Mid-term Evaluation, Integrated Community Development Project

Background

Integrated Community Development Project is focused on primary health care, income generating skill development, and reduction of environmental degradation, increased bio-diversity and to secure social justice and gender equality for vulnerable groups. The Program is being implemented in Tahirpur, Bishwamverpur, Derai and Sunamganj Sadar upazilas of Sunamganj district. The program activities are designed in a way that it is consistent with the role of Sancred Welfare Foundation as a facilitating organization and people of the area as the main actor.

Purpose/objective

• To review the status of performance and progress of the program implementation
• To review progress towards localization and long-term sustainability of the program
• To review the relevance of the program in respect to the cost (cost-benefit analysis)
• To review the management status (administrative, financial, implementation)
• To review the program achievements in line with the Project objectives
• To review the effectiveness of the capacity building initiatives

Methodology

• Discussion Session/Meeting with the SWF Management/Question and Answer Session
• Physical visit to the working area by the study team members
• FGD sessions with beneficiaries and in depth interview
• Review of the documents/reports/publications

Key findings

Awareness on health issues has increased; people are now development oriented and the clinical services have reached to the people’s doorstep.

The absence of an articulated rationale or assessment of critical elements for ensuring livelihood security, alternative income generation options have to be ensured through the project interventions.

Conceptually, project design interventions address the issues that plague the Haor region of the country - the lack of food security, malnutrition and susceptibility to disasters, nutrition, gender disparity etc. However, the strategy falls short in its operational/implementation modality. 

The formation of beneficiary group; People’s organizations (POs) by sector is found to be successful steps in mobilizing the community which allows them in participation in the project interventions, but legal registration of the POs is still remaining an issue which need to be ensured.

Under the scope of the project, several interventions have been implemented in the project upazila.  In terms of quantitative achievement it has improved. But in order to achieve sustainable solutions of securing livelihood, there should be more integration and communication with local service providers.

The hospital management needs special attention. After operation of two and half years it financial situation is found vulnerable. There is a need to revise operations to find the financial tailback and to ensure a financial sustainable future.

Recommendations 

• Demand based skill development training and services for increasing income through proper initiative in participation of community need to be undertaken.  
• Commercially viable solutions of LSPs in win-win situation to be in place through establishment of linkages with public, private and individual actors of different sector such as DAE, DLS, DoF, Health, Youth development and other NGOs working in the area.  
• Hospital management issues to be assessed thoroughly as this need re-arrangement for making a self-financed health service provider.  
• Necessary steps to be taken for working an impendent platform of community and role of People’s organization should be well defined and understood by the members to develop proactive attitude and their ownership of program are essential elements of sustainability.  
• Skills of POs in management and taking control over their own activities should be designed and necessary training should be given for effective functioning.