Mid Term Evaluation of Kid Link Project

Background:
Kidlink is a global, non-profit user-owned organization with headquarters in Norway. It is internationally recognized for its ICT-enhanced educational programs and for international cooperation on the Internet. It has been extensively used by teachers around the world since the start in 1990. Kidlink focuses on empowering children and youth with free educational programs to help them to mature to get better control over their lives, encourage creativity, create social networks, and collaborate with peers around the world, individually or through their classrooms, improve their chances of getting a job, and a better life. This includes helping them to get friends, build social networks with peers around the world, and train them in the art of growing up, and living, without imposing on them adult views, religious or political points of view.
Alalay (meaning ‘I am cold' in Aymara the local Indian language) is a place for children at risk to find a safe and a caring place helping them to grow up to their potential. Alalay as a "mother" organization has the full responsibility for the Kidlink program in La Paz. Strømme Foundation has been supporting the work of Alalay for several years
 
Purpose/objective:
The midterm evaluation was planned to assess the progress achieved during the past three years with the aim of bringing in reflections from different stakeholders about the way forward. The evaluation process thus involved stakeholders in different participatory sessions. The outcome of this is twofold; to spark initiatives, learning and self-assessment of participants and stakeholders, and for the evaluation team to learn about the project from those involved. The report summing up the process, findings and recommendations might serve as documentation of what has been obtained by Alalay.
The process also looks forward using ITC as a tool to settle the road ahead. Strømme Foundation Norway and the SF Regional office of Latin America will use the document as a guideline for what to expect from the project in the continuation. The SF is looking at the possibility of setting up a Kidlink house in East Africa. The lessons learned in Alalay are of great value in this study.

Methodology:
The methodology used aimed at involving the most important stakeholders in a participatory way. The process has been a mixture of focus groups and individual interviews according to what the team found most applicable. In a preparatory meeting, the team agreed on which groups of stakeholders to focus on. To create a good environment for learning together as part of the evaluation process, 2 groups were selected in order to facilitate participatory processes through specified tools. The Alalay staff members comprised of management, social workers, volunteers, psychologists etc. was invited to participate in Appreciative Inquiry facilitation. A group of street
children (The happy friends) were invited to a group discussion on the quality of the program, their experience with Kidlink, and improvements of the program.
Secondary information from community members were collected from the Alalay project reports from September 2003. On a visit to the Calamarca village the Aymara teachers were invited to a sharing session where the team listened to their story and their perspectives.

Key findings:
- The KHouse has been established according to plans. Early statements from the Alalay leadership indicate that more (80) street children were attending KIDLINK in the first year. It takes time and effort to establish contact with street children, but the evaluation shows that Kidlink has a great impact in the street children' lives.
- The Internet Café is important for making sustainability. The challenge is that there are several internet cafés close to the KHouse and therefore a limited demand. The Internet café covers only 35% of the cost per hour. The reason for this is that the KHouse is more than an ordinary internet café and therefore the costs are different. The location on the first floor is not ideal for an internet café. The classroom has to be equipped slightly different to be competitive with the other internet Cafés.
- The Kidlink activity is making use of some of the resources of Alalay organisation. Alalay overhead covers some administrative work at Kidlink and professional support to the Kidlink leader. On the other hand, Alalay uses Kidlink resources in their work without charge. This close relation is not to be seen as a weakness but more as a strength to the Kidlink activities.
- Alalay has after the first year found their own way of running the KHouse. There are some principles that can be used for others starting up Kidlink with street children.
􀂙 Every group is unique and needs an individual program and progress.
􀂙 Motivation of the children is important. Every 4th time is playing time (or when the work is done)
􀂙 Group discussions gives input on what the children need/ want to learn.
􀂙 Other outdoor activities are used as "team building".
􀂙 Birthdays are celebrated at Kidlink.
􀂙 Film is used as an alternative input. The film is discussed among the children.
􀂙 Normal mail in Spanish is used to other children. The teachers are watching and reading some of the mail on the child's computer.

Recommendations:
i. Close cooperation with the local state schools is necessary for success of KHouses.
ii. The principles from the Alalay therapeutic model is well functioning within a KHouse environment.
iii. If and when Strømme Foundation wishes to replicate this experience elsewhere in ots working areas like East Africa, it should after identification of different locations SF should do a Pre-feasibility Study Workshop to document the local environment, decide on the target group, document the local success factors etc.. The Pre-feasibility Study Workshop report gives the basis for a more realistic budget and project plan.
iv. Volunteers /Act Now'ers can train the staff on a Kidlink House and work as assistants and technical staff at a KHouse
v. Kidlink Houses located in "cluster" can train each other and thereby reducing the need for consultancy

Comments from the organisation, if any:
Some of the comments from the evaluation apply to the time when it was done. Since then the programme has developed considerably thanks to mutual collaboration among the State Schools, Local Municipalities and Private Companies.
i. Alalay has taken good advantage of this ICT tool in order to strengthen its therapeutic programme addressed to its children, it has become a way to improve these children's basic learning process at the same time of serving as a new space where they can further develop their self esteem and other social and personal skills.
ii. Alalay has been able to succeed in positioning its ICT educative programme within the national educative community.
iii. Up todate Alalay has been able to set up agreements with a number of state schools and local municipalities serving a total number of 7,700 students in sixteen (16) telecentres in which they assist: poor students attending local public schools, working children, street children, and Alalay's programme children.
iv. The use of volunteers is not a practical option for this programme, since their stay in the project field is short as in the case of the Act Now'rs.
v. The Kidlink scheme was translated into the Aymara language.
vi. The ICT Kidlink programme is sustained thanks to the active participation of the following local players: Alalay (the partner institution); Local Governments; Local Public Schools; and Private corporations.
vii. The Kidlink programme has been incorporated into the Street Children project executed by the same other organizations.
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