SAVE THE CHILDREN - OPERATIONAL PROGRAM GRANT (9/78)

THE EVALUATION INCLUDED VISITS TO SUBPROJ SITES, INTENSIVE MEETING WITH LOCAL PROJ COMMITTEES & ACTION GROUPS, AND A REVIEW OF BUDGETS & PROGRESS REPORTS. OVERALL,EXCEPTIONAL PROGRESS WAS MADE -- ESP IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HLTH CENTERS,SCHOOLS,BRIDGES,AND ROADS.TO DATE 20% OF THE FAMILIES IN GUADALUPE & 15% OF THE FAMILIES IN SIBUNDOY HAVE HOME LATRINES,PIPED WATER,AND ACCESS TO A HLTH CENTER WITHIN AN HR OF THE HOUSE. THE MAJORITY OF THE PARTICIPATING COMMUNITIES IN GUADALUPE HAVE NEW SCHOOLS & THE OTHERS HAVE ENLARGED OR REPAIRED THEIR SCHOOLS. (THE COMMUNITIES HAVE RECENTLY SHIFTED THEIR FOCUS TO THE ACQUISITION OF MORE APPROPRIATE & IMPROVED EDUC MATERIALS.) A LARGE NUMBER OF AGRICULTURE,LIVESTOCK,AND SMALL INDUSTRY SUBPROJS WERE IMPLEMENTED IN GUADELUPE & A LARGE NEW AGRI TRNG CENTER WAS ESTABLISHED AT SIBUNDOY. COMMUNITY RESPONSE IN SUMAPAZ WAS VERY POOR & ITS REMAINING FUNDS WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE OTHER TWO PROJ AREAS. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT THE PROJ GOALS OF 50% COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN GUADALUPE & 75% IN SIBUNDOY ARE LIKELY TO BE ACHIEVED. IN GUADALUPE,THE FARMERS THEMSELVES INITIATED THE FORMATION OF A LOCAL CREDIT & LOAN ASSN. IN SIBUNDOY,350 KAMZA FAMILIES CONTRIBUTED THE EQUIVALENT OF $41,318 DURING THE FIRTS HALF OF THE PROJ AND IN GUADALUPE,THE EQUIV OF $53,895 IN LABOR & MATERIALS WAS CONTRIBUTED. TWO PROBLEMS OCCURRED WITH REGARD TO BUDGET & CASH FLOW: 1)USAID FUNDS WERE DELAYED ONE-HALF YR BY EXCHANGE OF RATE DIFFICULTIES; 2)INFLATION WAS ESTIMATED AT 40 TO 50% DURING THE 1ST HALF OF THE PROJ. NEVERTHELESS PLNND OUTPUTS ARE WELL AHEAD OF SCHEDULE & EXPENDITURES LESS THAN BUDGETED. THE AUTHOR ATTRIBUTES THIS TO THE HIGH LEVEL OF COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION & COOPERATION BY THE GOC. THE PROJ EXPERIENCE DEMONSTRATED THAT COMMUNITY RESOURCES CAN BE MOBILIZED TO A MUCH GREATER EXTENT WHEN COMMUNITY MEMBERS ARE DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN THE PROJ. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK BE REVISED TO ACCORD WITH THE CURRENT SCOPE OF THE PROJECT.