An Phu Integrated Community Development Project - Mid-term Review

Background

The review was facilitated by two consultative experts from the Centre for Community Empowerment (CECEM) who trained the project review team which included village leaders, members of the Village Community Development groups, Project Management Team (PMT) and representatives of households from 5 villages.

The An Phu Integrated Community Development Project's objective is to "build sustainable livelihoods for the poorest people and communities, with care for a gender-balanced approach". The project has two main components: infrastructure development and community development. Infrastructure development includes five works: two dykes, one school and two electricity lines. Community development includes nine programmes: capacity building for the commune's Women Unions; enhancement of gender awareness; cows and buffaloes for poor households; the Agricultural Promotion Programme; short-term savings and credit; raising public health awareness, micro-initiatives, medium-term credit; and community funds.

The project is implemented in five villages in An Phu Commune: Dong Chiem, Nam Hung, Bac Son, Boi Moi and Roc Eo.

Purpose/objective

To assess the project's impact on the lives of the poor from various perspectives in order to enhance positive impacts, learn lessons and share experiences.

Recommendations to improve the project's design will be made in the mid-term review by analysing the means of subsistence by people in the villages participating in the project.

Methodology

Participatory methods were applied for the mid-term review. Members of the PMT and the villages' core groups were trained in participatory rural appraisal (PRA) by the consultative group. The methods applied included maps, historic charts, semi-structured interviews and observation. The project review team focused on five programmes of the community development component: capacity building for commune's Women's Union; raising gender awareness, cows and buffalos for the poor households; the Agricultural Promotion Programme, and short-term saving and credit.

The project review team asked the following questions:
- What were the results of the programme and its impact on the community?
- What difficulties and shortcomings were encountered? What were the reasons for them?
- What are the potential solutions to the shortcomings?

Checklists for each issue were also worked out to serve as basis for interviews and discussions. The project review team also examined the macro-issues involved in the whole project, i.e. project management and design. A plenary session was held at the end of the evaluation process where the project review team and the villagers discussed the findings and the results.

Key findings

The community development in An Phu Commune had positive impacts on the community. In particular, the project improved the social and economic life of poor and very poor households. Since the implementation of the project, the incomes of poor and very poor households have increased. Also, the knowledge of science and technology in breeding as well as general social knowledge among the poor and very poor has been enhanced.

The capacity of the officials in the Women's Unions in the commune and villages has improved; the staffs have learned organisational and operational skills. The prestige and status of the union and staff have lifted in the eyes of the local people and leaders.

Recommendations

The involved parties need to consider two basic issues:
1) It is necessary to strengthen coordination between the Women's Union and other agencies in the commune. At the village level, the Community Development Group should coordinate project activities, and simultaneously coordinate with the leaders and representatives of other agents in the village.
2) The top-down mechanism of the Project Management Team, which was partly suitable with the first phase due to limited project awareness, should be revised in the second phase.

The project also needs to keep enhancing the Project Management Team's capacity.

Comments from the organisation

Caritas Norway is satisfied with the participatory approach of the mid-term evaluation. The villagers were included in the process of the evaluation; they had the opportunity to express their feelings and recommendations on how the project can improve. This process has contributed to the strengthening of local ownership of the project. The recommendations have been well received, and improvements and changes are being implemented with great motivation. The project will be expanded to include all villages in An Phu Commune in the second phase of the project.