PLAN GUAYMA : A NON-FORMAL EDUCATION PROJECT

USING A MULTIMEDIA APPROACH, IADI MOTIVATES THE GUAYMI TO TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THEIR OWN DEVELOPMENT AND TO USE MORE EFFECTIVE TECHNOLOGY. IT ALSO TRAINS THEM IN IMPROVED AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES, BASIC PRACTICAL SKILLS, AND INFORMS THEM OF REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND HOW TO PARTICIPATE EFFECTIVELY IN THEM. A TRAINING INSTITUTE, STAFFED WITH PANAMANIANS TRAINED UNDER THIS PROJECT, WILL BE ESTABLISHED TO SELECT TRAIN 300 POTENTIAL LEADERS AS AGENTS OF SOCIAL CHANGE. PROJECT DEVELOPS CAPACITY OF GUAYMI TO INITIATE PROCESS OF SOCIAL CHANGE BY TRAINING 100 LITERACY INSTRUCTORS TO CONTINUE DEVELOPMENT OF PRODUCTION-ORIENTED PROJECTS. PROJECT TRAINS 3 PANAMANIANS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIVE MATERIALS FOR USE BY AGENTS TO TRANSFER SKILLS IN AGRICULTURE, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY, HOME ECONOMICS, HEALTH, NUTRITION, LITERACY, NUMERACY, AND CIVICS TO THE COMMUNITY. A SERIES OF 100 INTEGRATED DEVELOPMENT MESSAGES IS PLANNED. A MIX OF AUDIOVISUAL AIDS (E.G., FLIP CHARTS, PRINTED MATERIALS, FILM STRIPS, AUDIO CASSETTES) PROVIDES DIFFERENT MESSAGE EACH WEEK, WITH EACH MESSAGE COMPLEMENTING AND REINFORCING PREVIOUS ONE. METHODOLOGY AND MATERIALS ARE APPLICABLE IN OTHER AREAS WITH MINIMUM OF CHANGE. CHANGE AGENTS SET UP SEMINARS AND GROUP MEETINGS TO DISCUSS MESSAGE AND ORGANIZE COMMUNITY FOR ACTION PROJECTS, SUCH AS BUILDING LATRINES OR ORGANIZING COOPERATIVES. IADI WORKS DIRECTLY WITH MINISTRY OF EDUCATION(MOE)DEPARTMENT OF PLANNING AND EDUCATIONAL REFORM, WITH COORDINATION BY PROVINCIAL COUNCIL WITH USAID MONITORING. YEARLY EVALUATION AND AGENT FEEDBACK ALLOW IADI TO GAUGE MULTIPLIER EFFECT AND IMPACT OF PROJECT ON LIFE IN TOLE. PROJECT WAS SLOW IN STARTING BECAUSE BASELINE SURVEY WAS INCOMPLETE AND BECAUSE MOE PERSONNEL COULD NOT AGREE WITH IADI ON PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION; ORIGINAL TRAINING SCHEDULE WAS UNREALISTIC AND HAD TO BE CHANGED. RADIO COMPONENT HAD TO BE DROPPED BECAUSE OF COST.