Family planning enterprise (FPE)

Evaluation covers the period 9/85 to 3/89. Results were mixed. The contractor, John Snow, Inc. (JSI), met most of the project targets by initiating 62 of 80 planned subprojects, providing 130 person-months of TA, producing 2 training modules, and conducting 10 workshops. However, the project design was too ambitious and had a diffuse orientation. On the positive side, many of the subproject activities were effective, and some were innovative. Strong, productive working relationships with counterparts has been developed as has a good name recognition. In one country a coordinating unit which may institutionalize the project"s concept was developed. In addition, the project"s focus on sustainability, especially with PVO"s, leaves some subprojects with a strong potential for self- supporting continuation. Promising linkages have been created between PVO"s and commercial enterprises. Further, PVO subprojects are stimulating interest in management skills and employment generation. On the negative side, the actual impact of the project has been minimal due to two major problems. First, JSI"s focus on completion of deliverables -- and not on underlying impact -- and its diffusion of effort across 30 countries limited the project"s overall impact. Second, where the project did produce results, no evaluation systems were in place to attest to this. It is recommended that the implementation of project be changed to address the problems identified, and that A.I.D. develop a follow-on project which integrates the objectives of this project and the TIPPS Projects. See also abstract of PD-AAZ-733. (Author abstract, modified)