROM YMCA"S OFFICES, SOCIAL WORKERS, AND GROUP LEADERS WORKING IN SAN BERNARDO CAD. PROJECT IS NOW COMPLETED AND HAS BASICALLY ACHIEVED TARGETED OUTPUTS. AN AVERAGE OF 300 HARDSHIP CHILDREN HAVE ATTENDED THE CAD DAILY, PARTICIPATING IN STUDY-REINFORCEMENT PROGRAMS, RECEIVING TRAINING IN CAD"S WORKSHOPS, AND RECEIVING ABOUT 3/4 OF THEIR DAILY NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS (5 DAYS A WEEK) THROUGH MEALS SERVED AT CAD. PSYCHOLOGICAL STUDIES CONDUCTED BY YMCA AFTER PROJECT COMPLETION INDICATE IMPROVEMENT IN CAD"S CHILDREN ATTITUDES AS COMPARED TO THOSE OF HARDSHIP CHILDREN IN ORPHANAGES AND OTHER CLOSED INSTITUTIONS. ATTITUDES OF CHILDREN"S PARENTS ALSO IMPROVED NOTABLY AS PROJECT PROGRESSED. ALTHOUGH PROJECT WAS INITIALLY DELAYED DUE TO TARDINESS OF YMCA NEW YORK HEAD OFFICE IN PROVIDING PROJECT EQUIPMENT, ALL MAJOR INPUTS HAVE NOW BEEN PROVIDED, INCLUDING FUNDING, ADMINISTRATIVE AND TECHNICAL STAFFS, FEEDING AND TRAINING COMPONENTS. THE ONE MAJOR DIFFICULTY WAS THE RECIPIENT"S LACK OF MANAGERIAL AND IMPLEMENTING CAPACITY, WHICH THREATENED TO DOOM THE PROJECT FROM THE START AND NECESSITATED VERY CLOSE INVOLVEMENT OF AID STAFF DURING PROJECT"S INITIAL STAGES. RECIPIENT RECOUPED, HOWEVER, AND PROVIDED ADEQUATE MANAGEMENT PERMITTING TIMELY AND SATISFACTORY CONCLUSION OF THE PROJECT. YMCA IS NOW UNDERTAKING DUPLICATION OF PROJECT IN VALPARAISO AND ANTOFAGASTA. A SIMILAR PROJECT COULD ALSO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER LDC"S, PROVIDED THE PVO IS TRULY CAPABLE OF UNDERSTANDING AND CARRYING OUT ITS SEVERAL STAGES ACCORDING TO PLAN. THERE ARE NO ACTIONS OR DECISIONS REQUIRED.