MONITORING AND EVALUATION REPORT FOR IRC GUINEA:

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABIDJAN 000677 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR AF/W AND PRM/AFR/CACHANG GENEVA FOR RMA STATE PASS TO USAID/OFDA/DDBERNARDO E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREF PHUM IV GU SUBJECT: MONITORING AND EVALUATION REPORT FOR IRC GUINEA: SPRMCO06CA166 ¶1. Summary: The Abidjan-based Refugee Coordinator (RefCoord) for West Africa traveled to Guinea from May 11-14 to conduct a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) report of the International Rescue Committee's (IRC) PRM-funded project, "Facilitating Durable Solutions: Protection, Integration Assistance, and Community Revitalization in the Context of the Liberian Repatriation." RefCoord traveled to IRC project sites in Kuankan I and Laine refugee camps, and the villages of Simkoly, Pampara, Kerezaghaye, Loula, and Keremanda. IRC's project was disrupted during a series of strikes and violent demonstrations in Guinea earlier this year and had to evacuate most staff. Nevertheless, IRC appears on target to meet most of their project objectives and plans to request a no-cost extension to complete their community revitalization activities. End Summary. ¶2. The Abidjan-based Refugee Coordinator (RefCoord) for West Africa traveled to Guinea from May 11-14 to conduct a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) report of the International Rescue Committee's (IRC) PRM-funded project, "Facilitating Durable Solutions: Protection, Integration Assistance, and Community Revitalization in the Context of the Liberian Repatriation." RefCoord traveled to IRC project sites in Kuankan I and Laine refugee camps, and the villages of Simkoly, Pampara, Kerezaghaye, Loula, and Keremanda. RefCoord met IRC staff Kamel Maina (Country Director),Binty Kamara (IRC Nzerekore),and several other IRC project staff in the camps and villages visited. RefCoord also met Dillah Doumaye (Representative, UNHCR Guinea),and Salif Kagne (Head of Office, UNHCR Nzerekore). OBJECTIVES AND INDICATORS -------------- ¶3. OBJECTIVE 1: Reduce vulnerabilities of Liberian refugees during the repatriation process through awareness-raising, information campaigns and protection training for community leaders and non-governmental staff. - IRC has just completed the KAP survey; - IRC will probably not meet the target on number of posters distributed. This is because IRC is running fewer schools than it had originally planned as a result of ongoing repatriation; - IRC will meet its target on the number of beneficiaries who receive protection training; - IRC has met its target on the number of mothers benefiting from daycare services; - IRC did not conduct sensitization campaigns during the second quarter due to strikes in Guinea. IRC has met this target for other quarters. ¶4. OBJECTIVE 2: Protect separated and unaccompanied Liberian refugee children in Guinea while accelerating cross-border reunification and the broader durable solution process. - IRC is exceeding its target for follow-up visits of unaccompanied minors (UAM)/separated children; - IRC will not meet its target of positive tracings for 100 UAM cases, however, this is due to the fact that many children have requested to repatriate to Liberia. Their cases are being followed-up by IRC Liberia after their return; - IRC expects to submit all UAM cases to the Durable Solutions Committee by the end of the project, although numbers have been low up to now mostly as a result of disruptions caused by the political situation in Guinea; - IRC will probably not meet its training indicator under this objective, specifically the point on 50 percent increase in knowledge of CPC. IRC does expect to train on average 20 members per session, which is above the 15 member/session target. ¶5. OBJECTIVE 3: Provide intensive French immersion classes for 6,000 primary school children to prepare them for potential integration into the Guinea educational system. - These indicators are difficult to quantify. IRC was providing French language instruction to all children enrolled in the IRC schools. However, IRC was supposed to start intensive language instruction as early as January to those students who expected to remain in Guinea after the June 30 deadline. Due to the disruption in Guinea related to the strikes and evacuation of international and non-governmental organization staff, this program was put on hold. UNHCR had not coordinated their list of persons opting ABIDJAN 00000677 002 OF 003 for local integration with IRC at the time of RefCoord's visit. RefCoord recommended IRC and UNHCR ensure that French language instruction was offered to those children whose families had officially signaled their intent to accept local integration after the June 30 deadline. ¶6. OBJECTIVE 4: Promote civil society development and improved relations between refugees and host communities through capacity-building of local organizations, peace-building, and targeted community revitalization projects. - IRC has completed 9 of the community revitalization projects. IRC plans to request a no-cost extension of the PRM project which would enable it to complete the remaining three project foreseen in the project; - IRC will organize the final peace building event before the end of the project; - IRC will provide more information on their Community Development Committee (CDC) training activities. PROGRAM ISSUES -------------- ¶7. Cross-cutting Goals: IRC's activities focus on unaccompanied and separated children. In addition, IRC's repatriation information is targeted specifically at all vulnerable groups and coordinate closely with IRC offices in Liberia for all activities. ¶8. Coordination: IRC works closely with UNHCR and other partners working in Guinea. ¶9. Effective Use of Funds: The Liberian refugee population in the remaining two camps is mostly vulnerable groups, a high percentage of whom have physical and/or psychological problems. In this regard, IRC continues to provide a valuable service to the remaining populations. RefCoord did notice some evidence of refugees using children to boost their vulnerability status in order to increase their overall share of food rations, but these cases are probably limited with regard to the overall numbers. UNHCR currently reports there are about 12,000 Liberian refugees officially registered in Kuankan I and Laine camps. This is a significant drop in the camp-based population the last two years. RefCoord notes that PRM stopped direct NGO funding in Kissidougou when the numbers reached this level and UNHCR subsequently closed their Kissidougou camps and transferred the remaining population to Kuankan I. ¶10. SPHERE Standards: IRC uses Guinea national standards for its wat/san (community revitalization) activities. ¶11. Personnel/Security Protocols: IRC reported that no staff were injured during a series of violent demonstrations in Guinea during the first few months of 2007 and that it was able to evacuate all non-essential staff from Guinea. IRC plans to transfer some of its logistical resources this summer to their Liberia office in order to avoid possible theft as it begins to layoff some local staff. ¶12. Oversight/Communication: IRC Guinea coordinates closely with its HQs on all aspects of the Guinea program. However, repeated strikes and violence in Guinea in early 2007 hindered IRC's ability to operate; in some cases IRC's work was halted completely as staff were evacuated abroad. IRC is now operating normally. IRC Guinea communicates well with RefCoord and IRC HQs appears to have a good channel of communication with PRM/AFR. ¶13. Problems: IRC plans to request a no-cost extension for two to three months in order to complete all activities foreseen in the project. However, IRC's Country Director reports that an unfavorable U.S. Dollar/Guinea Franc exchange rate has driven up many of his operating costs, which could force him to close down operations earlier than he would like to. COMMENT -------------- ¶14. RefCoord has enjoyed working with IRC Guinea over the last two years. IRC has been responsive to the changing refugee situation and adapted quickly to the decreasing caseload through its own personnel reductions and by changing the focus of intervention. RefCoord supports IRC's request ABIDJAN 00000677 003 OF 003 for a no-cost extension and advised IRC it should only concentrate on completing the community revitalization projects and pursuing intensive French-language instruction as part of any such request to PRM. UNHCR is likely to keep IRC on as an implementing partner, although UNHCR will no longer support education activities outside of normal Guinean schools. The big question mark now is whether or not local integration will move forward in the present political climate in Guinea, although the approximately 12,000 remaining Liberian camp-based refugees is only a fraction of the approximately 70,000 officially registered in Guinea when RefCoord first arrived in August 2005. HOOKS