International Family Health's community-based social marketing program : India -- final evaluation report, April 1996-August 1997

The program, a subproject of the Promoting Financial Investments and Transfers (PROFIT) project, was designed to distribute exclusive brands of condoms and sanitary napkins through private entrepreneurs using a multilevel marketing approach, and was implemented by International Family Health (IFH) and Y.R. Gaitonde Center for AIDS Research and Education (YRG CARE). The CBSM program was launched with much publicity in late June 1997, after a 6-month delay due, in part, to the difficulty of retaining a project manager. However, the momentum was derailed by a robbery attempt at CBSM facilities, resulting in the death of a security agent, and by the one-month delay in the delivery of 350,000 condoms by the London Rubber Company. Both events had a negative impact on staff morale and project credibility. Nonetheless, the CBSM program has made significant progress. In the program's first 2 months, 245 entrepreneurs were trained in family planning communications, and 78 joined the CBSM club. Reports from these members show that some have recruited up to 5 new entrepreneurs. There is overall reason for optimism based on the positive public response to the program. The subproject has achieved its most important immediate objective, which was to enable the implementation of an innovative contraceptive distribution program. IFH has a commitment from another donor for funding of the CBSM operations, contingent on IFH securing funding for the development phase. PROFIT's funding ensured that this program was implemented. Two lessons can be gleaned from the CBSM experience, thus far. The first is that applying heavy pressure on implementing organizations does not necessarily hasten implementation, but may instead lead the implementing organization to be less candid about existing and potential problems and less likely to request additional resources or input to develop appropriate solutions. In addition, relying on one key manager may be unwise because his or her departure will cause implementation delays.