Project assistance completion report [: family planning, information, education, communication and training]

The project was largely a success. CFPA provided TA to member FP associations and governments in six of the seven countries specified in the Project Paper (Grenada was not ready for such assistance) in designing and implementing national information, education, and communication (IEC) plans. The quality of the plans was generally good, although their complete success was hindered by a lack of counterpart resources and by delays arising from local policymakers disagreeing with certain sections of the plans. CFPA also produced and distributed a wide variety of audiovisual IEC materials (e.g., posters and videos). Unfortunately, production of IEC materials for teen audiences fell significantly behind schedule, due to staff turnover. CFPA also made several valuable studies of the effectiveness of its IEC activities. Another component required CFPA to provide TA to affiliated FP associations and governments in the design and implementation of in-country training for field workers, and to design and conduct courses for teachers to enable them to teach sex education. To this end, five workshops for FP staff and seven for teachers were carried out, all of which were well-received. In addition, CFPA produced the manual "Teaching Human Sexuality in Caribbean Schools," which was so well-received it was translated into Spanish for use throughout Latin America. All of these activities have added substantially to the prestige (and growth) of CFPA. The project also led to a positive change in governmental attitudes and policies toward FP. The project teaches that (1) it is possible for a regional organization to find its niche, function effectively, and develop new capabilities at the same time; (2) working at the regional level can yield higher quality outputs with lower costs; (3) organizations like CFPA need a full-time, apolitical Chief Executive Officer; (4) changing project environments (specifically, changing governmental attitudes about FP) can have a positive effect on a project. (Author abstract, modified)