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.
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