FARM HAND TOOLS

EVALUATION COVERS THE PERIOD 3/78 TO 12/79 AND WAS PRINCIPALLY CONDUCTED BY THE AID/RWANDA PROGRAM OFFICER BASED ON HIS EARLY EXPERIENCE AS PROJECT MANAGER AND HIS CONTINUING INVOLVEMENT IN PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION. ALTHOUGH THERE HAS BEEN ABOUT NINE MONTHS" SLIPPAGE IN OVERALL PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION, THE EVALUATOR FOUND THE PROJECT DIRECTION CONSISTENT WITH ORIGINAL DESCRIPTIONS AND THE PROJECT GOAL ATTAINABLE. CLASSROOM AND DORMITORY CONSTRUCTION AND RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION OF APPLICANTS FOR THE FIRST BLACKSMITH COURSE HAVE BEEN COMPLETED, AND THE FIRST OF THREE NINE-MONTH CLASSES WILL BEGIN IN 1/80. THERE WAS SOME SLIPPAGE IN THE ARRIVAL OF INPUTS FOR THE PROJECT, INVOLVING PARTICULARLY CONSTRUCTION AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, MOSTLY ATTRIBUTABLE TO A SHORTAGE OF LOCAL ENGINEERING SERVICES. FREQUENT ABSENCES OF THE DIRECTOR OF THE NYABISINDU FORGE DUE TO A SERIOUS LEG FRACTURE MAY AFFECT THE QUALITY IF NOT THE SCHEDULE OF FUTURE TRAINING. A NUMBER OF LESSONS HAVE BEEN DRAWN FROM THESE MINOR DIFFICULTIES, INCLUDING THE NECESSITY TO: (1) PLAN EQUIPMENT ORDERS CAREFULLY AND PLACE ORDERS EARLY; (2) PLAN PROJECTS ONLY FOR WHICH AN AID-SALARIED TECHNICIAN IS AVAILABLE; (3) AVOID CALLING IN A HIGH PRICED TECHNICIAN TO CARRY OUT PROJECT MANAGEMENT FUNCTIONS OF A GENERALIST; AND (4) PLAN AND PREPARE FOR EVERY PHASE OF THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS WELL IN ADVANCE. A NUMBER OF MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO PROJECT BUDGET LINE ITEMS, A REASSESSMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS AND SCHEDULING OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND A REVIEW OF THE POSSIBLE USES OF THE "SPECIAL SUPPORT ACTIVITIES" FUND WERE PROPOSED. IN ADDITION, THE EVALUATOR RECOMMENDS THAT TRAINEES BE ENCOURAGED TO BROADEN THEIR ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR AND THAT EFFORTS BE MADE TO FIND DIRECT LINKAGES BETWEEN THIS AND OTHER NEW APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS BEING UNDERTAKEN BY USAID/RWANDA. THE ULTIMATE BENEFICIARIES OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE THE BLACKSMITHS GRADUATED FROM THE FORGE SCHOOL AND THE EMPLOYEES THEY WILL ENGAGE IN THEIR BLACKSMITH SHOPS.