Evaluation of the Chiuta District Development Project

Background

Main conclusions & recommendations in the evaluation:

The Chiúta Development Project is a big success in terms of the achievement of its objectives. The impact caused by the LOT activities in the visited communities could not be achieved in such a short time, with the same resources and with the same quality and even more, with the peculiarity of a process that combines technical training with organizational learning, and at the same time opening spaces to address questions of vital importance, as it is gender issues, health and environment.

More organs from the different government and non-government bodies should be invited, whenever it is possible, to bring their cadres to the LOTs. To train their human resources as well as to give their contribution in the different areas asked for by the communities, as long as the technical team is able to select who will be invited to participate as trainer or facilitator. It is specially recommended the celebration of a contract with the Secretary for Agriculture for joint action or training in the next Course Organization Workshops. If each of the government bodies were to go to the community on its own, this would provoke visitors' fatigue in the community, from receiving visitors from the different government and non-government programmes. This will broaden the spectrum of training options within the LOT, and will optimize the financial resources of government and NPA itself.

The illiteracy index in Portuguese language can only be tolerated by the historic understanding of those who have lived under domination for centuries, and was not given the right of at least have a dialogue in the same language with the one who dominates, possibly because this would have been the first weapon that could be used to fight against colonialism. In the LOTs, it is necessary to prioritize the training of literacy monitors.

The Organization Workshop could even be of use to address other health problems, not only HIV/AIDS. According to the statements of the people, the traditional doctors can't deal with many diseases. Adding up treated and untreated diseases we have cholera, malaria, measles, sexually transmitted diseases, cough, and stomach pain. It is enough to perceive, even partially from this statement, the health condition of the community. It is specially frightening the amount of alcoholic beverages that they are able to produce, exclusively for local consumption, according to statements, demonstrating the risks of alcoholism and its consequences, especially those referring to bad treatment of violence against women and children.

It is urgent the organization of consultancy services to set up a data bank containing a historical series of NPA work in Mozambique, processing what is already in existence and setting up simple formats to be filled in by the implementers of the workshops to feed every three months the quantitative data bank. This is because the reports should be devoted to the analysis of these data. The cumulative figures must come clear in the reports.

Comments from the organisation

Comments by NPA
(Consequences for the work - actions already taken or to be taken)

The Evaluation was commissioned with the explicit intention for it to be critic on LOT methodological approach, in order to gather the lessons learnt that could be applied to the two new District Development projects -Maravia & Chifunde (2004-2007).

The report has been translated into Portuguese, distributed to and discussed with former and present stakeholders to avoid repetition of mistakes and facilitate revision of approach and plans.

Measures for inclusion of more organs from government and non-government bodies for training of their resources and to give their contributions in different areas asked by communities will be established and contracts with district department of agriculture for joint action will be used as tools in accordance with the recommendation in reference to broaden the spectrum of training options within the LOT.

The report recommends to carry out a study of unfinished dam in Zuze, NPA Development Programme recognizes this, however the Programme is not direct implementer, but is facilitating the linkage between Zuze peasant group to Provincial Union of Peasants ( UNAC) in Tete to assist and finalize the planned and initiated dam construction.

Meanwhile, and in accordance with the evaluation and to allow the process of setting up a data bank, the DP has started processing what is already in existence and set up simple and internal formats to be filled within DP and by partners organizations during activity implementation. Apart from this, the baseline studies are planned for all projects to ensure that the reports can devote to the analysis of these data.

The evaluation suggests prioritization of the training of literacy monitor during the LOT exercise for mastering Portuguese language as the acquisition of an instrument of the struggle for personal and collective development. NPA in principle agrees that this will contribute to achieve full community participation and commitment. However, the programme has been providing funds to district department of education in both districts for seminars and subsides for adult literacy teachers. The experience has shown that what is very important here is the sustainability of the activity within education department after withdrawal of the funding organization (NPA).