Projet centre de ressource pour des solutions durables d’énergie – Evaluation a mi-parcours

Background:
This project is continuing in 2011 and is aimed at reducing deforestation and enabling underprivileged people in Togo to have access to affordable, reliable and environment-friendly energy and to energy-related knowledge, which will ultimately improve their living conditions. The project works to reduce important barriers for a widespread use of attractive, economic and energy-efficient technologies for cooking, lighting and water pasteurization, and also to increase the capacity on sustainable energy solutions for relevant stakeholders. The project is implemented in cooperation between the Togolese NGO Jeunes Volontaires pour l’Environnement/ Young Volunteers for the Environment and the Norwegian NGO Naturvernforbundet/ Friends of the Earth Norway, and it started in 2006, then with the focus on solar-driven water pasteurization.

Purpose/objective of the evaluation:
To assess progress so far, to collect lessons learnt and to get recommendations meant for the implementation up till the end of 2011, to achieve the objectives of the three-year project plan for 2009-2011.

Methodology:
The evaluation was made by two independent persons with expertise covering environmental management, energy questions and project implementation. They retrieved information from the existing project documentation, from field visits and discussions/ interviews with beneficiaries, JVE personnel and government representatives on local and district levels, and through Naturvernforbundet’s response to the team’s questionnaire. All the collected information was interpreted and validated by the team before they presented their draft report, which was commented on by JVE and Naturvernforbundet, as a basis for the final report.

Key findings:
Achieved results are overall satisfactory. The project’s initiative is a pioneering act in a context which is characterized by a political, strategic, institutional and legal vacuum on a national level regarding promotion of renewable energy.  

The involvement of the local population is strong and is appreciated by the various stakeholders. The project’s activities are adapted to the needs of the target groups and are relevant in relation to deforestation and problems with access to energy. The women in the 21 active groups in Vo district are now aware of the need to change to other energy sources. The use of solar lamps and improved cook stoves has contributed to improving the working conditions and lives of the women who have got this equipment, and of their families. It has been found that conventional micro-finance is not suitable, thus JVE has found that it is better that the women themselves are administering a common savings box locally in the group.

The project contributes, through its activities, to higher visibility for JVE and strengthens the trustworthiness and the general picture of JVE, which is witnessed by national and local actors within environment, energy and communication. The implementation of this project has made it possible for JVE to strengthen its management system and professionalize the way they are working. Still, this development has taken some time due to resignations and to recruitments of under-qualified staff. Both factors are partly a result of JVE’s low salary level.

Relevant government bodies are not enough involved in decision-making processes in the project. Responsibilities and information sharing between the national coordinator, the project manager and the local leader in Vo district. Most of the project staff is suffering from lack of project management tools, especially for monitoring. The project’s methodology needs to be better adjusted to the context in Togo. The activity reports are not saying much about achievements related to the outcome and the corresponding indicators.

Recommendations:
A formal steering committee, with members from the major stakeholders, should be established, and periodic exchange meetings held between the steering committee and the project staff.
The communication should be improved within the project staff, particularly between the main office in Lomé and the project office in Vo. Project staff should be given training on management tools in general, and in particular within monitoring. They should also be given more responsibility, for them to be able to act more independently. Clear contracts and salaries in accordance with responsibility should be established.
The partnership between JVE and Naturvernforbundet and with other partners should be strengthened, to ensure sufficient resources for JVE’s activities in the future.
The project should be positioned so that it better complements and harmonizes with what is happening regionally and nationally.

Comments from the organisation, if any: