Women in development

PES covers the period 10/82-5/83 and is based on a special evaluation (not attached). It is unlikely that objectives will be met. The project has suffered from the inability of the grantee, the Guatemalan Rotary Club (RC) - which consists mainly of volunteer personnel and part-time employees - to provide consistent direction to activities or to agree with A.I.D. on certain key definitions, e.g., that of "urban and rural poor." As a result of these problems, and to correct early neglect of financial targets, RC"s administrative unit was reorganized. The unit"s focus then became solely financial, however, jeopardizing sociocultural targets. A fund for loans to productive women"s enterprises has been established, but disbursements have been slow (due in part to lengthy A.I.D. and RC approval procedures); it is too early to judge effects on recipients" incomes. Few socioeconomic studies of proposed enterprises were undertaken - only 3 marketing studies were done - and recipients did not receive programmed TA, the latter because of inadequate training of RC personnel. Nor has the project been successful in making public and private sector leaders aware of women"s economic problems or in forming a network of women"s groups. Project conferences proved ineffectual: participants were not chosen on the basis of their leadership roles or their funding eligibility; the conferences were more informational than motivational; and no follow-up services were provided. Although a new legal entity to continue project activities has been formed, fundraising has been sorely inadequate; only Q8,000 - an amount not even sufficient for administrative costs - has been donated. The project teaches that PVO"s need a formal administrative unit to implement OPG"s, as well as an awareness (prior to signing the grant agreement) of what will be required of them. Also, terms, believed generally understood, can be interpreted differently by different parties. The project should be extended to 3/84 to allow eligible applicants to receive credits.