Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific and Solomon Islands Development Trust, Soltrust, Tonga Community Development Trust

The evaluation is based on field visits and interviews in Fiji, the Solomon Islands, and the Kingdom of Tonga. The FSP is the most respected private voluntary organization active in the South Pacific nations. After almost a quarter century of exclusive commitment to the region, it has built up: an unrivaled network of organizations and individuals; an important resevoir of trust among peoples who have too often had their trust betrayed by outside entities; and a broad experience in the successful management of a range of development projects throughout this diverse region. FSP is strongly committed to institutional development in the South Pacific and toward this end has created a number of autonomous trusts throughout the region. These trusts are locally incorporated PVO's dedicated to carrying out local programs to help their people. FSP helps with the initial organizational stages and provides an advisor/trainer to work with the new group for a few years. Some of these trusts have been spectacularly successful in developing their programs and in attracting financial support. In particular, the Solomon Islands Development Trust and the South Pacific Appropriate Technology Foundation now operate major programs totally without support from FSP. FSP has also helped to expand the involvement of women in development activities throughout the region. Both in Tonga and in the Solomon Islands, its women's interest programs have been influential, although these programs operate quite differently in the Polynesian and Melanesian cultural contexts. FSP also supports the development of microenterprises through its support of commercial fishing groups in Tonga and the Solomons. In the latter especially, FSP is strongly committed to carrying out its program through local private entrepreneurial groups to the extent possible. FSP is facing a budgetary crisis due to U.S. aid cuts; its annual budget dropped over 75% between FY86 and FY87. As a result, FSP, its country programs, and affiliated trusts are reorganizing to survive in a very different funding environment from the one that has prevailed during the past 6 years. With the support of A.I.D.'s South Pacific Regional Development Office, FSP has streamlined its operations so that it now operates most of its programs from a regional office in Fiji. Its two remaining country programs, Solomon Islands and Tonga, are pulling together support from other sources (European NGO's, national governments, other U.S. sources). The evaluation makes one recommendation: that A.I.D. provide bridging support to FSP for the next 3 years. (Author abstract, modified)