MONITORING AND EVALUATION REPORT FOR CVT LIBERIA:

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABIDJAN 000263

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR AF/W AND PRM/AF/CACHANG
DAKAR FOR USAID/OFDA
GENEVA FOR RMA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREF PHUM USAID UNHCR CI LI
SUBJECT: MONITORING AND EVALUATION REPORT FOR CVT LIBERIA:
SPRMCO06CA042


1. Summary: This monitoring and evaluation (M&E) report is
based on Refugee Coordinator's (RefCoord) visits to the
Center for Victims of Torture's (CVT) field offices in
Liberia in October 2006 and January 2007. CVT is on target
to meet its objectives in the PRM-funded program, "Promoting
Community Resources for Healing in Liberia," and continues to
provide much needed assistance to trauma victims among the
returnee and local Liberian populations. End Summary.


2. This monitoring and evaluation (M&E) report is based on
Refugee Coordinator's (RefCoord) visits to the field offices
of the Center for Victims of Torture (CVT) in Monrovia,
Gbarnga, and Voinjama in October 2006 and January 2007.
RefCoord met with CVT staff Dr. Jean-Baptiste Mikulu (Country
Director),Alieu Mohamed Sannoh (Administrator),Sharon
Gshaider (Clinician/Trainer),and Nelson Kaputo (Field
Coordinator, Voinjama). RefCoord also met more than 30 CVT
Psychosocial Counselors (PSCs) working in Bong and Lofa
Counties and discussed CVT's field level coordination with
various non-governmental and international organizations,
including UNHCR, the International Rescue Committee (IRC),
and the American Refugee Committee (ARC).

OBJECTIVES AND INDICATORS
--------------


3. OBJECTIVE 1: Provide direct psychological and
psychosocial services to 1,000 returnees and members of
receiving communities who are suffering from experiences of
torture or war trauma.


4. CVT prepared a nation-wide survey of psychosocial and
mental health activities in cooperation with UNMIL's
Humanitarian Information Center (HIC). CVT is now finalizing
a formal baseline survey of mental health needs in Lofa
County and has helped more than 860 clients.

- Indicator 1: This indicator has already been met.
- Indicator 2: CVT has achieved nearly 87% progress towards
this indicator and expects to meet their target of 1000
clients by the end of the project.
- Indicator 3: CVT has exceeded their target.


5. OBJECTIVE 2: Train Liberian returnees and receiving
community members as psycho-social counselors (PSCs).


6. With CVT's move to Lofa County, they were able to take
advantage of a solid pool of qualified candidates for their
program as many CVT staff originating from this area had
worked with CVT while in refugee camps in Sierra Leone and
Guinea. CVT staff demonstrate high morale and motivation in
carrying out their work.

- Indicator 1: CVT expects to meet this indicator.
- Indicator 2: CVT expects to meet this indicator.
- Indicator 3: CVT has already met this indicator.


7. OBJECTIVE 3: Target group members in three project sites
have a better understanding of and are more sensitive to
issues related to torture and war trauma, mental health, and
mental health services.

- Indicator 1 & 2: CVT expects to meet both indicators for
their sensitization activities by the end of the project.


8. OBJECTIVE 4: In coordination with government entities,
universities, and other non-governmental organizations
(NGOs),conduct in-depth, specialized training for staff at
other agencies and organizations working with affected
populations.

- Indicator 1: CVT has met this indicator.
- Indicator 2: CVT has met this indicator.
- Indicator 3: CVT will probably not meet the indicator on
training of trainer activities and post-test knowledge gain
results. This is due to the lack of a CVT clinician from
Nov. to Dec. 2006. CVT will examine better ways of testing
knowledge gained from their training (results show a 14-18%
change, below the target of 25%).


9. OBJECTIVE 5: Improve the capacity of gender-based
violence (GBV) service provider partners to identify, refer,
and provide relevant psychosocial support to survivors of
sexual torture.

- Indicator 1: CVT has met this indicator.

ABIDJAN 00000263 002 OF 002


- Indicator 2: CVT has met this indicator.
- Indicators 3 & 4: CVT is slightly below target for these
indicators.

PROGRAM ISSUES
--------------


10. Cross-Cutting Goals: CVT's activities target the most
vulnerable and affected populations in Liberia. They have
built in activities designed to provide some sustainability
in their project, although they have not yet succeeded in
formalizing cooperation with Liberian higher learning
institutes that would help certify trained psychosocial
practicioners.


11. Coordination: CVT coordinates with a wide variety of
partners in carrying out its work. This is a major focus of
Objective 4 in their proposals. Other NGOs complimented
CVT's work and CVT has established a particularly close
relationship with the American Refugee Committee (ARC) in
Lofa and Bong Counties.


12. Effective Use of Funds: CVT has a high percentage of
former refugees working on its staff. They continue to see a
high retention rate in their activities even though they do
not provide material support to their beneficiaries. They
have successfully moved and established their presence in
Lofa County and are the only NGO implementing this sort of
program in their areas of operation.


13. SPHERE Standards: CVT does not apply SPHERE standards
in its activities.


14. Personnel/Security Protocols: CVT's personnel and
security protocols appear to remain adequate. Their compound
in Lofa County is spacious and well guarded. CVT was not
targeted in February when ARC's compound was broken into by
armed robbers and they are linked to the UN security system.


15. Oversight: RefCoord did not discuss specific HQs
oversight with CVT staff during this project cycle, but Dr.
Jean-Baptiste Mikulu, the CVT Country Director, makes regular
visits to CVT HQs and has an open communication with
RefCoord. CVT's progress reports are submitted on time and
easy to read against indicators.


16. Problems: CVT initially closed their office in Gbarnga,
Bong County, when they moved to Voinjama in Lofa County last
summer. Mikulu reported that some staff had a difficult time
at first adjusting to working in Lofa County. However, PRM's
decision to continue funding CVT in Bong County alongside
CVT's expansion in Lofa County boosted staff morale and the
more than 30 PSC's RefCoord spoke to said they carry a big
advantage in being able to work with trauma victims living in
their own communities. All CVT staff RefCoord spoke to
expressed their satisfaction with the move to Lofa. Mikulu
said some staff live in the same communities as their
beneficiaries and are even helping people build their homes
and other facilities in these areas. CVT is still
negotiating with Liberian universities a mechanism to have
their training recognized as a professional certification.
Many of their employees are counting on their work with CVT
to lay the foundation for a future professional career in
Liberia. Successfully negotiating such recognition will be
important to CVT's long-term impact.

COMMENT
--------------


17. CVT's project appears to be well on its way to meeting
most, if not all, of their objectives in the current project
cycle. They have established a strong field presence and
have a close relationship with the local population in the
communities where they work. They remain a strong link in
the assistance chain currently anchoring persons back in
their communities of origin. Although counseling for trauma
victims in Liberia is a daunting challenge, their efforts to
establish a national framework for psycho-social counseling
and assistance is much needed.
Hooks