MONITORING AND EVALUATION REPORT FOR IRC COTE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABIDJAN 000555 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR PRM/AFR/CACHANG GENEVA FOR RMA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF PHUM IV SUBJECT: MONITORING AND EVALUATION REPORT FOR IRC COTE D'IVOIRE: SPRMCO06CA201 REF: ABIDJAN 293 ¶1. Summary: The Abidjan-based Refugee Coordinator (RefCoord) for West Africa conducted a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) assessment of the International Rescue Committee's (IRC) PRM-funded project, "Durable Solutions for Liberian Refugees in Cote d'Ivoire" in February and May 2007. RefCoord was disappointed with IRC's progress in certain areas but it appears to be on track to turn over most activities to local authorities by the end of the project. Although IRC has been a solid PRM partner in this region over the last several years, RefCoord did not see any specific critical needs that would warrant continued PRM funding to IRC at this time. End Summary. ¶2. The Abidjan-based Refugee Coordinator (RefCoord) for West Africa conducted a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) assessment of the International Rescue Committee's (IRC) PRM-funded project, "Durable Solutions for Liberian Refugees in Cote d'Ivoire" in February and May 2007. RefCoord traveled to project sites in Tabou, Georgetown, Gozon, and Yeouli. RefCoord met IRC staff, Maurizio Crivellaro (Country Director),Kakule Dieudonne (Head of Office, IRC Tabou), Valery Biyiriri (IRC Tabou),Blasius Abonge (IRC Tabou), Anthony Harmon (Education Assistant, IRC Tabou),Virginie Tanou (GBV Manager, IRC Tabou),Beatrice Kouadio (Wat/San Manager, IRC Tabou),and Germain Chabi (Agricultural Monitor, IRC Tabou). RefCoord also discussed the IRC project with Dr. Mahamadou Toure, Head of Field Office for UNHCR Tabou. OBJECTIVES AND INDICATORS -------------- ¶3. Objective 1: To increase access to and improve sustainable health care and improve the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding maternal and child health. - Construction of Gozon Health Center completed. - Five of the six health posts have been supplied with an initial stock of drugs. However, procurement of medical supplies and equipment for the sixth health post, the Gozon Health Center, has not been done and the Center has not been functional since January. IRC staff stated they believed the health supplies would arrive before the end of May 2007. IRC expects to complete an MOU with the Ministry of Health for transfer of their facilities before the end of June; - IRC is not on target to meet the indicator for vaccines by 
the end of the project, although they should be close to the 50% goal in most categories; - IRC in only reporting the number of deliveries done in health posts and at home. - IRC stated that the KAP survey will be completed at the end of the project. ¶4. Objective 2: To reduce the risk of waterborne and hygiene-related diseases in areas of significant integration of Liberian refugees and ensure community self-reliance and capacity of communities to manage core environmental health activities. - IRC is not able to state if water is safe and free of faecal coliforms as described in indicators one and two. IRC staff said they had no idea when the testing would be done as they were waiting for a testing kit from their Man office; - IRC reported they will meet their indicator for the construction and rehabilitation of wells; - IRC stated they have constructed 70 family latrines and 4 VIP latrines. IRC staff said they will not be able to complete the fifth VIP latrine by the end of the project; - IRC will measure the impact of the sensitization campaigns on the importance of hand washing during the KAP survey at the end of the project; - IRC staff believe they will meet the indicator on the number of established Environmental Health Committees (currently over 50% - target: 75%). ¶5. Objective 3: To improve access to and quality of education for Liberian students in Ivoirian schools and to improve knowledge and practices of youth as related to HIV/AIDS prevention. - Only 37% of the remaining Liberian refugee students (366 out of 987 registered at the beginning of the school year) are presently enrolled in Ivoirian schools (target: 50%); - IRC will not meet the target for classroom construction. Although their second quarterly report indicates IRC decided not to construct additional classrooms in Gozon due to a lack ABIDJAN 00000555 002 OF 003 of community interest, it appears they instead used funds from Gozon to cover additional costs in other villages where classrooms were built rather than to identify new communities as reported in January; - IRC has trained all 5 parent-teacher committees (COGES) to establish and maintain a functioning revolving fund; - Condom use will be assessed in the KAP survey at the end of the project. ¶6. Objective 4: To ensure a suitable protection environment for separated and/or at-risk children, accelerate cross-border reunification, and find durable solutions for children who are not reunified with their families. - IRC reports their caseload of separated children has declined from 35 at the beginning of the project to 30. They have not received any new cases since the start of the project; - IRC reports that the local Red Cross is not capable to take on child caseloads and identified a different local partner, the Child Rights and Protection Committee (CPD). It is doubtful, however, that they will meet this indicator before project end; - IRC will not meet the indicator to train 260 local officials on child rights and child protection, although IRC staff said they will exceed 100 trained officials; - IRC has not received any cases of child survivors of commercial sexual exploitation since the start of the project; - The indicator on Best Interest Determination (BID) was supposed to be met by December 2006. IRC staff explained at length what they were doing to develop this process, but RefCoord doubts they will meet this indicator. ¶7. Objective 5: To prevent and respond to GBV through increased community awareness and strengthened support services for GBV survivors while building local capacity. - IRC has met or will meet all of their GBV indicators. The KAP survey to be conducted at the end of the project will determine the number of persons who can identify two health consequences of GBV (target: 50%). PROGRAM ISSUES -------------- ¶8. Cross-cutting Goals: IRC activities in Tabou put particular focus on women and children. IRC is also responsible for distributions to vulnerable groups with UNHCR funding in Tabou. IRC has tried to elicit interest from the local authorities on the hand over and transfer or responsibilities for their project activities. ¶9. Coordination: IRC works closely with UNHCR and local authorities in conducting all project activities. ¶10. SPHERE Standards: IRC is using Ivoirian national standards in carrying out its Wat/San activities and has signed an MOU with the government on standards for phasing out and handover of responsibilities. ¶11. Personnel/Oversight/Security: IRC Tabou has seen several different Program Coordinators over the last couple years. They have sent several staff to participate in training activities sponsored by IRC and UNHCR. At this time, however, they are beginning to phase out of Tabou and one third of their staff will be let go in July, with the rest to leave at the end of the year when their UNHCR funded activities are concluded. IRC Tabou reported adequate financial and HQ oversight, but RefCoord noted that IRC staff were unable to answer specific questions related to expenditures for classroom construction under Objective 3. IRC reported no specific security issues during the course of the current project cycle. ¶12. Problems: IRC reported serious problems with community participation and cooperation from local officials. IRC staff reported most persons appeared only to be interested in receiving financial benefits from cooperation and this led to serious delays in achieving certain objectives. Although they have a close operational relationship with UNHCR, they stated that UNHCR was not always willing to help them in their negotiations with local officials. COMMENT -------------- ¶13. RefCoord was disappointed with IRC's progress in certain ABIDJAN 00000555 003 OF 003 areas but it appears to be on track to turn over most activities to local authorities by the end of the porject. Also, most of IRC's statistics do not disaggregate refugees from local populations and it thus impossible to know to what extent remaining refugees are benefiting from efforts to support local structures. RefCoord believes many local staff are concerned that they will lose their jobs as activities draw to a close and this has probably affected morale in the Tabou office. Although IRC has been a solid partner in this region over the last several years, RefCoord did not see any specific critical needs that would warrant continued PRM funding to IRC at this time. RefCoord also notes that one IRC staff member, a Liberian national from Maryland County, has already sent his family back to Liberia and is seeking letters of support for his job search with NGOs in Liberia. HOOKS