Mid-term evaluation of the promoting youth for civic engagement project (PYCE)

The PYCE project falls under the USAID Conflict Management and Mitigation (CMM) initiatives and is also expected to resonate with and positively feed into the 2010-2012 USAID Yemen stabilization strategy. The implementation of the PYCE project was impeded by Yemen's popular uprising that began in late January 2011. The purpose of this mid-term performance evaluation is to assess the PYCE projects implementation, effectiveness, and suitability of the projects approach to achieving the projects objectives. The evaluation desk review and field assessment revealed that the PYCE project has diverged to a certain degree in approach, targeting strategy, and implementation methodology from the technical approach prescribed in the cooperative agreement. These modifications to the project's approach and implementation methodology have to a certain extent foregone communication with and involvement of the concerned ministries, undermined the role of the Governorate Steering Committee and neglected the peer education model in favor of a direct implementation of activities that involve youth in sports and recreational initiatives and engage youth with community work. This approach has defeated the 'stabilization' purpose recommended by USAID to improve trust and perception of the Yemeni youth with their government officials and local leaders and will be unlikely to create positive linkages and increase trust and communication between the various stakeholders through sports, recreational programs and community work. Furthermore, the direct implementation approach that has been favored by PYCE staff in the second half of the project will negatively impact the sustainability of some of the project's initiatives. It is normal that projects experience certain changes during implementation, changes that are often necessary to accommodate the realities "on the ground" which often vary from the original program design assumptions. Nevertheless, these changes should not have diverted the project from its conflict mitigation framework. Of note is that when the project undertook the 'correct' outreach and engagement strategy of Republic of Yemen Government (ROYG) officials and community leaders, the project managed to successfully engage these actors and to create communication and trust linkages between these actors and youth. More specific evaluation findings, conclusions and recommendations are included in the main body of the report. (Excerpt, modified)