FRAMEWORK CONTRACT BENEF – Lot No1 Letter of Contract N° 2007/144232
Final Evaluation of the Multi-annual Micro-Projects Programme (MPP)
FINAL REPORT JUNE 2008
Prepared by: Fayolle Andr é
in association with: Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______
FRAMEWORK CONTRACT BENEF Lot 1 Letter of Contract: 2007/144232
Project Title: Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP)
DISCLAIMER
This report was produced by Italtrend spa in Consortium with SOPEX, ADAS, Hydro-RD, IAK and Macalister-Elliott & Partners for the European Commission.
The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. The European Commission does not guarantee the accuracy of the data included in this report, nor does it accept responsibility for any consequence of their use.
June 2008
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ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______Table of Contents Acronyms and Glossary (for some Kiswati words)...... v Executive Summary ...... 1
1 Introduction ...... 1
1.1 MicroProjects Programme (MPP) description...... 1 1.2 Objectives of the evaluation ...... 4 1.3 Methodology...... 5
2 Relevance...... 7
2.1 Relevance of the MPP in relation to Government policy and the real needs of intended beneficiaries ...... 7 2.2 Methods applied to ensure organizational development for sustainable linkages between MPP, government agencies, EC and other stakeholders...... 9 2.3 Implementing methodology capability to achieve sustainable development in beneficiary communities...... 9 2.4 Best practices & local network systems that emerged from the MPP in empowering communities to be self sustainable in development...... 10 2.5 Relevance of the MPP capacity building programmes in empowering beneficiaries to manage and sustain their own projects...... 11 2.5.1 Use MPs as incentive to bring communities to develop Action Plans to tackle main priorities ...... 13
3 Efficiency...... 15
3.1 Financial Agreement (FA): 27% EDF fund decommited, MPCU administration costs low (18%) ...... 15 3.2 Extent to which the costs of financed projects have been justified by the benefits accrued...... 17 3.3 Networking opportunities created through the MPP amongst government agencies, communities and other stakeholders...... 22
4 Effectiveness...... 25
4.1 Planned Programme benefits delivered and received, as perceived mainly by the key beneficiaries...... 25 4.1.1 Beneficiaries are satisfied for the MP they built themselves, and wish more support for water sufficiency, food security, income employment & HIV/AIDS clinics.... 25 4.1.2 Gender: a MPP community achievement, but efforts still needed and mostly at higher levels ...... 27 4.2 MPP strengths & weaknesses: the sole program that practices decentralisation...... 29 4.3 Performance of the Technical Assistance (TA) (quality of the assistance received by the MPP during 9th EDF ...... 30
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ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______
4.4 External factors that contributed, positively & adversely, on MPP results delivery... 31 4.4.1 Due to late arrival of 9 EDF procedures, MPP did not sufficiently tap and challenged NSAs, incluling FBOs ...... 31 4.4.2 Initial result & activities related to Income Generating were not implemented .. 32
5 Impact...... 34
5.1 Achievement of the planned physical objective: evidence demonstrating the impact of the MPP amongst beneficiary communities...... 34 5.2 Community capacities that have been built by the MPP through training of beneficiaries ...... 35
6 Sustainability ...... 39
6.1 Sustainability of the Microprojects Programme ...... 39 6.2 GOS political & operational support to projects. Recommendations a new MPP...... 41
7 Conclusions and Recommendations ...... 42
7.1 Conclusions ...... 42 7.2 Recommendations...... 45
8 ANNEXES...... 51
Annex 1: Terms of Reference ...... 52
Annex 2: Name of the evaluator and its firm...... 59
Annex 3: Methodology applied for the study...... 60
Annex 4: MPP Logical Framework matrices: Original FA 2003 version, and 2 nd revised version June 2006 by Program Estimate N°7 (PE7) ...... 62
Annex 4.1: MPP Logical Framework for the Swaziland Micro-projects Programme (2003-2007) (re: Financial Agreement)...... 62 Annex 4.2: MPP Logical Framework 2006-2007 (2 nd revision through Program Estimate 7, prior to MTR) ...... 65
Annex 5: Maps of project area ...... 68
Ax 5.1: Country Map ...... 68 Ax 5.2: MPP 9EDF projects by sector 2003-2007, and NSAs (MPCU, 31jan08) ...... 69 Ax 5.3: MPP 9EDF: projects 2003-2006 & PE7, NSA excluded (MPCU 19feb08)...... 70 Ax 5.4: MPP Japan (GoS agric fund) projects, 2003-2007 (by MPCU, 19feb2008) ...... 71 Ax 5.5: MPP GoS/CDSF projects, 2003-2007 (by MPCU, 2008feb19)...... 72
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ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______
Ax 5.6: Primary Schools (MoE 2004 map) with 9 proposed boreholes (REASWA/ACAT EU Water Facility) ...... 73 Ax 5.7: Swaziland enumeration areas map: Chiefdoms communities, Jan 2008...... 74 Ax 5.8: Land tenure map of Swaziland, FAO (via MPCU 2008feb05) ...... 75
Annex 6: Persons/Organizations consulted / sites visited ...... 76
Annex 7: Literature and documentation consulted...... 83
Annex 8: DAC summary (1 page), for the database of the Evaluation Unit...... 86
Annex 9: MPP Organogram...... 87
Annex 10: Completed EDUCATION projects, components & direct beneficiaries...... 88
Annex 11: Workshop with Stakeholders & Beneficiaries of the MPP programme, 2008 February 12: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS (handouts) ...... 91
Annex 12: Workshop with Stakeholders & Beneficiaries of the MPP, 2008 February 12: QUESTIONS & REPLIES FROM GROUPS...... 104
Annex 13: Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, 9 EDF - Programme Estimate No 7 (PE7), 2006/10 to 2007/09 ...... 112
Annex 14: Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, 9 EDF - Programme Estimate No 6 (PE6), 2005/12 to 2006/11 ...... 114
Annex 15: Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, 9 EDF - Programme Estimate No 3 (PE3), 2004/07 to 2005/09 ...... 116
Annex 16: Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, GoS/CDSF: PE3, 2004/07 to 2005/09 ...... 118
Annex 17: Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, GoS/CDSF: PE7, 2006/10 to 2007/09 ...... 121
Annex 18: Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, GoS/Japan grant: 2004 to 2007/09...... 123
Annex 19: Final debriefing Aide Memoire (handouts) ...... 124 ------
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ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______
Acronyms and Glossary (for some Kiswati words)
ACAT Africa Cooperative Action Trust (Faith Based NGO recipient of a Japan funds MPP grant and of a EU Water Facility grant) AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ART Anti Retroviral Therapy ARV Anti Retro Viral CANGO Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations CBO Community Based Organisations CDSF Community Development Social/Special Fund / GoS CfPs Call for Proposals CSC Council of Swaziland Churches (Catholics, Anglicans, Methodist, Lutheran, A.M.E. etc.) CSP Country Strategy Paper (GOS/EC) / NIP Ludvonga: Siswati word to name the visible erosion trenches across slopes, taking away meters deep of arable soil, particularly observed in overgrazed pastoral land and from rain runoff diversion trenches made by Ministry of Works, as well as from the outlets of roads culverts. It may also be called “sheet erosion” or “gullies”. DPM Deputy Prime Minister’s office (inter alia, coordination of relief) € Euro money E Emalangeni: Swaziland Currency. ECD European Commission Delegation ECN Netherlands Energy Research Foundation ECOSAN Ecological Sanitation (refer to: www.CREPA , etc.) EU European Union EFA Education For All FA Financial Agreement FBO Faith Based Organizations GoS Government of Swaziland GIS Geographical Information System HIV & AIDS Human Immune Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ICC International Capital Corporation (refers to consulting firm which evaluated the MPP income generating evaluation in 2004) IGP Income generating projects I-NGO International Non-Governmental Organisation I-MFI International Micro Finance Institution Imbita Swaziland Women’s Finance Trust Inkhundla Political constituency, which is composed of more than one chiefdom. A member of parliament, Indvuna Yenkhundla and Bucopho administer the centre on behalf of the electorate. It is a local political centre but does not have power to collect local taxes and income. The chief is a traditional leader of a Chiefdom, which is within an Inkhundla. LRRD Linking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development MDGs Millenium Development Goals MEPD Ministry of Economic Planning and Development MFI Micro Finance Institution MHSW Ministry of Health and Social Welfare MNRE Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy ______v
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______
MOAC Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives MOE Ministry of Education MOET Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Communications MOF Ministry of Finance Moropa Mororpa Information Management (refers to consulting firm which evaluated the 8 th EDF Microjects Programme/MPP, 2002) MPCU Microprojects Programme Coordination Unit MPP Multi-annual Microprojects Programme MP Member of Parliament MPWT Ministry of Public Works and Transport MTR Mid-Term Review NAO National Authorizing Officer, for EDF funds. NCPs Neighbourhood Care Points (for OVCs) NDS National Development Strategy NERCHA National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS (relates to Global Fund) NGO Non-Governmental Organisation NRC Natural Resources Committees NSAs Non-State Actors OVC’s Orphans and Vulnerable Children (mostly affected by the AIDS disease) PAPPR Prioritised Action Programme on Poverty Reduction PRSAP Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Plan PS Primary Schools PV PhotoVoltaic R: Recommendation RE Rural Electricity scheme (community initiated MP) REASWA Renewable Energy Association of Swaziland RDC Regional Development Committee RDCC Regional Development Coordinating Committee RHM Rural Health Motivator RWSB Rural Water Supply Branch - GoS SCC Swaziland Conference of Churches (more of Evangelist denominations) SEA Swaziland Environment Authority SEB Swaziland Electricity Board SEC Swaziland Electricity Company (recently en 2007 SEB was turned into a company) SECLOF Swaziland Ecumenical Church Loan Fund (beneficiary of MPP 8 EDF) SET Support to Education and Training programme (EC/MoE, 9 EDF) SI Social Infrastructures SNL Swazi Nation Land (Land under the control of Chiefs / Kingdom land) SWAGAA Swaziland Action Group Against Abuse TA Technical Assistance TAP Technical and Administrative Provisions (of the FA, EDF) Tikhundla Area regrouping several Chiefdoms TOR Terms of Reference UNICEF United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund UPE Universal Primary Education Vusumnotfo = creating wealth (CBO recipient of MPP grant, Pigg’s Peak, Hhohho region) WFP World Food Programme ------
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ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______
Executive Summary
The 9 th EDF Multi-annual MicroProjects Programme (MPP, 9 ACP SW 001 - SW/7102/058) basically continued 8 th EDF MPP implementation from 01 October 2003, for 4 years. MPP overall objective is ‘sustained socio-economic development amongst poorer Swazi communities’ and its specific objective is ‘ to contribute to sustained social and economic development by a process of empowering poor Swazis in rural and peri-urban areas, with a specific emphasis on women’. The Financing Agreement (FA) specifies MPP to achieve the following results (re: Annex 4). 1) Wider use of participatory development methods with increased involvement of women 2) New or improved social & economic infrastructure facilities completed by beneficiaries. 3) Improved decentralization and co-ordination process at MPCU 4) Small business enterprises, which are profitable and sustainable. Strengthen NGO’s capacity through collaboration with other business counselling organizations.
Methodology (Annex 3 ): The evaluation field mission took place from 22.01.08 to 17.02.08, respecting ToR (Annex 1 ). Annex 6 details persons, organizations, sites visited and the calendar. Process was as follow: Briefing at the EC Delegation with NAO staff; Meetings with MPCU staff and documentation (Annex 7 ); Exploratory field visits of various microprojects (MPs) and first transect; Interviews of GoS policy makers; Various MPs visits with interactions and transects in each region; Interviews of region civil servants involved in the MPP implementation; Feedback to the NAO; Interviews of GoS technical stakeholders and of NSAs & major FBO; Preliminary findings debriefing/handout to MPCU team; Exchanges with ECD; Stakeholders & beneficiaries workshop: preliminary findings with handouts (Annex 11 ), then workgroups with debate (Annex 12 ); Debriefing to ECD & NAO staff/aide-memoire/recommendations (Annex 19 ); Report writing.
Relevance : MPP required, and obtained, high community participation. Its capacity building programme empowered beneficiaries in managing the construction of their social infrastructures. MPP is relevant to Government of Swaziland (GoS) poverty reduction policy and GoS 1999 Gazette MPP Legal Notice, which secures some annual resource to fund MPCU and organises MPP “Region Development Committees” (RDC) 1. However, its FA was not relevant to the then, and still very acute, rural poor main problems: HIV expansion, AIDS ARV medication absence (in rural clinics), durable drought and climate warming, recurrent and now massive food insecurity, overgrazing erosion/archaic land tenure, unemployment, absence of rural vocational training centres and poorly relevant primary school syllabus. Although the above challenges are being addressed by other actors in the country, including the EC funded HAPAC program, a future MPP needs to mainstream them to ensure improved effectiveness through complementarities and synergies.
These Nation rural poverty challenges were not mainstreamed, nor specifically addressed, yet the 8 th EDF MPP final evaluation mentions solutions to most of them. However the HIV/AIDS and poor food production challenges were addressed recently through the Japan
1 RDC are supposed to be composed, not only of the various region civil services, but also of the various NGOs operating in the regions. RDC were actually re-named “Region Development Coordinating Committees” for unknown reason by MPP implementation reports. ______1
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______grant: construction of Neighbourhood Care Points (NCP) and some farm consumable inputs handouts to the many AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) 2. With 9EDF funds MPCU introduced Home Economics classroom blocks in Primary Schools (PS), in line with education sector analysis. However electricity and gas cookers supplied 3, together with syllabus, are not relevant because these imported costly energies 4 also contribute to climate warming that translates locally into recurrent droughts. PS syllabus is not sufficient to equip students with practical skills to self-employ themselves, produce food and water supply security. Technical Assistance (TA) in water (re: §1.1, §2, Annex 4) is still highly relevant, urgent and need to include participatory water conservation, harvesting, water points development and support sector training systems relevant to the general water and drought problem 5. Contrary to 8EDF MPP, result 4 and related FA activities were not implemented and dropped 6. Yet this result is still very relevant and consistent with RURAL beneficiaries’ requirements, country needs, and EC’s policies (contribution to MDGs through sustainable rural NSA networks). Result 3 is relevant to EC policies and to GoS 1999 Gazette MPP Legal Notice. However MPP RDCs did not involve NGOs 7, then from 2005 these RDCs were disempowered from the MPs approval process when EC administrative deconcentration came into effect. Best practices and local network systems that emerged from the MPP are linked to the systems organised by GoS 1999 Gazette MPP Legal Notice. In practice: i) strong contribution from communities to construct their MP by themselves, ii) GoS region based services fully involved, particularly works and the few water technicians, iii) MPP RDC decision making, although the RDC system is poorly implemented when it comes to involving NGOs (that includes MFIs, farmers unions & FBOs), etc. The capacity building programme offered by
2 The Support to Education and Training program (SET), a recently launched 9th EDF funded MOE program, has considerable funding for schools. However it requires little contribution from the population and began targeting mostly on urban/peri-urban areas. 3 The food and agricultural sector industries, and all educational institutions, also need to integrate climate warming problem solutions. This is made more a priority in semi-arid Africa because climate warming is unequal, i.e. while temperate regions warm up of 1 degree Celsius, semi-arid Africa appears to warm up twice as fast, by a factor of about two (re: maps of UN Climate Change group), hence explaining sustainable local drought trend, vegetation cover reduction and soil cover loss cycle end, In addition dirty energies prices (uranium, oil, coal, gas) continue to increase together with violent conflicts in most production countries, unsolvable durable damages and risks to environment, biodiversity distortions, and countries dependence/alienation. Unfortunately WHO is not yet independent to carry out independent studies on the effects of radio-activity on human health. If in Germany nuclear plants caused proven damages on human surrounding populations, what about those that poorly supply Swaziland, not to mention the millions of Europeans, flora and fauna, sick in the highly contaminated Tchernobyl no go zone spread over four countries. As per the French saying “it may not happen only to others”. 4 Contrary to a belief, it is interesting to note that i) a number of Photovoltaic (PV) panels belonging to the GOS research/demonstration program (implemented during the nineties) are reported to have be stolen on GOS properties (yet PVs are of great interest to people, but PVs are very poorly supplied in regions), ii) GOS does not have any significant renewable energies policy, contrary to a number of other countries and even now some major world cities, iii) a variety solar PV systems are sold in various shops of Mbabane though with un-heaven quality (as directly observed by the Author), while iv) it is further questioning that already way back in 1999 the ECN “Review of the PV market in Swaziland” concluded (p49) that “the viability of photovoltaic systems (PV) does not only hold for remote areas far from the grid: most of the systems installed in Swaziland can actually been found within the grid supply areas ”. 5 Ensuring complementarities and synergies with all other newer programs need to be a constant MPP management objective. 6 However in a way Result 4 was continued with 8 th EDF funds invested under Imbita Women Trust Fund, hence more women benefited from the microfinance loan scheme. 7 The EC/ACP cooperation has a number of examples that show how to involve and reinforce successfully emerging African NGOs and other civic society associations, starting from FBOs. Civic Society associations and federations are known to render relevant services to their members against competitive costs. ______2
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______
MPP is very relevant to have communities to construct their buildings, but is still insufficient to cause dynamic management of local development. NCPs for OVCs entirely depend on the EC/US food aid, diptanks do not lead to sustainable fodder harvesting 8. It is also insufficient to sustain water systems functioning where power is paid for pumping and/or if water source output diminishes. MPP FA concept did not planned legalisation of MP community associations and ownership of MPs is unclear. Community electricity schemes would belong to the now privatized Electricity Company (SEB/SEC), yet local communities should be the owners, as in a number of other countries.
Efficiency : All 9EDF funds could not be timely invested and early 2007 a 27% decommitment (€1,280,000) brought back the €4,700,000 allocation close to actual commitments (€3,420,000). As per FA, GoS contributed to the MPP an equivalent €1,219,353 from its Community Development Social Fund (CDSF) as well as €1,761,216 from its “Japan fund”. The MPP Coordination Unit (MPCU) also received an equivalent €510,000 from Kellogg Foundation, which with the “Japan fund” went to support OVCs through NCPs construction, farm consumable inputs handouts for OVCs and related administrative costs. In total, E56,139,132 (about € 5,613,913) was committed by the MPCU during the period. MPCU operation/administrative cost is efficient (18,6%) when considering both EDF and GoS (CDSF & Japan grant). Development commitments reached 77.5% of the overall expenditure (€6,399,757) after EDF decommitment (re §3.1). However knowing changes brought by the Cotonou 2000 EU/ACP Agreement, an MPP management TA would have been instrumental to implement both ECD procedure reform and the “paradigm shift”, i.e. implement better expected decentralization/empowerment results, including the expected involvement of NGOs. This would have produced higher EDF development budget consumption. Unfortunately TA was not budgeted for in the FA, yet technical cooperation is a corner stone of the EU/ACP partnership to reduce poverty, i.e. impact better on MDG indicators. MPP continued creating more community building committees (147), including females, and trained them centrally for 4 days, mainly on all construction management aspects. This produced good quality social buildings, reportedly costing only half of those constructed by GoS with no community contribution. Several GoS stakeholders indicate that MPP construction method is rapid and effective: “no false promise”. The excellent level of contribution by communities, prerequisite to MPP support, includes very good construction quality of the foundations, floor slabs and walls of all school and NCP buildings visited, under Works region technicians guidance and control. Once MPP delivers material and a skilled labor, communities contribute unskilled labor, totaling up their contribution to 37,73% of Primary School (PS) cost. As such various components in 84 PS were constructed, as well 14 NCPs, 6 Water reticulated Schemes, 17 Rural Electrification, 10 diptank, 4 Health units, 2 bridges, etc. (re §3.2, Annexes 5, 10 & 13 to 18). Unfortunately, contributions of communities, GoS region technicians and RDCs, are not accounted for by the MPP system,
8 There is a need to ensure that MPP staff that have, as a team, competences covering all priority rural poverty challenges. Poorly educated local groups do express local priorities through stating problems so that relevant existing external knowledge and best practices may be provided. “No need of reinventing the wheel”. As population and urbanization rapidly increase in Africa, while the global and local desertification process rapidly reduces its arable land, fodder harvesting is now a critical major challenge throughout semi-arid Africa. In addition fodder harvesting, including standing hay and pastoral/agro-zoo-forestry soil/water conservation, will reduce Africa major warming climate gas emission. Diptanks helps to reduce tick borne diseases, which in turn allow increase quantities of livestock numbers that can’t sustain on traditional extensive practice of traditional owners, hence causing further pastoral land degradations and biodiversity reduction. Several semi-arid zones in Kenya offer agro-zoo-forestry solutions to poorer rural Swazi livestock owners. Etc. ______3
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______yet this raises program efficiency. In 2007, 11 NSA first grants achieved similar level of local contribution. In 2007, EDF support to build one furnished & electrified classroom that lasts 30 years, amounted to: €3,092, and for one of its 50 pupils: €61.8, including indirect costs (re §3.2). Similarly the EDF support to build the Shewula Water reticulated 3 pumps scheme is €155,888, and for one of the 5,000 beneficiaries: €31 . This cost raises to €47 for the 5 schemes built using GoS/CDSF fund, perhaps because they have only 5,720 beneficiaries. MPP GoS designed pit latrines are poor durability and public hygiene deficient. Instead ECOSAN latrines would be durable, hygienic and fertilizers productive. Most water projects visited at random and of all types, faced deficiencies: at best water was reported insufficient and diminishing. Several older reticulated systems viewed were abandoned (re Annex 6). However EDF MPP water schemes significantly empowered communities, hence it is easy now to empower them further towards better sustainability. This includes to urgently challenge them to develop community based water conservation measures in their respective catchment areas and through a concerted effort by all stakeholders. Rural Electricity schemes (RE) works quality needs follow up (various poles bending). Rural Electricity schemes community contribution was solely cash, then SEB handled the entire implementation for MPP. It is then incorrect that SEC 9 becomes the MP owner for it would be a free transfer of communities’ capital asset. This would also prevent communities to source some levy for further local development dynamics 10 . It is also questioning that in 1999, a ECN review concluded that photovoltaic (PV) systems are viable within Swazi grid supply areas (re §3.2). Renewable Energy systems need to be revisited by MPP for both Local Development Dynamics and counter climate warming.
Effectiveness : Rural and peri-urban beneficiaries met always expressed great satisfaction for the MP they built themselves: pupils sheltered are learning, cattle do not cause havoc where fences are in place, NCPs take care of the increasing numbers of OVCs, roof rain harvesters with 5m3 plastic tanks do provide the little precious water, diptanks function as well as MPP/EDF water reticulated schemes. However beneficiaries wish more support for water sufficiency, food security, income employment and AIDS rural clinics (thousands of rural parents are dying… ) (re §3.3). MPP improved gender emphasis at community level, but efforts are still needed and mostly at all higher levels of governance. MPP is the sole GoS/Donor Programme that, in effect, practices decentralisation, i.e. to empower rural and peri-urban communities to contribute material, money and work to build themselves infrastructures for their local collective services. MPP is a rare GoS/Donor Programme where in 1999 GoS officially i) committed specific investment public annual budget for community projects, whereby communities have to significantly contribute, and ii) created Region Development Committees (RDC) to coordinate and involve all stakeholders. It is unfortunate that the 9EDF MPP Steering Committee took over in 2006 RDC projects decision making as this even contradicts its relevant expected result of “decentralisation at MPCU level”. A future MPP would also need to ensure that beneficiaries’ networks representatives participate in decisions meetings 11 .
9 In 2007 SEB was turned into a company/privatized and called: Swaziland Electricity Company (SEC). 10 One main rationale of the EU/ACP Micro-Projects Programs tool, since its origin, is to recognize the efficiency, effectiveness and impact of local communities’ responsibilities, through significant participation, in the management of poverty reduction. This includes governance empowerment sustainability in managing development by the local communities themselves. Best practices and EU/ACP MPP experiences of rural community RE schemes need to be learnt from and appropriated by Swaziland. 11 With some adjustments to the present poverty reduction governance framework, the GOS 1999 Gazette MPP Legal Notice would basically provide room for that through the NGOs participation (NGOs seen as Civil Society ______4
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The logical framework approach was used too late to plan and was insufficiently used to manage, report and monitor the programme. The entire Income Generating support result disappeared, including support to NGOs in counselling services and microfinance development. The agreed TA for water, including in the form of overseas volunteer services, was not called for, except via a foreign firm to design water reticulated schemes, under GoS/CDSF funding. GoS Rural Water Services Branch (RWSB) said it was in need of TA in 2005-2006 when it conceived its water schemes procedure manuals. As of now “RWSB does not do” “water development”, nor water conservation. Water solar pumping is not a prioritized option, yet in rural semi-arid Africa solar pumps are proven to be reliable 12 , viable and increase significantly women and girls productivity and their quality of life. Although not budgeted, administrative TA was called late 2006 and late 2007 to assist solving a number of difficulties on the 9 EDF procedures that were introduced together with the EC administrative deconcentration, located in Lesotho. TA were appreciated for that. Persistent droughts, climate warming, overgrazing erosion/archaic land tenure, and related food insecurity, could be seen as negative external factors contributing adversely on MPP results delivery. However they were known facts when the MPP FA was elaborated (re: 8EDF evaluation, etc.). Unfortunately no mechanism proved effective to support MPP team in revisiting its intervention logic and address such loophole. MPP did not sufficiently mobilise the NSAs to support more poorer Swazi groups develop MPs, and more so to train MPs committees, including developing durable networks in the fields of decentralized governance, and mainstreaming the Nation critical poverty problems into community development initiatives. However MPCU staff training on 9EDF procedures and NSAs came in mid 2006 at the end of 9EDF MPP, thus NSA funding was piloted. It is no surprise that only few NSAs were found competent in complying with the 9EDF complex and evolving procedures. Monitoring of the MPP 8EDF revolving funds showed dynamic and sustainable progress in women focused microfinance (re §4.1.2).
Impact : About 100,000 persons (10% of country’s population) are directly beneficiating from 147 MPs constructed by their committees (re: §5.1, Annex 10 & 13 to 19). In some schools constructed with the MPP support, we found committees building additional classrooms blocks or teachers’ houses often under Head Teachers firm leadership, sometimes also aided by some funds from the Ministry of Regional Development allocated to Inkhundla Inner Councils/Member of Parliament constituencies. However when it comes to the water priority problem, MP committee members met appeared to be stuck and they seems to take no initiative towards solving the problem. This attitude may be caused by the old habit of GOS services handling everything. Next to the water expressed priority , often MP committee members ranked second the lack of employment , and/or request support for clinics in areas that are not served , for HIV/AIDS. Dying of AIDS was often ranked as women and girls main problem 13 . Some underserved remote communities rightfully questioned to have to wait 5 years before being entitled for a second MPP support: they were observed mobilized with classrooms, lack of water, bridges, clinics, teachers houses, etc. Several communities at large: NSAs, FBOS, Women Unions, Credit Unions, Farmers Associations/Unions, etc.). Participation to decision meetings is a local contribution and as such EDF funding should not provide any facilitation costs to any institution. Local participatory governance can be sustainable only when funded locally. EDF should fund investment that includes appropriate technical training where necessary. 12 Including in all solar water pump projects observed by the Author himself. Telecommunication boosters can not be compared with solar rural water pumping for i) they need electrical energy at night, ii) Telecommunication companies are generating high added margins due to dynamic growth and perhaps advantageous tax regime. They are in position to abandoned solar investments when the national electrical grid becomes available. 13 This MPP mission field finding was also identified in the GOS/10 th EDF programming. ______5
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______were identified as having no school for various reasons, including remoteness, squattering private land…(re §4.1.1, etc, Annex 12). In this regard, geographic poverty mapping, followed by pilot focus, including with NSAs and I-NGO, proved successful in Shewula. MPP made true efforts to target and support poorer Swazi communities. However the absence of a Geographical Information System (GIS) expressing MDGs does not help to identify underserved rural communities. A GIS should also pay particular attention to reflect to spread of the various rural groupings within Chiefdom territories, and that villages do not exist (due to the traditional land tenure system). A future MPP needs to support GIS development preferably at the GOS service supporting the decentralization process. Of major concern too is the absence of rural technical training centres/sections. The use of various MPP funds appeared to be well balanced: many NCPs in 360 Chiefdoms could be supported with various seeds and fertilizer for Orphans. However the Nation rural dramatic poverty challenges (i.e. HIV extension, AIDS lack of medication in rural clinics, durable drought and warming, unemployment, food insecurity, erosion/land tenure, absence of relevant primary school syllabus and other technical training) were not mainstreamed in the MPP, nor specifically expected as results. It is no surprise to observe that the MPP does not have a significant impact on them. These factors may be beyond MPCU team, but not necessarily out the control of the Financial and Technical Partners of the MPP Steering Committee. Yet corresponding policies, strategies and budgetary decisions are important for achieving the MPP overall objectives.
Sustainability: All Primary Schools (PS) visited are staffed by GoS civil servants and functional. However several PS lack teachers while fees funding from GoS is often sent 10 months late, an issue to deal with at higher level of GOS governance. Generalized EU/USAID food aid to schools increases enrolment, including in NCPs that are all functional. Nevertheless, and despite MPP investments, rural children not schooling still range from 20% to 30%, indicating the need for further concerted efforts. Drought was declared “national disaster” in 2007 and 40% of Swazi are on food aid. Dramatically few NCPs and PS visited made efforts to cultivate. Many wish turning their NCP into pre-schools. The Regional Education Officer met agreed. Unfortunately most NCPs are far from PS and will cause additional costs to GoS. Most lands of MPs and of older basic services have been cleared of vegetation and often of the precious arable soil, particularly through using Works region graders. As land title and land survey plan are not made, this destructive practice serves to mark territories allocated by Chiefdoms to PS, NCPs, diptanks, etc. MP associations often have no legal constitution, if any. Unfortunately such land clearing, and other chopping tree practices impact wrong signals to the many smallholders, the cattle owners overgrazing SNL, and the students. Planting some trees was seen only at Ka-Mngayi NCP (Shiselweni). MPP capacity building did not integrate inter-groups networking methods including through NGOs, proper MP constitutions were not systemised, hence MP committees’ governance may weaken again. Dry land farming is unknown. Cattle keepers, MP beneficiaries and field civil servants were unaware of hay making, hay planting and of standing hay potentials, of cassava potentials, not to say agro-zoo-forestry, counter level plants and stones alignments, … dry river sub-ground dams, homestead earth span rain water harvesters, dairy camels... The sustainability of the MPP itself is still comforted by GoS 1999 Legal Notice. If EU withdraws, the level and high quality of the local contribution culture that has been developed will not stand competition from free public donation programs… which will as experienced end to be counter-developmental to the majority of poorer rural Swazi.
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Specific Recommendations 1. GoS/EC/UN: Rural water supply, with water conservation, rain harvesting and using solar renewable energy , needs still a lot of practical support. Water efficiency needs to be mainstreamed in all sectors. In dryer areas/salty underground areas, water initiatives need to consider various water harvesting techniques, through giving support to pilot initiatives using Call for Proposals challenging local NSAs with competent I-NGOs linkages. A future MPP need i) to recruit semi-arid and dry land rural water and soil conservation experts with sound semi-arid land experience, ii) to ensure on the job training of local NSAs, including farmers and women associations, as well as to introduce those practices into schools syllabus. 2. GoS/EC/UN: Primary education: in complementary to the 52 schools buildings that SET program is to build, a future MPP needs to ensure that primary schools are opened or sized up, classrooms blocks built and made functional, where groups , and children, are not yet served/underserved . This should be a priority before constructing more home economic blocks, kitchen and fences. For fences, project committees need to use live trees, shrubs and other plants concepts. Planting multi-production trees and plants, and vegetation cover protection, needs to be made a prerequisite as MP community contribution (fences, sides of access roads, yards, water catchment areas, … and also on private/household plots such as alley agrozooforestry cropping. A future MPP need to recruit semi-arid rural water, soil conservation experts with sound alley agro-zoo-forestry cropping experience. PS and other rural services, need to be equipped with rural energy efficient cookers (biomass and solar cookers, solar thermal heaters), and relevant training services 14 developed. The SET program needs to find ways to improve the level of local contributions, in order to jeopardize the local participation culture and practices that the Swaziland MPPs managed to develop over years. 3. GoS/EC/UN needs to ensure that the PS syllabus is relevant and practical to rapid rural poverty reduction. Hence available relevant didactic materials need to be imported, distributed and/or multiplied for and with teachers training. To quickstart the process in rural areas, MPCU needs to distribute to all PS and committees, NCPs, water committees, rural health units, and FBO rural groups, practical books in these fields. CTA could guide MPCU in finding most relevant ones. A future MPP needs to liaise with the SET program to ensure that all resources are used in a coordinated manner and with synergy. 4. GoS/EC/UN: Rural clinics , where absent or not sufficiently functioning, are requested by the rural voiceless. In addition rural clinic projects need to include URGENT training of nurses to administer the available ARV medication to the thousands parents that are AIDS sick. A future MPP needs to liaise with rural clinics HIV/AIDS related programs, if any, to ensure that MPP resources are used in best effective manner and with synergy. 5. GoS/EC: Rural Electrification Schemes : MPCU Steering Committee has the challenge to revisit why communities should not be the owner of these schemes, since MPP principle is to support communities that invest 25% contribution in their owned projects, and create further Local Development Dynamics. 6. GoS/EC: Diptank MPs are livestock disease control projects, increasing archaic overgrazing erosion: Diptanks communities need to move to sustainable intensive cattle farming, starting from the introduction of fodder harvesting and production (standing hay
14 Competent I-NGOs in such field need to be called in by a future MPP. Alternatively/in addition I-NGOs and reliable relevant local NSAs need to be requested to call for international partnership/networking in such field, using financial support of a future MPP. ______7
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planting, …), through giving URGENTLY support to pilot initiatives, through CfP challenging local NSAs linked with competent I-NGOs15 . 7. GoS/Swaziland Parliament: Rural sustainable food security and production environment : If impact on rural mass poverty is to be achieved, GoS/Swaziland Parliament, with Donors support where appropriate, need to introduce, favor, stimulate and mainstream practical supportive actions as detailed in §7.1. 8. GoS/EC: Finally, considering that i) rural communities and stakeholders understand and appreciate the MPP local participation/empowerment strategy , ii) rural poorer Swazi are still many to prioritize water, food security and employability training, and health , iii) while GoS is committed to pursue community empowerment process, as exemplified by the decentralisation Articles of the New Constitution, we recommend to undertake rapidly a feasibility study to prepare a new MPP programme , with view to implement, in rural areas, relevant actions of the 10 EDF / CSP programming (re: §7.2). A future MPP would need to operate in a decentralized manner, support the decentralisation process, as well as the NSAs development process including Civil Society associations, farmers association, women associations and development oriented FBOs. Such an MPP needs concentrate on the two poorest, and most climate warming affected regions, i.e. Eastern and Southern remote areas. ------
15 Competent I-NGOs in such field need to be called in by a future MPP. In addition I-NGOs and reliable relevant local NSAs need to be requested to call for international partnership/networking in such field, using financial support of a future MPP. ______8
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1 Introduction
1.1 MicroProjects Programme (MPP) description
Background
The Kingdom of Swaziland is classified as a medium income country, performing better than most members of SADC. However, the dichotomous nature of the economy and the disparity between the rich and the poor represent a continued challenge for development in Swaziland. Swaziland’s Gini coefficient of 51 classifies it as a country with highly unequal income distribution (Gini coefficient between 50 and 70). Even though the national income per capita is about US$1350, about 69% (of which 63% are females and 37% males) of the population live below the national poverty line of Emalangeni 128.6 (US$24) per capita per month in 2004. In addition, there are significant regional disparities. Factors found to contribute to the incidence of poverty include rapid population growth, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, a skewed distribution of income and resources, growing unemployment and food insecurity. 16 The MicroProjects Programme (MPP) is a technical cooperation between the Government of Swaziland (GoS) and the European Union. It began as early as 1975. Since 1992 the implementation and administration of the MPP is carried out by the Micro projects Programme Coordination Unit (MPCU), a semi-autonomous body under the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development (MEPD). The MPP focuses on community development and empowerment.
Finance
Under the last Financing Agreement signed on 2003 September 30, for 4 years (SW/7102/058 / EDF project: 9ACPSW 001), the MPP was allocated € 4,700,000 from the 9 th European Development Fund (9EDF) and Emalangeni (E) 15,000,000 from GoS/CDSF, totalling to an estimated cost of €6,425,278 . Early 2007, the 9 th EDF made a global partial decommitment of € 1,280,000, bringing 9 EDF total actual cost to slightly less than €3,420,000 , as of January 2008.
Over the 4 years of implementation (October 2003 to September 2007) the MPCU 9th EDF actually disbursed a total of E 21,233,430 (net) 17 . In addition the Government of Swaziland (GoS) contributed E 12,193,533 from its Community Development Social Fund (CDSF) and E 17,612,169 (from its “Japan agricultural export proceeds fund”) 18 . During the same period MPCU also received E 5,100,000 from the Kellogg Foundation, mostly to support Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) through Neighbourhood Care Points (NCPs) construction and farm consumable inputs handouts.
16 EC, EUROPEAID/119860/C/SV/multi, 2007 November, LOT 1: Rural Development and Food Security REQUEST No.: 2007/144232 SPECIFIC TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR PROGRAMME/PROJECT FINAL EVALUATION OF THE MULTI-ANNUAL MICRO PROJECTS PROGRAMME (9ACPSW 001), 7p 17 MPCU, 2008 February 12, Final evaluation review meeting of the 9th EDF MicroProjects Programme (powerpoint, introduction presentation), by Mr Sibusiso Mbingo, Ag Coordinator MPCU. 18 Under a past Japanese cooperation, funds were accumulated by GoS Ministry of Agriculture from an “export stabilisation mechanism”. For convenience, MPCU/MPP labels it the “Japan Grant”. ______1
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The net disbursed funds to MPCU totals up to: E56,139,132 ( equivalent to € 5,613,913) during the 9 EDF MPP implementation period.
The aim of the MPP is to support the process of capacity building and empowerment of beneficiary communities through the process of training and direct disbursement of funds by the MPCU.
Objectives and expected results :
The overall objective of the Programme is ‘sustained socio-economic development amongst poorer Swazi communities’ . The specific objective is ‘ to contribute to sustained social and economic development by a process of empowering poor Swazis in rural and peri-urban areas, with a specific emphasis on women’.
The Financing Agreement (FA) further specifies the MPP to achieve the following results 19 :
1) Wider use of participatory development methods with increased involvement of women 2) New or improved social and economic infrastructure facilities completed by beneficiaries 3) Improved decentralization and co-ordination process at MPCU 4a) Small business enterprises, which are profitable and sustainable 4b) Strengthen NGO’s capacity through collaboration with other business counselling organizations.
To achieve the above results the following activities were to be implemented:
1.1) Promoting and co-ordinating participatory planning and development methods, emphasizing the inclusion of women 1.2) Training on pre-project participatory planning with communities, project management and monitoring
2.1) Providing funds to communities for small infrastructure project implementation
3.1) Reporting quarterly by the MPCU
4.1) Providing small business training and loan funds for business investment 4.2) Conducting a study on pilot and selected communities 4.2) Provide business counselling services for small entrepreneurs
1.3) Secure TA for design and supervision of water projects
However prior to the 2006 Mid-Term Review (MTR) results were reduced to three through the MPP Programme Estimate N° 3 (July 2004 – June 2005, 9 EDF) as follow:
19 NB: in the absence of any logical numbering attached to Results and Activities in the FA, and for the purpose of convenience during this final evaluation exercise, we numbered Results and Activities. ______2
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1. Wider use of participatory development methods with increased involvement of women, 2. New or improved social and economic infrastructure facilities completed by beneficiaries, 3. Improved decentralisation and coordination process at MPCU,
The second Annual Report (July 2004 - November 2005) mentions the existence of a revised logframe in the conclusion page (p15), yet its Results Summary (p2) stipulates that MPP activities have “4 significant results achievements” : 1) Improvement in socio-economic infrastructure facilities completed by beneficiaries with partial assistance from the Programme. 2) Wider use of participatory development methods with increased women involvement. 3) Increased sustainable small business investments through the provision of loan funds to women entrepreneurs. 4) Improvement in the standards of living for the poor including Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs).
If these results are closer to those indicated in the MPP 9 EDF Financial Agreement (2003), the logframe revision is not explained and not referred too any decision from the Hierarchy. Could this be explained by the fact that the MPP sourced significant funding outside 9 EDF, and mainly from GoS (CDSF and Japan agricultural export proceeds fund).
In the end, a logical framework is annexed to the two last MPP Programme Estimates, but again each time with some modifications 20 . The last Intervention Logic is as follow:
Overall Objective: Sustained socio-economic development and empowerment amongst poor Swazi communities
Specific Objective: To contribute to sustained social and economic development by a process of participation of poor Swazis.
Results and activities: 1. Wider use of participatory development methods by both men and women 1.1 Conduct workshops on participatory development 1.2 Train project committees on participatory project management
2. New and improved social and economic infrastructure facilities completed by local communities and non state actors 2.1 Provide funds to NSA for community Projects 2.2 Construct two water projects 2.3 Construct schools classrooms and teachers houses
3. Network and collaboration with regional development officers 3.1 Conduct regional development meetings for appraisal and monitoring of projects 3.2 Provide farm inputs for orphans and vulnerable children, and the elderly.
20 These changes are somewhat “silent”: for example the main text of the last Program Estimate N°7 (PE7) does not mention modifications of MPP results and activities. ______3
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This revised logical framework is the one annexed to the August 2006 Mid-Term Review final report.
Implementation results:
During the last 4 years, the MPP supported, both in implementation capacity building and with materials, a number of rural and peri-urban communities to complete 147 MicroProjects (MPs), in all regions of the country. These MPs range from various components of primary schools (classrooms, wire net fencing, teachers houses, pit latrines, rain harvester tanks, home economics blocks, electricity wiring), to Rural Electricity (RE) SEB/SEC grid extension Schemes, ticks borne diseases control diptanks (for extensive SNL livestock farmers), Neighbourhood Care Points (NCP) for HIV/AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs), some community water reticulated schemes and rural small bridges, etc. Several training workshops were conducted by the MPCU staff for a number of project building committees, including 48 under the Japan Grant. The Japan Grant also allowed delivery of farm inputs for OVCs and the elderly in many sites in the 4 regions of the country.
1.2 Objectives of the evaluation a) Global Objective The objective of the evaluation is to assess whether the project has been able to deliver and make the impact it was intended both to the beneficiaries and the national economy, and whether the targets/outputs envisaged at the beginning of the assignment have been realised. b) Specific Objectives The final evaluation study, which has been foreseen in the Technical and Administrative Provisions (TAP) of the project’s Financing Agreement, will provide the decision-makers in the Government of Swaziland and the European Commission with sufficient information:
1. to make an informed assessment on the past performance of the project (its efficiency, effectiveness and impact) particularly with regards to the distribution of services to the beneficiaries, 2. to document lessons learned and to provide practical recommendations for follow-up action with possible funding under the 10 th EDF.
The consultant will be expected to produce a final report … that will also provide guidance for future activities in this sector(s) either funded by the EU or other donors (including Government)...
The consultant is also expected to organize and facilitate, at the end of the assignment a full day workshop , with stakeholders and beneficiaries of the MPP programme, with a maximum attendance of 50 people. The objective of the workshop will be the presentation of the preliminary findings of the evaluation mission, and the debate on effectiveness efficiency impact and sustainability-related issues.
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1.3 Methodology The arrival day at Mbabane, 2008 January 23 afternoon, served to solve basic logistics (bank, local mobile phone, country map, …) and allowed some readings. The tentative detailed timetable / workplan for the evaluation of the MPP proposed on 2008 January 21 served as a basis to exchange views on the evaluation methodology, at the ECD/NAO briefing on 24jan2008, and then immediately at the MPCU introduction meeting.
The elements of the methodology during this evaluation were, with iterations, as follow: • exploratory readings, and further readings as necessary (throughout) • early exploratory visits of a first batch of MicroProjects (MP) of divers sectors and interacting with MP committee members. This also served as a first transect in the country, south-east ward (on Saturday 2008 January 24). • From these early exploratory visits and first interactions, we drafted a questionnaire that was given out to MP committees we later met. • interviews of national MPP/development partners as necessary and including some NSA/NGOs and FBOs, in their diversity. • understanding main constraints and priorities, particularly with regard to poorer rural and peri-urban Swazi. • identification/confirmation of main NSA, with view to visit some MPP “grant MPs” • have the MPCU produce a map to locate their various MPs, in their diversity and including those through grants, • choose MPs to visit, with view to ensure diversity (types, success, difficulties) with regards to poverty. • MPs visits in the 4 regions, including interactions with local actors and committees, on the 5 criteria. This included, where time allowed, stop over visits to other MPs en route, and to some other schools and basic services and infrastructures). We gave attention to environment and gender situations 21 and to identification/understanding the main constraints and priorities, particularly related to the rural poverty cycle, and with regard to the expected empowerment process. • Capitalisation and producing preliminary findings (throughout process), • Early debriefing to the NAO/MEDP. • Preliminary debriefings of findings at MPCU (staff) and with the ECD task manager. • Ensure secretarial services and liaise with MPCU and ECD to organize the MPP national stakeholders and beneficiaries workshop (venue arrangements, powerpoint presentation and producing documentation on preliminary findings for participants, as well as questions for workgroups and debate, …). • Held the national stakeholders and beneficiaries workshop on 2008 February 12. • Further meetings with some national stakeholders and MPCU including quadripartite meeting with 9 EDF Education programme ECD/NAO/MPCU stakeholders. • Final debriefing at the ECD with NAO staff. • departure and provisional report writing
Flexibility was kept throughout the process to adapt to findings during the mission in the field. We could also visit the additional “non directly MPP involved” NSAs/NGOs/FBOs that were suggested with the Task Manager early during the mission, except Community Water Developers that could not be located.
21 Even though, reference documentation mentioned was not provided to the mission. ______5
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Annex 6 gives persons and/or organizations consulted, sites visited, accompanying persons and dates. Last but not least, to ensure independent analysis, i) we visited various other MPs, that were not in the initial list, and ii) all “deeper interviews” of MP committees and other stakeholders were conducted without MPCU staff, including answering the questionnaire by MP committees and the groups’ work at the national workshop.
Recommendation: Perhaps, from this field experience, we would suggest for future rural missions, that: i) an interpreter is provided as the Kiswati language is widely spoken and English poorly understood in rural communities (a female to be in position to handle better gender issues), ii) some nights are spent within the various regions. This will give time to reach more remote communities, especially in the southern, the south-eastern and even the northern parts of the country. This would allow more time with these communities 22 .
22 In fact the general mountainous road condition of the country, and the poor access roads of remotest communities, do not conveniently allow to come back every day to Mbabane, and more so when accompanying persons needs to be back to office at 17pm. ______6
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2 Relevance
2.1 Relevance of the MPP in relation to Government policy and the real needs of intended beneficiaries
Similarly to the 8 EDF MPP, the 9 EDF MPP required, and obtained, high community participation with a minimum of 25% contribution in MPs construction: Primary Schools, NCP / HIV affected Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Centres, Water community reticulated schemes, Rain water harvesting in Social Infrastructures (SI), Rural Electrification schemes and Diptanks (livestock diseases compulsory prevention), etc. The 25% contribution was not strictly required on the few rural roads MPs (small bridges). The Capacity building programme offered by the MPCU empowers beneficiaries in managing the construction of Social Infrastructures (SI) buildings. The training of all new MP building committees is very relevant. This minimum participation of 25% in constructing SI as well as a process of community empowerment, is in line with GoS policies of poverty reduction (Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Progamme - PRSAP23 ) and with the MPP EU/ACP principles, including in the most recent “Internal Guidance Note for microprojects financed under EDF, EuropeAid Co- Operation Office (EC, 2007). This participation requirement is also matching with the GoS 1999 Gazzet Legal Notice 24 . that organises the MPP - MPCU and secures some annual resource funding MPCU.
The FA was not relevant to the then, and still very acute, rural poor main problems: • HIV expansion and AIDS ARV medication absence (rural clinics), • durable drought and climate warming, • recurrent and now massive food insecurity, • erosion/land tenure, • unemployment • absence of rural vocational training centres and • poorly relevant primary school syllabus.
These Nation rural challenges were not mainstreamed, nor specifically addressed, in the FA, yet the 8th EDF MPP final evaluation, that acts as MPP 9 EDF feasibility study, mentions solutions to most of them 25.. EC guidelines, including the Progamme Cycle Management manual, recommend to develop complementarities, mainstreaming and synergies to ensure addressing main problems of poor. The MPP Steering Committee was appropriate to request better integration of the Nation rural challenges into the LogFrame. Minimal solutions could have been to set aside funds for studies and competent TA, as well as calling, in due time, the Mid-Term evaluation Review (MTR), and not after the last and seventh Programme Estimate (PE7) was signed. The MPP 9EDF FA was developed without the usual identification and feasibility studies.
23 GoS, MPED. 2006. Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Programme (PRSAP), 2006-2015. Vols 1 & 2. 24 GoS, 1999, Gazzet CDSF-1999, Legal Notice N°9 of 1999, Mbabane 11.2.99, signed PS-Ministry of Finance, p81 to p83 (concerns funding and organising the MPCU / MPP). 25 See Recommendations p96, Summary and Relevance p19 (in GoS Report of Reduction Strategy workshop) Moropa Information Management, Pinky Mashigo, Report on the final evaluation of the 8 th EDF Micro-Project Programme in Swaziland, February 2003 (108p + annexes). ______7
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However the HIV/AIDS and poor food production challenges were addressed recently through the Japan grant, supporting the construction of NCPs and some farm consumable inputs distribution to allow OVCs production (various seeds and fertilizers). In addition during 9th EDF MPP implementation, the MPCU successfully introduced and constructed Home Economics classroom blocks. This is in line with the education sector analysis. However the Home Economics syllabus 26 in primary schools is not sufficient to equip students with practical skills to become self-employed and produce food and water supply security.
The very relevant Technical Assistance (TA) in Water (to support projects design, implementation, control) programmed by the Financing Agreement (FA) was not implemented as such, but through calling a South African firm to design water reticulated schemes, since the GoS Rural Water Branch had no time to do it. Recommendation (R): R: Technical Assistance (TA) in water is still highly relevant, urgent and need to include participatory water conservation, harvesting, water points development and support sector training systems relevant to the general water and drought problem.
Not implemented was result 4: “small business profitable and sustainable” and “strengthening NGO’s capacity through collaboration with other business counselling organizations” and related Activities in the FA. This result is still very relevant and consistent with RURAL beneficiaries’ requirements, country needs, global priorities and partners’ and EC’s policies (contribution to MDGs through sustainable rural NSA networks).
Overall, the TA programmed in the FA was insufficient to meet, i) the Nation dramatic rural poverty challenges that were known at the time (listed above) and ii) the important changes expected and foreseen: more decentralisation requested, 9th EDF/ACP competitive procedures, Cotonou agreement introducing decentralised governance and emphasis on NSA, etc. In other words, the main conclusion drawn here is that the MPP 9EDF conceptual weakness lies in the poor respect of the programme management cycle principle.
Finally, within the various Nation disasters faced by rural poorer communities 27 , the EC policies on “Linking Relief, Rehabilitation and Development” (LRRD) are particularly, relevant especially where basic humanitarian conditions are not being covered within households and pose constraints for fostering MPP’s development and empowerment goals. LRRD also recognizes that short-term achievements established by programmes typically may face reversals in the context of disasters and require focusing on aspects of food security, chronic vulnerability and erosion of household livelihoods assets . The HIV/AIDS crisis effects and its contribution to poverty in Swaziland has been variously cited as having potentially long term effects in terms of achieving MDGs and reversing the increasing trends towards impoverishment and deprivation.
26 Including the priority given to equipping and teaching the use of electricity and gas cookers is not relevant to empower students to fight poverty amongst the mass of rural poor. Relevance decreases further knowing that these cooking equipments, and the energies they consume, are imported, and again contribute to climate warming, which is translated in rural Swaziland into recurrent droughts and predicted floods. 27 i.e. 400,000 persons on international food aid, 39% of pregnant women HIV infected, nurses of rural clinics not delivering the available ARV medication to AIDS patients, perennial drought and warming due to perennial increasing climate warming and biodiversity destruction, decreasing water availability and poorly developed water efficiency practices, erosion catastrophe linked to land tenure and cattle production archaic systems, absence of cost effective renewable energies development programs. ______8
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2.2 Methods applied to ensure organizational development for sustainable linkages between MPP, government agencies, EC and other stakeholders.
The expected result of decentralisation at the MPP Unit in the regions was relevant with the GoS Gazett 1999 Legal Notice, with the programming of both 9 and 10 EDF Country Strategic Papers (CSP), and with international best practices of poverty sustainable reduction through the decentralised governance systems. Deconcentration of MPP activities was partly achieved through the RDCs which appraised MPs and advice MPP on viable projects. Establishment of the RDCs was made during the 8 th EDF MPP and continued operating during the 9 th EDF MPP. The RDC further strengthened collaboration of the MPCU with region deconcentrated line ministries. However “decentralisation at the MPP Unit in the regions” was not achieved. Only an attempt of allocating small offices to MPCU by 2 Regions was made. It would appear that since the country decentralisation is not effective, decentralisation at the MPP Unit is not efficient.
The relevance of this expected result (to decentralise the MPCU) was very much matching with the 1999 Legal Notice, since the Legal Notice organises/creates the “ Region Development Committees” (RDC ) that are supposed to be composed, not only, of the various region civil services, but also of the various NGOs operating in the regions. Unfortunately, not only NGOs did not participate in these RDC (that were actually re-named for unknown reason by MPP implementation reports: “Region Development Coordinating Committees”), but these RDC were also disempowered from the decision process of funding or not the MPs proposed to the 9 EDF MPP. From 2005 when EC administrative deconcentration came into effect, together with the introduction of the 9EDF Manual of procedures 28 , RDC only decided on MP proposed to GoS funding (CSDP and GoS/Japan grant).
R: To support the activation of the decentralization process, the 4 RDC need to operate as per the 1999 Legal Notice composition, and have decision power on MP funding. In this objective, MPCU competent officers need to be recruited at the 4 Regions level to support the process.
The “IGA/MFI” result 4, that was unfortunately not implemented and dropped, was also very much in line with GoS/PRSAP pillar of “empowering the poor to generate their own income”. (See below details and recommendations on Income Generating Activities (IGA) and microfinance supports). We give below some further analysis and recommendations.
2.3 Implementing methodology capability to achieve sustainable development in beneficiary communities
Regarding rural community access (i.e. Chiefdom community access), the subsidiarity principle needed to be inbuilt in the MPP 9 EDF FA, because it is demonstrated that centralized governance has and will never develop and maintain remote road communication , and perhaps more particularly in rural hilly region such as Swaziland. Local
28 EC. 2004. Practical guide to management of direct labour operations and programme estimates financed by the [9 th ] European Development Fund. Version 1.0. February 2004. (in MPP, PE 7, Annex 1). ______9
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______road maintenance and development require permanent monitoring with immediate actions to ensure cost effective and durable facility quality. The role and responsibility of the central Ministry of Works is to clarify responsibilities of the various level of decentralized governance, and to control and guide technical progress and maintenance. In insufficient decentralized governance systems, such as Swaziland, the reality is poor access to rural poorer communities, due to absence in the field of the Ministry of Works functional road maintenance services. This is caused by Ministry of Works budget limitation, due to structural universal low cost-effectiveness. R: Particularly for rural communities access road projects, recommendation goes for legalization of road maintenance committees, in remote zones, equipping them with sets of maintenance tools and organization to monitor road degradations, and to take quick preventive maintenance actions: e.g. diverting on rain runoff flows, biological and/or physical measures quickly placed to control “donga” sheet erosion further degradations, cleaning culverts of low bridges, stones and gravel layer maintenance of swampy sections 29 , and why not cementing wheels tracks on hilly slippery sections, and planting grass on sides to prevent road erosion 30 ). R: The food for work community programme also needs to integrate such approach in order to impact more sustainably on poverty level, hence to break the structural lack of empowerment of poorer communities (the vicious circle of poverty). R: GoS/Ministry of Works needs to introduce a community empowerment policy on smaller community access roads.
2.4 Best practices & local network systems that emerged from the MPP in empowering communities to be self sustainable in development.
Best practices and local network systems that emerged from the MPP are linked to the systems the GoS Gazett 1999 Legal Notice organises. In practice: - strong contribution from communities to construct their MP by themselves, - GoS region based services fully involved, particularly Works engineers and the few water technicians. - MPP RDC decision making, although the RDC system is poorly implemented when it comes to involving NGOs, including MFIs, farmers unions and FBOs, and other assistance programs, and then was disempowered by the EC deconcentrated Administration.
It is also to be noticed that Members of Parliament seems to be using the “National Local Government funds” to complement at community MP level the MPP inputs 31 . Again Ministry of Works regional machineries are seen to be contributing to a number of land clearing prior to MP construction of buildings and diptanks, as well as fencing of schools and NCPs.
29 e.g. these two measures should urgently be developed with a “Lufafa road committee” (north-west of Hhohho) that has to be created, prior to agree to finance the next bridge to reach their primary school, recently supported by the MPP. 30 Cementing hilly sections is observed in rural remote areas of some countries, as a way to improve communication in a cost-effective and sustainable manner. 31 Information gathered during Member of Parliament interview by the consultant. ______10
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However, local network systems have not yet developed into a frank collaboration with MFIs, NGOs and FBOs, that is challenging and encouraging the Civil Society to contribute more to sustainable poverty reduction. This is well exemplified by at least the following facts: i) MPP result 4 (IGP, MFI and small entrepreneurs counseling systems through NGOs) was not implemented, ii) FBOs are ignored by GoS and Donors, yet they owned 40% of primary schools, while 80% of Swazi go to a Church at least once a week 32 .
2.5 Relevance of the MPP capacity building programmes in empowering beneficiaries to manage and sustain their own projects
MPP trainings are designed to specifically empower project beneficiaries in leadership skills, project management procedures and enable proper coordination during project construction implementation. While this construction concept was in place during 8 EDF MPP, and continued to be relevant during 9 EDF, it is insufficient because it does not address the core primary school committee management business and some critical empowerment tools, such as MP committees constitutions, MP land ownership, networking MP comparative management, etc. The MPCU MP committees management empowerment process is a top down training concept. It did not integrate an inter-groups comparative dynamic strategy (i.e. on the job process, say within an Inkundla area, rotating once every 6 months to compare results and progress, between leaders of similar associations). It did not integrate community development self-planning tools. In conclusion the capacity building programme offered by MPP is very relevant to have communities to construct SI buildings, but it is insufficient when it comes to actual management of primary schools (usually firmly catered for by the MoE Head Teachers). It is also insufficient for: o NCPs for OVCs (as they entirely rely on the international free food distribution programme), o diptanks (catered for by the GoS vet services providing free drugs and vet assistants), o bridges and rural electricity schemes (that are catered for and property of their respective public service/company). The MPP capacity building programme is still insufficient to sustain water systems functioning if electricity is to be paid for pumping, and/or if the water source output diminishes.
MPP 9EDF FA capacity building programme concept did not specifically programmed legalisation of MP committees’ constitutions. This was not always ensured. Perhaps water schemes are more equipped. School and diptank committees rely on the GoS leading role (Head teachers/vet staff) to sustain services. Clarity needs to be made on rural access roads (bridges and maintenance system) and on NCP. On electricity schemes (grid extension), communities are not recognised as rightful owners of the local lines they invested in.
R: Legalising MP committees means forming community associations, and need to be MPP expected sub-result of the capacity building programme.
32 Data given to the mission during interviews of Conference and Council of Churches, Manzini. ______11
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R: To obtain dynamic community management empowerment , networking, including “on the job” inter-groups planning, say at least one in the year at the Inkhundla level, or at wider group level depending of each sector need and relevance, the capacity building action needs to produce a self-sustained system whereby local actors can exchange views and compare notes on their respective progress and results. Without such meeting and emulating inter-group system, sector community base services, and community generalist local development initiatives, groups, trust and/or structures are bound to loose dynamism, hence fell back into passivity. R: One role of the MPP steering committee is not only to ensure that programme implementation supports projects from communities which have demonstrated readiness and willingness to contribute towards project construction costs, but also to ensure sustainable community empowerment to maintain functional facilities and/or service quality, in all dimensions it takes to impact sustainably on rural poverty.
Although rural electricity powerlines are somewhat a highly technological infrastructure, that include risks, and their installation and maintenance is operated by the Swaziland Electricity Board (SEB), MPP financing the construction of rural electrification schemes belonging to the national electricity company is bypassing the MPP basic principle of community empowerment through ownership . The fact is also that these rural communities indeed significantly contributed i) in initiating the project idea, ii) in investing 25% in cash form as well as land to install lines, iii) guarding the powerlines against commonly reported thefts practices (copper,…). If community owned, these electricity schemes could be source of some income to fund some further local collective needs, hence impacting local dynamics. In addition, in the context of the on going privatisation and liberalisation of the electricity sector, i) SEB has been recently turned into a Company (SEC), ii) some communities, such as Lufafa, could instead of consuming imported electricity inject it into the national grid from micro-hydropower stations, and perhaps from windmills from the top of their Chiefdom mountains. Wind power production is certainly possible (windmills) within the Shewula community, and all along the Lubombo range (according to the Energy Chief, Mbabane). Gravity water schemes could be equipped with pico-turbines as well. Etc. Electricity rural schemes are actually appropriate technologies to be mainstreamed in higher class of primary schools, including the solar water pumping technology, which is very reliable in Africa, while it empowers rural women and girls with a significant productivity increase , since their labor is saved from manual pumps. R: Based on the MPP principle to support community empowerment through contribution and ownership of their microprojects, the MPP Steering Committee has the challenge to revisit community ownership of these rural electrification schemes. Either MPP, with communities, obtain a general arrangement for capital sharing of the SEC (Capital share needs to include MPP 9EDF invested funds given to community projects), or, each rural electrification scheme ownership is granted back to their respective community committee association, created for the purpose, as in other countries. Physically nothing would change. Responsibilities of the SEC, and of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, to work closely with communities in maintaining the projects to the required standards remain unchanged. SEC would still profit from all these newly created customers. However further local development dynamics will be stimulated from such community electricity scheme ownership 33 empowerment, and perhaps more
33 SEC would pay some levy to the RE schemes that would then be a fund for further local collective needs, hence impacting local dynamics. ______12
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so where renewable energy potentials can be tapped cost effectively (micro-hydropower stations in the western parts, wind mills on the Lubombo range 34 and why not solar roofs of schools, NCPs and rural clinics, powering the grid in the Southern sunny dry area. R: Considering the various Nations challenges and Global commitments, renewable energies need to be given full support, including tax vacancies and mainstreaming, starting from female friendly solar water pumping , which very reliable.
2.5.1 Use MPs as incentive to bring communities to develop Action Plans to tackle main priorities We should stress that we are in full agreement with the MPP 2006 MTR following conclusion on empowerment relevance: “Empowerment is not only a matter of bringing development to rural communities in the form of a school or access to electricity, but rather to facilitate communities in reflecting on real constraints to their well being and developing action plans to tackle the most serious obstacles . The obstacles faced by women for example are often different than those faced by men, have different entry points and require different approaches. Most importantly however is handing over the driver’s seat to communities so that capacity building is holistic, comprehensive and self-reliant.
R: MPP needs to “use the carrot of MP support”, to bring communities to self-develop, as a prerequisite contribution to any external investment support, action plans to tackle the most serious obstacles. Community action plans would be 35 as follow: action plan, 3 to 5 years duration, of men, action plan, 3 to 5 years duration, of women action plan, 3 to 5 years duration, of young men action plan, 3 to 5 years duration, of girls, from say 10 years old to becoming a mother.
Each of these self written actions plans should be of 2 pages only: o one page with 3 results that purely self help implemented and focusing mostly on environment improvement (planting public and private multi- production trees, including on access road and as life fencing, access road maintenance, water conservation and efficiency measures, quality food back yard gardening using dry farming methods, fodder production and hay harvesting for milk production throughout of the year, adequate land allocation to poorer Swazi by the Chiefdom responsible of the community. Cassava planting and various recipes trying. etc.) 36 .
34 NB: wind mills efficiency improves greatly with increasing rotor diameters (a cubic function). Therefore the largest the wind mill the higher its profitability. Energy documents provided to the mission by MNRE need to be updated, because these are new developments in the wind industry, that were not existing 10 to 15 years ago. On geothermy (cf. Swazi cliff and hot springs) Kenya is an example producing very profitable geothermal electricity. 35 This recommended self-planning method, is based on our MPP field technical assistance experience in other ACP countries. In he latest one, we were in position to commit twice the overall MPP investment budget within the two first years. 36 Such orientation is an applied education. This was developed in other countries MPP, such as Togo (ex: 5e PPMR public call, MPP9 Nigeria would be developing this practical educative approach under the “IMPACT method”). Of course, to create durable impact, change of attitude, and synergy, a future MPP, and other EC funded programs, need to harmonize approaches and coordinate, particularly with food aid distribution donors, UN-WFP and NGOs. ______13
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o one page with a maximum of 3 results (MP?) that would require external support in addition to local contribution to be implemented
In the initial “all media” communication to the targeted areas, comprehensive criteria, guiding principles, prerequisite conditions, including a clear note that would stimulate diversity of proposals from communities 37 , will be given in writing to each groupings, i.e. each “entrance door” to the community, including sufficient pages to write the plans, duly formatted (templates).
Because of the necessary sharing of some SI, the second pages of these Community action plans would then need to be harmonized at Inkhundla local government level. The process of harmonization will be through facilitating participatory assemblies, first in each respective categories: men, women, youth males, young girls. Then knowing available external supports, a more restraint assembly made from representatives of each grouping, will rank projects by order of priority for external support. The external facilitation would be procured by local NSAs, under funding of a future MPP, supported by a competent I-NGO, selected through a Call for Proposal.
37 Community self restriction must be avoided: they should not plan according to projects that “MPP is used to construct”. ______14
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3 Efficiency
3.1 Financial Agreement (FA): 27% EDF fund decommited, MPCU administration costs low (18%)
The below table provides the FA budget breakdown and commits EDF and GOS funds, which make up 28% of the total MPP costs. GOS counterpart funds are disbursed through a Community Development Social Fund (CDSF) 38 that is made available to MPP on an annual basis.
MPP 9 EDF Financial Agreement initial Budget – 30 September 2003 Budget Contributions 9th EDF % of Total GOS % of Total TOTAL % of Total Development Budget € 3,346,987 52% € 1,673,493 26% € 5,020,480 78% PCU Admin/EDF & Rent/GOS € 1,100,059 17% € 58,982 1% € 1,159,041 18% Audit & Evaluation Studies € 163,839 3% € 81,919 1% € 245,758 4% Sub-Total € 4,610,885 72% € 1,814,394 28% € 6,425,279 100% Contingency € 89,115 1% Totals € 4,700,000 € 1,814,394 € 6,514,394 101%
The FA budget dos not completely reflect the total costs of the program because the Local Community (LC) contributions are not included, and based on the required minimum 25% contribution is estimated at €1,155,122 . In addition, technical contributions by line agencies in support of specific projects is not considered, nor are contributions from deconcentrated Authorities, such as Tinkundlha, Chiefdoms, nominated members of parliament, nor the Regional Development Committees (RDC). The total estimated cost of the MPP 9EDF FA is therefore in excess of €7,600,000 .
In addition, as mentioned in the Introduction, two other funds were added to this budget: the GoS/Japan grant and the Kellog funding. Their expenditures totalled up to: E 17,612,169 and E5,100,000 39 respectively. While GoS/Japan grant was used to support OVCs with constructing a number of NCPs (see list with costs in the Annex) as well as farm consumable inputs handouts, it can be said that the Kellog fund paid its share of the MPCU administrative costs.
38 Refer to the 1999 Legal Notice (GoS Gazett) that organizes and funds annually the MPP, including organizing the MPP Region Development Committees (RDC). 39 The Kellog funding included costs of specifically recruited MPCU project officers (2) and the purchase of one 4x4 vehicle. ______15
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Early 2007, 27% was decommited from the overall EDF funding (global partial decommitment) reducing the total that could no longer be committed of € -1,280,000 . By January 2008, actual MPP 9EDF commitments were as follow:
MPP 9 EDF commitments, including 2007 global partial decommitment, – January 2008 40 9th EDF, Individual % of Total % commit. Budget Contributions Global FA % of Total Commitments commitment per line Available Development Budget € 3,346,987 71,21% € 1,979,194 57,88% 59,13% € 1,367,793 MPCU Admin/EDF & Rent/GOS € 1,100,059 23,41% € 1,193,793 34,91% 108,52% € -93,734 Sub-Total € 4,447,046 94,62% € 3,172,987 92,80% 71,35% € 1,274,059
Audits/Evaluations/Studies € 163,839 3,49% € 68,382 2,00% 41,74% € 95,457 Contingencies € 89,115 1,90% € 177,818 5,20% 199,54% € -88,703 Initial Total € 4,700,000 100,00%
Global Partial decomm. € -1,280,000 -27,23% € -1,280,000 Actual Totals € 3,420,000 72,77% € 3,419,187 100,00% 72,75% € 813
All in all, more than 40% of the EDF Development Budget could not be committed for implementation, while the MPCU administration overspent by nearly 9% its budget line. This is presumed to have been financed by the contingency line. Consequently only 72,75% of the initial MPP 9EDF allocation was used.
Calculated on EDF figures only, MPCU administration costs reached nearly 35% of the 9EDF overall net commitment while Development costs was only 58%. However to have a true picture of the EDF/MPCU overall efficiency, contribution of GoS which was essentially "development budget", needs to be added to EDF development budget: totaling in Euro equivalent to about: €2,980,570) 41 . Thereby the true MPCU administration costs is less than 19% of the 9EDF and GoS overall net commitment while Development investment is high: 77.5%. as shown in the adjusted table:
EDF + GoS/CDSF % of Total & Japan) EDF+GoS Expenditure Individual commitment Commitments Development Budget (EDF+GoS) € 4 959 764 77,50% MPCU Admin/EDF & Rent/GOS € 1 193 793 18,65% Sub-Total € 6 153 557 96,15%
Audits/Evaluations/Studies 68 382 1,07% Contingencies 177 818 2,78%
GoS+EDF Actual Total € 6 399 757 100,00%
40 ECD soft file, January 30. 41 CDSF: E 12,193,533 & Japan grant: E 17,612,169; at rate E10 for €1. NB: Kellog contribution is not added because the grant catered for its own operational costs (vehicle, staff, etc). ______16
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Since capacity building training was carried out mostly by the MPCU staff, most of the EDF development budget was spent on MP constructions. Therefore a factor of 1.29 (100/77.50) may be applied to MP construction net cost to determine the true EDF cost of each MP.
However knowing changes brought by the Cotonou 2000 EU/ACP Agreement, overall MPP management TA would have been instrumental to implement both ECD procedure reform and the “paradigm shift”, i.e. implement better expected decentralization/empowerment results, including the expected early challenging of NSAs and I-NGOs. This would have produced higher development budget consumption. A conclusion is that to avoid massive EDF decommitment, a program needs to be very proactive right from its beginning. Unfortunately TA was not budgeted for in the FA, yet technical cooperation is a corner stone of the EU/ACP partnership to reduce poverty, i.e. impact better on MDG indicators.
3.2 Extent to which the costs of financed projects have been justified by the benefits accrued The 9 EDF MPP, like the 8 EDF MPP, continued to cause the creation of more community building committees (147), including females, through a selection of meriting members by community assemblies. Once their MP was approved, the MPCU regrouped 5 members of these building committees per community and trained them during 4 days in Mbabane, mainly on all construction management aspects so that they ensured building success their MP.
The mission observed good quality construction of social buildings and small bridges visited. Generally MP buildings costs only half those that GoS Ministry of Works could have constructed with no community contribution, nor empowerment. In addition several GoS stakeholders indicate that MPP construction method is rapid and effective (“no false promise” said a Member of Parliament met).
The level of contribution by communities is excellent. This includes very good construction quality of the foundations, floor slabs and walls of all school and NCP buildings visited, by the community building committees themselves, under the guidance and control of Ministry of Works region technicians. There is effective contribution of Ministry of Works Region Offices where technicians supply proper MP designs, in the field training and control of community works.
Quality was less evident on various Rural Electricity schemes (RE) transected. The mission observed that some electrical poles were not correctly planted (side bending). In other words, SEB control, Works technicians and MPP controls are insufficiently effective. Again on RE community contribution is solely cash, while SEB handled the entire implementation and appears to become even the owner of such MP! R: SEB, now renamed SEC, needs to rapidly ensure replanting these bending poles, while MPCU contracts independent controllers to carry out spot checks, involving communities that heavily contributed in cash payments to SEB investments.
It was also observed that MP committees met generally do not appear to have copies of construction drawings and they often do not know how much material and skilled labor cost to MPP. In addition MPP road sign boards never indicate contracts costs. Sometime the ______17
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______location of the MP community is hardly readable on these sign boards, yet they would also often serve to travelers as road indicators. R: All this is recommended for transparency culture, and better empowerment capacity building.
Unfortunately, contribution by communities and by GoS region technicians and RDC, are not accounted for by the MPP system. This situation makes difficult the comparison with MPP of other countries that more often use more conventional tendering, i.e. tender the constructed buildings as a whole, and not on one hand materials delivered onto sites, and on the other hand, contract a skilled labor to help community unskilled labor to complete works.
Summary of 9 EDF construction expenditure, and Communities' contribution, during the last Programme Estimate (PE7) (re: financial table, MPCU 2008feb14 soft table: see Annex 13) Communities' % C’ty contribution EDF Expenditure contribution in overall MP value Primary schools (various components) 1 130 357,31 685 000,00 37,73% Water Supply reticulated System 42 1 208 841,35 0,00 43 0,00% NSA granted MPs 918 310,61 398 581,00 30,27% Total 3 257 509,27 1 083 581,00 24.96%
Classrooms cost A classroom unit is one of the most standard unit of MPP infrastructures, as well as one of the most impact effective basic service project.
Cost of classrooms built under direct MPCU management EDF Communities' % contribution in overall MP Expenditure contribution value E 215,700 E 113,000 34.38% Total classrooms constructed 9 Average total cost per classroom (Emalengeni) E36,522 Classroom cost per pupil (50 pupils per classroom) E 81
Although the national currency fluctuates against the Euro, as of early 2008, at glance E10 are equivalent to €1, hence the direct cost of one classroom, furnished, electrified and sheltering 50 pupils, may be in the region of € 3,652, including 35% community contribution, among which EDF direct support was in the region of € 2,397. As seen above, MPP 9EDF indirect costs can be added by applying a factor of 1.29, hence the EDF overall support to build a classroom was in the region of € 3,092, and for one pupil: €61.8 . A classroom block investment is foreseen to last 30 years.
42 For that MP only (Shewula water scheme, just completed), community contribution is not recorded in the MPCU soft data supplied to the mission (2008feb14). However field visit demonstrated evidence of high population participation. 43 Among MPCU/NAO observations over the MPP final evaluation provisional draft report, communities‘ contribution figure of: 302,210,00 was given, i.e. corresponding to 25% overall MP value. ______18
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Cost of classrooms built under NSA grant management Under the PE7, two additional classrooms were built under NSA grant (COSPE). We visited this Non formal Primary School in Shewula. The quality of the construction and of the furniture delivered appeared of comparable standard as classrooms constructed under MPCU direct control. The total NSA grant shows: E 88,700 for 2 classrooms. The MPCU financial table does not indicate any community contribution to be added to the cost. The other factor that would influence the overall cost is the absence of involvement of GoS regional Works technicians, since the construction was done under independent NSA.
In total, only 11 classrooms were built under the last PE7 / 9EDF and only 3 communities benefited . Without being negative on the many other school components built (see Annex 13 ), this may indicate that efforts are yet to be made to reach poorer unsheltered pupils in existing poorer schools (e.g. the two remotest ones visited by the mission: Lufafa and Bambitje) and the un-served communities, and certainly also those 20% to 30% of children in age of schooling but not in the rural schools visited.
Community water reticulated supply schemes cost 44 Water reticulated supply schemes are common in Swaziland (both gravity and pump assisted ones). There face various difficulties to construct and to maintain. It is somewhat one of the most standard Swazi MPP infrastructure, although each of them are unique, and necessitate unique designing. Definitely they are also one of the most impact effective basic service projects. The MPP 9EDF constructed 6 community water supply schemes as follow.
The Shewula Water Supply (WS) project was constructed in 2007 through the 9 EDF tendering system (specific commitment). From early 2008, 3 electrical pumps provide potable water through a large reservoir and a reticulated system, to about 5000 persons. The works final handing over is not yet effected. Costs are as follow: 9 EDF Contribution No. of direct Title by Expenditure Community beneficiaries Water Supply construction 1 200 666 ? 45 5 000 Supervision by consultants, advertisment of 8 175 tenders, assessors Total (Emalengeni) 1 208 841 ? The local contribution cost of the population has not been made available to the mission. However there is evidence that the population indeed participated.
Therefore the 9EDF development cost to build Shewula WS is in the region of is €120,884 and per beneficiary: €24 (E 242). As seen above, MPP 9EDF indirect costs can be added by applying a factor of 1.29, hence the 9 EDF overall support to build the Shewula WS is in the region of €155,888 , and for one beneficiary: €31 .
44 MPCU 2008, Individual financial commitments / budget consumption by headings, all development costs from oct2003 to sep2007, MPCU soft copy 2008feb14 (see: below Annexes 13 to 18). 45 Among MPCU/NAO observations over the MPP final evaluation provisional draft report, communities‘ contribution figure of: 302,210,00 was given, i.e. corresponding to 25% overall MP value. ______19
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Five other Water Supply projects were constructed between 2004 and 2007 through GoS / CDSF funding. Their overall costs in Emalengeni are as follow: GoS / Budget Contribution No. of direct by Project Components Title estimate CDSF beneficiaries Expenditure Community Provide potable water of 46 775 190,00 754 923,17 349 600,00 1300 members Majotini Community W/S domestic use Provide potable water of 877 332,00 870 158,50 352 120,00 1500 members Manyisa Mguleni W/S & San domestic use Provide potable water of 184 800,00 170 003,32 80 000,00 2040 members Vusweni Water Supply & San domestic use Provide potable water of 322 800,00 255 351,25 121 760,00 280 members Zencane Water Supply domestic use Provide water to the 100 students 500 S.I.T, C Water Supply & San 95 200,00 42 977,68 37 556,00 institution parents Total (Emalengeni) 2 255 322 2 093 413 941 036 5 720
The GoS-CDSF total development cost to build these 5 Water Supply was E 2,093,413 and per beneficiary: E 366). As seen above, MPP 9EDF indirect costs can be added by applying a factor of 1.29, hence the MPP 9 EDF/GoS-CDSF overall support to build the 5 WS is in the region of E2,700,503 or €270,050 and for one beneficiary: E472 or €47 . This high unit cost may perhaps be explained by their relative limited total number of beneficiaries.
Most water projects visited faced deficiencies (MPP 9EDF various ones, and various older ones and types visited at random): water was insufficient and diminishing, dry boreholes, water table went down, deeper pumps needed, spring catchments production reduced, reticulated systems not functional (electrical pumps destroyed by surges, Head Teacher and his School committee not bothered to replace a tap, mend/fix leaks in a rain harvest reservoir and gutters, absence of community water conservation initiatives for their own catchment area), many roofs not yet equipped with rain harvester gutters and tanks or locally made cement jars 47 . The large rain harvest water reservoirs (made of fired clay bricks for a capacity from 20m3 to 75m3) in the Shiselweni region are all reported to be leaking. Concerned school communities need to be empowered to mend them.
Reaching remotest communities and poorer groups within communities : Annex 5 gives MPs geographic distribution through various maps.
The 2003 public MPP launching information for MP proposals was on the Swaziland newspaper and radio. However it was not sent by open letter, together with the “project proposal application form” ready to fill, to the particularly remotest communities (chiefdom, schools, church groups, women groups, etc.), including the one or two squatting private lands (e.g in Lubombo). Therefore, considering that poverty mapping based on MDGs was not existing, and is yet to be developed, there is a chance that some more dynamic rural communities, perhaps wealthier, were served while poorer Swazi groups had no opportunities i) to be informed, ii) to sufficient possibilities of being supported to access the application form.
46 the Majotini WS has been handed over to the GoS/RWSB but its electrical pump failed to operate (a surge/lightening problem would have caused the damage). 47 See ACAT concept. ______20
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This could be true for the poorer groups of households, including child families, within Chiefdom communities. For example, the mission observed that Rural Electricity scheme (RE) was developed with unequal contributions from the various households, while the official filed SEB pay listing shows the entire list with strictly equal payments 48 . In the two RE visited, the mission observed that a significant number of households do not have yet the capacity of offering paying electricity monthly bills, hence are not connected. Experience leads to think that it could also happen that a diptank MP is constructed, while the poorer group within the community has no cattle to graze.
R: Specific studies of the cattle production extensive system should be conducted as a way to characterize both the have and the have not, and the extent of the two or more differentiated groups, as well as what are survival strategies and objectives of the have not groups. Do they benefits of the livestock system (say as shepherds or borrowing animals?). Are they migrating to urban centers of the sub region, if given a chance? or once they are mature enough? Do they receive some money from relatives that have already migrated? Etc. R: Specific studies need also to be conducted to identify reasons 49 of not connecting to SEB power lines, and, if need be, develop with the unconnected groups ways to reduce poverty.
It is questioning to note that already way back in 1999 the ECN “Review of the PV market in Swaziland” concluded (p49) that “the viability of photovoltaic systems (PV) does not only hold for remote areas far from the grid: most of the systems installed in Swaziland can actually been found within the grid supply areas ”50 . R: A specific study needs to be conducted to identify update knowledge of the PV electrification sector in the country, and weight all aspects, including unfair competition with the main grid actors (unfair taxes, unfair subsidy and international cooperation aid and credit access), foreign electricity importation bill and dependency, etc. prior to resume MPP support to RE schemes. In addition the ownership question needs to be clarified. See below the ownership analysis with regards to MPP principle of supporting community owned projects.
MPP GoS designed pit latrines have a poor durability and public hygiene deficient: flies and mosquitoes are spreading. For some of them, pit latrines blocks were even reported to collapse after a while. R: Other pit latrines blocks deficiencies observed are: i) the ventilation chimney of plastic material, needs to be placed within through the hollow cement blocks of the walls, hence sun rays and kicks will not destroy them. ii) the top of chimneys needs to be covered by a stainless filter that will prevent flies and mosquitoes to escape, and instead have them there to die prisoner (as they are attracted by day light). This prevent diseases dissemination (diarrheas, … ). iv) this old pit latrine concept prevents separate composting of excrements and hygienisation of urines into fertilizers (urea and manure).
48 e.g. the Mandlenya electricity scheme (Siphofaneni area). 49 Current 10 EDF CSP states that SEB connections and electricity costs are both expensive and not affordable for poorer Swazi. 50 ECN / Netherlands Energy Research Foundation, 1999, Review of the PV market in Swaziland, Evaluation of Government PV Demonstration Project, P.E. Lasschuit, 1999 January (80p). ______21
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R: We recommend the use of ECOSAN toilets (ECOlogical SANitation) that do not need any pit digging, while they are sustainable and fertilizers productive. see www.CREPA working all over French speaking Africa countries. See also ecological sanitation in Uganda (industrial ECOSAN dry plastic toilets), in Ethiopia. Etc.
R: Classroom design needs to integrate two wall cupboards to ensure readily storage for teachers and NCP preschool activities. The fact that building designs used by MPP are developed by Ministry of Public Works and Transport are poor, shows the need for specialized TA and to open the design sector to competitive liberalization. In addition school sport grounds are often poor or not existing. They need to be made a necessary contribution from parents and advanced students. Even though MPP focuses more on basic schools needs (infrastructure), MPP should not wait to receive requests for sports development to realize children sport need for better growth and, at a later age introducing healthier free time occupation, than say traditional alcoholism, etc.
R: School and NCP fences are made of commercial material (not easily replicable locally): chain links and treated forest poles, that do not resist in termites zones (as observed in the South, …). Live fence concept is absent: no use of live trees, shrubs, sisal, euphorbia cuttings, etc. Yet some fencing plants are protective and multi-productions and/or can be simply planted by drought resistant cuttings. R: Development & poverty reduction networking needs to be improved by integrating in the MPP Region Development Committees, not only NGOs (as prescribed by the 1999 Legal Notice) but also the FBOs, and particularly both the Council and the Conference of Churches that silently owned about 40% of primary schools, etc.
3.3 Networking opportunities created through the MPP amongst government agencies, communities and other stakeholders. Several I-NGO said they guided communities they support to request construction support from the MPP (NCPs, Primary Schools, Water reticulated scheme, Resource centre, … ). NSA Good Shepherd Hospital (Siteki town) was able to help construct, with an MPP grant, a sound rural community NCP building while it carries on ensuring durable service is rendered to many OVCs. In all visited schools and NCP constructed with the MPP support, we found EU/USAID food aid available and evidence that it is being served to children. We also often found GoS/MoE school supplies (books and text books) and, in NCP, sometimes preschool didactic material from I-NGO sources (WV, … ). In remote poorer Shewula zone, two NSAs used MPP grants in developing community owned social and economic infrastructures, while they carry out other activities such as support to local development planning and piloting innovations such community tourism mountain camp, craft exports, nature conservation zone, linking several sub-region Conservation Parks. They also encourage the testing of renewable energy potential (wind) and photovoltaic units. Etc. In remote north-west Hhohho zone, one community based NSA covering several Inkhundla, was able to help built an FBO owned pre-school while it supports parental capacity building on its own.
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As mentioned by NSAs during the 2008 February 12 Evaluation stakeholders workshop, the first NSA Call for Proposals (CfP) 51 in 2006 gave a much too short delay between the information session and deadline for submission: 12 days only. This is insufficient. In addition the poorest region, Shiselwini, did not benefit from an information session.
We presented, above, the functional networking among various GoS agencies, from central level to region technicians, ensuring that approving MPs corresponds to real needs and in a coordinated manner. Result observed is that i) constructions are achieved according to standards and ii) facilities render functional services, which often include adequate GoS staffing, functioning budgets and controls.
Networking opportunities yet to be created through the MPP
Community building committees are dissolved when MP construction is over, causing a loss of governance dynamics. This is particularly the case of the many school building committees . After dissolution of the school building committees, the (pre-existing) school committees take over in managing the newly component of the school. The situation of rural electrification committees is even less sustainable in the sense that once members have paid cash their 25% contribution individually to the SEB, this company constructs power lines using firms, hence community technical empowerment is very limited. Then the constructed schemes do not even belong to respective communities. Finally SEB is responsible for everything from lines maintenance to ensuring power consumption billing and recovering payment from all individual customers. Regarding the few bridge MPs, the maintenance role concept for road committees is absent . Ministry of Works is believed to ensure a sustainable quality access to all communities. However not surprisingly, we observed that this is not the case with the few remotest communities visited (ex: Lufafa, etc.) 52 . In addition in a number of cases along our various transects, we observed that rain runoff diversion trenches and road culverts outlets are not closely monitored and there is evidence that no proactive protection system is in place against the sheet erosion phenomena: each heavy rains “donga” 53 easily form or extend and hectares of arable soil are destroyed for ever.
However it should be mentioned that the objective behind project building committee trainings is to create a pool of leadership skilled people in communities, who can be used in other community development activities. The usability of the leadership skills gained by project building committees would normally exceed the MP period.
51 MPCU, CALL FOR PROPOSALS for Grant Funding, issued by the Microprojects Programme, funded by the European Development Fund, 1 p, (published by Newspaper in early November 2006, MPCU soft copy 2008feb14) 52 As lesson learnt from the field experience of this mission, we suggest for future rural missions, that some nights are spent within the various regions. This will give time to reach more remote communities, especially in the southern, the south-eastern and even the northern parts of the country. In fact the general mountainous road condition of the country, and the poor access roads of remotest communities, do not conveniently allow to come back every day to Mbabane, and more so when accompanying persons needs to be back to office at 17pm. 53 Kiswati word to name the visible erosion trenches across slopes, taking away meters deep of arable soil, particularly observed in overgrazed pastoral land and from rain runoff diversion trenches made by Ministry of Works, as well as from the outlets of roads culverts. It may also be called “sheet erosion” or “gullies”. ______23
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Actually, the first expected activity of the MPP intervention logic (Promoting and coordinating participatory planning and development methods, emphasizing the inclusion of women) was insufficiently implemented. This is probably caused by insufficient knowledge of local development and dynamics empowering concepts. Furthermore, essential tools such as legalization of community MPP associations, inter-groups networking, emulation between communities, comparative self-management, MP unions governance support services … are absent and need to be vigorously introduced.
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4 Effectiveness
4.1 Planned Programme benefits delivered and received, as perceived mainly by the key beneficiaries
4.1.1 Beneficiaries are satisfied for the MP they built themselves, and wish more support for water sufficiency, food security, income employment & HIV/AIDS clinics
Rural and peri-urban beneficiaries met by the mission always expressed great satisfaction for the MP they built: • pupils sheltered are learning, cattle do not cause havoc where fences are in place, • NCPs take care of the many OVCs, • roof rain harvesting systems with 5m3 plastic tanks does provide the little precious water, • diptanks are functioning • MPP/EDF funded water reticulated schemes function.
MPP completed Projects (Oct 2003 – Sept 2007) 54 SECTORS SOURCES of Funds TOTAL
9TH GoS / GoS / No. of No.of EDF CDSF JAPAN Projects Beneficiaries grant Agriculture (diptank) (AG) 02 08 - 10 4 946 Community Centre (CC) 01 - - 1 500 Education (ED) 45 36 - 81 40 262 Health Welfare (HW) 01 01 - 2 5 000 Natural Resources (NR) 01 - - 1 2 000 Rural Electrification(RE) 08 09 - 17 12 184 Transport & Communication (TC) 01 01 - 2 7 000 Water reticulated Supply (WS) 01 05 - 6 12 420 Neighborhood Care Points (NCP) - - 11 11 10 167
Non State Actors (NSA) 55 13 - - 13 5 177
Overall total 73 60 12 147 99 656
54 MPCU MPP quarterly progress reports, Sep to Nov 2007 (9EDF Project), p2 and p12 for NSA grant details. 55 As said NSA had a very short period to propose project for grant, and only from the end of 2006. The MPCU monitoring should have monitored with better indicators results expected from NSAs: number and types of MPs, have them on maps and integrate results in the same logframe. etc. Probably again the absence of TA supporting the MPP management is the explanation. One cannot expect the few NAO’s TA to do that, which includes much liberty for field interactions and decisions. ______25
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NB: NSA built 2 school halls, 2 classrooms (a Shewula informal primary school), 1 NCP, 1 pre-school, 2 SOS village houses, nurses houses, clinic, a cultural heritage centre (Siteki), large water reservoir harvester in 2 schools 56 and improve the Shewula environment education centre.
Key beneficiaries met always expressed need of further support in the field of water sufficiency, food insecurity, unemployment, HIV/AIDS affected persons, health clinics and/or drought effects, and even the rightful need of a bridge 57 . On the insufficient of water, expressed basically everywhere as the priority problem, beneficiaries easily explained that the problem included increasing and repetitive droughts faced by country, diminishing supply or level of water available (water table and spring catchments going down, …) and also lack of water engineering competence of the MPCU team. In a remote community visited for its functional water scheme (developed with MPP 8 EDF support) the absence of organized vegetable market was expressed to prevent engaging in dry season vegetable production.
R: Smallholders vegetable/fruits/honey/traditional medicinal plants,... all year around production, with market organization, is typically a multi-annual IGP that local NSAs linked with competent I-NGOs, need to be call for through CfP. The pilot area of Shewula is an example that could be further encouraged in that direction, now that water reticulated schemes took off 58 .
R: In order to address the food security and rural unemployment challenge, one practical way to mainstream farming systems improvement among MPP beneficiary communities is to develop a specific call for proposals targeting support from competent NSAs and I-NGOs operating in the AU region. The objective should be to challenge small scale young farmers groups, gender mainstreamed, to form networking associations, and to expose farmers leaders to relevant practices and challenge them to pilot them with their local groups (choice of dry land farming crops, water and soil conservation measures and using affordable techniques, agro-zoo-forestry farming know-how, saving & credit grouping, processing and marketing). This is in line with the MPP 9 EDF FA result and activities that were not implemented (built capacity of NGOs … in counselling services, support small enterprises in rural areas, offer loans to micro entrepreneurs through competent microfinance NGOs, etc.). Such approach is highly recommended under available EC / NSA support and under actual GoS/CDSF/MPCU funds.
56 SFDF, fired bricks-cement concept, in the dry Eastern of Shiselwini region. 57 ex: Lufafa PS community lacks access, and even another school up there in the mountain. Again we noted that children are not served with school services, in one or two agricultural communities, because they are reported to squatter for years the land of private landlords that are abroad (ex in the South-Est of Lubombo: cf;. Keregro K.J.B. (Prof.), Baseline survey for the microprojects programme, draft final report, 2001 April 20, 34p). Certainly, the minimum achievable immediately is supporting with dismountable schools, say timber made, while GoS could certainly find incentives for the absentee unproductive landlord-s to sell their lands. 58 including through their multi-donors and I-NGOs approach: COSPE, Shewula Trust, DFID, etc. Obviously, water efficient use practices will have to be a corner stone of the external support, including further rain harvesting, water conservation action plans on community catchments, and if need be water development of bores holes themselves. ______26
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Some committees met were not comfortable with the MPP rule of having to wait 5 years to be entitled for a second MP support. However according to the MPP Technical Steering Committee Minutes of 15 March 2006, the 5 years waiting period applies to communities which received assistance exceeding E300,000. Communities below this ceiling can still come back for more assistance. The policy was adopted to ensure that MPP benefits spread to other communities and to allow communities to develop themselves after MPP intervention. Nevertheless, from the various MP visits the mission made, it transpires that poorer communities can be provided with more support, as was the case with the pilot Shewula community during both 8 EDF and 9 EDF and with additional development partners (Italian and British official Aid and I-NGOs as well, …). Such “pilot” community development strategy needs to be continued after ensuring proper rural poverty, infrastructures and population mapping. During the mission we could not obtain a population map (density). However we obtained the “communities map” and the FAO land tenure map, (see the Annexes). R: Workgroups of the stakeholders and beneficiaries evaluation workshop (12 February 2008) came up with the following list of rural poorer communities (cf. Annex12) that needs priority attention: • Lubombo region: KaShewula, Mpolonjeni, Sitsatsaweni, Malindza, Maphungwane and Lavumisa areas. • Shiselweni region: Makhosini I & II and Makhwelela areas. (NB: the fact that participants had to come to the workshop at their own costs, may have quite restricted the number of participants from the Shiselweni region, and particularly from the Eastern poorest part actual. Hence there are certainly more rural communities that face acute poverty and need priority attention). • Hhohho region: Emkhuzweni and Endzingeni areas. • Manzini region: Ndinda, Ntontozi and Bhahwini areas
4.1.2 Gender: a MPP community achievement, but efforts still needed and mostly at higher levels In line with the FA, gender emphasis has been one cornerstone of MPP support in community projects. Women participation has been emphasized in project committees and projects implementation. Even though the mission was able to witness, in the field, women involvement, efforts to reach the MDG equity are still necessary.
GENDER SITUATION in MPP projects committees 59 MP name Region Chairperson Secretary Treasurer Vice C/P 1 Ebugeleni PS Manzini Mrs Mrs Mrs Mrs 2 Hhohho A.M.E. PS Hhohho Mr Mrs Mrs Mr 3 Mbanzamane PS, Shewula Lubombo Mr Mrs Mr Mr 4 Shewula Water Dev Project Lubombo Mr Mr Mrs Mr Shewula Cty Ressource 5 Centre (NSA grant) Lubombo Mrs Mrs Mrs Mr Shewula Trust/Environment 6 Centre(grant) Lubombo Mr Mr Mrs Mr 7 Ka-Mngayi NCP Shiselwini Mrs Mrs Mrs Mr
59 according to replies to the mission questionnaire by projects Committees and granted NSAs, during or after field visits. ______27
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8 Bambitje PS Shiselwini Mrs Mr Mr Mr 9 Lufafa PS Hhohho Mr Mrs Mr NA 10 Lomabhidla NCP (NSA grant) Lubombo Mr Mr Mr NA 11 Elugedzeni electricity Lubombo Mr Mr Mr Mr
Men 7 5 5 8 Women 4 6 6 1 NA 0 0 0 2
Total % men 25 56,8% women 17 38,6% NA 2 4,5% 44 100,0%
The mission found that Evusweni Nazarene PreSchool 60 (NSA 2007 grant) had no project committee. Perhaps the Nazarene Church prefers to manage the preschool in her own capacity, and not as a community. Again preschools affiliation is still being discussed as to whether they should be supervised and supported by MoE. Nevertheless the MPP is bound to support community projects, and, as in other ACP countries, FBO owned projects are not exempted of project committee formation. More projects were visited by the mission but they did not return the questionnaire
The mission observed that with NCPs projects, Japan funded, women appear to clearly over power men when it comes to actual volunteer daily work (OVCs care takers). The situation is not at all in favour of women when it comes to the so called “agricultural projects” i.e. diptank, where women appear to be very little involved. However on the initial exploratory visit, the committee of the Cota diptank (project under construction, in the Lubombo region) had 2 women in the key positions: Secretary and Treasurer. The mission found on site many males working on the construction. The 2 women in key positions explained that there were chosen because they were educated. This could also show that indeed the MPCU makes efforts to ensure women involvement. With microfinance NGO, women emphasis is 100%: the MPP revolving fund administered by Imbita Women’s Trust Fund, it supported 250 women entrepreneurs so far since it began. The fund started under 8 EDF MPP with a seed capital of E300,000 and has accumulated over E1,000,000 principal now. In contrast with this sound women management record, when it comes to GoS senior staff met by the mission, all were males with the exception of two. In addition, women equity mainstreaming has not yet been effected in the MPP Region Development Committee (RDC) members met (only one woman). Similar unbalanced situation with MPP granted NSAs visited.
In conclusion, gender is still a nation challenge, and as such prioritisation of projects in poorer communities would still be a challenge. Why should poorer women and girls (and the many OVCs) would need to pursue more diptank constructions, and even primary schools buildings, instead of ensuring sustainability of the many water supply systems in place, and those still to be constructed?
60 It indeed returned the questionnaire filled by the area elder member of Vusumfto (the NSA that received the grant). That elder is the actual Chairman of the nearby Primary School. ______28
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Again rural women would certainly choose support to develop saving and credit schemes and/or rural clinics that supports AIDS patients and probably food quality security production (including backyard gardens in schools and homesteads, using water jar harvesters and dryland farming crops with relevant recipes).
R: In line with international commitments, GoS and NSA are recommended to implement the MDG gender equity, included at the Region Development Committees (RDC) level. MPCU, with respective sector Ministries and NSAs, still need to continue challenging, and control, all MP management committees in place to ensure gender equity, at every election. Future EC support to NSA needs to be conditioned to gender equity at NSA level too, as per MDGs commitments.
4.2 MPP strengths & weaknesses: the sole program that practices decentralisation
The MPP appears to be the sole GoS/Donor Programme that, in effect, practices decentralisation 61 , i.e. to empower rural and peri-urban communities to contribute material, money and work to build themselves infrastructures for collective services rendered at community level.
The MPP is a rare Government/Donor Programme where Government officially committed specific investment public annual budget for community development projects, whereby communities have to contribute at least to 25% of the investment costs and, lastly that creates Region Development Committees to coordinate and involve all stakeholders, including NGOs 62 . However it was noted that in practice NGOs did not participate to RDC meetings and that the central “Technical” Steering Committee took over responsibilities of projects analysis and decisions. These two situations contradict the expected result of “decentralisation at MPCU level”. In addition the FA did not provide for beneficiaries to be invited to participate to meetings of both RDCs and National Steering Committee, where only CANGO was. R: Beneficiaries of active projects, though their sector network representatives, need to participate to meetings of both the RDCs and the National Steering Committee. Networks of FBOs need also to participate because of their significant actions, and potentials, towards MDGs.
The MPCU had an appropriate women senior staff balance (the 3 project officers out of six are women) The overall coordinator was a female. R: However recruitment of a new female coordinator, experienced in mainstreaming the Nation rural challenges, is needed, not excluding tapping competence abroad in the
61 Decentralization is one poverty reduction strategy retained in the 10 th EDF CSP/NIP. Decentralization is a world best practice poverty reduction strategy. Interestingly, if territorial decentralization is always thought of, the second prong of decentralization strategy is often forgotten, yet it is easier to develop: it is he empowerment and organization of actors by productive and civil society sectors: e.g. farmers associations, microfinance Saving and credit groups (SACCOs, MFIs and their unions,… ), artisans and small enterprises, etc. FBOs regroupings is also to be considered as decentralization, particularly because FBOs social development potential are insufficiently taped to impact on poverty reduction. 62 Ref: GoS Gazzet CDSF-1999, Legal Notice N°9 of 1999, Mbabane 11.2.99, signed PS-Ministry of Finance, p81 to p83. ______29
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AU region. Rural water competence, drought prone and dry farming quality food security experienced, needs to be recruited urgently too.
The logical framework approach 63 was used too late to plan, i.e. for the last two years (PE6 and PE7). It was insufficiently used to manage, report and monitor the programme. It was not used as a frame for the internal evaluations and the Steering Committee evaluation. This allowed loopholes towards expected objectives, results and activities. As said earlier some Results and Activities have been modified and major ones not implemented without sufficient considerations. The entire Income Generating support result to poorer Swazi disappeared, including support to NGOs in counselling services and microfinance development. The TA for water, including in the form of overseas volunteer services, was not called for and costs considerations of classic TA has been the only explanation given to the mission for choosing, under GoS/CDSF funding, a South African firm to design 5 water reticulated schemes (of which only one – Shewula - was funded during 2007 by 9 EDF). TA designing itself was poor, and field visits in each of the four regions, but more particularly in the drought prone and warming lowveld, would have demonstrated the need of defining better water problems and various aspects of solutions. R: The MPP needs to go ahead with conventional tendering of larger MP construction, as well as with the Call for Proposal (CfP) procedure to mobilize competent NSA an I- NGOs in the Income Generating support and for smaller MP construction. To do so, there is a need to fetch best practices from other MPPs in AU, including decentralised tendering (at RDC-MPP Region units that support Inkundla Local Governments and CBO/NSA) and without reducing the legal level of community participation (at least 25%). R: EC/GoS program steering committees need to be held within each targeted region, in a rotating manner, and more so integrate field interactions with various communities on project sites, whether proposed, implemented and also on other existing “success community projects”. Experience demonstrated that productivity of “one field day equals one week in the office”. The EC administrative deconcentrated unit needs to be integrated in all Steering Committees. With the objective of overall improved program efficiency, bilateral sub-meetings will also be held with Accounting Administrators to review practically procedural matters on the day.
4.3 Performance of the Technical Assistance (TA) (quality of the assistance received by the MPP during 9 th EDF The Technical Assistance received by the 9 th EDF MPP was late in 2006 and also end of 2007 to help close the implementation phase of MPP. Initially not planned in the FA, the TA was call to assist solving a number of difficulties and mis-understanding on the 9thEDF procedures that were introduced basically together with the introduction of EC administrative deconcentration. In practice deconcentration brought tighter and sometime changing procedures, with consequently financial flow delay. In this administrative respect, the TA assistance was appreciated by the MPCU.
The programmed TA for water project designs and control was unfortunately not requested, yet even the Rural Water Branch of the Ministry (MNRE) told the mission that would have needed it to help the conception of the GoS water schemes design, implementation procedures
63 The Final evaluation of the 8 EDF MPP, dated February 2003, does not have a logical framework annexed to it. Yet it served as the feasibility study for the 9thEDF MPP Financing Agreement. ______30
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______and control manuals (see also above: in relevance). Actually although MPP 9 EDF stipulates that TA services could be outsourced from a cost-effective Overseas Volunteers Organization, MPCU explains that TA was not requested because it was realized that MPP funds were insufficient for TA services and it was then agreed that MPP should outsource the designing of water schemes, as a cost effective measure. As a result, four schemes were designed through the outsourcing arrangement (i.e. AFRICOM, a firm from South Africa). R: There is still a crucial need of TA for rural water strategies, approach and project designs and control systems development. Rural water supply, with water conservation, rain harvesting and using solar renewable energy , needs still a lot of further practical support. Water efficiency needs to be mainstreamed in all possible sectors starting from the primary school syllabus. In dryer areas, rural water initiatives need to consider subground water harvesting (subground clay dams in the sand of dry rivers, homestead earth span 64 rain water with ground tanks, …), through giving support to pilot initiatives through competent NSA, linked to I-NGO and semi-arid and arid water networks).
4.4 External factors that contributed, positively & adversely, on MPP results delivery
Persistent pluri-annual drought and climate warming could be seen as a negative factor that contributed adversely on MPP results delivery towards achieving objectives. However on going climate warming and biodiversity disruptions, were known facts when the MPP FA was elaborated. Unfortunately no mechanism proved effective to support MPP team in revisiting its intervention logic and address such loophole. R: The EC deconcentrated Administration also needs to control the mainstreaming, and implementation, of international environmental and climate commitments by EC supported programs. R: The EC Result Oriented Monitoring system needs to ensure control of the mainstreaming, and implementation, of international environmental and climate commitments by EC supported programs in ACP countries. R: The Swaziland Parliament, and the AC/AU, need to revisit legal obligations and mechanisms to effectively mainstream, and implement, international environmental and climate commitments in all development programs.
4.4.1 Due to late arrival of 9 EDF procedures, MPP did not sufficiently tap and challenged NSAs, incluling FBOs MPP did not sufficiently mobilise the NSAs to implement MP, and more so to train committees, including developing durable networks in the fields of dynamic decentralized governance, and of the nation critical poverty problems with view to mainstream them in community development initiatives (see above). However MPCU staff training on 9EDF procedures and NSAs came in mid 2006 at the end of 9EDF MPP, thus NSA funding was piloted. It is no surprise that a few NSAs were found competent in complying with the 9 EDF procedures. It was then proposed that NSA funding should be gradual since there are limited NSA matching the 9th EDF funding procedures. Workgroups at the 12 February 2008 workshop (cf. Annex 12), also said that the period given to NSA to react to the 2006 NSA call for proposal, prepare and submit a sound proposal was much too short.
64 on hardened bare red soils. ______31
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MPP did not sufficiently tap, nor challenged, Faith Based Organisations (FBO), such as the members of the large networks of Council of Churches (CSC) and Conference of Churches (SCC), yet “80% of Swazi go at least once a week in a Church and about 40% primary schools are mission schools”. Further more, both representatives of Churches networks (Council and Conference) explained the mission their efforts to have poorer rural Swazi to develop self-help Savings and Credit groups and Clusters, in order to empower them in reducing extreme poverty. Last but not least, the mission found that, beside their own members individual actions, the Council and the Conference joined hands to fight HIV and AIDS through creating the Church Forum on HIV & AIDS . Meetings with both Churches HIV & AIDS national coordinators was very instrumental for the evaluation mission to capture some loopholes explaining why parents still die from the AIDS diseases in the rural areas. These FBO networks are NGOs and are full members of CANGO. The MPP FA indeed had a capacity building result to achieve with NGOs.
R: It is recommended to mainstream collaboration with FBO networks, and their many local groups, to ensure larger impact, increased sustainability of basic services and of local development dynamics.
4.4.2 Initial result & activities related to Income Generating were not implemented
The initial Result 4 and its Activities related to Income Generating Projects (IGP) and microfinance (MFI), were basically and unfortunately not implemented: 4a) “Small business enterprises, which are profitable and sustainable 4b) Strengthen NGO’s capacity through collaboration with other business counselling organizations. 4.1) Providing small business training and loan funds for business investment 4.2) Conducting a study on pilot and selected communities 4.2) Provide business counselling services for small entrepreneurs.”
However some monitoring of the MPP 8 th EDF revolving funds given to 2 local NGOs for microfinance was carried out. At the end of 2003, the Evaluation 65 of the Income Generating Projects of the 8EDF MPP did not recommend to stop IGP and MFI activities. It recommended to improve them. Interestingly even Annex 1 of the last Programme Estimate n°7 (PE7) 66 signed in June 2006 does not mention that there was a change in EC microfinance policies. Actually it is the “Instruction note D(2004)3959 of 4 March 2004 of M. Bonacci, that indicates that loans could no longer be issued by MPPs to organizations and to individuals. For the purpose of clarity we insert here references of that reflect that change of policy: “Microfinance refers to the wide range of financial services (credit, savings mobilisation, insurance schemes, payment systems…) aiming at serving the poor population, normally neglected by the formal financial system, made up of both micro enterprises and poor
65 ICC, 2004 (INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL CORPORATION (Maputo, Mozambique), Evaluation of the 8EDF Micro-Projects Programme, Income Generating Projects, Final report, submitted to the Office of the European Commission in the Kingdom of Swaziland, January 2004. 66 EC. 2004. Practical guide to management of direct labour operations and programme estimates financed by the [9 th ] European Development Fund. Version 1.0. February 2004 . (in MPP, PE 7, Annex 1). ______32
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______households. Instruction Note D(2004)3959 of 4 March 2004 of M. Bonacci suggests refocusing EC microfinance intervention towards capacity building operations and forbids direct EC funding of credit lines. Nevertheless, “as far as technical assistance is concerned, donor agencies can play a relevant role in providing capacity building to local microfinance institutions …A good example for this approach is the new all-ACP microfinance programme with a budget of € 15 M for capacity building.” 67 Further clarification on future Microfinance activities will be provided .” 68 EC created a microfinance facility with a specific support framework accessible directly by competent NGOs and MFIs operating in ACP countries.
Only grant financing arrangements permit achieving results through support to NSAs. In this respect, it should be mentioned that MPCU was only trained in grant financing, the only route for microfinance and Income Generating Activities (IGA) support, in mid 2006, when the 9th EDF was nearing the end.
R: Local NGOs and MFIs organizations and Income Generating Activities (IGA), are recommended to be supported by the MPP in the area of capacity building with due respect of the microfinance sector best practices and principles 69 : In addition, in rural areas, … “especially the poorest ones, … the income-generating MP are used in a transitional period to allow individual initiatives to emerge,… and taking into account the four dimensions of revenue, i.e. o level of income, and its socio-economic sustainability …e.g. MP helping to solve fundamental constraints: increased food production, improved nutrition especially for children, availability of energy at reduced costs, improved marketing of local products, …anything that can enhance the local economy . o Equity… fair distribution of benefits to the majority … women, young people, and the landless, … o vulnerability (reducing vulnerability) o and socio-economic and environmental sustainability regarding the sustainable management of natural resources … Some key examples are: preservation of soils, collective or individual re-forestation… with a set of accompanying measures… They include support for structural entities in the rural environment and reinforcement of local institutions that could serve as intermediary between the local … and public and private operators at national or regional level.”
67 Instruction note D(2004)3959 of 4 March 2004 of M. Bonacci 68 p16 (paragraph: 2.4.3 Microfinance), in EC. 2004. Practical guide to management of Micro-Projects Programmes financed by the European Development Fund (EDF) Version 1.0. October 2004 (46p. ECD.sz 24jan08 Electronic version). This was repeated in: EC. 2005. Guidelines for the management of Micro-Projects Programmes financed by the 9th European Development Fund (EDF), Version 1.0 – February 2005 (p. ECD.sz 24jan08 Electronic version). 69 We strongly refer the reader to pages 18 to 20 of EC, Internal Guidance Note for microprojects financed under EDF, EuropeAid Co-Operation Office, 2007, and all web links referred within. ______33
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______5 Impact
5.1 Achievement of the planned physical objective: evidence demonstrating the impact of the MPP amongst beneficiary communities
About 100,000 persons are directly beneficiating from MP constructed as shown by the table provided by the MPCU below.
MPP completed Projects (Oct 2003 – Sept 2007) 70
SECTORS SOURCES of Funds TOTAL
9TH GoS / GoS / No. of No.of EDF CDSF JAPAN Projects Beneficiaries grant Agriculture (diptank) (AG) 02 08 - 10 4 946 Community Centre (CC) 01 - - 1 500 Education (ED) 45 36 - 81 40 262 Health Welfare (HW) 01 01 - 2 5 000 Natural Resources (NR) 01 - - 1 2 000 Rural Electrification(RE) 08 09 - 17 12 184 Transport & Communication (TC) 01 01 - 2 7 000 Water Supply (WS) 01 05 - 6 12 420 Neighborhood Care Points (NCP) - - 11 11 10 167
Non State Actors (NSA) 71 13 - - 13 5 177
Overall total 73 60 12 147 99 656
NB: NSA built 2 school halls, 2 classrooms (a Shewula informal primary school), 1 NCP, 1 pre-school, 2 SOS village houses, nurses houses, clinic, a cultural heritage centre (Siteki), large water reservoir harvester in 2 schools 72 and improve the Shewula environment education centre.
The impact also includes the effective services, rendered daily, by these MPs, and for generations to come.
70 MPCU MPP quarterly progress reports, Sep to Nov 2007 (9EDF Project), p2 and p12 for NSA grant details. 71 As said NSA had a very short period to propose project for grant, and only from the end of 2006. The MPCU monitoring should have monitored with better indicators results expected from NSAs: number and types of MPs, have them on maps and integrate results in the same logframe. etc. Probably again the absence of TA supporting the MPP management is the explanation. One cannot expect the few NAO’s TA to do that, which includes much liberty for field interactions and decisions. 72 SFDF, fired bricks-cement concept, in the dry Eastern of Shiselwini region. ______34
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______
5.2 Community capacities that have been built by the MPP through training of beneficiaries In some schools constructed with the MPP support, we found committees building additional classroom blocks or teachers’ houses. Sometime they had already completed additional units very correctly. This replicable process in done under Head Teachers firm leadership, sometimes also aided by some funds from the Ministry of Regional Development allocated to Inkhundla Inner Councils areas / Member of Parliament constituencies.
However when it comes to the water priority problem number one, MP committee members met appeared to be stuck and they seems to take no initiative towards solving the problem. It is interesting to note that in all primary schools visited (East Shiselwini region) that were equipped with the larger fired clay brick-cement reservoir rain harvester 73 , none could fix, nor take attempt an initiative to fix the leakages.
Even on one PlayPump benefiting primary school visited (East Shiselwini region), the Head Teacher just stated that he cannot fix it (the EU water facility grant NGO are installing PlayPump donated free by the PlayPump USA/South Africa based NGO). After further investigation at various level and documentations, we understand that generally water table in the South-Eastern part of the country went down so much that initial AFRIDEV pumps installed are no longer deep enough. GoS and some Donors would have already imported deeper pumps that are in the process of being installed in various parts of the country. However this information needs to be confirmed. The fact is that communities are still not trained to be effectively empowered to act on water, to the extent that as examples: i) dry farming is basically not known (i.e. water efficiency improvement), ii) agroforestry, agrozooforestry, cattle dry farming/hay harvesting, and conservation farming are not known either (with the exception of Shewula youth leaders and ACAT), iii) all Primary School Head Teachers questioned on to why food production and backyard gardening teaching is not developed, invariably responded to the evaluation mission, that MoE conditions the opening of agricultural section, including providing agricultural teachers, to the existence of permanent water at the school. We also understood that, during perhaps 2004/2005, UNICEF implemented with MoE a program to boost food production teaching sections in Primary Schools. Tools and plastic water harvester tanks were distributed. From what we heard in the field, it could be that the UNICEF efforts were vain in impacting a change within MoE.
The limited support to water supply projects that MPP has been able to provide has reduced the overall pro-poor and gender profile for MPP interventions and this has diminished its prospects for contributing to poverty alleviation and benefiting the water carriers – women.
R: In relation to the many water reticulated projects that are no longer functional 74 and those reported to the mission that supply diminishing water quantities, evidence from this mission demonstrates that five MPP supported community water reticulated project 75 s are far from being sufficient for achieving empowerment of communities with respect to the life bottleneck, i.e. available water, for human consumption and also for backyard crops and animals. Clustered and concentrated support to water conservation, efficiency,
73 Two primary schools have been MPP 9EDF granted though SFDF. 74 Refer to water sector analysis in: GoS, MPED. 2006. Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Programme (PRSAP), 2006-2015. 75 One funded by 9 EDF and 4 through GoS/CDSF (including one not yet operating due to a electricity surge that damaged the pump) ______35
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______
harvesting and development, should be piloted and tested in various forms and embedded within MPP’s strategy. This would also serve as a pilot rural water program for entire 10 EDF water sector. The method should be participatory, both bottom-up by encouraging clearly all communities to revisit their existing maintenance plan, inserting there in water community conservation measures, relevant to their local knowledge, as well as horizontal networking/top-down support actions through calling for proposals competent Swazi, I-NGOs and I-TA to bring in best practices from other similar semi-arid and mountainous countries.
Next to the water expressed priority problem, often MP committee members met ranked second the lack of employment , and/or request support for clinics in areas that are not served , for HIV/AIDS, including dying of it, often was ranked as being women and orphaned girls main problem. Where unemployment is not mentioned, it is lack of food or famine. One interesting more precise priority problem expressed was lack of employment opportunities for educated youth. Of course where head teachers of primary school MPs, were met (as school committees secretaries), additional needed education buildings were ranked as a priority (more classrooms or teachers houses).
MPP made true efforts to target and effectively support the poorer Swazi communities. However the absence of operational and live Geographical Information System (GIS) database expressing MDGs, does not help in identifying where are rural communities not yet adequately empowered with basic social services, such as primary schools, clinics, water both for humans and production, access “bottlenecks infrastructures”, Saving and Credit community services, technical training blocks or centres. A GIS database should pay particular attention to reflect to spread of the rural population within Community Chiefdom territories, and always reflect the fact that villages do not exist (due to the traditional land tenure system, and whereby Chiefs’ locations are still officially called Kraals). In Lubombo (e.g. Loyiwe –Manhleke- Primary School) we understood that a sizeable deep rural primary school could still become bigger, but at the expense of many pupils walking far away distances twice daily. The better option would be to bring concerned Chiefdoms to initiate new smaller Primary Schools in locations nearer to un-served populations.
The way that the different MPP funding sources (9 EDF, GoS/CDSF, GoS/Japan, Kellog, without forgetting the local contributions both from communities and region GoS services) were integrated under a comprehensive and coherent approach appears positive. This is very visible with the action to develop NCP for the poorest of the poor: the OVCs, … that are hundreds of thousands now in Swaziland… Nevertheless, the National rural dramatic challenges (i.e. HIV extension and AIDS lack of treatment in rural areas, durable drought and warming, unemployment, food insecurity, erosion/land tenure, absence of relevant primary school syllabus and other vocational
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ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______training 76 ) were not mainstreamed in the MPP, nor specifically expected as results. It is no surprise to observe that the MPP does not have a significant impact on them 77 . Furthermore, considering the HIV expanding infection rate (39% of pregnant women infected), the AIDS parental mortality and the availability of free ARD medication, from an FBO analysis confirmed by MHSW data, we found that nurses of rural clinics must, urgently, be trained to threat AIDS patients with these ARV and with quality sufficient food, including training in production practices , i.e. demonstrating household intensive dryland farming/dairy livestock techniques 78 . As referenced earlier, direct support to HIV prevention and AIDS ARV medication and healthy food security, need to be mainstreamed into MPP as activities in the Financing Agreement. The MPP Steering Committee need to ensure that HIV and AIDS are mainstreamed.
It must be acknowledged that there are factors beyond the control of the MPCU project team, but not necessarily out the control of the MPP Steering Committee members. Yet such policy, strategy and linked budgetary factors are important for achieving the MPP overall objectives.
R: The clustering of various activities around the education sector appears to have good potential for enhancing community development capacity building while fostering pro- poor tangible and more immediate benefits directly related to local vulnerabilities and chronic poverty, if now the primary school syllabus is reviewed to integrate concrete and
76 We refer the reader to the Kenyan U-Turn that President Jomo Kenyata challenged his People to go into 3 years before he died in1976: through various local fundraisings, launch everywhere self-help village polytechnics “jua kali” (work even under the sunshine or under a tree if there is nothing else to start with!) and mainstreaming two technical skills relevant to develop each child into self-employment/employable, at all level of education right from grade 1. In rural primary schools, every child is offered farming skills and a second technical skill of his/her choice (textile, home care, crafts, masonry, carpentry, electricity, rural-mechanics, etc.). The objective is that whatever the level a child drops from schooling he/she will be productive. 77 This is despite the construction of some NCPs and distribution of farm inputs to OVCs and elderly families by the MPP (using non EC funds). These NCPs and distribution of farm inputs to OVCs are actually a response to the effect of the HIV/AIDS mass crisis, which is needed of course. However such interventions act nor on the HIV/AIDS and food insecurity causes, nor on the necessary prevention of further HIV infection, and nor on rural AIDS sick parents (that need urgently the ARV treatment). 78 As example, we refer the reader to the 7 th Day Adventist nurses in Southern Philippines: they are also trained to teach mothers how to grow vegetable and fruits, etc. Of course “household intensive dryland farming/dairy livestock techniques” urgently needs to be mainstreamed in all Primary Schools and all Church centres. We understood that UNICEF now considers Church communities led NCP as more sustainable and effective to serve the thousands of OVCs. Chiefdom would need to lead the way in a “ Give a cow or a goat Movement ” to those many poorer Swazi AIDS affected to unable them to practice “household intensive dryland farming and dairy livestock techniques”. In addition this pro-life movement needs to .be complemented where necessary by a “Give a small piece of land, with cuttings of cassava, standing hay and multi-production fruit trees (elephant grass, pawpaw, silkworm berry trees, etc, and recipes for cassava leaves and roots consumption …). A strategy such as “ Give a cow or goat and ensure a piece of land” to those many poorer Swazi HIV/AIDS affected, needs to be made one element of contribution in any community project that expects support from the MPP, and from any other programs. Considering that population is the first asset of a country, Chiefdom , diptank committees and large landowners need to understand that the extensive traditional cattle grazing is one main cause of water shortages and food insecurity. Because of the generalised overgrazing, rain water runs off instead of percolating into the soil where i) it would boost vegetation to grow, and ii) refill faults of springs and boreholes, regulating river flows. The Rural Water Branch needs to embark vigorously into water and vegetation conservation capacity. This includes compulsory community spring catchments and boreholes basin protection. For instance, we refer the reader to the North Cameroon Mandara mountains MPP that was able to bring up the water table in wells and boreholes, etc. The extensive traditional cattle grazing has needs to be discouraged, by encouraging intensive durable small livestock systems (semi or full zero-grazing, fodder harvesting and planting, sugarcane leaves used as fodder, protein rich complementary feeds, ). Finally dairy camel grazing needs to be tested in the South-Eastern dry part of the country, including adaptation of homestead dairy recipes. ______37
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practiced skills addressing the “easiest” Nation rural poverty challenges: quality food production security, using dry farming crops and techniques including healthy food preparation recipes, linked to the numerous HIV/AIDS affected rural parents. The primary school syllabus should also mainstream self employment attitudes and instil various practices to bring students to achieve job creation when departing. One should note that vocational schools are basically not existing 79 in rural and peri-urban Swaziland. They would be long and expensive to develop. Hence the vocational schools strategy can not be a viable quick option to create quick impact on rural abject poverty reduction objectives. • Therefore the current SET program (9 EDF/GoS-MoE), and of course any other good Samaritan, need urgently to revisit its technical assistance strategy towards ensuring that MoE takes adequate fast steps to impact on the primary school syllabus. The method should be participatory, both bottom-up by encouraging clearly all schools to teach and practice all the existing relevant local knowledge, and horizontal networking/top-down by encouraging competent Swazi, I-NGOs and I-TA to bring in best practices from other similar climate countries. • In parallel, MHSW needs to urgently ensure that available AIDS ARV treatment is spread to affected parents in rural areas. This means MHSW taking urgent steps to train nurses in rural clinics to use ARV treatment, together with a minimal training on backyard gardening (for healthy food production) and home preparation recipes. • Parliament needs to be informed of this recommendation and ask to look at all ways to ensure that the process takes place, both, down in each respective constituencies and at national level by introducing all necessary legalities to ensure accelerated implementation.
R: In the objective of concretely address the Nation rural abject poverty challenges, we found that the newly introduced primary school home economic blocks 80 built with MPP support, including appliances supplied, needs revisiting as far as the syllabus is concerned, including introduction of efficient fuel wood cookers, solar cooking, solar water heaters, instead of the electrical and gas cookers supplied (since they use expensive imported energies which also contribute to climate warming). R: Again since photovoltaic electricity systems are viable and competitive 81 (as well as other renewable energy systems such as windmills on the Lubombo mountain range), the MPP should support their development (including water pumps as they are very reliable and save a lot of time to women and young girls). This needs to go together with offering technical skills training to the MP committees and to teachers 82 .
79 There is not even one fully equipped and operating vocational school in the entire Lubombo region said the REO. The first ever attempt dates from 2005, under a catholic mission in Siteki. 80 Following the 8 th EDF evaluation, MPP 9EDF introduced constructing home economics blocks as a contribution towards vocational education. 81 In 1999 the ECN review concluded p49 that: “The viability of PV systems does not only hold for remote areas far from the grid: most of the systems installed in Swaziland can actually been found within the grid supply areas”, in ECN / Netherlands Energy Research Foundation, 1999, Review f the PV market in Swaziland, Evaluation of Government PV Demonstration Project, P.E. Lasschuit, 1999 January (80p). 82 MPP needs to refrain support to SEB grid extension lines as the Chinese project already extended them a lot in rural areas. Last but not least, as a contribution to climate stabilisation, GoS needs to encourage vigorously the Renewable Energy systems, starting from tax vacancy. ______38
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______6 Sustainability
6.1 Sustainability of the Microprojects Programme
Primary school MPs visited are all staffed by GoS civil servants but in several cases lack of teachers has been an expressed concern. Though GoS share of school fees funding seems generally transferred with 10 months delay, the teaching service appeared functional everywhere visited. There is no noticeable difference between the many missions schools, community ones and those owned by GoS. It is noted that pupils enrolment is reported everywhere on the increase because of the generalized EU/USAID food aid programme to schools and NCPs. However, while there is dramatically 40% of Swazi on the actual international food aid programme 83 , the number of children in age of primary school, not schooling varies from 20% to 30% according to committee members interviewed.
The NCP for OVCs appeared well functioning everywhere visited, certainly because of the timely nation wide EU/USAID food delivery programme by NGOs under WFP. However, few NCP, and even primary schools, visited had made an effort to cultivate some food on their land. It is not uncommon to find NCP committees taking steps to turn their NCP into pre-schools. One Region Education Officer interviewed clearly wishes that to happen. Unfortunately many NCP visited are not located nearby a primary school and this could become an additional administrative cost if they become preschools.
The sustainability of the Microprojects Programme itself is still comforted by GoS 1999 legal decision. However if EU definitely withdraws from it, the level and high quality of the local contribution may not stand competition from free public donation programmes, … which will anyway end to be counter-developmental.
On the other hand, there is evidence that all MP lands, and lands of older SI constructed, have been cleared of vegetation cover 84 , often doing away with the precious arable soil, and more particularly when using Ministry of Works Region graders. Often the land clearing of sites goes much beyond from the leveling of the strict ground of the proposed construction, sloppy or not. Since there is no land title/deed, no land survey plan, this destructive practice marks territories allocated by Chiefdoms to projects: schools, NCP, diptanks, etc. In addition, MP associations supported often had no legalised constitution. Unfortunately such land clearing and other vegetation destructive practices 85 impact wrong signals to the many small holders, the cattle owners overgrazing SNL, and the students. It causes durable loss of fertility and of arable soil, diminishes water conservation capacity and turns much of the solid carbon into climate warming gas. We could observe trees planting in
83 In September 2007, GoS declared the persistent drought as a national disaster. 84 At the Evusweni Nazarene pre-school (Hhohho), beautiful trees were even chopped down outside the fence compound, on the entrance side. Even the entire land tree/vegetation cover of diptank projects is cleared away such as is the case of Cota diptank, where part of the arable soil was also graded away by the Ministry of Works machines. 85 Such destructive practices are also met in other countries where land tenure systems face difficulties to modernize, that this to adapt to new realities, such as demographic rural growth, technological destructive means available, introduction of unbalance intensive techniques, such as medicines that reduce mortality livestock without meeting new fodder needs created. etc. ______39
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______only one MP out of the all SI sites visited: the NCP of Ka-Mngayi (Shiselweni region) planted some few young grafted fruits trees at the initiative of another programme, through a competition rewarding system.
R: Water, solid carbon/vegetation and soil conservations, are to be mainstreamed in all policies, programmes and practices of Swaziland stakeholders, as a top urgent priority, in order to reduce the poverty cycle of loss of fertility and of visible arable soil erosion, diminishing water conservation capacity and solid carbon/vegetation cover loss into climate warming gas. R: Fruits and multi-production trees and live fencing planting as well as alley leguminous and agroforestry cropping, and vegetation conservation on local water catchments, sources and around bore holes, need to be made a community contribution requirement by the MPP, and of course by any GoS, EC and/or any Donors programmes. MPP, and any other programme under the RS and the RDC need to generalize competition rewarding systems as to clearly and publicly encourage all stakeholders to engage in environment conservation and improvement actions, practices and attitudes. 86 .
Questioned on knowledge of dry land farming techniques, no cattle keeper, no MP beneficiary and no field civil servant, mentioned the potential of making hay, planting standing hay, and other practices such as cassava and other tuber cultivation, or dry river sub-ground dams, counter level stones alignments, agro-zoo-forestry, dairy camels 87 , homestead earth span rain water harvester (on hardened bare red soils), water saving pipe/bottle planted sub-roots manual irrigation, sugarcane heads as fodder, ECOSAN 88 fertilisers production dry latrines. Only one MP committee member met knew drip irrigation (agricultural technician, he irrigates 20 ha of sugar cane with water wasteful sprinklers). R: In line with the various international commitments, including latest MDG introduction (MDG 1 and 7), the crosscutting sustainability objective of the rural productive environment makes agro-forestry, agro-zoo-forestry, sustainable conservation cattle farming, etc, necessary tools, and obligations, for any rural MPP, and any other EC supported rural program in the desertifying and warming Africa.
Some remote MPP beneficiary communities visited 89 complained of having little access to land to cultivate and graze. They explained that they had to “buy back the land of their ancestors”, and worse, since they have no access to loan systems they can’t buy farms presently being sold. They further explained that such farms ends to be sold to new comers (i.e. employed persons 90 … ). This situation expressed on one or two of the MP sites visited, exists despite the general rule that “Communal land is not sold is Swaziland. Land is held by chiefs in trust of the King. The chief in consultations with inner council allocate land to citizens.”
86 Such competitions have been organized by other ACP MPP in all schools and even at the level of each pupil: e.g. the North Cameroon Mount Mandara MPP. The Togo 5 th MPP made it a compulsory requirement, including self-planting of multi-production trees on private lands of community members. 87 Contrary to cows, large feet of camels do not destroy little grass. Water need of camels is reduced. Camel milk is 4 times richer than the one of a Friesian cow. It gently grazes leaves of trees without destroying them like elephants. We refer the reader to the Kenya dairy camels industry, including those more productive imported by missionary from Pakistan. See also Israel dairy camels, and various other arid and semi-arid countries in Africa, etc. 88 ECOSAN: Ecological Sanitation: refer: www.CREPA , a West-Africa NGO, etc. 89 This was for instance the case submitted, with caution to the mission, by the Elugedzeni Electricity Scheme MP (including in writing). 90 that probably have access to loan schemes from their secured incomes. ______40
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As MPP training did not sufficiently integrate inter-groups networking methodology and proper constitutions were not systemised, committees’ governance may weaken again once MP constructions are completed. However, as said, the evaluation mission observed that some MP committees initiated additional projects after MPP initial support (classroom blocks in Lufafa PS and in Bambitje PS, Mbandzamane PS home economics block , teachers’ houses in Bambitje PS, Lomabhidla NCP pres-school rooms block, proposed irrigated vegetable garden at the Cota diptank … if the Ministry of Works made dam ever fills up). Such additional projects often appear to be supported from at least one GoS program and/or an International NGO. In the case of Primary Schools examples, very good commitments from Head Teachers, that are usually the school committee secretaries, transpired during our visit. R: To enlarge such local initiatives, and reduce elsewhere governance weakening of MP committees, MPP, and other EC/GoS rural support programs, need to integrate inter- groups networking methods, and support to community development association constitution review and legalisation.
6.2 GOS political & operational support to projects. Recommendations a new MPP Governance is a crosscutting theme for EC including decentralized governance. It is remarkable that MPP has been able to stand its ground in a centralized administrative context in which government agencies provide nearly all technical support to MPP projects. This achievement appears to have two important reasons that may be interrelated. First is the very positive and justified reputation among leaders met, and within RDCs members, who became advocates for the MPP approach and its ability to deliver quality community-based outputs, particularly when they compared results with GoS Ministries. Second has been MPP’s effectiveness in ‘recruiting’ indirectly the material inputs from traditional authorities and constituencies. This outside support and good will points directly to an adept institutional approach employed and the effectiveness of MPP management. These observations are not specific to this EDF phase, are part of a longer history.
R: The further fostering of this goodwill should bring about the decision of funding a new MPP, 10 EDF focussed (i.e. water, education and health), as well as cross cutting the MPPs traditional mission: i) participatory communities development basic needs and initiatives, ii) decentralised funding through RDCs that are inclusive of field NGOs/NSAs/developmental FBOs, as well as inclusive of beneficiary MP associations, iii) decentralised funding through field NSAs, and including linkages with competent I- NGOs and I-MFIs for more durable counselling supports, iv) focussing on poorer rural communities, and peri-urban groups, geographically identified, and v) necessarily mainstreaming the Nation rural poverty challenges in all supported actions.
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7 Conclusions and Recommendations
7.1 Conclusions
Programme Cycle Management was not sufficiently followed. The 2003 final evaluation of the 8EDF MicroProjects Programme (MPP) served for the then staff of the Microprojects Coordination Unit (MPCU) to “propose a draft Financing Agreement (FA), which was then reviewed by a Technical Assistant (TA) in NAO’s office”. The 9EDF MPP programme FA was ambitious. However no feasibility nor formulation study took place. Yet a proper process of formulation would have certainly looked at integrating the then known dramatic “Nation rural poverty challenges” into the FA Logical Framework. Best practices from other EU/ACP countries would have been proposed and better complementary with other programs, development actors as well as mainstreaming several MDGs: gender equity, environment sustainability, food security improvement, HIV proactive prevention. Parents AIDS sick medication rural facilities (clinic, etc.) would have been look at, at least as a task of the Steering Committee. The articulation of rural women income generation and microfinance and NGOs support and linkages would have received working proposals. Considering changes and more competitive orientations introduced by the 2000 Cotonou Agreement, together with the national wish to further take ahead the ‘paradigm shift’ that was introduced during the 8 EDF MPP, overall Technical Assistance (TA) would have been integrated to support the MPP management.
End of 2003, when the MPP 9EDF implementation started, no “global inception report” was produced. The MPCU team certainly continued “business as usual”. Actually people did not notice a difference between the 8EDF and 9EDF. As example, the application form for MP proposal is still the one on the 7EDF MPP, a program that was insufficiently participatory according to its final evaluation.
The Logical Framework approach was not sufficiently followed from 2003 to 2006 MTR, including in the reporting. Generally the “bottom results and activities” were not implemented then dropped, yet they were and are very strategic to contribute to the MPP objectives to impact on rural poorer Swazi, and particularly women and the many Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs).
Results dropped are: 4a) Small business enterprises, which are profitable and sustainable 4b) Strengthen NGO’s capacity through collaboration with other business counselling organizations. Activities dropped are: 4.1) Providing small business training and loan funds for business investment 4.2) Conducting a study on pilot and selected communities 4.2) Provide business counselling services for small entrepreneurs 1.3) Secure TA for design and supervision of water projects
In the absence of specific TA supporting MPP overall management, the MPCU took time to be informed of, and master changes in the 9EDF EC/ACP implementation procedures, including the then EC Administrative deconcentration on going process. ______42
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In addition the information launching of the MPP 9EDF could have insufficiently reached the poorer communities and poorer rural groups for two reasons: i) Empowering the poorer groups is thought to be primarily achieved through MPCU training for helping building committees of approved Microprojects (MPs) to build social and economic facilities. ii) The launching of the MPP 9EDF did not consider tapping into NSAs that are in the field, and this include FBOs networks, yet they are silently active and networking. In addition the launching was only on Swaziland newspaper and radio. There was no specific launching letter delivered, with application forms, to each community, particularly the remotest ones and their sub-groups (women, schools, youth, church groups,…).
Again MDG poor oriented criteria could have been spelt more clearly in the FA and/or in the inception report: e.g. water, classroom blocks, rural clinics and sustainable income/food security projects. Hence such projects could have certainly been more dominant.
Mapping poorer zones, poorer groups within Chiefdom communities, and type of community projects that impact better on the Nation rural extreme poverty is of great importance.
If the MPCU would have called NGOs, including FBOs, right at the beginning of the implementation period, EDF would not have had to decommit funds in early 2007 (€ 1,280,000). Last but not least, it appears that NSAs/CSOs are not yet fully perceived as essential in “participatory planning and development methods”. Yet on the long run NSAs/CSOs are usually very instrumental to help ensuring in a cost effective manner, good governance of local groups and committees for maintenance and further local development dynamics.
Nevertheless 9EDF MPP achievements are great
Indeed, the MPCU team, with the MPP Region Development Committees (RDC) including their Ministry of Works technicians, delivered.
Achievements are summarized as follow: i) The communities’ contribution to construct their projects is effectively of 25 % value. This is fully in line with MPP principle and requirement. Perhaps some difficulties in attaining the 25% contribution were observed on very few projects (such as small bridges and fencing “conservation parks”). However best on best practices, conception of construction, ownership, and maintenance, can be improved in all MPs that face participation difficulties.
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Funds Disbursed funds 2003 - 2007
EU funds 21,233,430 GoS/CDSF 12,193,533 GoS/Japan grant 17,612,169 Kellogg grant 5,100,000
TOTAL 56,139,132
iii) While in Euro equivalent, this would totals up to about € 5,613,913 (excluding community participation), EDF paid all operational costs of the MPCU (14 staff only). In addition GoS funded from its ordinary budget lines, RDC and Ministry of Works technicians. Unfortunately GoS operational costs is not documented and community participation is not yet officially accounted for 91 .
In the 4 years implementation phase of the 9EDF MPP, a total of 147 MicroProjects were achieved under MPCU management , as follow:
SECTOR NO. OF PROJECTS DIRECT BENEFICIARIES
Education 81 40,262 Rural Electrification 17 12,184 Neighborhood Care Points 11 10,167 Agriculture (dip tanks) 10 4,946 Water Supply 6 12,420
In addition 11 MPs were implemented under NSAs during 2007. Generally the MPP made sure that all building MPs are electrified and equipped with roof rain harvester systems, pit latrines blocks.
The total number of direct beneficiaries (99,656) reaches 10% of the Nation population . They are concentrated in rural and peri-urban areas.
Finally we observed that all MPs visited are functional, except one large rain harvester reservoir 92 .
However rural water is still a challenge and very often beneficiaries met (including on projects developed with other programs or earlier on) expressed the diminishing quantity of water available . In two schools of the dry South-East there was total lack of water on
91 However the MPCU was able to provide for most of MPs, community contribution value: see Annexes 13 to 18 . 92 Made of in fired bricks-cement, its capacity may be of 45m3, in a primary school of the dry East of Shiselweni. ______44
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Through the various visits, transects and interactions, we also came to confront the following questions: - the common “overgrazing and erosion phenomena” (donga, … ), - the generalised maize mono-cropping, yet it costly and highly dry spell sensitive, while dry spell resistant crops (tubers, such as cassava 93 , …) are seldom seen. - the quasi absence of technical training centres in rural and peri-urban areas. - the introduction by MPP of imported gaz and electric oven-cookers while also introducing home economics blocks in Primary Schools, yet these energies are expensive, imported and drought and warming causing. - the water availability requirement for Primary Schools to be allocated an agriculture teacher so as to begin farming/food production training. - the quasi-absence of dry farming practices (absence of conservation farming, of agrozooforestry, of agroforestry, of hay making, of standing hay planting, of drip irrigation -home made-… ), - the impossibility for the mission to meet farmers organisations/associations, at local and national level, a part of diptank committees. - the absence of water catchment area conservation community practices and support programme, - the “wall of poor collaboration” between GoS/MPP and FBOs, yet “80% of Swazi go to Church once a week, … yet Churches owned 40% of primary schools”. - the non administration of available ARV medication by nurses of rural clinics to parents AIDS sick.
7.2 Recommendations
1. GoS/EC/UN: Rural water supply, with water conservation, rain harvesting and using solar renewable energy , needs still a lot of practical support. Water efficiency needs to be mainstreamed in all sectors. o In dryer areas, and/or “salty underground water” areas, water initiatives need to consider subground water harvesting (subground clay dams in the sand of dry rivers, homestead earth span 94 rain water with ground tanks, …), through giving support to pilot initiatives, not excluding Call for Proposals (CfP) challenging local NSAs and including linkages with competent I-NGOs and I- Networks. A future MPP need i) to recruit semi-arid and dry land rural water and soil conservation experts with sound semi-arid land experience, ii) to ensure on the job training of local NSAs, including farmers and women associations, as well as to introduce those practices into schools syllabus.
93 This includes grafted cassava types, that are even more permanent and productive, more effective on food insecurity. 94 on hardened bare red soils. ______45
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2. GoS/EC/UN: Primary education: in complementary to the 52 schools buildings that SET program is to build, a future MPP needs to ensure that primary schools are opened or sized up, and classrooms blocks built and made functional, where groups , and children, are not yet served/underserved . This should be a priority before constructing more home economic blocks, kitchen and fences. o For fences, project committees need to use live trees, shrubs and other plants concepts. Planting multi-production trees and plants, and vegetation cover protection, needs to be made a prerequisite as MP community contribution (fences, sides of access roads, yards, water catchment areas, … and also on private/household plots such as alley agrozooforestry cropping. A future MPP need to recruit semi-arid rural water, soil conservation experts with sound alley agro-zoo-forestry cropping experience. PS and other rural services, need to be equipped with rural energy efficient cookers (biomass and solar cookers, solar thermal heaters), and relevant training services 95 developed. The SET program needs to find ways to improve the level of local contributions, in order to jeopardize the local participation culture and practices that the Swaziland MPPs managed to develop over years. o Ensure, and where necessary pilot, bioclimatic principles in MP architectural designs and the choice of constructing material to use, with view to decrease both construction and functioning costs and improving comfort. o The primary school syllabus needs to be relevant and practical to rapid rural poverty reduction. Hence available relevant didactic materials need to be imported, distributed and/or multiplied for and with teachers training. o To quickstart the process in rural areas, MPCU needs to distribute to all Primary Schools and committees, NCPs, water committees and rural health units, and FBO rural groups, practical books in these fields. CTA could guide MPCU in finding most relevant ones. . A future MPP needs to liaise with the SET program to ensure that all resources are used in a coordinated manner and with synergy.
3. GoS/EC/UN: Rural clinics , where absent or not sufficiently functioning, are requested by the rural voiceless. In addition rural clinic projects need to include URGENT training of nurses to administer the available ARV medication to the thousands parents that are affected by AIDS. Rural nurses and teachers needs also to be trained on quality food security / dry farming production, so that the hundreds of thousands that are HIV/AIDS affected and food insecure are empowered to contribute to their extreme poverty reduction. A future MPP needs to liaise with rural clinics HIV/AIDS related programs, if any, to ensure that MPP resources are used in best effective manner and with synergy.
4. GoS/EC/UN: Renewable clean energies : Considering the various Nation rural poverty challenges and potentials, and in the context of increasing Sustainable Development Global Commitments, renewable clean energies need to be given full support, including tax vacancies and mainstreaming, starting from the women friendly solar water pumps which are very reliable and competitive. Primary Schools, and other rural services, need to be equipped with rural energy efficient cookers (biomass and solar cookers, solar thermal heaters), and relevant training services developed.
95 Competent I-NGOs in such field need to be called in by a future MPP. Alternatively/in addition I-NGOs and reliable relevant local NSAs need to be requested to call for international partnership/networking in such field, using financial support of a future MPP. ______46
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5. GoS/EC: Rural Electrification Schemes : MPCU Steering Committee has the challenge to revisit why communities should not be the owner of these schemes, since MPP principle is to support communities that invest 25% contribution in their owned projects. In the context of the energy sector liberalization including the recent transformation of SEB into a company (SEC), the empowerment principle leads communities to collect levies for further Local Development Dynamics, including classic renewable energy developments.
6. GoS/EC/UN: Diptank projects are livestock disease control project, that need to be enlarged to sustainable intensive cattle farming, starting from the introduction of fodder harvesting and production (standing hay planting, …), through giving URGENTLY support to pilot initiatives, not excluding Call for Proposals (CfP) challenging local NSAs and including linkages with competent I-NGOs and I-Networks 96 .. o Hence, MPCU, with the support of Members of Parliament, the MoAC, the MNRE, and all CANGO rural oriented members including FBOs, needs to challenge all actual dip tank committees i) to embark on fodder harvesting and production, and ii) where the communal grazing land is an area of water catchment, to develop measure and actions towards water conservation (counter level alignments with stones and/or plants, overgrazing control, bush fire control). This has to be a pre-condition to any additional dip tanks project support. o In dryer areas, dairy camel initiatives need to be considered to reduce water need and mostly vegetation and soil erosion damages, through giving support to pilot initiatives (perhaps NSA).
7. GoS/Swaziland Parliament: Rural sustainable food security and production environment : If impact on mass poverty is to be achieved, GoS and Swaziland Parliament, with Donor support where appropriate, need to introduce, favor, stimulate and mainstream the following: 7.1) Pursue the gender equity MDG not only at community level where efforts are still needed, but mostly at all higher levels of governance. 7.2) Ensure, for rural clinics, URGENT training of nurses to administer the available ARV medication to the thousands parents that are affected by AIDS. In addition ensure that rural nurses, and Primary School teachers, are URGENTLY trained on backyard garden quality food security using dry farming practices, so that the hundreds of thousands that are HIV/AIDS affected and food insecure are empowered to contribute to their extreme poverty reduction. 7.3) Ensure revisiting policies and implementation of practical programs that contribute to the development of i) renewable energies, ii) dryland farming / agro-zoo-forestry practices, iii) drought resistant crops, along with relevant food quality and security recipes, as well as iv) water efficiency, harvesting and conservation at community and individual levels that, ecological sanitation (ECOSAN dry latrines, …), etc. 7.4) Ensure that the primary school syllabus is made more relevant and practical to rapid rural poverty reduction, including in ensuring that available
96 Competent I-NGOs in such field need to be called in by a future MPP. In addition I-NGOs and reliable relevant local NSAs need to be requested to call for international partnership/networking in such field, using financial support of a future MPP. ______47
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relevant didactic materials are imported, distributed and/or multiplied for and with teachers training. 7.5) Turn the National Maize Competition into the National Food Production and Security Competition, giving strong positions to drought resistant tubers, crops, fruits trees and sustainable livestock farming productions 97 , and quality food relevant recipes, that are diversified, sustainable and household poverty eradication oriented. 7.6) Allocate Nation and Donor resources to Saving and Credit rural groups (within MFI competent network) for fencing material, including solar electrical fences and live agroforestry fences, that will protect planted pastures, hay fields as well as dry farming food production fields. 7.7) Ensure, including where necessary piloting of, bioclimatic principles in construction architectural designs and in the choice of constructing material 98 to use, with view to increase clean development practices (hence reducing warming gas pollutions) and to decrease costs of constructions and mostly of their functioning, while improving comfort. 7.8) Ensure reduction of electricity bills and consumption of climate warming energies, starting from MPP units (MPCU and RDCs), NAO and ECD units and programs, through introducing passive solar bioclimatic architecture, solar heaters, Canadian/Persian air conditioning wells 99 , and/or solar absorption air conditioning, etc 100 . 7.9) Introduce incentives for rural Chiefdom communities to create villages and rural centers at convenient locations 101 .
97 Mono-cropping maize is climate warming polluting: one kg of urea (nitrogen fertilizer) for maize production consumes in the region of 3kgs of oil to manufacture it, hence considering the enormous quantities of oil burnt to produce and transport urea fertilizers to maize fields, this grey energy burnt is climate warming and drought causing. Yet legumes, including agrozooforestry ones, cultivated on crop rotation basis and/or alley cropping will produce higher quality food and fodder, while it feeds free of charge the soil with nitrogen fertilizer. In addition agrozooforestry alley cropping systems are highly water conservation positive, while ensuring soil microclimate cooling, exactly opposite to the actual Swazi system of extensive pasture overgrazing and maize mono-cropping. 98 The grey energy is the unseen energy consumed by the production process of the materiel. Examples: on construction, great difference of grey energy consumption will appear depending of material choice. Stones blocks use for ditch drainages will be clean development, compare to reinforced concrete cement. Stone blocks use with lime to construct walls will bit many times fired bricks and cement walls. Compressed red soil blocks, using the South African press, is pretty climate warming clean for wall construction, while compressed red soil blocks, have also much higher insulation efficiency than cement walls, and finally are much cheaper. 99 One or several polyethylene pipe, 160 to 200mm diameter, 50m long is/are placed 2m deep to capture soil coolness that is injected in the air ventilation system of office/hotel building when needed to be comfortable. The energy efficiency is 7 to 12 times higher that the compressor classic air conditioner. Hence it is highly climate warming fighting, including free compressor gaz (these gaz are highly climate warming agents). Finally as other renewable energies, air conditioning wells are clearly local economy development oriented. 100 Electrical, hybrid and solarised vehicles are available on world market, and need to be mainstreamed in all public programs. Solarized hybrid vehicles are also very relevant in Swaziland since there is much potential for “down the slopes” gravity energy capturing, as well as solar (PV bodies and car park solar roof, …). Google a number of competent websites, including www.homepower.com and its links, … and even www.venturi.fr for climate warming cleanest vehicle: solar. 101 At the moment the rural landscape do not allow village creation, hence do not allow sustainable development modernization, because the actual traditional land tenure system allocates pieces of land to homesteads for food and livestock home production. The commercial selling of land is not allowed, hence population regrouping for non farming activities into convenient villages/rural centers is difficult. This contributes to maintain the mass poverty status quo in rural areas. ______48
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7.10) Accelerate the decentralisation process empowering groups of communities (local government) to work harder together, collecting local taxes and contribution. 7.11) Ensure that programs support legalisation and registration of all microproject community associations, with relevant constitutions, etc, at the appropriate region service. 7.12) Introduce a significant fiscal bonus and preferably tax vacancy, for all diptank committees, and their Chiefdom, that will officially embark on hay production, including equitable land allocation to women, child headed homesteads and land poor cattle owners, for their hay production and standing hay planting 102 . In parallel, Parliament needs to introduce a tax on overgrazing and environment degradations charged to all diptank committees and Chiefdom, that will not embark into such intensive durable livestock production through hay production and planting hay. 7.13) Reorient the statutory Swaziland Dairy Board towards traditional extensive and small cattle farmers (since SNL farmers owns 80% of the national 655,381 cattle herd) instead of concentrating on the few dairy farmers 103 . The objective would be that the 48.21millions litres of imported milk (85% of the Swazi demand) are produced locally by the many small cattle farmers, using intensive sustainable practices 104 , creating much needed self-employment in rural and peri-urban areas. 7.14) Coordinate with the EU urgent revisiting of the EU beef import policy with objective of achieving Swaziland environment and climate sustainability and food security for the poorer rural Swazi: stop visible erosion, introduce visible water and soil conservation practices, including on the SNL, introduce forage storage and sustainable forage cultivation practices (e.g. lucerne, fodder trees, elephant grass, sugar cane heads and maize/sorghum stems as harvested fodder, live trees fences, etc.), stop biodiversity and vegetation degradation / stop solid carbon destruction (i.e. bush veld fires and trees eradication practices). 7.15) Coordinate with the EU and AU Parliaments, EC and AU, as well as with the UN agencies, I-NGOs and I-FBOs, to cooperate and support, where appropriate, on the above recommendations.
8. GoS/EC: Finally, considering the following points, we recommend to the NAO and ECD to undertake a feasibility study to prepare a new MPP programme , with view to implement, in rural areas, relevant actions of the 10 EDF / CSP programming: i) that rural communities and stakeholders understand and appreciate the MPP local participation and empowerment strategy , ii) that rural poorer Swazi are still many to prioritize water, food security and employability training, and health , iii) that while GoS is committed to pursue community empowerment process, through the decentralisation Articles of the New Constitution,
The 10 th EDF MPP programme would integrate best practices and lessons learnt from other ACP countries including ways to support further the decentralisation
102 For example: developing zero grazing systems with elephant grass planted standing hay (see Kenya, etc.). 103 P84, Swaziland business year book 2008, A commercial Guide (170p). 104 To boost harvesting hay, introduce strong classic hedge electrical cutters powered with mobile solar panels, sold through a credit system to small cattle farmers. ______49
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process, NSAs capacity building through activities, and focussing on rural basic services that are mostly needed to empower rural poorer Swazi, especially women, girls and OVCs (i.e. water, heath and education, ...). Mainstreaming of the Nation rural poverty factors would be done through best complementary practices within the intervention logic conception, and later, would remain flexible to adapt and closely coordinate to other actual programs and stakeholders. etc. A future MPP would need to operate in a decentralized manner, support the decentralisation process, as well as the NSAs development process including Civil Society associations, farmers association, women associations and development oriented FBOs. Such an MPP needs concentrate on the two poorest, and most climate warming affected regions, i.e. Eastern and Southern remote areas.
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8 ANNEXES
Annex 1: Terms of Reference of this Final Evaluation Annex 2: Name of the evaluator and its firm Annex 3 : Methodology applied for the study (phases, methods of data collection, sampling, etc) Annex 4: MPP Logical Framework matrices: original of the FA, and 2 nd revised version June 2006 by Program Estimate N°7 (PE7) Annex 4.1: MPP Logical Framework for the Swaziland Micro-projects Programme (2003-2007) (re: Financial Agreement) Annex 4.2: MPP Logical Framework 2006-2007 (2 nd revision through Program Estimate 7, prior to MTR)
Annex 5: Maps of project area Ax 5.1: Country Map Ax 5.2: MPP 9EDF projects by sector 2003-2007, and NSAs (MPCU, 31jan08) Ax 5.2: MPP 9EDF: projects 2003-2006 & PE7, NSA excluded (MPCU 19feb08) Ax 5.4: MPP Japan (GoS agric fund) projects, 2003-2007 (by MPCU, 19feb2008) Ax 5.5: MPP GoS/CDSF projects, 2003-2007 (by MPCU, 2008feb19). Ax 5.6: Primary Schools (MoE 2004 map) with 9 proposed boreholes (REASWA/ACAT EU Water Facility) Ax 5.7: Swaziland enumeration areas map: Chiefdoms communities, Jan 2008 Ax 5.8: Land tenure map of Swaziland, FAO (via MPCU 2008feb05)
Annex 6: Persons/organisations consulted / sites visited Annex 7: Literature and documentation consulted Annex 8: DAC summary (1 page), for the database of the Evaluation Unit Annex 9: MPP Organogram Annex 10: List of completed EDUCATION projects, components & direct beneficiaries Annex 11: Workshop with Stakeholders & Beneficiaries of the MPP programme, 2008 February 12: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS (handouts) Annex 12: Workshop with Stakeholders & Beneficiaries of the MPP, 2008 February 12: QUESTIONS & REPLIES FROM GROUPS Annex 13: Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, 9 EDF - Programme Estimate No 7 (PE7), 2006/10 to 2007/09 Annex 14: Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, 9 EDF - Programme Estimate No 6 (PE6), 2005/12 to 2006/11 Annex 15: Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, 9 EDF - Programme Estimate No 3 (PE3), 2004/07 to 2005/09 Annex 16: Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, GoS/CDSF: PE3, 2004/07 to 2005/09 Annex 17: Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, GoS/CDSF: PE7, 2006/10 to 2007/09 Annex 18 : Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, GoS/Japan grant: 2004 to 2007/09 Annex 19: Final debriefing Aide Memoire (handouts)
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Annex 1
Terms of Reference
EUROPEAID/119860/C/SV/multi
LOT 1: Rural Development and Food Security
REQUEST No.: 2007/144232
SPECIFIC TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR PROGRAMME/PROJECT FINAL EVALUATION
OF THE MULTI-ANNUAL MICRO PROJECTS PROGRAMME (9ACPSW 001)
1. BACKGROUND
Swaziland is classified as a medium income country, performing better than most members of SADC. However, the dichotomous nature of the economy and the disparity between the rich and the poor represent a continued challenge for development in Swaziland. Swaziland’s Gini coefficient of 51 classifies it as a country with highly unequal income distribution (Gini coefficient between 50 and 70). Even though the national income per capita is about US$1350, about 69% (of which 63% are females and 37% males) of the population live below the national poverty line of Emalangeni 128.6 (US$24) per capita per month in 2004. In addition, there are significant regional disparities. Factors found to contribute to the incidence of poverty include rapid population growth, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, a skewed distribution of income and resources, growing unemployment and food insecurity.
The Micro Projects Programme (MPP) aims to support the process of capacity building and empowerment of beneficiary communities through the process of training and direct disbursement of funds.
The implementation of the MPP is carried out by the Micro-projects Co-ordination unit, a semi-autonomous body linked to the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development (MEPD). The overall objective of the Programme is ‘sustained socio-economic development amongst poorer Swazi communities’ . The specific objective is ‘ to contribute to sustained social and economic development by a process of empowering poor Swazis in rural and peri-urban areas, with a specific emphasis on women’.
The Financing Agreement specifies the programme to achieve the following results: 1. Wider use of participatory development methods with increased involvement of women
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2. New or improved social and economic infrastructure facilities completed by beneficiaries 3. Improved decentralization and co-ordination process at MPCU 4. Small business enterprises, which are profitable and sustainable 5. Strengthen NGO’s capacity through collaboration with other business counselling organizations.
To achieve the above results the following activities were to be implemented: • Promoting and co-ordinating participatory planning and development methods, emphasizing the inclusion of women • Training on pre-project participatory planning with communities, project management and monitoring • Providing funds to communities for small infrastructure project implementation • Reporting quarterly by the MPCU • Providing small business training and loan funds for business investment • Conducting a study on pilot and selected communities • Provide business counselling services for small entrepreneurs • Secure TA for design and supervision of water projects
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE ASSIGNMENT a) Global Objective The objective of the evaluation is to assess whether the project has been able to deliver and make the impact it was intended both to the beneficiaries and the national economy, and whether the targets/outputs envisaged at the beginning of the assignment have been realised. b) Specific Objectives The final evaluation study, which has been foreseen in the Technical and Administrative Provisions of the project’s Financing Agreement, will provide the decision-makers in the Government of Swaziland and the European Commission with sufficient information:
1. to make an informed assessment on the past performance of the project (its efficiency, effectiveness and impact) particularly with regards to the distribution of services to the beneficiaries, 2. to document lessons learned and to provide practical recommendations for follow-up action with possible funding under the 10 th EDF..
The evaluation assignment will be guided by the following evaluation criteria:
Relevance • Review and analyse on the current relevance of the Microrprojects Programme in relation to Government policy and the real needs of intended beneficiaries. • Provide an analysis on what methods have been applied to ensure organizational development for sustainable linkages between Microprojects Programme, government agencies, EC and other stakeholders. • Assess whether the methodology/processes for implementing this programme are capable of developing a sustainable impact towards achieving a sustainable development in beneficiary communities.
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• Identify best practices and local network systems that have emerged as an outcome of the Microprojects Programme in empowering communities to be self sustainable in development. • Assess the relevance of the capacity building programmes offered by Microprojects Programme in empowering beneficiaries to manage and sustain their own projects.
Efficiency • Assess the extent to which the costs of financed projects have been justified by the benefits accrued. • Assess the networking opportunities created through the Microprojects Programme amongst government agencies, communities and other stakeholders.
Effectiveness • Assess whether the planned Programme benefits have been delivered and received, as perceived mainly by the key beneficiaries. • Assess the strengths and weaknesses of this Microprojects Programme • Review the performance of the technical assistance (quality of the assistance received by the Microprojects Programme during 9 th EDF. • Establish the external factors that have contributed both positively and adversely on the delivery of Programme results.
Impact • Provide evidence which demonstrates the impact of the Microprojects Programme amongst beneficiary communities. • Indicate community capacities that have been built by the Microprojects Programme through training of beneficiaries.
Sustainability • Review and analyse the sustainability of the Microprojects Programme. • Make recommendations for the future of the Microprojects Programme. This should include an analysis of the level of political support from various Ministries and an indication of whether the Government or EC is likely to continue funding any of the initiatives. c) Requested Services
The consultant shall verify, analyse and assess in necessary detail the issues outlined in Appendix_1 “Format for evaluation reports” (to be provided to consultant on arrival). The list of issues is not intended to be exhaustive. The consultant is required to use their professional judgement and experience to review all relevant factors and to bring these to the attention of the Government and European Commission.
1. For methodological guidance the consultant will refer to ‘‘A Guide to the Evaluation Procedures and Structures in the Commission’s External Co-operation Programmes’, Evaluation Unit, March 2001), as well as to ‘’Aid Delivery Methods’, Volume 1 ‘Project Cycle Management Guidelines (EuropeAid , March 2004), from which the key issues in Appendix 1 have been drawn. Reference should also be made to source material on cross-cutting issues (environmental sustainability, gender, good governance and human rights) to be made available by the Delegation.
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2. For the purpose of the final evaluation the following documents constitute primary sources of information: • EC Country Strategy Paper for Swaziland 2001-2007 • Government documents • Project identification study • Project feasibility study • Project financing agreement • Project’s Global and Annual Operational Plans (Work Programmes, • Programme Estimates and budgets) • Project’s quarterly and half-yearly progress reports, • Technical reports produced by TAs assigned to the project • EC’s Result Oriented Monitoring Reports • Minutes and preparatory dossiers of the meetings of the Technical Steering • Committee • Project’s mid-term evaluation report and eventual other relevant evaluations
3. The consultant will hold inception and final meetings with the EC Delegation and the NAO in Mbabane. The consultant will, at the start of their assignment in the country, prepare and submit to the Delegation a work plan detailing their methodology and timetable. 4. The mission will take necessary measures to ensure adequate contact and consultation with, and involvement of, the different stakeholders. The consultant should work closely with Microprojects Coordination Unit staff in Mbabane as well as in MPP regional offices. The team will report directly to the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development (NAO). The consultant will work in close co- operation with the EC Delegation and also keep the National Authorising Officer (NAO) in MEPD informed of progress throughout the assignment. 5. The mission will also work closely together with the competent government authorities and agencies during their entire assignment. 6. As a basis for the analysis, the consultant will draw up (or revise, as appropriate) the logical framework matrix of the project as it applied at its outset and as revised at the time of the mid term evaluation (to be attached as Annex 4 to the evaluation report). 7. The consultant will use the most reliable and appropriate sources of information and will harmonise data from different sources to allow ready interpretation. 8. The text of the report should be illustrated, as appropriate, with maps, graphs and tables; a map of the project’s area(s) of intervention is required (to be attached as Annex 5 to the evaluation report). 9. Specific detailed analyses, where appropriate, underlying sections of the main report will be annexed to the main report. 10. The consultant will make sure that their assessments are objective and balanced, affirmations accurate and verifiable, and recommendations realistic.
d) Required Outputs
The consultant will be expected to produce a final report at the end of the assignment detailing the progress made in achieving the goals of the project and providing lessons learnt.
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This report will also provide guidance for future activities in this sector(s) either funded by the EU or other donors (including Government). The format and specificities of the report are detailed at point 5. Reporting. The final report will be preceded by a draft report which is to be submitted to the EC Delegation, the NAO and relevant National Authorities (cfr. pt 5. Reporting) within 10 working days from the date of departure of the mission from Swaziland.
The consultant is also expected to organize and facilitate, at the end of the assignment a full day workshop , with stakeholders and beneficiaries of the MPP programme, with a maximum attendance of 50 people. The objective of the workshop will be the presentation of the preliminary findings of the evaluation mission, and the debate on effectiveness efficiency impact and sustainability-related issues. The consultant will cover the costs related to material, equipment, conference room, secretarial support, refreshments and lunch. Travel, per diems and accommodation costs will not be covered.
3. EXPERT PROFILE
The mission will be composed of one expert category II with the following required profile: • At least 10 years relevant experience in programme / project identification and preparation / formulation, implementation of cooperation projects, evaluations (exante, interim, ex-post etc.) and monitoring. • Proven professional experience with local communities' development in particular with issues related to: o access to health and education services in rural areas, o rural infrastructure development and maintenance included irrigation and drainage, o animal production and health, o agricultural primary production, included horticulture • An advanced university degree in a related field (rural development, social sciences, human development) • Suitable qualifications and experience in project planning, management and/or evaluation. • Proven working experience in EDF/BUDGET projects evaluation; • Experience from implementation and evaluations of Microprojects programmes funded by the EDF would be of advantage; • Fully conversant with the principles and working methods of the European Commission project cycle management approach; • At least 5 years working experience in developing countries ; • Proficient command and writing skills of the English Language. • Experience in organising and facilitating workshop and roundtables • EU (15) member-state or ACP nationality.
4. LOCATION AND DURATION
The indicative starting date of the assignment is end January 2008 at the latest.
The total duration of the assignment is 25 working days of which:
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• 18 working days in Swaziland, • 5 working days of report writing • 2 travel days
Weekends and public holidays are not considered to be working days. The assignment will primarily take place in Mbabane, Swaziland under the guidance of the EC Delegation and the National Authorising Office. Short trips within Swaziland can be envisaged, thus the need to allow for local transport expenses.
5. REPORTING
The mission’s outputs will consist of a provisional final report of maximum 50 pages (main text, excluding annexes) to be presented, within 10 days from the date of departure of the mission from Swaziland in 2 hard copies to the National Authorising Officer, 2 hard copies to the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, 1 hard copy to the Project Coordinating Unit and 3 hard copies to the EC Delegation to Swaziland. The consultant will also be required to submit a virus-free electronic form (MS Word, Excel) of the draft report to the EC Delegation by email .
STRUCTURE OF THE REPORT • Report writing will be guided by the following main headings • Introduction • Objectives of evaluation • Methodology • Relevance • Efficiency • Effectiveness • Impact • Sustainability • Conclusions and Recommendations
A final report incorporating any comments received from the EC Delegation and competent government authorities and stakeholders on the provisional final report, to be presented within 10 days from the receipt of the Delegation’s comments on the provisional version.
The final report will be submitted to the EC Delegation to Swaziland in 12 hard copies (English in DIN A4) as well as in a virus-free electronic form (MS Word, Excel) on CD-ROM and email.
6. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
6.1 Reimbursable costs
Authorised reimbursable items include international and local travel costs, per diems and the organisation of the full day workshop for the debriefing and presentation of results (as per item 2.9).
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Costs eligible for the organisation of the information/debriefing workshop include: the location of an appropriate, equipped room, provision of refreshments and light finger lunch for the participants, informative material, stationary, telecommunication and secretarial costs related to this item (different from those covered by the fees). Travel, per diems and accommodation will be paid by the participants themselves. Expected number of participants: approximately 50.
No equipment can be supplied via the framework contract (the same applies to the purchase of software). Telecommunications and secretarial costs other than those necessary for the organisation of the Debriefing meeting must be covered by the fees.
Provision for local travel applies to “Inter city” trips in the interests of the assignment. Travel within the area of Mbabane city and from there to the accommodation of the expert is covered by the per diem.
6.2 Visa
No visa is required for visits to the country for less than 30 days.
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Annex 2
Name of the evaluator and its firm
FAYOLLE André
Italtrend, Italy
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Annex 3
Methodology applied for the study
Arrival day, 2008 January 23 afternoon, served to solve basic logistics in Mbabane (bank, hotel, country map) and allowed some readings. The tentative detailed Time table / work plan for the Evaluation of the MicroProjects Programme (MPP) proposed on 2008 January 21 served as a basis to exchange views on the evaluation methodology, at the ECD/NAO briefing on 24jan2008, and then immediately at the MPCU introduction meeting.
The elements of the methodology during this evaluation were, with iterations, as follow: • exploratory readings, and further readings as necessary (throughout) • early exploratory visits of a first batch of MicroProjects (MP) of divers sectors and interacting with MP committee members. This also served as a first transect in the country, south-east ward (on Saturday 2008 January 24). • From these early exploratory visits and first interactions, we drafted a questionnaire that was given out to MP committees we later met. • interviews of national MPP/development partners as necessary and including some NSA/NGOs and FBOs, in their diversity. • understanding main constraints and priorities, particularly with regard to poorer rural and peri-urban Swazi. • identification/confirmation of main NSA, with view to visit some MPP “grant MPs” • have the MPCU produce a map to locate their various MPs, in their diversity and including those through grants, • choose MPs to visit, with view to ensure diversity (types, success, difficulties) with regards to poverty. • MPs visits in the 4 regions, including interactions with local actors and committees, on the 5 criteria. This included, where time allowed, stop over visits to other MPs en route, and to some other schools and basic services and infrastructures). We gave attention to environment and gender situations 105 and to identification/understanding the main constraints and priorities, particularly related to the rural poverty cycle, and with regard to the expected empowerment process. • Capitalisation and producing preliminary findings (throughout process), • Early debriefing to the NAO/MEDP. • Preliminary debriefings of findings at MPCU (staff) and with the ECD task manager. • Ensure secretarial services and liaise with MPCU and ECD to organize the MPP national stakeholders and beneficiaries workshop (venue arrangements, powerpoint presentation and producing documentation on preliminary findings for participants, as well as questions for workgroups and debate, …). • Held the national stakeholders and beneficiaries workshop on 2008 February 12. • Further meetings with some national stakeholders and MPCU including quadripartite meeting with 9 EDF Education programme ECD/NAO/MPCU stakeholders. • Final debriefing at the ECD with NAO staff. • departure and provisional report writing
105 Even though, reference documentation mentioned was not provided to the mission. ______60
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Flexibility was kept throughout the process to adapt to findings during the mission in the field. We could also visit the additional “non directly MPP involved” NSAs/NGOs/FBOs that were suggested with the Task Manager early during the mission, except Community Water Developers that could not be located.
Annex 6 gives persons and/or organizations consulted, sites visited, accompanying persons and dates. Last but not least, to ensure independent analysis, i) we visited various other MPs, that were not in the initial list, and ii) all “deeper interviews” of MP committees and other stakeholders were conducted without MPCU staff, including answering the questionnaire by MP committees and the groups’ work at the national workshop.
Recommendation: Perhaps, from this field experience, we would suggest that for future rural missions, i) an interpreter is necessary as the Kiswati language is widely spoken and English poorly understood in rural communities (a female to be in position to handle better gender issues), ii) nights in various regions, especially the southern, the south-eastern and even the northern parts would be allow more time with communities 106 .
106 In fact the general mountainous road condition of the country, and the poor access roads of remotest communities, do not conveniently allow to come back every day to Mbabane, and more so when accompanying persons needs to be back to office at 17pm. ______61
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Annex 4
MPP Logical Framework matrices: Original FA 2003 version, and 2 nd revised version June 2006 by Program Estimate N°7 (PE7)
Annex 4.1: MPP Logical Framework for the Swaziland Micro-projects Programme (2003-2007) (re: Financial Agreement)
Intervention Logic Objectively Verifiable Indicators Sources of Verification Assumptions and Risks MPP Financing Proposal is Overall Sustained socio-economic Social and economic development indicators defined Participatory impact approved Objective development and empowerment by World Bank and/or UNDP evaluation with beneficiaries amongst poorer Swazi communities as well as the base line survey Evaluation study reports Purpose / To contribute to sustained social and 1. Increase in the number of poor men and women Communities are willing to comparing current status with economic development by a process participating in the leadership roles as owner s of the participate, manage and Specific baseline survey of empowering poor Swazis in rural projects compared to baseline survey indicators . provide contributions for Objective empowerment indicators and peri-urban areas, with a specific 2. Increased capacity of community members to their projects MPCU and external emphasis on women. plan, manage, and implement their own development evaluation reports initiatives MPCU and external evaluation reports Results 1) Wider use of participatory 1) Twenty agencies and 200 communities and 60% development methods with increased of women involved in the participatory approach MPCU and implementing involvement of women MPCU site visit and partners will, following 2) 200 small projects successfully implemented and monitoring and internal training, have capable staff evaluation reports 2) completed available to facilitate and New or improved social and MPCU accounts and Half- 2.1) E 45 million of MPP projects' budgets train communities in economic infrastructure facilities Year reports participatory planning and completed by beneficiaries committed and disbursed development 2.2) 100% of new social infrastructures used and Impact evaluation reports by properly maintained consultants and agencies Adequate communications, 2.3) 50% increase in the number of water and transport and availability of
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transport projects implemented and completed. field staff for regular visits 3) Improved decentralization and co- and monitoring ordination process at MPCU 3.1) Four MPCU regional offices established and used DPM's office provide office space in the 3.2) Twelve Technical Steering Committee meetings regions 4.1) Small business enterprises, held
which are profitable and sustainable 3.3) Forty Regional Development Committee Accounts and records of GOS and other partners will 4.2) Strengthen NGO’s capacity small business enterprises make use of feedback and through collaboration with other 4.1) Meetings held Three hundred (300) successful Evaluation report for the pilot business counselling organizations. areas make suggestions for small businesses improvement 4.2) E2 million loaned out to small entrepreneurs 4.3) An evaluation study completed 4.4) 300 small entrepreneurs provided with business counseling services
Activities Means: Costs: 1.1. Beneficiaries have 1.1 Promoting and coordinating 1.1 Contract consultants for training MPCU and - Development potential to be trained in participatory planning and partner agency staff in participatory development Programme (EDF): project management development methods, emphasising methods E30million implementation and to keep the inclusion of .. women 1.2 Usage of SiSwati Project Implementation - Development accounts and records 1.2 Training on Pre-project Manuals Programme (GOS): E15 1.2 The level of education of participatory planning with million the people enables them to communities, project management, - MPCU Administration and monitoring (EDF): E 9.4 million read and write - MPCU Administration (GOS): E 0.5 million - TOTAL (EDF& GOS): E54.9million
2.1 Providing funds to communities 2.1 Contract, or collaborate with implementers for for small infrastructure project the infrastructure projects implementation 2.2 Obtain the services of an overseas volunteer or 2.2 Secure TA for design and contract out the services for the design and supervision of water projects supervision of water projects.
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3.1 Existence and expansion of MPCU with revised 3 Reporting Half-yearly by the staff structure (regional offices) MPCU 3.2 Increased collaboration with GOS and partner agencies and increased co-operation with their community development / field workers Aspiring and potential 4.1 Providing small business training 4.1 Contract, or collaborate with, intermediary entrepreneurs exists to and loan funds for business institutions for business training and loan purposes engage in profitable projects investment 4.2 Contract suitable institution for studies Business training and credit 4.3 Contract out business counselling services institutions have / will 4.2 Conducting a study on pilot and continue to administer MPP selected areas communities funds 4.3 Providing business counselling Credit institutions have services for small entrepreneurs continuous capacity to monitor and follow up entrepreneurs RISKS: Entrepreneurs may not be able to pay back the loans
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Annex 4.2: MPP Logical Framework 2006-2007 (2 nd revision through Program Estimate 7, prior to MTR)
Intervention Logic Objectively Verifiable Indicators Sources of Verification Assumptions and Risks MPP Financing Proposal is Overall Sustained socio-economic Increase in the accessibility to social and economic Participatory impact approved Objectives development and empowerment infrastructure in poor communities evaluation with beneficiaries amongst poor Swazi communities
Program To contribute to sustained social and Increase in the number of poor men and women MPCU evaluation reports and Communities are willing to me economic development by a process participating in leadership roles in the communities external evaluation reports participate, manage their Purpose of participation of poor Swazis projects Increase in the number of men and women capable to plan, manage, and implement their own development initiatives Results 1. Wider use of participatory 1. Two hundred (200) poor Swazis participating in 1. Training Reports and 1. Communities are willing to development methods by both men the leadership and management of projects financed questionnaires answered by be trained and women by the programme the trainees
2. Adequate communications, 2. New and improved social and 2. Eighty small infrastructure projects completed. 2. Site visits and reports transport and availability of economic infrastructure facilities field staff for regular visits completed by local communities and and monitoring non state actors 3. Minutes of the meetings held for finding synergies 3. Willingness of grassroots 3.Network and collaboration with in the current programme 3. Attendance lists and organisations to collaborate regional development officers reports with Microprojects Office.
Activities 1.1Conduct workshops on 1.1 One hundred (100) community members trained 1.1 Training reports 1.1. Beneficiaries have participatory development on participatory development methods potential to be trained in project management 1.2 Train project committees on 1.2 Ninety community members trained on implementation and to keep participatory project participatory project management and maintenance 1.2 Training reports accounts and records management 1.2 The level of education of ______65
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the people enables them to read and write 2.1 Provide funds to NSA for 2.1 Social structures constructed by the NSA 2.1 Availability of 2.1 NSA will be willing to community Projects performance reports from fill the application forms NSA properly
2.2.1 Reports from 2.2.1 Highly efficient 2.2 Construct two water projects 2.2 Two new water reticulated systems used and consultants qualified contractors will be properly maintained 2.2.2 Project site visits secured
2.3.1 Project site visit 2.3 Construct schools classrooms 2.3 Visible classrooms and teachers houses 2.3.2 Monitoring reports and teachers houses constructed and used from project officers 2.3.1 Qualified builders will be secured 2.3.2 Communities will make their 25% contribution 3.1 Conduct regional development 3.1.1 Feedback from line ministries and other 3.1.1 Minutes and number of 3.1 Stakeholders attend meetings for appraisal and implementing partners on development initiatives meetings held meetings monitoring of projects 3.1.2 Increased collaboration with GOS and partner 3.1.2 Half-Year reports and 3.2.2 Stakeholders have the agencies and increased co-operation with their minutes of meetings enthusiasm to collaborate community development / field workers with MPCU
3.2.1 Extension officers 3.2 Provide farm inputs for orphans 3.2.1 Tons of harvests for maize ,beans, and cowpeas 3.2.1 Field visits monitors closely and give and vulnerable children, and the advise to beneficiaries elderly 3.2.2 Reports on harvest 3.2.2. Extension officers conduct the measurements of the harvest
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Costs: Means: Inputs 1Development Programme The financial and Material Means (EDF):E6,750,000 management support by Securing of supplies, i.e. building material, furniture, Development Programme office of the European fencing materials and farm inputs (GOS):E5,000,000 Commission and the Ministry Award of contracts for supplies, works, and services MPCU Administration of Economic Planning and Existence of MPCU with staff structure to manage (EDF): E 3,239,811.40 Development will be and monitor the programme MPCU Administration maintained. Securing venues for training (GOS): E 756,461 Purchasing stationery and visual aids for training
Launching call for proposals There will be an increase in Other donors E 6,784,207.10 Production of reports the speed of assessing and
reimbursing claims Total for Programme Non-Material Means Estimate Facilitate workshops E 24,037,499.64 Secure services or expertise not available in MPCU
Identification of orphans by community
Monitor the projects
Organise meetings for collaboration, evaluation, etc
Conduct internal audit of accounts
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Annex 5
Maps of project area
Ax 5.1: Country Map
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Ax 5.2: MPP 9EDF projects by sector 2003-2007, and NSAs (MPCU, 31jan08)
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Ax 5.3: MPP 9EDF: projects 2003-2006 & PE7, NSA excluded (MPCU 19feb08)
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Ax 5.4: MPP Japan (GoS agric fund) projects, 2003-2007 (by MPCU, 19feb2008)
NB: MPCU 2007sep-nov report (p2) and MPCU 2008feb12 ppt presentation show 11 Neighbourhood Care Points (NCP) for OVCs, built from 2003-2007. Therefore 4 NCP have been cancelled.
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Ax 5.5: MPP GoS/CDSF projects, 2003-2007 (by MPCU, 2008feb19).
NB: Agriculture: means diptank construction with extensive cattle keepers, grazing on communal pastoral land (i.e. Swazi Nation Land / SNL), and sometimes grazing on uncultivated private lands.
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Ax 5.6: Primary Schools (MoE 2004 map) with 9 proposed boreholes (REASWA/ACAT EU Water Facility) in blue: Primary Schools (PS) equipped with a borehole, PlayPump and tower tank 5000lrs. in green: PS proposed for borehole drilling, PlayPump & tower tank (re: REASWA/ACAT, photo Fayolle)
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Ax 5.7: Swaziland enumeration areas map: Chiefdoms communities, Jan 2008
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Ax 5.8: Land tenure map of Swaziland, FAO (via MPCU 2008feb05)
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Annex 6
Persons/Organizations consulted / sites visited
22jan Depart from France. 23jan Arrival in Swaziland. Settling logistics (bank, hotel, etc.). 24jan Briefing ECD: Ms Serena Bertaina, Task Manager / Project Manager for Micro- projects and HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control (MPP/HAPAC), European Commission Swaziland Delegation, Ms. Jackie Koning Technical Advisor to NAO, Mr John Murphy- Technical Advisor to NAO, (absent: Mr. Jorge Nieto - Head of Operational Section ECD) 24jan Daniela ISOLA, Programme Officer, Agronomist, ECD (land tenure, sugar cane industry, …)
CONTACTS: SCHAEFER Arno (RELEX-MBABANE)" [email protected] , NIETO REY Jorge (RELEX-MBABANE)" [email protected] BERTAINA Serena (RELEX-MBABANE)" [email protected] [email protected] (RELEX-MBABANE)", Box A.36 Swazi Plaza H101, Lilunga House, 4th Floor, Gilfillan Street – Mbabane, Tel: +268 404 20 18 , fax: +268 404 67 29 , TA to the NAO: [email protected] , TA2 to the NAO Mr John Murphy : [email protected]
24jan NAO’s office briefing: Ministry of Economic Development and Planning (MEDP), Mr John Murphy, TA to NAO (NB: Mr Mbuso Dlamini, Permanent Secretary, NAO, not available). 24jan MPCU office briefing/introduction by Ms Serena Bertaina (ECD Task Manager) to Acting Coordinator: Mr. Titus Sibusiso Mbingo, and his 14 staff team, Mbabane: Mr. Dumisa P. Ndzimandze, Field Operations Supervisor Mr. Claude Sipho Shabangu, Accountant Ms. Phumzile Ndzimandze, Assistant Accountant Mr. Patrick Magagula, Technical Project Officer (Hhohho+Manzini Mrs. Makhosazana Baartjies, Regional Project Officer (Hhohho) Mrs. Ncane Vilane, Regional Project Officer (Manzini) Mr. Jabulane Dlamini, Technical Project Officer (Shiselweni+Manzini) Ms. Nonhlanhla Sithole, Project Officer (Lubombo) Ms. Queen Sereo, Personal Secretary Ms. Dumsile Masango, Receptionist Mr. Peter Vilakazi, Driver Ms. Joyce Dlamini, Cleaner
24jan MPCU office Ms Serena Bertaina (ECD Task Manager) and Mr. Titus Sibusiso Mbingo (Acting Coordinator MPCU): review proposed work plan /Methodology, Mbabane
25jan MEDP / NAO’s office, Mr John Murphy, TA to NAO (briefing, NAO not available), Mbabane.
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25jan MEDP / NAO’s office, Mrs Nomusa Tibane, Chief Economist, Deputy NAO, Mbabane, [email protected] , 25jan MEDP / NAO’s office, Mr. Joseph Mwale- Programme Administrator (accountant for EDF), Mbabane. MEDP / NAO’s office, Mr. Donald S. Ndwandwe, Senior Economist - Deputy NAO, Mbabane.
26jan Travel from Mbabane to Lubombo region (East), area of Siphofaneni, exploratory visits, with MPCU Acting Coordinator: Mr. Titus Sibusiso Mbingo: 26jan MP Cota diptank, under construction (GoS funding) with its small dam (made in 2006 by GoS), Mkeli Chiefdom, and on site: Hon. Garan G. Gamedze, Member of Parliament for Siphofaneni constituency 26jan viewing the Water reticulated system stand taps (non functional and abandoned): on the way to reach Cota diptank, Mkeli Chiefdom, Siphofaneni area. 26jan MP Manzana Neighbourhood Care Point Centre (NCP), for Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVC), just completed (Japan funding). Discussion with the NCP Committee. 26jan MP Mandlenya electricity scheme/SEB, 9EDF, with Committee Chairman: Mr Sipho L. Dlamini (a 20ha irrigated sugar cane planter), 26jan viewing the Mandlenya water reticulated scheme (stand taps and reservoir, non functional and abandoned) and the new water reticulated scheme that is being installed (zone of Mandlenya electricity scheme). 26jan Chief Mgwagwa, Mandlenya Chiefdom and viewing the World Vision NCP for OVCs, at Chief Mgwagwa/Mandlenya Chiefdom, 26jan Transect of Mhlathuzane and Dolome saddle DAMS, spill away, channels (large irrigation southern project for small holders, multi-banks funded, including EU) 26jan MP Madanga diptanks (cows and goats), functional 8EDF
28jan Ministry of Regional Development and Youth Affairs: Mr Dumsani C. Sithole, Economist / Planning Officer (MPP Steering Committee member), Mbabane.
29jan Trip to Hhohho region , visits with: Mr. Patrick Magagula (MPCU Technical Project Officer Hhohho+Manzini), and Mrs. Makhosazana Baartjies (MPCU Regional Project Officer Hhohho): 29jan MP Lufafa Primary School, 3 classrooms block and 2 blocks of pit latrines (visit and meeting with project building committee), 29jan MP Hhohho A.M.E mission Primary School 2007, home economics block (also viewed its agriculture tools store, hoped to be turned into a poultry building, to start agriculture teaching), with project building committee. 29jan Evusweni Nazarene pre-school (and viewing of the front big tree having been chopped down), grant to NSA Vusumnofto (= creating wealth): Mr Sam Mamba, board member.
30jan Trip to Shiselweni region with Mr. Dumisa P. Ndzimandze (MPCU Field Operations Supervisor): 30jan Nhlangano: Meeting with Shiselweni Regional Development Coordinating Committee (RDCC): 7 members, from various Ministries relevant to MPP: Rural Water, MHSW, MoE, MoW/Roads, MoW/Buildings, MNRE. (RS / RDCC Chairperson absent); 30jan Elugedzeni Electricity Scheme, committee (18 members).
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30jan Ncangozini water gravity reticulated Scheme (made in 2000, 8EDF). On site interview of 2 members: Mrs Colile Dlamini (Secretary, Project Committee) and Mr Bhekithemba SHABANGU (member, motorized small scale farmer) 30jan Elugedzeni: vist to 2 homesteads: i) one Leader of the Electricity Scheme, a motorised medium scale farmer, offered dinner, ii) civil service retired, Mrs Margret Lhoko Maseko, showed her use of electricity to pump from her borehole for backyard vegetable gardening (feeding 18 kids, most of them nephews and orphans due to AIDS). She also supplies free clean water to nearby homesteads.
31jan Trip to Manzini region , with Mrs Ncane Vilane, MPCU Project Officer for Manzini region, visits: 31jan MP Nkhomo/Lwandle 2 small bridges, meeting 2 committee members. 31jan MP Ebuguelemi Primary School (Home economics building and equipment) 31jan Mr Mcoleleni Nhleko 107 , Gunduwini Chiefdom, Tikundla of Mtfongoneni (orphan: he got ACAT support: home made cement 400lr jar to harvest roof water, backyard garden: permaculture). 31jan Imbita, Women’s Finance Trust, national headquarter (MFI, revolving fund grant, MPP 8 EDF), Manzini. 31jan Ministry of Regional Development & Youth Affairs: visit of the MPP/MPCU Manzini office (half a desk!), Manzini. Prince Dlamini, Region Administrator, Manzini.
01feb Trip to Lubombo region , visits and meetings with MPCU Acting Coordinator: Mr. Titus Sibusiso Mbingo: 01feb grant / MP Lomabhidla Neighbourhood Care Point (NCP) - Community Centre for OVCs / Project Committee: NSA project / grant through support from Siteki Good Shepherd Hospital: building a kitchen and feeding room, and a 3 pit latrines block. 01feb MP Loyiwe (Manhleke) Primary School (Inhundla of Likhuba): extension with a 3 classrooms block. 01feb viewing the Dumani area (while transecting back to Siteki): a poorer community that is for many years squatting a private land and deprived of all basic services: setting up schools, etc. is urgent. 01feb grant / MP Siteki Cultural Heritage Hub, of the Town Council: NSA Project / grant to Siteki Town Council: rehabilitation of the first colonial building (1889) turning it into the Siteki Cultural Heritage Hub, by the NGO initiative: “Operation Prosper Thy Neighbour Association”, 2007, meeting Mr Sizwe F. Ndlela, director 108 .
01feb Regional Secretary, Lubombo Region (absent). 01feb Mr Aaron Malinga, Lubombo Region RDCC member / Regional Community Development Officer, Ministry of Regional Development & Youth Affairs, Siteki. 01feb Mr Phincas Masinga, Lubombo Region RDCC member / Regional Education Officer, Lubombo Region, Ministry of Regional Development & Youth Affairs, Siteki.
01feb Travel to Shewula and rapid visit of:
107 Mr Nhleko born 1988 was orphan: he got ACAT support. (He is one of the 5 youth trained and equipped in the Manzini region, through an MPP NSA project/grant to ACAT: introduction of backyard garden (permaculture or “cardboard gardening, a technique that saves water, itself harvested from the roof in a home made cement 400lr water jar. We also viewed the traditional Murula fruits processing of local BEER, and nuts. 108 The director ensures development of the 5 departments the Siteki Cultural Heritage Hub: handicraft, art gallery, landscaping (rockery, construction), catering and he information centre. ______78
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01feb grant to I-NGO COSPE: construction and furniture of 2 classrooms of the Mswati Sebenta non formal school. 01feb MP Shewula Water Supply: - smaller component: Khothela area spring catchment and nearby one 1 tank and 1 stand tap 109 with open interview of its Chairman. - Then visit of the larger component of the Shewula Water Supply / reticulated scheme (components: tanks and one of the boreholes). MP Mbandzamane Primary School (7 classrooms, 2 blocks of 2 teachers houses, latrines block, kitchen)
Night: Shewula community mountain camp . Working dinner with Mr Dumizo MAZIMULA, Sewula Trust / Sewula Water Scheme Secretary / COSPE National Coordinator.
02feb continued visits in Shewula with Mr Dumizo MAZIMULA, Sewula Trust / Sewula Water Scheme Secretary / COSPE National Coordinator: 02feb MP Mbandzamane Primary School, with school committee meeting: Mrs Busisiwe K Mabila (H/T, Committee Secretary) Luke Mnisi (Chief’s Representative) Fikile Mhlanga (Committee member) Simon Mavimbela (chairperson) Thuli Masimula (Committee member) 02feb Shewula Chiefdom Launching of the Year 2008 (large community gathering). 02feb Paolo Nicolai, coordinator, Co-operation for the Developpement of Emerging Countries (COSPE): handing over ceremony of 2 cars, Italy funded, to the Shewula community, through the Shewula Chiefdom Launching of the Year 2008) 02feb grant / Shewula Resource Centre : handicraft production training, storage room and marketing room, visit with Mrs Fikile Sifundza (the committee secretary, staff head and i/c secretarial service) 110 02feb grant / Shewula Trust, Chairman Juluka Maziya: Environmental Education Centre (funding of workshop training population, fencing the indigenous medical plant nursery and completion of toilet facilities. 02feb MP Shewula Water Supply: on site (2 reservoirs) meeting with project committee 111 . And rapid visit of Mswati Sebenta non formal school for OVCs/ Shewula Community Centre (Ekutuleni area) with Ms Nomsa MABILA of the project committee. 112
109 Works ok. Serves 34 homesteads x 15-20 persons per homestead, yet girls/women still have to walk and carry water from the stand tap. No water conservation measures to protect the catchment area. 110 They begin handicraft exportation to Italy with COSPE support. 111 After extending electricity lines to 3 pre-existing boreholes (JICA former project), the boreholes have been equipped with electricity pumps. The water reservoirs supply water to about 200 homesteads through a reticulated system. Curiously committee members said that water is not sufficient and asked support for a pipeline to pump water from the main river down the valley. 112 As Shewula area was identified as a poorer community early 2000, the group was able to develop 3 non formal schools and other initiatives with various international supports and including COSPE facilitation (a pilot project for the Italian Co-operation). Shewula Community Mountain Camp, a “tourism resort”, was developed with DFID project support. Ms Nomsa MABILA manages it. Interestingly she the Daughter of the Head Teacher of Mbandzamane Primary School (the newly built large and well furnished Primary School ... including a photocopier and completing a home economics block). ______79
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02feb Return to Mbabane, through transecting industrial sugar cane plantations and national parks down in the valley.
04feb Trip to the South-Est of Swaziland (Shiselweni region ) with Mr. Dumisa P. Ndzimandze (MPCU Field Operations Supervisor): visits of: 04feb MP Shisizwe NCP: under construction completion and meeting Mr Sipo Simelane, project committee chairperson (Shisizwe NCP is situated on the gravelled road of Bambitje Primary School), 04feb MP Bambitje Primary School and meeting School Head Teacher: Mr Richard Sibiya, and Committee (large number of parents and a Chiefdom representative), 04feb visit to Oslo Primary School (Matsenyein Inkhundla) where SFDF supported community to built a roof rain harvester 40m3 reservoir (a tank made of fired bricks/cement). However it leaks according to the teacher met. This was not a MPP grant funding. 04feb grant “SFDF Manzini”: - visit to ZAMOKHULE DRC Primary School, where SFDF supported community to built a roof rain harvester 40m3 (or 60m3) reservoir (a tank made of fired bricks/cement, in 2007). However it never held water according the Head Teacher. - Viewing the ZAMOKHULE DRC Primary School: borehole and PlayPump and its water tower (5m3 plastic tank) developed by ACAT/REAWSA (NGOs funded under the EU Water Facility) 113 .
04feb MP Ka-Mngayi NCP, its garden and meeting its committee members (only one man among 8 women): Mr Thokozani Mngomezulu (NCP Chairperson) Ms Mavis Myeni (NCP Secretary) Ms Nester Ndlangamandla Mrs Nester Simelane Mrs Norah Ndlangamandla Etc. NB: committee members write: “Mngayi”.
04feb visit to MP Ka-Mngayi primary school: - viewing the 3 teachers houses made with 8 EDF MPP support. - viewing more particularly the school roof rain harvester reservoir (SFDF type, about 45m3 capacity, made in 2000 with fired bricks/cement 114 ). Interview of Mr AARON Simelane, PS Chairprerson. 04feb on the way back, visits of more reservoirs in some Primary Schools (including those larger ones in fired bricks of SFDF 60m3 each)
and including transecting back through the dry south of Lobombo region. Return to Mbabane
113 The H/T reported that the play pump was not deep enough into the borehole (only 57m), yet due to drought the water table went down and now needs a deeper pump. In addition the H/T also explained that the stand tap could not help holding water pumped by the playing pupils into the 5000lrs plastic tank tower “because the tap was destroyed”!!! We explained that he could simply solve the problem by buying a tap,… and he somewhat agreed. A South Africa 5000lrs plastic tank costs E4000 plus E500 for transport. They are said to last 10 years if of proper quality. One H/T explained that his private one already served 15 years without leakages. We observed all over the country that never these rain harvester plastic tanks are covered against sun ray degradations, yet a campaign to cover them with some local material could ensure more durability. 114 This fired bricks/cement reservoir no longer holds water since 2004. No attempt to fix it by the School committee was made, according to Mr AARON S, the PS committee Chairman met on site. ______80
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05feb Africa Cooperative Action Trust (ACAT), Mr ENOCK M. Dlamini, National Director, Mbabane. 05feb MoEducation, Mr.Israel Simelane, Chief Inspector of Primary Schools, Mbabane. 05feb Member of Parliament (Zombodze, in Sizelwini region), Dr. Titus Thwala, Ezulwini. 05feb Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Dr. Roland Xolani Dlamini, Deputy Director of Veterinary and Livestock Services, Mbabane.
06feb Swaziland Conference of Churches (regroup Evangelist Churches), Mr Themba Ngozo, Secretary, Manzini. 06feb Church Forum on HIV & AIDS (regroups all Churches): Rev. Zwanini Shabalala, National Coordinator, Manzini. 06feb SECLOF: prompt visit of Swaziland Ecumenical Church Loan Fund (that was beneficiary of MPP 8 EDF), Manzini (within the premises of the Council of Swaziland Churches location). NB: we could not meet the micro-finance director, because we understood that he has also a part time commitment with another microfinance organisation. 06feb SWAGAA: Swaziland Action Group Against Abuses, Manzini. 06feb Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy (MNRE), Mr. Peterson Dlamini, Senior Energy Officer, (BSc Eng. mech.), Mbabane. 06feb REAWSA: Renewable Energy Association of Swaziland 115 , Ms Nontabeko MLANGENI, projects coordinator (research & training) & Mr Mthembisi Fakudze, Mbabane. 06feb MoE, Mr Andreas SCHOTT (GOPA), TA to MoE - SET Programme: Support to Education and Training (EC/MoE, 9 EDF), Mbabane.
07feb Debriefing to the NAO: Mr Mbuso Dlamini, Permanent Secretary of MEDP, Mbabane.
07feb Mrs Agnes H. Mtetwa, HIV and AIDS Programme Officer, Capacity Building Department, Council of Swaziland Churches (Catholic, Anglican, Methodist, Lutheran, etc, churches), Manzini. 07feb World Vision, Mr Marko Ngwenya, National Director, and Mr Douglas Kulaisi, Mbabane. 07feb MNRE, Rural Water Services Branch (RWSB): Mr. Cyril Bongani KANYA, Design Water Engineer, and Mr Guy MAZIBUKO, Chief Operations Water Maintenance, Mbabane. 07feb Deputy Prime Minister office: Ms Ncane DLAMINI, Director of National Children’s Coordination (and former MPCU-MPP Coordinator, 1997-2007), Mbabane.
08feb Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MHSW): Dr Sibusiso Sibandze, Health Senior Planner, Mbabane 08feb MNRE, Mr. Henry D. Thongwe, Chief Energy Officer, for Renewable Energy Department , Mbabane.
11feb MPCU, debriefing on key findings, MPP 9EDF staff, Mbabane. Mr. Titus Sibusiso Mbingo, Acting Coordinator / Deputy Coordinator Mr. Dumisa P. Ndzimandze, Field Operations Supervisor Mr. Patrick Magagula, Technical Project Officer (Hhohho+Manzini
115 REAWSA implements the 9 primary schools boreholes component of the EU Water Facility grant, led by ACAT. They install the South African PlayPumps in these schools. ______81
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Mrs. Makhosazana Baartjies, Regional Project Officer (Hhohho) Mrs. Ncane Vilane, Regional Project Officer (Manzini) Mr, Jabulane Dlamini, Technical Project Officer (Shiselweni+Manzini) Ms. Nonhlanhla Sithole, Project Officer (Lubombo)
11feb ECD, debriefing on key findings, Ms. Serena Bertania, ECD MPP/HAPAC Project Manager, with MPCU Acting Coordinator, Mbabane.
12feb National stakeholders and beneficiaries workshop : presentation of preliminary findings, work groups & debate, at Mountain Inn hotel, Mbabane.
13feb UNICEF, Clara DUBE, Child Protection Specialist. Mbabane. 13feb ECD/SET/NAO-TA/MPCU (meeting on prospective role and status of the MPCU in implementing services 9 EDF SET programme, and components of the 10 EDF programme. 14feb CANGO/ Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations, Mbabane 15feb debriefing at ECD: Mr SCHAEFER Arno, Chargé d’Affaires, Ms BERTAINA Serena, and the 2 TA to the NAO, Mrs Jacqie Koning and Mr John Murphy. 16feb Finalizing logistics, etc. Depart from Swaziland 17feb Return to France. ------
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Annex 7
Literature and documentation consulted 1. EC/GoS, 2003, MPP 9EDF Project Financing Agreement between the European Commission and the Kingdom of Swaziland, Multi-Annual Micro-projects programme (SW/7102/058), 2003 September 2. EC/GoS, MPP 9EDF Project identification study & Project feasibility study (does not exist) 3. EC, 2005, MPP 9EDF Result Oriented Monitoring (ROM) report, Micro Projects Multi Annual Programme, C. Hichibala. 4. EC, 2007, MPP 9EDF Result Oriented Monitoring (ROM) reports, Micro Projects Multi Annual Programme. 5. ECD Swaziland, 2008jan30 email, MPP 9EDF summary expenditures Consumption table 9 SW1.xls (2p) 6. EC/GoS, Country Strategy Paper for Swaziland 2001-2007 (CSP / NIP) 7. EC/GoS, Country Strategy Paper and National Indicative Programme (CSP / NIP) for the period 2008-2013 8. EC. 2004. Practical guide to management of direct labour operations and programme estimates financed by the [9 th ] European Development Fund. Version 1.0. February 2004 . (in MPP, PE 7, Annex 1). 9. EC. 2004. Practical guide to management of Micro-Projects Programmes financed by the European Development Fund (EDF) Version 1.0. October 2004 (46p. ECD.sz 24jan08 Electronic version). 10. EC. 2005. Guidelines for the management of Micro-Projects Programmes financed by the 9th European Development Fund (EDF), Version 1.0 – February 2005 (p. ECD.sz 24jan08 Electronic version). 11. EC. 2004. Project cycle management guidelines. March. 12. EC, 2007 Internal Guidance Note for microprojects financed under EDF, EuropeAid Co- Operation Office (60p). 13. EC, 2001 March 21, Evaluation in the European Commission, A Guide to the Evaluation Procedures and Structures currently operational in the Commission’s External Co-operation Programmes (21p), AidCo Evaluation Unit, 14. EC, 2007 November, SPECIFIC TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR PROGRAMME/PROJECT FINAL EVALUATION OF THE MULTI-ANNUAL MICRO PROJECTS PROGRAMME (9ACPSW 001), 7p, (LOT 1: Rural Development and Food Security REQUEST No.: 2007/144232, EUROPEAID/119860/C/SV/multi).
Government of Swaziland (GOS) Documents 15. GoS. 2005. The Constitution of the Government of Swaziland. July 26 th . (adopted in 2006) 16. GoS. 2005. Decentralization Policy. August. 17. GoS 1997. National Development Strategy 1997-2022. 18. GoS 1999. National Development Strategy, Vision 2022 (43p). 19. GoS, MPED. 2006. Poverty Reduction Strategy and Action Programme (PRSAP), 2006- 2015. Vols 1 & 2. 20. GoS, 1999, Gazzet CDSF-1999, Legal Notice N°9 of 1999, Mbabane 11.2.99, signed PS- Ministry of Finance, p81 to p83. (concerns funding and organising the MPCU / MPP)
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21. GoS MEPD Central Statistical Office / Measure DHS, SDHS / Swaziland Demographic and Health Survey 2006-07 Preliminary Report, June 2007, 47p 22. GoS-MHSW, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Service Availability Mapping (SAM) 116 , in collaboration with the World Health Organization, DRAFT, 94p 23. GoS-MNRE / Commonwealth Secretariat / Swaziland, 1997, Utilisation of Renewable Energy, Action Plan, January 1997, (60p). 24. GoS-MNRE, 2002, National Energy Policy (White paper on Energy) / Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy, 2002 June, (112p). 25. GoS-MOAC, 2005, National Food Security Policy (draft, 2005 August) / Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives (44p). 26. GoS, 1999, National Land Policy (draft, 1999 August) (45p).
MPCU MPP documents 27. MPCU, 2008 February 12, Final evaluation review meeting of the 9 th EDF MicroProjects Programme (powerpoint, introduction presentation), by Mr S. Mbingo, Ag Coordinator MPCU. 28. MPCU MPP 9EDF Project’s Annual Operational Plans: Programme Estimates with budgets: PE1 to PE7, years: 2003 to 2007. 29. MPCU MPP 9EDF Project’s quarterly and half-yearly progress reports, 2004 to 2007 30. MPCU 2008, Individual financial commitments / budget consumption by headings, all development costs from oct2003 to sep2007, MPCU soft copy 2008feb14 (see: below Annexes 13 to 18). 31. MPCU MPP 9EDF powerpoint presentation to the MPP stakeholders workshop on 2008feb12. 32. MPCU MPP 9EDF Project’s Global Operational Plan (does not exist) 33. MPCU MPP 9EDF, Technical reports produced by TAs assigned to the project: 2006 and 2007 34. MPCU MPP 9EDF, Minutes and preparatory dossiers of the meetings of the Technical Steering Committee 35. MPCU MPP 9EDF, 2000, Microprojects Unit, MPP Administration Manual (1.5cm thick) 36. MPCU MPP 9EDF and 8EDF: Various Project and NSA Grant files (including projects visited). 37. MPCU MPP 9EDF, 2006. Dossier for the 4 th meeting of the Technical Steering Committee. 15 March. 38. MPCU MPP 9EDF, Call for Proposals for Grant Funding, issued by the Microprojects Programme, funded by the European Development Fund, 1 p, (published by Newspaper in early November 2006, MPCU soft copy 2008feb14) 39. MPCU MPP. 2004. Sector evaluation report: education sector ex-evaluation (internal). 40. MPCU MPP. 2004. Sectors evaluation report: income generating projects, dipping tanks, and low level bridges (internal). 41. MPCU MPP. 2005. Water supply and sanitation sector evaluation report. June (internal) 42. MPCU MPP. 2005. Rural electrification sector ex-evaluation. September (internal). 43. MPCU MPP. 2006. Agriculture sector ex-post evaluation report June (internal) 44. Keregro K.J.B. (Prof.), 2001, Baseline survey for the microprojects programme (8EDF), draft final report, 2001 April 20, 34p
116 SAM “ facilitates the visualization of inequities between and within regions in terms of availability of key health services based on priorities... “ ______84
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45. MPCU, MPP 9EDF, 2005. Project Committee Training held on 13-16 June at Thokoza Church Centre. Non direct disbursement programme. 46. MPCU, MPP 9EDF, 2005. Project Committee Training held on 20-23 June at Thokoza Church Centre. Non direct disbursement programme.
MPP External Evaluation Reports 47. Atos Origin/O’Brien Michael, 2006, Mid-Term Review evaluation report of the MPP 9EDF, Novembre 13. 48. ICC, 2004 (INTERNATIONAL CAPITAL CORPORATION (Maputo, Mozambique), Evaluation of the 8EDF Micro-Projects Programme, Income Generating Projects, Final report, submitted to the Office of the European Commission in the Kingdom of Swaziland, January 2004. 49. Moropa Information Management, Pinky Mashigo, 2003, Report on the [final] evaluation of the 8 th EDF Micro-Project Programme in Swaziland, February 2003 (108p + annexes).
Others: 50. CANGO, Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organisations, Annual Report 2006/7 (36p). 51. Commonwealth Secretariat / Swaziland, 1997, Utilisation of Renewable Energy, Action Plan, January 1997, (60p). 52. ECN / Netherlands Energy Research Foundation, 1999, Review f the PV market in Swaziland, Evaluation of Government PV (photovoltaic) Demonstration Project, P.E. Lasschuit, 1999 January (80p). 53. Imbita Women Trust, finance report, 2008 January: situation of the MPP revolving fund, including the listing of beneficiaries and their loan repayment status (3 pages). 54. NICOLINO Fabrice, 2007, La Faim, la bagnole, le blé et nous, Ed. Fayard : «… Swaziland… où la famine est reine, … des milliers d’hectares vendus à l’entreprise American Distilleries… pour planter du manioc destiné aux biocarburants, … ». 55. REAWSA, 2004, Renewable Energy in Swaziland, Case Study Brochure, GoS & Renewable Energy Association of Swaziland (32p). 56. UNICEF, 2006, Report on the Assessment of Neighbourhood Care Points 57. UNDP. 2003. Millennium Development Goals: Swaziland Country Report. December. 58. Etc. ------
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Annex 8
DAC summary (1 page), for the database of the Evaluation Unit
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Annex 9
MPP Organogram
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Annex 10
Completed EDUCATION projects, components & direct beneficiaries No. Name of School Region Project description No. of DIRECT Beneficiaries 1 Ematfuntini primary Hhohho 1 x 14 classroom block 700 students 2 Enhlanhleni primary Hhohho 1 x 3 classroom block 150 students Fencing 3 Geza primary Hhohho 1 x 7 classroom block 265 students Fencing school perimeter 4 Mphumalanga primary Hhohho 1 x 3 classroom block 150 students 5 Nyokeni Primary Hhohho 1 x 7 classroom block Fencing school perimeter 6 Ebugeleni primary Manzini Home Economics Block 50 students 7 Ekuthokozeni primary Manzini Fencing school perimeter 450 students 8 Eqinisweni Primary Manzini Home Economics Block 50 students 9 Mhlabubovu primary Manzini 1 x 3 classroom block 300 students Fencing 10 New Mbuluzi primary Manzini Fencing 400 students 11 Nhlambeni Primary Manzini Home Economics Block 50 students 12 Nokuthula primary Manzini 1 x 8 classrooms 400 students 13 Othandweni primary Manzini 2 teachers houses 4
14 Ebholi primary Lubombo Home Economics Block 4 teachers 2 teachers houses 50 students 15 Hlutse primary Lubombo Home Economics Block 50 students 16 Lonhklupheko primary Lubombo 1 x 4 classroom block 200 17 Mbokojweni primary Lubombo 1 x 2 classroom block 400 students Fencing 18 Konjwa primary Lubombo 2 teachers’ houses 4 teachers 19 Sinceni primary Lubombo 2 teachers houses 4 teachers 20 Tsambokhulu primary Lubombo 2 teachers houses 4 teachers 21 Esandleni primary Shiselweni Home Economics Block 50 students 22 Nkhungwini primary Shiselweni School fencing 450 students 23 Salem primary Shiselweni 2 teachers houses 4 teachers 24 Velebantfu primary Shiselweni School kitchen 700 students 25 Ebulandzeni primary Hhohho 1 x 3 classroom block 358 students School fencing 26 Ekuthunyweni primary Hhohho 1 x 4 classroom block 50 students Fencing 27 St. Menettus primary Hhohho 1 x 7 classroom block 350 students 28 St Anglican primary Hhohho 1 x 4 classroom block 200 students Fencing 29 Zwide primary Hhohho 2 teachers houses plus fencing 4 teachers 30 Mbandzamane primary Lubombo 1 x 7 classroom block 350 students Fencing 8 teachers 4 teachers houses 31 St peters primary Lubombo 1 classroom block 350 students Fencing
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No. Name of School Region Project description No. of direct Beneficiaries 32 Sigcaweni primary Lubombo 14 teachers houses 28 teachers 33 Gudvwini primary Manzini 1 classroom block 50 students 34 Mkhuzweni primary Hhohho 2 teachers houses 668 students Fencing school perimeter 4 teachers 35 St Benard primary Manzini 1 x 3 classroom block 130 students Fencing 36 Bambitje Primary Shiselweni 1 x 3 classroom block 200 students Fencing school perimeter 37 Nyatsini primary Shiselweni 1 x 4 classroom block 172 students Fencing school perimeter 38 Black Mbuluzi primary Hhohho 1 x 3 classroom block 357 students Fencing school perimeter Provision of water supply 39 Ekufikeni Primary Hhhho School fencing 230 students 40 Mangedla primary Hhohho Home Economics block 402 students Fencing 41 Mbuluzi primary Hhohho Fencing 240 students 42 Egugwini Primary Manzini 1 x 3 classroom block 150 students 43 Seven Holy Founders primary Manzini Fencing school perimeter 701 students 44 Ekumeni primary Manzini 1 x 3 classroom block 150 students 45 Khalakahle primary Lubombo 1 x 5 classroom block 400 students School kitchen 46 Letindze primary Lubombo 1 x 5 classroom block 150 students Fencing school perimeter 47 Mafucula primary Lubombo 2 teachers house 4 teachers 48 Manyovu primary Lubombo 1 x 3 classroom block 448 students Fencing school perimeter 49 Mhlumeni Nazarene primary Lubombo 1 teachers’ houses 2 teachers 50 Njojane primary Lubombo 1 x 3 classroom block 150 students 51 Mabamba primary Shiselweni 1 x 4 classroom block 200 teachers 52 Makhosini primary Shiselweni 1 x 8 classroom block 400 students School office 14 teachers 53 Lulakeni primary Shiselweni 1 x 3 classroom block 150 students 54 Mlindazwe primary Shiselweni School fencing 450 students 55 Cetshwayo Primary School Hhohho 1x3 classroom block 150 students Fencing 56 Mavula Primary School Hhohho Home economics block 50 students 57 Mpumalanga Primary School Hhohho 1x3 classroom block 150 students 58 Mhlanguyavuka Primary School Hhohho 1x3 classroom block 150 students 59 Dvumbe Primary School Lubombo Home economics block 50 students 60 Esiweni Primary School Lubombo 1x2 classroom block 100 students 61 Hlutse Primary School Lubombo Home economics block 50 students 62 Loyiwe Primary School Lubombo 1x3 classroom block 150 students 63 Mafusini Primary School Lubombo Home economics block 50 students 67 Mhlabeni Primary School Lubombo School fencing 400 students 68 Nkonjwa Primary School Lubombo Teacher’s house 04 teachers 6. Ebugeleni Primary School Manzini Home economics block 50 students 70 Ekutsimleni Primary School Manzini 1x2 classroom block 100 students
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Item No. Name of School Project Components Region No.Direct Beneficiaries 71 Eqinisweni Primary School Home economics block Shiselweni 50 students 72 Nhlambeni Primary School Home economics block Manzini 50 students 73 New Hebron Primary School 1x4 classroom block Manzini 200 students 74 Deccapol Primary School School kitchen Shiselweni 150 students 75 Nyokeni Primary School School fencing Hhohho 300 students 76 Siphondvo Primary School 1x2 classroom block Shiselweni 100 students 77 Patmos Primary School 1x3 classroom block Shiselweni 150 students 78 Nkwene Primary School Home economics block Shiselweni 50 students 79 Mpofu Primary School School kitchen Hhohho 50 students 80 Nyokeni Primary School 1x6 classroom block Hhohho 300 students 8. Ekuthuleni Primary School School fencing Manzini 485 students 82 Nyatsini Primary School School fencing Manzini 400 students 83 Sidvokodvo Primary School School fencing Manzini 600 students 84 Nkanyezini Primary School School fencing Manzini 600 students 85 Elwandle Primary School School fencing Manzini 513 students 86 Lutfotja Primary School Teacher’s House Manzini 02 teachers 87 Tsambokhulu Primary School Teacher’s House Lubombo 02 teachers 88 Ngwane Central Primary School 1x3 classroom block Shiselweni 150 students 89 Mhlanga Methodist Primary School Home economics block Shiselweni 50 students 90 Hawane Primary School 1 x 2 Classroom Block Hhohho 100 students 91 Lufafa Primary School 1 x 3 Classroom Block Hhohho 150 students 92 Emabheleni Primary School 1 x 3 Classroom Block Hhohho 150 students 9. Hhohho A.M.E. Primary School Home economics block Hhohho 50 students 9. Zamokuhle Primary School 1 x 4 Classroom Block Manzini 200 students 95 Mlindzini Primary School 1 x 5 Classroom Block Manzini 250 students 96 Entandweni Primary School 1 x 3 Classroom Block Lubombo 150 students 97 St Anselm Primary School 1 x 3 Classroom Block Shiselweni 150 students 98 Mpakeni Primary School 1 x 3 Classroom Block Shiselweni 150 students 100 Eqinisweni Primary School Home economics block Shiselweni 50 students 101 Qomintaba Primary School 1 x 3 Classroom Block Shiselweni 150 students 102 Emachegwini Primary School 1 x 2 Classroom Block Hhohho 100 students 103 Empolonjeni Primary School 1 x 3 Classroom Block Hhohho 150 students 104 Malandzela Primary School Home economics block Hhohho 50 students 105 Maryward Primary School 1 x 3 Classroom Block Hhohho 150 students 106 Mkhuzweni Primary School Teachers house Manzini 02 teachers 107 Ntsinini Primary School Home economics block Hhohho 50 students 108 Phakamani Primary School 1 x 3 Classroom Block Hhohho 150 students 109 St Loretta Primary School School fencing Lubombo 365 students 110 Engwenyameni Primary School School Fencing Manzini 460 students Teacher’s house 111 Mliba Nazarene Primary School School Fencing Manzini 560 students Rroof- water harvesting 112 Usuthu Mission Primary School Teachers houses Manzini 04 teachers 113 Bhejisa Primary School 1 x 2 Classroom Block Shiselweni 100 students 114 Engudzeni Primary School Home economics block Shiselweni 50 students 1x2 Classroom Block 115 Emthonjeni Primary School 1x3 Classroom Block Manzini 150 students Fencing 116 Kalamdladla Primary School Teachers house Shiselweni 04 teachers 117 Langolotjeni Primary School School Fencing Shiselweni 350 students 118 Mpatheni Primary School 1 x 4 Classroom Block Shiselweni 200 students TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS & TEACHERS 15,951
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Annex 11
Workshop with Stakeholders & Beneficiaries of the MPP programme, 2008 February 12: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS (handouts)
Swaziland European Union
Workshop with stakeholders and beneficiaries of the MPP programme 12 February 2008 At Mountain Inn, Mbabane
Presentation of the preliminary findings (draft)
Final Evaluation of the MULTI-ANNUAL MICRO PROJECTS PROGRAMME (MPP / 9 EDF) FWC: 2007/144232
Funds: EC, Financing Agreement n° SW/7102/058, EDF project: 9ACPSW 001 / MPP: M€ 4.7 , GoS : Emalangeni 15 000 000, signed 2003 September 30, for 5 years. EDF global partial decommitment: 2006: M€ 1.28. NB: MPP is also funded by Japan and Kellog.
André FAYOLLE , [email protected] MTN : 668 55 68 , Fax : 00 33 4 78 44 55 98, France
I would like to thank you all for your contribution, including all persons absents here but that gave some time to interact with me on this challenging exercise of this evaluation.
Content: 1. Background , Objectives, Results of MPP 2 2. Acronyms 3 3. Relevance 4 4. Effectiveness 5 5. Efficiency 7 6. Impact 8 7. Sustainability 10 8. Proposed questions for group work 11 ______91
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1. Background, Objectives, Results Activities planned for the MPP
Swaziland is classified as a medium income country, performing better than most members of SADC. However, the dichotomous nature of the economy and the disparity between the rich and the poor represent a continued challenge for development in Swaziland. Swaziland’s Gini coefficient of 51 classifies it as a country with highly unequal income distribution (Gini coefficient between 50 and 70). Even though the national income per capita is about US$1350, about 69% (of which 63% are females and 37% males) of the population live below the national poverty line of Emalangeni 128.6 (US$24) per capita per month in 2004.
In addition, there are significant regional disparities. Factors found to contribute to the incidence of poverty include rapid population growth, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, a skewed distribution of income and resources, growing unemployment and food insecurity.
The Micro Projects Programme (MPP) aims to support the process of capacity building and empowerment of beneficiary communities through the process of training and direct disbursement of funds. The implementation of the MPP is carried out by the Micro-projects Co-ordination unit, a semi-autonomous body linked to the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development (MEPD). 117
The overall objective of the Programme is ‘sustained socio-economic development amongst poorer Swazi communities’ . The specific objective is ‘ to contribute to sustained social and economic development by a process of empowering poor Swazis in rural and peri-urban areas, with a specific emphasis on women’.
Results : The Financing Agreement specifies the programme to achieve the following results : 1) Wider use of participatory development methods with increased involvement of women 2) New or improved social and economic infrastructure facilities completed by beneficiaries 3) Improved decentralization and co-ordination process at MPCU 4) Small business enterprises, which are profitable and sustainable 5) Strengthen NGO’s capacity through collaboration with other business counselling organizations.
Activities: To achieve the above results the following activities were to be implemented: a) Promoting and co-ordinating participatory planning and development methods, emphasizing the inclusion of women b) Training on pre-project participatory planning with communities, project management and monitoring c) Providing funds to communities for small infrastructure project implementation d) Reporting quarterly by the MPCU e) Providing small business training and loan funds for business investment f) Conducting a study on pilot and selected communities g) Provide business counselling services for small entrepreneurs h) Secure TA for design and supervision of water projects
117 EC, EUROPEAID/119860/C/SV/multi, 2007 November, LOT 1: Rural Development and Food Security REQUEST No.: 2007/144232 SPECIFIC TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR PROGRAMME/PROJECT FINAL EVALUATION OF THE MULTI-ANNUAL MICRO PROJECTS PROGRAMME (9ACPSW 001), 7p ______92
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However with the 2006 Mid-Term Review (MTR), the Intervention Logic of the last year Program Estimate (PE7) was adjusted as follow, while MPP sourced funds from 4 donors (in 2007: EDF - 46%, Government contribution - 26%, Japanese Grant and Kellogg Foundation):
Overall Objective: Sustained socio-economic development and empowerment amongst poor Swazi communities
Specific Objective: To contribute to sustained social and economic development by a process of participation of poor Swazis.
Results and activities: 1. Wider use of participatory development methods by both men and women 1.1 Conduct workshops on participatory development 1.2 Train project committees on participatory project management
2. New and improved social and economic infrastructure facilities completed by local communities and non state actors 1.3 Provide funds to NSA for community Projects 1.4 Construct two water projects 1.5 Construct schools classrooms and teachers houses
3. Network and collaboration with regional development officers 1.6 Conduct regional development meetings for appraisal and monitoring of projects 1.7 Provide farm inputs for orphans and vulnerable children, and the elderly
2. Acronyms:
ARV / ART Anti Retro Viral / Anti Retroviral Therapy CSC Council of Swaziland Churches (Catholics, Anglicans, Methodist, Lutheran, AME. etc.) FA Financial Agreement of the MPP FBO Faith Based Organizations GoS Government of Swaziland Inkundla area regrouping several Chiefdoms, led by, on one hand, a Member of Parliament and, on the other hand, a Leader of the Inkundla Inner Council (a local advisory government). A Chief leads the Community within his Chiefdom. MDGs Millenium Development Goals MEPD Ministry of Economic Planning and Development MFI Micro Finance Institutions MPCU Microprojects Coordination Unit MPP Multi-annual Microprojects Programme MP Micro-Projects NCPs Neighbourhood Care Points (for OVCs) NSAs Non-State Actors OVC’s Orphans and Vulnerable Children RDC Regional Development Committee RDCC Regional Development Coordinating Committee SCC Swaziland Conference of Churches (more of Evangelist denominations) SI Social Infrastructures TA Technical Assistance
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3. Relevance: Extent to which the objectives of the development intervention are consistent with beneficiaries’ requirements, country needs, global priorities and partners’ and EC’s policies.
Stronger points Weaker points
1. High community participation with a minimum of 25% 1. The TA programmed in the FA was insufficient to meet, in contribution in MP construction required for Primary Schools, HIV rural areas, Nation major poverty challenges (HIV & AIDS affected Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Centres, Water massive infection, durable drought and warming, food reticulated Schemes, Rain water harvesting in Social Infrastructures insecurity, erosion/land tenure, unemployment) and (SI), Rural Electrification Schemes and Diptanks (livestock diseases important changes expected and foreseen (more compulsory prevention), etc. decentralisation requested, 9 th EDF/ACP competitive procedures, Cotonou agreement introducing decentralised 2. GoS investment funds implementation, secured annually by 1999 Gazzet Legal Notice. governance and emphasis on NSA, etc),
2. Rural nation challenges (HIV & AIDS, durable drought and 3. Training all MP building committees warming, food insecurity, erosion/land tenure, 4. Decentralisation of the MPP Unit in Regions: perhaps unemployment, absence of rural vocational training because country decentralisation is not effective, this did not centres) not mainstreamed, nor specifically addressed, in materialise further that the existing Region Development the FA, yet the previous MPP final evaluation mentions Committees composed of the various civil services. solutions to most of them 118 .
5. HIV/AIDS nation challenge addressed recently through the 3. MPP community MP committees management Japan funding of NCP. empowerment process is a top down training concept. It did not integrate an inter-groups comparative dynamic 6. Technical Assistance (TA) in Water (to support projects strategy (i.e. on the job process, say within an Inkundla design, implementation, control) programmed by the area, rotating once every 6 months to compare results and Financing Agreement (FA), but not implemented. Still highly progress, between leaders of similar associations). relevant and urgent and to include participatory water conservation, harvesting and water point development. 4. MPP did not specifically programmed legalisation of MP committees’ constitutions. This was not always ensured. 7. The Capacity building programme offered by the MPCU empowers beneficiaries in managing the construction of Perhaps water schemes are more equipped. School and Social Infrastructures (SI) buildings. diptank committees rely on the GoS leading role (Head teachers/vet staff) to sustain services. Clarity needs to be 8. Expected results 4 (small business profitable and made on rural access roads (bridges and maintenance sustainable) and 5 (Stren gthen NGO’s capacity through system) and on NCP. On electricity schemes (grid collaboration with other business counselling organizations) and extension), communities are not recognised as rightful related Activities in the FA, are still very relevant and consistent with owners of the local lines they invested in. RURAL beneficiaries’ requirements, country needs, global priorities and partners’ and EC’s policies (contribution to MDGs through sustainable rural NSA networks).
118 See Recommendations, Summary and p19 Relevance (in GoS Report of Reduction Strategy workshop) Moropa Information Management, Pinky Mashigo, Report on the final evaluation of the 8 th EDF Micro-Project Programme in Swaziland, February 2003 (108p + annexes). Identification and feasibility study did not take place. ______94
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4. Effectiveness: Extent to which the development intervention’s objectives were achieved, or are expected to be achieved, taking into account their relative importance.
StrStrStrongerStr onger points Weaker points
1. Rural and peri-urban beneficiaries met always 1. Key beneficiaries met always expressed need of further expressed great satisfaction for the MP they built: support in the field of water sufficiency, food insecurity, pupils sheltered are learning, cattle do not cause havoc unemployment, HIV/AIDS affected persons, health clinics where fences are in place, NCPs take care of the many and/or drought effects, and even the rightful need of a OVCs, roof rain harvesting systems with 5m3 plastic bridge 121 or absence of vegetable market. Some committees tanks does provide the little precious water, diptanks disagreed with the MPP rule of having to wait 5 years to be and MPP/EDF funded water reticulated schemes entitled for a second MP support. function. 2. The programmed TA for water project designs and control 2. Technical Assistance received by the 9th EDF was unfortunately not requested, yet even the Rural Water Microprojects Programme was late in 2006 and then to Branch of the Ministry told the mission that would have help close the MPP in 2007. It was call to assist solving needed it to help the conception of the GoS water schemes a number of difficulties and mis-understanding on the design, implementation procedures and control manuals. 9thEDF procedures, as well as the EC administrative (see also above: in relevance) deconcentration which brought tighter and sometime 3. This Microprojects Programme did not sufficiently mobilise the changing procedures, and consequently financial flow NSAs to implement MP, and more so to train committees, delay. In this administrative respect, the TA assistance including developing durable networks in the fields of was appreciated by the MPCU. dynamic decentralized governance, and of the nation critical 3. However the logical framework approach 119 was used poverty problems with view to mainstream them in only from the 2006 MTR to plan, and insufficiently to community development initiatives (see above). Small scale manage, report and monitor. This allowed loopholes young farmers committees, gender mainstreamed, need to towards expected results and objectives. The MPP be challenged to form working region and national needs to go ahead with conventional tendering of larger associations, within AU farmers associations networks. MP, particularly in fetching the experience from other Networking will expose farmers leaders to relevant practices MPPs in AU, including decentralised tendering (at MPP (choice of crops, water and soil conservation and using Region units that support Inkundla Local Governments affordable techniques, agro-zoo-forestry farming know-how, and CBO/NSA) and without reducing the legal level of saving & credit grouping, processing and marketing. community participation (at least 25%). 4. Unfortunately, women mainstreaming has not yet been
119 The Final evaluation of the 8 EDF MPP, dated February 2003, does not have a logical framework annexed to it. Yet it served as the feasibility study for the 9thEDF MPP Financing Agreement. 120 Ref: GoS Gazzet CDSF-1999, Legal Notice N°9 of 1999, Mbabane 11.2.99, signed PS-Ministry of Finance, p81 to p83. 121 ex: Lufafa PS community lacks access, and even another school up there in the mountain. Again we noted that children are not served with school services, in one or two agricultural communities, because they are reported to squatter for years the land of private landlords that are abroad (ex in the South-Est of Lubombo: cf;. Keregro K.J.B. (Prof.), Baseline survey for the microprojects programme, draft final report, 2001 April 20, 34p). Certainly, the minimum achievable immediately is supporting with dismountable schools, say timber made, while GoS could certainly find incentives for the absentee unproductive landlord-s to sell their lands. ______95
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effected in the MPP Region Development Committees 4. The MPP appear to be the sole GoS/Donor Programme (RDC), nor in all NSAs actual partners visited. Most MPP that, in effect, practices decentralisation, i.e. to supported primary school committees are men led (secretary, empower rural and peri-urban communities to treasurer and chairperson), same for agricultural projects contribute material, money and work to build (diptank). All key GoS senior staff met by the mission are themselves infrastructures for collective services males. Gender is a nation challenge. rendered at community level.
5. MPP did not sufficiently tap, nor challenged, Faith Based 5. The MPP is a rare Government/Donor Programme Organisations (FBO), such as the large networks of Council where Government officially committed specific of Churches (CSC) and Conference of Churches (SCC), yet investment public annual budget for community “80% of Swazi go at least once a week in a Church and development projects, whereby communities have to about 40% primary schools are mission schools”. contribute at least to 25% of the investment costs and, lastly that creates Region Development Committees to 6. Support to small business expansion strengthening NGO’s coordinate and involve all stakeholders, including capacity through collaboration with other business NGOs 120 . counselling organizations and MFIs was not implemented, with the exception of monitoring MMP 8 th EDF revolving 6. The MPCU has an appropriate women senior staff funds to 2 urban MFIs. Both networks of Churches (Council balance (the 4 region project officers are women). and Conference) explained the mission their efforts to have However recruitment of a new female coordinator, poorer rural Swazi to develop self-help Savings and Credit experienced in mainstreaming the Nation rural groups and Clusters, in order to empower them in reducing challenges, is needed, not excluding tapping extreme poverty. competence abroad in the AU region. Rural water competence, drought prone relevant, needs to be recruited urgently too.
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5. EfficiencyEfficiency:::: Extent to which the outputs and/or desired effects have been achieved with the lowest possible use of resources/inputs (funds, expertise, time, administrative costs, etc.).
Stronger points Weaker pointpointssss
1. The MPP continued to cause the creation of community building 2. The “public call” for MP proposal was only on newspaper, committees, including females, through a selection of meriting and not on the Swaziland Radios, nor sent by open letter to members by community assemblies. Once their MP was approved, each community (chiefdom, schools, church groups, etc.), the MPCU regrouped 5 members of these building committees per particularly the remotest ones, not to say perhaps the one or community and trained them in Mbabane on all construction two squatting unused private land. management aspects so that they ensured building success their MP.
3. Community building committees are dissolved when MP 2. Good quality construction of social buildings and small bridges. Generally MP costs only half those that GoS Ministry of Works could construction is over, causing a loss of governance dynamics. have constructed with no community contribution, nor empowerment. 4. Most water projects visited (9 EDF MPP made and others visited) In addition several GoS stakeholders indicate that MPP construction face deficiencies: water insufficient, dry boreholes, water table went method is rapid and effective (no false promise). down, deeper pumps needed, spring catchments production reduced, reticulated systems not functional (electrical pumps 3. Excellent level of contribution by community, including very good construction quality of the foundations, floor slabs and walls of all destroyed by surges, Head Teacher and his School committee not school and NCP buildings visited, by community building committees, bothered to replace a tap, mend/fix leaks in a rain harvest reservoir under the supervision of Technicians of region offices of Ministry of and gutters, absence of community water conservation initiatives in Works. their catchment area), many roofs not yet equipped with rain harvester gutters and tanks/jar. 4. Effective contribution of Ministry of Works Region Offices where Technicians supply proper MP designs, in the field 5. Poor concepts of dry toilet blocks (GoS pit latrines design) training and control of community works. and of some larger rain harvest water reservoirs (made of fired clay bricks for a capacity from 20m3 to 75m3) in the 5. Some I-NGOs said they motivated the NCP communities they Shiselweni region. These reservoirs easily leak. Concerned support to request construction support from MPP. school communities need to be empowered to mend them.
6. NSA Good Shepherd Hospital (Siteki town) was able to construct with 6. Classroom design needs to integrate two wall cupboards to an MPP grant, a sound rural community NCP building while it carries ensure proper readily storage for teachers and NCP on with supporting it to ensure a durable service to many OVCs. preschool activities. In addition school sport grounds are
7. In all visited schools and NCP constructed with the MPP support, we often poor or not existing. They need to be made a found EU/USAID food aid available and evidence that it is being necessary contribution from parents and advanced students. served to children. We also often found GoS/MoE school supplies (books and text books) and, in NCP, sometimes preschool didactic 7. SI fences are made of commercial material (not easily replicable material from I-NGO sources (WV, … ). locally): chain links and treated forest poles, that do not resist in termites zones (as observed in the South, …). Live fence concept is absent: no use of live trees, shrubs, sisal, euphorbia cuttings, etc. 8. In remote poorer Shewula zone, two NSAs used MPP grants in Yet some fencing plants are protective and multi-productions and/or developing community owned social and economic infrastructures, can be simply planted by drought resistant cuttings. while they carry out other activities such as support to local development planning and piloting innovations such community 8. Development & poverty reduction networking needs to be improved tourism mountain camp, craft exports, nature conservation zone, by integrating in the MPP Region Development Committees, not linking several sub-region Conservation Parks. They also encourage only NGOs (as prescribed by the 1999 Legal Notice) but also the the testing of renewable energy potential (wind) and photovoltaic FBOs, and particularly both the Council and the Conference of
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6. Impact: Positive and negative, primary and secondary long-term effects produced by a development intervention, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended.
Stronger points Weaker pointpointssss
1. The number of direct beneficiary of MP 1. The Nation rural dramatic challenges (i.e. HIV/AIDS constructed (schools, NCPs, diptanks, etc.) extension, durable drought and warming, speaks for itself, including the effective services unemployment, food insecurity, erosion/land tenure, absence of relevant primary school syllabus and rendered by the MP. other vocational training 122 ) were not mainstreamed 2. In some school constructed with the MPP in the MPP, nor specifically expected as results. It is support, we found committees building additional no surprise to observe that the MPP does not have classroom blocks or teachers’ houses. a significant impact on them. Sometime they had already completed additional 2. In that objective, we found that primary school home units very correctly. This replicable process in economic blocks built and appliances supplied with done under Head Teachers firm leadership, MPP support, need revisiting the syllabus to sometimes also aided by some funds from the concretely address the Nation dramatic challenges, Ministry of Regional Development allocated to including introduction of efficient fuel wood cookers, Inkhundla Inner Councils areas / Member of solar cooking, solar water heaters, instead of the electrical and gas cookers supplied (since they use Parliament constituencies. expensive imported energies which also contribute 3. MPP made true efforts to target and effectively to climate warming). support the poorer Swazi communities. However 3. Again since photovoltaic electricity systems are the absence of operational and live GIS viable (as well as other renewable energy systems database expressing MDGs, does not help in such as windmills on the Lubombo mountain range), identifying where are rural communities not yet the MPP should support their development adequately empowered with basic social (including water pumps as they are very reliable and services, such as primary schools, clinics, water save a lot of time to women and young girls). This both for humans and production, access needs to go together with offering technical skills 123 “bottlenecks infrastructures”, Saving and Credit training to the MP committees and teachers .
122 We refer the reader to the Kenyan U-Turn that President Jomo Kenyata challenged his People to go into 3 years before he died in1976: through various local fundraisings, launch everywhere self-help village polytechnics “jua kali” (work even under the sunshine or under a tree if there is nothing else to start with!) and mainstreaming two technical skills relevant to develop each child into self-employment/employable, at all level of education right from grade 1. In rural primary schools, every child is offered farming skills and a second technical skill of his/her choice (textile, home care, crafts, masonry, carpentry, electricity, rural-mechanics, etc.). The objective is that whatever the level a child drops from schooling he/she will be productive. 123 MPP needs to refrain support to SEB grid extension lines as the Chinese project already extended them a lot in rural areas. Last but not least, as a contribution to climate stabilisation, GoS needs to encourage vigorously the Renewable Energy systems, starting from tax vacancy. ______99
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5. Furthermore, considering the HIV and AIDS expanding epidemic (39% of pregnant women infected) and the availability of free ARD medication, from an FBO analysis, we found that nurses of rural clinics must, urgently, be trained to threat AIDS patients with these ARV and with quality sufficient food, including training in production practices, i.e. demonstrating household intensive dryland farming/dairy livestock techniques 124 .
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8) As example, w e refer the reader to the 7 th Day Adventist nurses in Southern Philippines: they are also trained to teach mothers how to grow vegetable and fruits, etc. Of course “household intensive dryland farming/dairy livestock techniques” urgently needs to be mainstreamed in all Primary Schools and all Church centres. We understood that UNICEF now considers Church communities led NCP as more sustainable and effective to serve the thousands of OVCs. Chiefdom would need to lead the way in a “Give a cow or a goat Movement ” to those many poorer Swazi AIDS affected to unable them to practice “household intensive dryland farming and dairy livestock techniques”. In addition this pro-life movement needs to .be complemented where necessary by a “ Give a small piece of land, with cuttings of cassava, standing hay and multi-production fruit trees (elephant grass, pawpaw, silkworm berry trees, etc, and recipes for cassava leaves and roots consumption …). A strategy such as “ Give a cow or goat and ensure a piece of land” to those many poorer Swazi HIV/AIDS affected, needs to be made one element of contribution in any community project that expects support from the MPP, and from any other programs. Considering that population is the first asset of a country, Chiefdom , diptank committees and large landowners need to understand that the extensive traditional cattle grazing is one main cause of water shortages and food insecurity. Because of the generalised overgrazing, rain water runs off instead of percolating into the soil where i) it would boost vegetation to grow, and ii) refill faults of springs and boreholes, regulating river flows. The Rural Water Branch needs to embark vigorously into water and vegetation conservation capacity. This includes compulsory community spring catchments and boreholes basin protection. For instance, we refer the reader to the North
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Cameroon Mandara mountains MPP that was able to bring up the water table in wells and boreholes, etc. The extensive traditional cattle grazing has needs to be discouraged, by encouraging intensive durable small livestock systems (semi or full zero-grazing, fodder harvesting and planting, sugarcane leaves used as fodder, protein rich complementary feeds, ). Finally dairy camel grazing needs to be tested in the South-Eastern dry part of the country, including adaptation of homestead dairy recipes.
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7. Sustainability : Extent to which the benefits from the development intervention continue after termination of the external intervention, or the probability that they continue in the long-term in a way that is resilient to risks.
Stronger points Weaker points
1. Primary schools are staffed by GoS civil servants, with 1 Apparently all MP lands, and lands of older SI sometime lack of teachers. Though GoS share of constructed, have been cleared of vegetation cover, often school fees/school funds seems generally transferred doing away with the precious arable soil when using with 10 months delay, the teaching service appeared Ministry of Works Region grader. This practice marks the functional everywhere visited. There is no noticeable school or NCP territory allocated by the Chiefdom, since difference between the many missions’ schools, there is no land title/deed, no land survey plan, and often community ones and those of GoS. It is noted that pupils enrolment is reported everywhere on the no legalised constitution for the Service association incre ase because of the generalized EU/USAID food aid created. Unfortunately such land clearing destructive programme to schools and NCPs. However, while there is practice (durable loss of fertility, soil, water conservation dramatically 4 Swazi over 10 on the international food aid capacity and solid carbon) impacts wrong signals to programme, the number of children in age of primary school, peasants and students. not schooling varies from 20% to 30% according to committee members interviewed. 2 On dry land farming techniques, no cattle keeper, beneficiary or field civil servant, mentioned the potential of making hay, 2. The NCP for OVCs appeared well functioning everywhere, certainly because of the timely nation wide planting standing hay, and other practices such as cassava and EU/USAID food delivery programme by NGOs under other tuber cultivation, or dry river sub-ground dams, counter level 125 WFP. However, few NCP, and even primary schools, stones alignments, agro-zoo-forestry, dairy camels , homestead visited had made an effort to cultivate some food on earth span rain water harvester (on hardened bare red soils), their land. It is not uncommon to find NCP committees water saving pipe/bottle planted sub-roots manual irrigation, sugarcane heads as fodder, ECOSAN 126 fertilising latrines. Only one MP committee taking steps to turn their NCP into pre-schools. One Region member met knew drip irrigation (agricultural technician, he irrigates 20 ha Education Officer interviewed clearly wishes that to happen. of sugar cane with water wasteful sprinklers). Unfortunately many NCP visited are not located nearby a primary school and this could become an additional 3 Some poor MPP beneficiary communities visited complained of administrative cost if they become preschools. having to buy back now the land of their ancestors, and worse, have no loan system to allow them to buy these farms. 3. The sustainability of the Microprojects Programme itself Consequently they explained that such land ends to be sold to is still comforted by GoS 1999 legal decision. However new comers, i.e. employed persons. if EU definitely withdraws from it, the level and high
quality of the local contribution may not stand 4 As training did not integrate inter-groups networking competition from free public donation programmes, … methodology and constitutions systemised, committees which will anyway end to be counter-developmental. governance may weaken again once MP constructions are
125 Contrary to cows, large feet of camels do not destroy little grass. Water need of camels is reduced. Camel milk is 4 times richer than the one of a Friesian cow. It gently grazes leaves of trees without destroying them like elephants. We refer the reader to the Kenya dairy camels industry, including those more productive imported by missionary from Pakistan. See also Israel dairy camels, and various other arid and semi-arid countries in Africa, etc. 126 ECOSAN: Ecological Sanitation: refer: www.CREPA , a West-Africa NGO, etc. ______102
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completed.
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Annex 12
Workshop with Stakeholders & Beneficiaries of the MPP, 2008 February 12: QUESTIONS & REPLIES FROM GROUPS
Questions and replies from groups, final evaluation workshop, MPP / 9 EDF.
Workshop with stakeholders and beneficiaries of the MPP, 12feb2008, Mbabane..
Methodology note: After the presentation of preliminary findings, participants formed 3 groups to reply questions. One group was constituted of 11 Policy makers / Civil Servants of various Ministries. Two groups were constituted of 6 persons, either from NSA or from beneficiary project (responsible of committees). Since there were not enough persons, a fourth group could not be made to reply some of the nine groups of questions. Group work took place from 11h30 to 12h30. Each group wrote answers on flip charts and rapidly presented their work to the assembly at the end of the session before the official closure by the Chief Economist MEDP / Deputy NAO at 13h30.
Below are the questions and answers given:
1. In Swaziland, what do we mean by “poorer Swazi”? 1.1 Give definition and indicators to easily identify, and possibly rank, poorer and groups of poorer among the community?
Replies from Policy makers Civil Servants: Definition: Can be defined by all persons living below E7 per day (E128.6 per month) Relative, do have access to some basic needs.
Indicators: a poorer person can be defined by the following indicators: Lack of access to basic needs. Extreme poverty Can not be able to contribute 25% to finance projects for their benefit. Lack capacity to submit their project needs. MPP needs to reach out for these
Replies from Beneficiaries, group 1 (composed of communities and None State Actors): Definition: Someone / a person that cannot meet their basic needs. Indicators: • Employment rate • Malnourishment • Types of prevalent diseases / related diseases • Ability to afford medical treatment ______104
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• Ability to afford basic education • Availability of water. • Type of housing
1.2 Give also names of pockets of worse poverty (areas) in each region of the country?
Replies from Policy makers Civil Servants: The lowveld (South of Great Usuthu) . Can refer to statistics to get the regions with the highest level of unemployment.
Replies from Beneficiaries, group 1 : Lubombo - KaShewula - Mpolonjeni - Sitsatsaweni - Malindza - Maphungwane - Lavumisa
Shiselweni - Makhosini I & II - Makhwelela
Hhohho - Emkhuzweni - Endzingeni
Manzini - Ndinda - Ntontozi - Bhahwini
1.3 How can the MPP better address the “poorer Swazi”? and particularly the women and girls?
Replies from Policy makers Civil Servants: Visit communities about how MPP can assist them and what would they need to contribute (sensitize). Improve scope of dissemination of information through: - Radio - Tinkhundla level - Chiefdom level - Workshoping chiefs Simplify MPP application form.
Replies from Beneficiaries, group 1 : o Help start micro-projects that involve women, i.e. agriculture, handicraft etc.
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o Offer business management skills that integrate HIV/AIDS and health issues especially for women. o Integrate renewable energy solutions into projects. o Help construct and build capacity on proper housing. o Prioritise the education of a girl child.
------2 Effectiveness: 2.1 In your view what are the weaknesses of the MPP programme? (structural weakness? resource? technical? operate in a different manner? etc?)
Replies from Beneficiaries, group 2 : • Emphasis on tangible delivery versus capacity building Project ownership Sustainability / management • Time frames do not consider local circumstances / eventualities (e.g. 2006 call) • Complex procedures for communities to follow through: Application Access funds Reporting • Use of local technical expertise lacking • 25% contribution REQs Assumes labour availability Financial contribution vs poverty • Information dissemination
2.2 Having said that, what do you suggest to improve the MPP programme? Community involvement and use of decentralized structures Improve community level capacity building Build technical expertise within MPCU Water engineers Inspector of works Quality surveyors Review procedures and timeframe in consultation with communities Review community contribution to 10%
2.3 Rapidly and generally, what external factors have contributed both positively and adversely on the delivery of MPP programme results?
Replies from Beneficiaries, group 2 : contributed positively: - Existence of complimentary programmes (e.g. NERCHA, WFP, NGOs) - Strong donor support. contributed adversely : - Narrow focus sometimes not reflective of community priorities. - Local level capacity
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3 Efficiency: 3.1 According to you, rank micro-projects types according to the quality of their contribution towards the MPP specific objective : ‘ to contribute to sustained social and economic development by a process of empowering poor Swazis in rural and peri-urban areas, with a specific emphasis on women ’.
3.2 With respects to the MPP specific objective, what type of micro-projects are less justified, including taking into account their building costs, their maintenance costs (sustainability)?
3.3 List networking opportunities the MPP programme contributed to create 3.3.1 amongst Government Agencies? 3.3.2 with and within communities and other stakeholders (NGOs, Farmers associations, Churches, …)?
3.4 How can MPP programme better address HIV and AIDS? and gender equity?
------4 Impact: 4.1 From the presentation, what MPP programme impacts amongst beneficiary communities have been 4.1.1 omitted? 4.1.2 overstated? 4.1.3 improperly stated? Improperly stated 4.1.4 give elements to allow adjustment of statements?
Replies from Policy makers Civil Servants Ownership is at overstatement
Beneficiaries at the moment can not expect to own electricity infrastructure at the moment. Different groups contribute to finance electricity (electricity line)
Improperly stated Weakness NO.4 is wrongly attributed to MPP No.5 pages 8 & 9 activities fall under MHSW, page 10 – weakness No. 3
4.2 What capacities have the beneficiary communities developed through the support of the MPP programme? Can be properly responded to by beneficiaries, and also by MPP who is in a position to identify gaps during and after training.
4.3 With regards to capacities of communities, what still need to be improved? and how? in what field? skills? Concern was raised about the capabilities of communities to contribute 25%. Some projects need labour contribution, others do not e.g. rural electrification.
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MPP should classify projects that need 25% contribution and those that do not (rural electrification).
------5 Sustainability of Neighbourhood Care Points (NCP) for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC): 5.1 List actions and measures to take to ensure that volunteer facilitators will continue their service to Orphans and Vulnerable Children, and possibly improve the quality of their services. 5.2 How best can the women volunteers be supported, so that they do not get discouraged on the long run?
NB: This question could not be treated by a group of participants because only half of invited persons turned up. Top officials (the NAO, the Head of the EC Delegation and others) could not participate beyond the powerpoint presentation.
------6 Primary School education / curriculum: give actions and measures to take to ensure that Primary Schools also contribute to: 6.1 reduce food insecurity, in homesteads? and on school sites?
Replies from Beneficiaries, group 1 (composed of communities and None State Actors): Government should make agriculture compulsory in all primary schools Pupils should be encouraged to do back yard gardens Encourage the use of traditional environmentally friendly forms of farming (i.e. use of compost heaps). Encourage primary schools to produce, to generate income Discourage the dependency syndrome at a very young age.
6.2 reduce HIV and AIDS infection extension? Incorporate HIV programs into school curricular Provide education on morals Integrate sex education into school curricular Encourage pupils to report any forms of harassment and provide facilities for counseling in schools.
6.3 educate the youth to be more self-employed / job creators? Lifetime skills should be integrated into school curricular Schools should instill the culture of entrepreneurship in pupils at a very young age.
------7 Erosion / loss of arable soil on communal land (and on private unused lands): 7.1 What are the causes of erosion (such as gullies / “donga”) and of the reduction of vegetation cover?
Replies from Beneficiaries, group 2 : - Wild fires - overgrazing
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- poor farming techniques (ploughing up and down slopes) - Maximum tillage - Cattle tracks - Deforestation - Overstocking - Mono-cropping - climate change (drought / cyclone) - maximum usage of chemicals / herbicides
7.2 List actions and measures to take to reduce erosion while increasing food production and food security for poorer Swazi in rural area? • Community Conservation Programmes • Promote agroforestry • Destocking • Reviving indigenous farming practices • Encourage organic farming • Inter cropping / crop rotation • Review legislation on wild fires • Awareness campaigns • Promote conservation agriculture
------8 Water points sustainability 8.1 What causes the going down of water table, and the reduction of water availability in spring catchments? Look at aspects of climate, land exploitation practices and changes, etc? 8.2 List actions and measures to take 8.2.1 to conserve water 8.2.1.1 in rural areas? 8.2.1.2 and in urban areas?
8.2.2 to use more efficiently the available water, • on MPP project sites? • in rural areas in general? • and in urban areas?
NB: This question could not be treated by a group of participants because only half of invited persons turned up. Top officials (the NAO, the Head of the EC Delegation and others) could not participate beyond the powerpoint presentation.
------9 Persistent drought / climate warming: 9.1 give references of policies, strategies and programs in place, including components of programs and organisations, addressing in Swaziland issues of persistent drought / climate warming. Replies from Beneficiaries, group 1 : Policies :
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The national energy policy (addresses renewable energy) Swaziland’s first national communication to the UN convention on climate change. Forestry policy Poverty reduction strategy
Strategies and Programs : Disaster management program Energy efficiency programe for public buildings in Swaziland. Climate change awareness raising by NGOs Micro-projects
Organizations: UNDP Government, World Vision AMICAAL NERCHA – National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS REASWA – Renewable Energy Association of Swaziland Yonge Nawe / LDS UNDP – United Nations Development Program MET – Metereology SEA – Swaziland Environmental Authority ACAT – LOS – Lutheran Development Service
9.2 Identify and list practices and types of implements and/or appliances that should be used by Swaziland programs in other to address/mitigate persistent drought / climate warming. Replies from Beneficiaries, group 1 : Energy efficiency Use renewable energy Technologies (i.e. solar, wind and biomass and hydro) Use energy efficient appliances Building dams for water conservation (water harvesting) Plant drought resistant crops Manage existing supplies of resources (i.e. water) well. Plant trees to reduce carbon emissions. Reduce carbon emissions.
9.3 Give actions and measures to put in place to make these practices and types of implements and/or appliances more affordable? Replies from Beneficiaries, group 1 : Provide tax breaks on energy efficient products and increase it on conventional methods. Produce and sell locally. Reward efficient practices and penalize overusage of resources. Put policies in place to address issues of climate change and drought and their implementation strategies.
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Building local capacity and expertise to produces implements and appliances locally. Provide subventions for suppliers.
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Annex 13
Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, 9 EDF - Programme Estimate No 7 (PE7), 2006/10 to 2007/09 EDF No 9 ACP SW 001/9, period: 01oct2006 to 30sep2007 , Summary table, in Emalengeni Contribution No. of Budget Project direct Title Expenditure by estimate Components Beneficiari community es
Activities 1: Train communities on participatory development methods Conduct workshops for participatory development Extensive training of project committees in project management Train project Committees 50 000,00 41 025,53 ? and participatory development methodologies has been conducted. Sub Total 50 000,00 41 025,53 Activity 2: Construction of Social infrastructures for selected communities Provide Funds for Grants For
NSA's for community project Pre-school,Pit latrine, 210 Vusumnofto CBO 90 000,00 90 000,00 70 580,00 & fencing Homestead Ngudzeni Clinic 80 000,00 80 000,00 25 000,00 Ngudzeni Clinic 800 Deaf Renovations and School for the Deaf (Siteki?) 90 000,00 90 000,00 55 000,00 chidlren & Fencing teachers COSPE (for Shewula informal primary school) 88 700,86 88 700,86 ? 1 x 2 Classrooms Siteki Town Board 90 000,00 90 000,00 ? Craft Market 310 Malkerns Valley Primary School 81 600,00 81 600,00 54 400,00 School Hall students, 12 teachers Matsanjeni Health Centre 90 000,00 90 000,00 60 000,00 Nurses Houses 3261 people Shewula Trust (environnement education Toilets, Fencing & 73 104,20 73 104,20 ? centre, with indigeneous plants nursery) solar panel Water Harvesting Swaziland Farmer Development Foundation 89 188,14 89 188,14 ? Tanks Lomabhidla NCP 78 217,41 78 217,41 ? Kitchen for orphans SOS Village 67 500,00 67 500,00 133 601,00 Teacher's houses 110 children Sub Total 918 310,61 918 310,61 398 581,00
Construction of Water Supply Sys. Shewula Water Supply 4 000 000,00 1 200 666,35 ? Supervision by consultants, advertisment of 200 000,00 8 175,00 ? tenders, assessors (for Shewula?) Sub Total 4 200 000,00 1 208 841,35 0,00
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Contributi No. of Budget on by Project direct Title (page 2/2) Expenditure estimate communit Components Benefici y aries Construction of school projects Mpofu Primary School 101 685,00 101 045,90 44 000,00 School Kitchen 50 students
Nyokeni Primary School 58 854,00 58 659,65 28 000,00 1 x 6 Classroom Block 300 students Ngwane Central Primary School 192 900,00 157 040,75 85 000,00 1 x 3 Classroom block 150 students
Ekuthuleni Primary School 187 101,00 178 462,13 112 000,00 School Fencing 485 students Nyatsini Primary School 49 958,00 45 866,95 28 000,00 School Fencing 400 students Sidvokodvo Primary School 58 854,00 10 256,00 28 000,00 School Fencing 600 students Nkanyezini Primary School 43 536,00 42 344,85 28 000,00 School Fencing 600 students Elwandle Primary School 43 536,00 42 826,13 28 000,00 School Fencing 513 students
Luftotja Primary School 164 394,00 144 874,80 100 000,00 Teacher's Houses 02 teachers Tsambokhulu Primary School 187 010,00 173 778,85 112 000,00 Teacher's Houses 02 teachers
Mhlanga Methodist Primary School 221 756,00 175 201,30 92 000,00 Home economics block 50 students MP built by PE7: 1 Home Economics Block, 9 Classrooms, Sub Total 1 309 584,00 1 130 357,31 685 000,00 1 School Kitchen, 5 School Fencing, 2 Teacher's Houses Total : 18 Projects Activity 3: Improve Decentralisation and
Coordination of Microprojects Programme Conduct a Study on Pilot and selected poor 0,00 0,00 communities Conducting regional development meetings 0,00 0,00 for appraisal of projects at regional level
Assist orphans and vulnerable children Grand Total (Emalengeni) 6 477 895 3 298 535 1 083 581
EDF Expenditure & Communities' contribution (as per PE7 9EDF, MPCU 2008feb14 soft table) EDF % contribution in C'ties' contribution Expenditure overall MP value Primary schools 1 130 357,31 685 000,00 37,73% Water Supply Systems 1 208 841,35 0,00 0,00% NSA granted MPs 918 310,61 398 581,00 30,27% Total 3 257 509,27 1 083 581,00 24,96%
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Annex 14
Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, 9 EDF - Programme Estimate No 6 (PE6), 2005/12 to 2006/11
EDF No 9 ACP SW 001/9, period: 1 Dec 2005 to Nov 2006, Summary table, in Emalengeni Contributi No. of Budget Expenditur on by Project direct Title (page 2/2) estimate e communit Components Beneficia y ries Activities 1: Train communities on Consists of capacity building and empowerment of the participatory development methods beneficiary communities and were addressed through conducting workshops on participatory leadership 55 project committee members from 11 45 000,00 0,00 development of manuals and education projects were trained in participation training communities in project and financial management. 0,00 Activity 2: Construction of Social infrastructures for selected communities Provide Funds for Grants For NSA's for community project Construction of a Primary Vusumnofto CBO 69 383,13 0,00 21 778,00 71 students School COSPE 69 948,00 0,00 Community Centre 400 members Sub Total 139 331,13 0,00 21 778,00 Construction of school projects Mavula Primary School 196 402,00 160 916,70 115 000,00 Home Economics block 50 students Dvumbe Primary School 232 265,00 209 373,09 115 000,00 Home Economics block 50 students Hlutse Primary School 232 265,00 146 783,89 115 000,00 Home Economics block 50 students Emafusini Primary School 232 265,00 229 038,42 115 000,00 Home Economics block 50 students Ebugeleni Primary School 232 265,00 195 028,45 115 000,00 Home Economics block 50 students Eqinisweni Primary School 232 265,00 161 338,95 115 000,00 Home Economics block 50 students Nhlambeni Primary School 232 265,00 165 227,09 115 000,00 Home Economics block 50 students
Mpumalanga Primary School 191 489,00 155 819,58 105 000,00 1 x 3 classroom block 150 students Nhlanguyavuka Primary School 191 489,00 138 538,25 105 000,00 1 x 3 classroom block 150 students Esiweni Primary School 138 442,00 89 559,99 80 000,00 1 x 2 classroom block 100 students Loyiwe Primary School 191 489,00 159 798,58 105 000,00 1 x 3 Classroom block 150 students New Hebron Primary School 253 633,00 223 391,90 125 000,00 1 x4 classroom block 200 students Ekutsimleni Primary School 138 442,00 99 350,72 80 000,00 1 x 2 classroom block 100 student Cetjwayo Primary School 171 537,00 108 395,92 105 000,00 1 x 3 classroom block & Fencing 150 students
Mhlabeni Primary School 58 784,00 57 413,20 39 000,00 School fencing 400 students
Nkonjwa Primary School 200 074,00 161 854,03 115 000,00 Teacher's House 04 teachers
Deccapol Primary School 52 490,00 46 841,10 35 000,00 School Kitchen 150 students
Sub Total 3 177 861,00 2 508 669,86 1 699 000,00 Activity 3: Improve Decentralisation and Coordination of Microprojects Programme
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Conduct a Study on Pilot and selected poor 4 000,00 1 217,73 communities Conducting regional development meetings for 0,00 0,00 appraisal of projects at regional level Grand Total (Emalengeni) 3 366 192 2 509 888 1 720 778
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Annex 15
Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, 9 EDF - Programme Estimate No 3 (PE3), 2004/07 to 2005/09
EDF No 9 ACP SW 001/9, period: 1 Jul 2004 to Sep 2005, Summary table, in Emalengeni Contributio Budget Expenditur No. of Direct Title n by Project Components estimate e Beneficiaries Community Activities 1: Train communities on participatory The programme conducted training workshops for 139 development methods projects committees who were trained in project 90 project committees from 18 management, finance management and leadership Expenditure was paid from PE education projects were trained in skills. 2 (Participatory) participation Construction of school projects St Menetus Primary School 145 470,00 138 522,07 58 000,00 1 x 7 Classroom block 350 students Lonhlupheko Primary School 239 300,00 171 587,74 83 000,00 1 x 4 classroom block 200 students Gundwini Primary School 39 600,00 39 599,76 25 500,00 1 x 1 classroom block 50 students 1 x 3 classroom block + Bulandzeni Primary School 137 011,00 137 011,24 58 000,00 358 students fencing 1 x 4 classroom block + Ekutfunyweni Primary School 211 394,00 211 394,35 119 500,00 50 students fencing 1 x 3 classroom block + Enhlanhleni Primary School 206 900,00 124 022,93 75 000,00 150 students fencing 1 x 3 classroom block + St Bernard Primary School 126 401,00 126 401,05 68 950,00 130 students fencing 1 x 4 classroom block + St Pauls Primary School 170 789,00 170 788,72 107 000,00 200 students fencing 1 x 1 classroom block + St. Peter's Primary School 105 807,00 98 909,05 64 500,00 350 students fencing 1 x 3 classroom block + Bambitje Primary School 134 870,00 134 870,35 70 000,00 200 students fencing Nyatsini Primary School 183 325,00 183 325,48 100 000,00 1 x 4 classroom block + fencing 172 students 1 x 7 Classroom block+fencing 350 students, 8 Mbandzamane Primary School 339 000,00 318 848,67 167 000,00 + 4 Teachers houses teachers
New Mbuluzi Primary School 63 000,00 45 337,50 24 490,00 School fencing 400 students Nkhungwini Primary School 74 700,00 39 462,22 28 990,00 School fencing 450 students
Zwide Primary School 350 800,00 294 243,83 142 000,00 2 teachers houses +fencing 04 teachers Mkhuzweni Primary School 166 660,00 166 660,18 100 000,00 2 teachers houses +fencing 668 Students, 4 teachers Sigcaweni Primary School 303 059,00 303 058,98 207 500,00 14 teachers houses 28 teachers
Velebantfu Primary School 88 470,00 63 684,45 38 500,00 School Kitchen 700 Students
Sub Total 3 086 556,00 2 767 728,57 1 537 930,00
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Contributio Budget Expenditur No. of Direct Title (page 2/2) n by Project Components estimate e Beneficiaries Community Construction of Community Centres Vukani Bomake 257 410,00 253 103,38 135 000,00 Community Centre 5000 people
Health & Welfare Construction of two nurses Mkhulamini Clinic 158 213,00 109 760,73 60 000,00 2000 people houses
Rural Eletrification Instal power line -15 Chakaza Mdzangwni RE 271 132,00 850,00 90 188,00 150 people homesteads Instal power line -15 Mbotjeni Electricity 54 238,00 54 088,00 50 362,00 150 people homesteads Instal power line -10 Akukhanye Makhelwane 35 910,00 35 760,00 36 890,00 100 people homesteads Instal power line -11 Dziya Electricity RE 65 948,00 65 798,00 21 622,00 110 people homesteads Instal power line -56 Lukhetseni Electricity Scheme 112 776,00 112 626,00 84 224,00 560 people homesteads Etinhlanhleni Electricity Instal power line -32 84 596,00 81 847,20 99 884,00 320 people Scheme homesteads Instal power line -16 Mahlabane RE 49 915,00 42 257,00 33 055,00 160 people homesteads Instal power line -19 Etimbutini RE 56 300,00 53 810,00 37 420,00 190 people homesteads 730 815,00 447 036,20 453 645,00 Agricultural
Infrastructure Mtfwalankhomo Diptank 51 200,00 47 058,05 34 500,00 Diptank 130 livestock Farmers Phumlile Diptank 51 200,00 51 241,75 37 000,00 Diptank 100 livestock Farmers 102 400,00 98 299,80 71 500,00 Natural Resources &
Environment 600 community Emhlohlweni Nat. Cons. 203 530,00 189 696,25 92 500,00 Fencing Premises members
Transport &
Communication 2000 community Nkhomo/Lwandle 877 203,00 873 042,47 315 000,00 2 low level Bridges members Grand Total 5 416 127 4 738 667 2 665 575 (Emalengeni)
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Annex 16
Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, GoS/CDSF: PE3, 2004/07 to 2005/09
GoS : Community Development Social Fund (CDSF), period: 1 Jul 2004 to Sep 2005, Summary table, in Emalengeni
Contribution Budget No. of Direct Title (page 2/2) Expenditure by Project Components estimate Beneficiaries Community Construction of school projects 1 x 3 classroom block, fencing and Black Mbuluzi Primary 237 500,00 129 769,56 80 000,00 upgrading borehole reticulation system to 357 students School provide water in the school Egugwini Primary School 147 285,00 128 127,05 70 000,00 1 x 3 classroom block & water harvesting 280 students 1 x 3 Classrooms block and roof water Ekumeni Primary School 148 000,00 143 958,61 70 000,00 243 students harvesting 1 x 5 Classrooms block, roof water Letindze Primary School 219 200,00 174 649,43 45 000,00 28 teachers harvesting and school fencing 1 x 3 classroom block, roof water Njonjane Primary School 148 000,00 146 590,87 70 000,00 harvesting & provision of class furniture 395 students Mabamba Primary School 203 337,00 152 082,49 74 000,00 1 x 4 classroom block 385 students Makhosini Primary School 306 538,00 163 332,99 116 500,00 8 classrooms block & office 385 students 750 students,16 Lulakeni Primary School 117 213,00 84 683,72 49 000,00 1 x 3 classroom block + fencing teachers 300 parents. 1 x 3 classrooms block,administration Manyovu Primary School 198 600,00 191 437,29 100 000,00 448 students block and roof water harvsting.
Khalakahle Primary 164 200,00 130 308,44 59 000,00 Renovation of 5 classrooms and 1 Kitchen 400 students School
Home Economic block and fencing and Mangedla Primary School 246 400,00 188 914,96 97 000,00 402 students water harvesting
Teachers houses, roof water harvesting & Mafucula Primary School 160 400,00 122 161,63 80 000,00 420 students fencing Mhlumeni Mazarene B2A teachers' house and roof water 150 Students, 2 81 200,00 75 785,87 35 000,00 Primary Sch harvesting teachers
Mbuluzi Primary School 24 500,00 18 638,93 10 568,00 Fencing for the teacher's houses 240 students Ekufikeni Primary School 38 880,00 25 213,43 13 000,00 School fencing 230 students Seven Holly Founders 55 639,00 29 817,83 14 950,00 School fencing 701 students & Primary teachers Mlindazwe Primary 450 students,13 52 053,00 31 992,93 17 500,00 School Fencing teachers 250 School parents. Sub Total 2 548 945 1 937 466 1 001 518
Water Supply and
Sanitation
Majotini Community W/S 775 190,00 754 923,17 349 600,00 Provide potable water of domestic use 1300 members Manyisa Mguleni W/S and 877 332,00 870 158,50 352 120,00 Provide potable water of domestic use 1500 members San
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Vusweni Water Supply & 184 800,00 170 003,32 80 000,00 Provide potable water of domestic use 2040 members San Zencane Water Supply 322 800,00 255 351,25 121 760,00 Provide potable water of domestic use 280 members S.I.T,C Water Supply & 95 200,00 42 977,68 37 556,00 Provide water to the institution 100 students 500 San parents Sub Total 2 255 322 2 093 413 941 036
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Budget Contribution No. of Direct Title (page 2/2) Expenditure by Project Components estimate Community Beneficiaries Rural Eletrification Kadeda Electrification Scheme 50 050,00 50 035,00 90 188,00 Instal power line -15 homesteads 500 members Mhlabanyoni Electrification Scheme 114 780,00 114 780,00 50 362,00 Instal power line -15 homesteads 500 members Zombodze Electrification Scheme 167 429,00 168 279,00 36 890,00 Instal power line -51 homesteads 350 members Elugedzeni Electrification Scheme 133 263,00 850,00 21 622,00 Instal power line -33 homesteads 330 members Sub Total 465 522 333 944 199 062 Agricultural Infrastructure Ingomane Dip Tank 76 683,00 56 149,75 30 150,00 Diptank 63 livestock Farmers Mfaba Dip Tank 76 683,00 71 263,53 37 251,00 Diptank 69 livestock Farmers Mbanana Dipt Tank 76 683,00 1 800,00 76 683,00 Diptank 150 livestock Farmers Ntamakuphila/Mbelebeleni Dip 76 683,00 0,00 76 683,00 Diptank 60 livestock Tank Farmers Zibonele Dip Tank 76 683,00 74 742,05 76 683,00 Diptank 42 livestock farmers Sub Total 383 415 203 955 297 450 Transport & Communication Dvokolwako/Mgilonki Lowlevel 117 074,00 96 854,00 50 000,00 Low level Bridge 500 community Bridge members
Grand Total (Emalengeni) 5,770,278 4,665,633 2,489,066
1 Home Economics Block 40 Classroom Blocks 1 School Kitchen 9 School Fencing 2 Teacher's Houses 9 Roof water harvesting 2 Administration blocks 5 Dip tanks 4 Rural Electrification 5 Water Supply Schemes
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Annex 17
Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, GoS/CDSF: PE7, 2006/10 to 2007/09 GoS, Community Development Social Fund , period: 01oct2006 to 30sep2007 , Summary table, in Emalengeni Budget Contribution No. of Direct Title Expenditure by Project Components estimate Community Beneficiaries Construction of school projects
Hawane Primary School 142 426,00 115 654,85 80 000,00 1 x 4 classroom block & fencing 300 students
Zamokuhle Primary School 320 152,00 245 630,11 140 000,00 1 x 4 classroom block & fencing 100 students
Mlindzini Primary School 253 633,00 61 279,25 140 000,00 1 x 4 classroom block & fencing 98 students 1 x 3 classroom blocks, fencing Lufafa Primary School 279 053,00 212 882,15 150 000,00 150 students and construction toilets 1 x 3 classroom blocks, fencing Emabheleni Primary School 279 122,00 151 155,75 140 000,00 100 students and construction toilets 1 x 3 classroom block +provision St. Anselm Primary School 196 842,00 196 637,44 105 000,00 of classroom furniture 360 students
1 x 3 classroom block +provision Qomntaba Primary School 196 842,00 148 256,54 105 000,00 of classroom furniture 409 students
Entandweni Primary School 196 842,00 145 737,28 105 000,00 1 x 3 classroom blocks 120 students, Mpakeni Primary School 196 842,00 103 832,95 105 000,00 1 x 3 classroom blocks 460 students
Hhohho A.M.E. Primary School 239 332,00 168 261,26 92 000,00 Home Economic Block 600 students Edinisweni Primary School 239 322,00 177 135,77 92 000,00 Home Economic Block 846 students Sub Total 2 540 408 1 726 463 1 254 000
Construction : Community Centres Ndzevane Water Supply 255 703 181 964 120 000 Install pipe line - 120 homesteads 1200 people
Rural Eletrification Instal power line -45 Mbeka Electricity Scheme 205 993,00 204 993,00 71 307,00 1000 people homesteads Instal power line -12 Etindvongeni Electricity Scheme 50 940,00 18 500,00 500 people homesteads Instal power line -56 Nkonka Electricity Scheme 181 180,00 60 660,00 500 people homesteads Instal power line -44 Mabandze Electricity Scheme 134 260,00 61 440,00 352 people homesteads Sub Total 572 373 204 993 211 907 Agricultural Infrastructure Makhubeni Diptank 93 113,00 90 031,10 35 000,00 Diptank 100 livestock Farmers Masheleleni Diptank 93 113,00 91 416,00 35 000,00 Diptank 100 livestock Farmers Mahlabatsini Diptank 93 113,00 68 429,90 35 000,00 Diptank 58 livestock Farmers Gebeni Diptank 93 113,00 95 256,45 35 000,00 Diptank 80 livestock Farmers Sub Total 372 452 345 133 140 000
Grand Total (Emalengeni) 3 740 936 2 458 554 1 725 907
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2 Home Economics Blocks 31 Classroom Blocks 5 School Fencing 4 Dip tanks 4 Rural Electrification 5 Water Supply Schemes
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Annex 18
Individual commitments / budget consumption by headings, GoS/Japan grant: 2004 to 2007/09 GoS, Japan grant , period: 2004 to 30sep2007, Summary table, in Emalengeni
Supply and distribution of farm FOOD PRODUCTION 11 759 250 7 554 088 0 8814 OVC's consumable inputs
Construction of Neighbourhood Care Point (NCP) to help Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVC)
Neighbourhood Care Point for Dvokololwako NCP 133 800,00 127 493,45 45 000,00 67 OVC's 1 OVCs Neighbourhood Care Point for Gegebeni NCP 137 000,00 123 327,96 60 000,00 65 OVC's 2 OVCs Neighbourhood Care Point for Lugongolweni NCP 137 000,00 131 766,82 60 000,00 60 OVC's 3 OVCs Neighbourhood Care Point for Mayaluka NCP 137 000,00 121 298,47 60 000,00 65 OVC's 4 OVCs Neighbourhood Care Point for Mbadlane NCP 137 000,00 135 012,95 60 000,00 341 OVC's 5 OVCs Neighbourhood Care Point for Siphondvo NCP 137 000,00 93 382,25 60 000,00 100 OVC's 6 OVCs Neighbourhood Care Point for KaMngayi NCP 129 170,00 129 817,34 38 000,00 120 OVC's 7 OVCs Neighbourhood Care Point for Magonsini NCP 129 170,00 107 460,57 38 000,00 113 OVC's 8 OVCs Neighbourhood Care Point for Mbangweni NCP 129 170,00 133 361,62 38 000,00 132 OVC's 9 OVCs Neighbourhood Care Point for Mtjezi NCP 129 170,00 109 500,55 38 000,00 77 OVC's 10 OVCs Neighbourhood Care Point for Mtsambama NCP 129 170,00 124 930,46 38 000,00 157 OVC's 11 OVCs Total (Emalengeni) 1 464 650 1 337 352 535 000
Grand Total 13 223 900 8 891 440 535 000 (Emalengeni)
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Annex 19
Final debriefing Aide Memoire (handouts)
Swaziland European Union
Aide-Memoire 15 February 2008
Preliminary findings and recommendations
Final Evaluation of the MULTI-ANNUAL MICRO PROJECTS PROGRAMME (MPP / 9 EDF) FWC: 2007/144232
Funds: EC, Financing Agreement n° SW/7102/058, EDF project: 9ACPSW 001 / MPP: M€ 4.7 , GoS : Emalangeni 15 000 000, signed 2003 September 30, for 5 years. EDF global partial decommitment: 2007: M€ 1.28. NB: MPP is also funded by Japan and Kellogs.
André FAYOLLE , [email protected] MTN : 668 55 68 , Fax : 00 33 4 78 44 55 98, France
Content: 1. Background , Objectives, Results of MPP 2 2. Acronyms 3 3. Relevance 4 4. Effectiveness 5 5. Efficiency 7 6. Impact 8 7. Sustainability 10 8. Some conclusions 11 8. Some recommendations 13
Annex: print pf the powerpoint presentation to the stakeholders workshop (preliminary findings, 2008feb12)
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1. Background, Objectives, Results Activities planned for the MPP
Swaziland is classified as a medium income country, performing better than most members of SADC. However, the dichotomous nature of the economy and the disparity between the rich and the poor represent a continued challenge for development in Swaziland. Swaziland’s Gini coefficient of 51 classifies it as a country with highly unequal income distribution (Gini coefficient between 50 and 70). Even though the national income per capita is about US$1350, about 69% (of which 63% are females and 37% males) of the population live below the national poverty line of Emalangeni 128.6 (US$24) per capita per month in 2004.
In addition, there are significant regional disparities. Factors found to contribute to the incidence of poverty include rapid population growth, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, a skewed distribution of income and resources, growing unemployment and food insecurity.
The Micro Projects Programme (MPP) aims to support the process of capacity building and empowerment of beneficiary communities through the process of training and direct disbursement of funds. The implementation of the MPP is carried out by the Micro-projects Co-ordination unit, a semi-autonomous body linked to the Ministry of Economic Planning and Development (MEPD). 127
The overall objective of the Programme is ‘sustained socio-economic development amongst poorer Swazi communities’ . The specific objective is ‘ to contribute to sustained social and economic development by a process of empowering poor Swazis in rural and peri-urban areas, with a specific emphasis on women’.
Results : The Financing Agreement specifies the programme to achieve the following results : 1) Wider use of participatory development methods with increased involvement of women 2) New or improved social and economic infrastructure facilities completed by beneficiaries 3) Improved decentralization and co-ordination process at MPCU 4) Small business enterprises, which are profitable and sustainable 5) Strengthen NGO’s capacity through collaboration with other business counselling organizations.
Activities: To achieve the above results the following activities were to be implemented: a) Promoting and co-ordinating participatory planning and development methods, emphasizing the inclusion of women b) Training on pre-project participatory planning with communities, project management and monitoring c) Providing funds to communities for small infrastructure project implementation d) Reporting quarterly by the MPCU e) Providing small business training and loan funds for business investment f) Conducting a study on pilot and selected communities g) Provide business counselling services for small entrepreneurs h) Secure TA for design and supervision of water projects
127 EC, EUROPEAID/119860/C/SV/multi, 2007 November, LOT 1: Rural Development and Food Security REQUEST No.: 2007/144232 SPECIFIC TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR PROGRAMME/PROJECT FINAL EVALUATION OF THE MULTI-ANNUAL MICRO PROJECTS PROGRAMME (9ACPSW 001), 7p ______125
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However with the 2006 Mid-Term Review (MTR), the Intervention Logic of the last year Program Estimate (PE7) was adjusted as follow, while MPP sourced funds from 4 donors (in 2007: EDF - 46%, Government contribution - 26%, Japanese Grant and Kellogg Foundation):
Overall Objective: Sustained socio-economic development and empowerment amongst poor Swazi communities
Specific Objective: To contribute to sustained social and economic development by a process of participation of poor Swazis.
Results and activities: 1. Wider use of participatory development methods by both men and women 1.1 Conduct workshops on participatory development 1.2 Train project committees on participatory project management
2. New and improved social and economic infrastructure facilities completed by local communities and non state actors 1.3 Provide funds to NSA for community Projects 1.4 Construct two water projects 1.5 Construct schools classrooms and teachers houses
3. Network and collaboration with regional development officers 1.6 Conduct regional development meetings for appraisal and monitoring of projects 1.7 Provide farm inputs for orphans and vulnerable children, and the elderly
2. Acronyms:
ARV / ART Anti Retro Viral / Anti Retroviral Therapy CSC Council of Swaziland Churches (Catholics, Anglicans, Methodist, Lutheran, AME. etc.) FA Financial Agreement of the MPP FBO Faith Based Organizations GoS Government of Swaziland Inkundla area regrouping several Chiefdoms, led by, on one hand, a Member of Parliament and, on the other hand, a Leader of the Inkundla Inner Council (a local advisory government). A Chief leads the Community within his Chiefdom. MDGs Millenium Development Goals MEPD Ministry of Economic Planning and Development MFI Micro Finance Institutions MPCU Microprojects Coordination Unit MPP Multi-annual Microprojects Programme MP Micro-Projects NCPs Neighbourhood Care Points (for OVCs) NSAs Non-State Actors OVC’s Orphans and Vulnerable Children RDC Regional Development Committee RDCC Regional Development Coordinating Committee SCC Swaziland Conference of Churches (more of Evangelist denominations) SI Social Infrastructures TA Technical Assistance ______126
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3. Relevance: Extent to which the objectives of the development intervention are consistent with beneficiaries’ requirements, country needs, global priorities and partners’ and EC’s policies.
Stronger points Weaker points
1. High community participation with a minimum of 25% 1. The TA programmed in the FA was insufficient to contribution in MP construction required for Primary Schools, meet, in rural areas, Nation major poverty challenges HIV affected Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Centres, (HIV & AIDS massive infection, durable drought and Water reticulated Schemes, Rain water harvesting in Social warming, food insecurity, erosion/land tenure, Infrastructures (SI), Rural Electrification Schemes and Diptanks unemployment) and important changes expected and (livestock diseases compulsory prevention), etc. foreseen (more decentralisation requested, 9 th EDF/ACP 2. GoS investment funds implementation, secured annually by competitive procedures, Cotonou agreement introducing 1999 Gazzet Legal Notice. decentralised governance and emphasis on NSA, etc),
3. Training all MP building committees 2. Rural nation challenges (HIV & AIDS, durable drought
4. Decentralisation of the MPP Unit in Regions: perhaps because and warming, food insecurity, erosion/land tenure, country decentralisation is not effective, this did not materialise unemployment, absence of rural vocational training further that the existing Region Development Committees centres) not mainstreamed, nor specifically addressed, in composed of the various civil services. the FA, yet the previous MPP final evaluation mentions solutions to most of them 128 . 5. HIV/AIDS nation challenge addressed recently through the Japan funding of NCP. 3. MPP community MP committees management
6. Technical Assistance (TA) in Water (to support projects empowerment process is a top down training concept. It design, implementation, control) programmed by the Financing did not integrate an inter-groups comparative dynamic Agreement (FA), but not implemented. Still highly relevant and strategy (i.e. on the job process, say within an Inkundla urgent and to include participatory water conservation, area, rotating once every 6 months to compare results harvesting and water point development. and progress, between leaders of similar associations).
7. The Capacity building programme offered by the MPCU 4. MPP did not specifically programmed legalisation of empowers beneficiaries in managing the construction of Social MP committees’ constitutions. This was not always Infrastructures (SI) buildings. ensured. Pe rhaps water schemes are more equipped. School 8. Expected results 4 (small business profitable and sustainable) and diptank committees rely on the GoS leading role (Head and 5 (Strengthen NGO’s capacity through collaboration with teachers/vet staff) to sustain services. Clarity needs to be made other business counselling organizations) and related Activities on rural access roads (bridges and maintenance system) and in the FA, are still very relevant and consistent with RURAL on NCP. On electricity schemes (grid extension), communities beneficiaries’ requirements, country needs, global priorities and are not recognised as rightful owners of the local lines they partners’ and EC’s policies (contribution to MDGs through invested in.
128 See Recommendations, Summary and p19 Relevance (in GoS Report of Reduction Strategy workshop) Moropa Information Management, Pinky Mashigo, Report on the final evaluation of the 8 th EDF Micro-Project Programme in Swaziland, February 2003 (108p + annexes). Identification and feasibility study did not take place. ______127
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4. Effectiveness: Extent to which the development intervention’s objectives were achieved, or are expected to be achieved, taking into account their relative importance.
Stronger points Weaker poinpointstststs
1. Rural and peri-urban beneficiaries met always 1. Key beneficiaries met always expressed need of further expressed great satisfaction for the MP they built: support in the field of water sufficiency, food insecurity, pupils sheltered are learning, cattle do not cause unemployment, HIV/AIDS affected persons, health clinics havoc where fences are in place, NCPs take care of and/or drought effects, and even the rightful need of a the many OVCs, roof rain harvesting systems with bridge 131 or absence of vegetable market. Some 5m3 plastic tanks does provide the little precious committees disagreed with the MPP rule of having to wait 5 water, diptanks and MPP/EDF funded water years to be entitled for a second MP support. reticulated schemes function. 2. The programmed TA for water project designs and 2. Technical Assistance received by the 9th EDF control was unfortunately not requested, yet even the Rural Microprojects Programme was late in 2006 and then Water Branch of the Ministry told the mission that would to help close the MPP in 2007. It was call to assist have needed it to help the conception of the GoS water solving a number of difficulties and mis-understanding schemes design, implementation procedures and control on the 9thEDF procedures, as well as the EC manuals. (see also above: in relevance) administrative deconcentration which brought tighter 3. This Microprojects Programme did not sufficiently and sometime changing procedures, and mobilise the NSAs to implement MP, and more so to train consequently financial flow delay. In this committees, including developing durable networks in the administrative respect, the TA assistance was fields of dynamic decentralized governance, and of the appreciated by the MPCU. nation critical poverty problems with view to mainstream 3. However the logical framework approach 129 was them in community development initiatives (see above). used only from the 2006 MTR to plan, and Small scale young farmers committees, gender insufficiently to manage, report and monitor. This mainstreamed, need to be challenged to form working allowed loopholes towards expected results and region and national associations, within AU farmers objectives. The MPP needs to go ahead with associations networks. Networking will expose farmers conventional tendering of larger MP, particularly in leaders to relevant practices (choice of crops, water and fetching the experience from other MPPs in AU, soil conservation and using affordable techniques, agro-
129 The Final evaluation of the 8 EDF MPP, dated February 2003, does not have a logical framework annexed to it. Yet it served as the feasibility study for the 9thEDF MPP Financing Agreement. 130 Ref: GoS Gazzet CDSF-1999, Legal Notice N°9 of 1999, Mbabane 11.2.99, signed PS-Ministry of Finance, p81 to p83. 131 ex: Lufafa PS community lacks access, and even another school up there in the mountain. Again we noted that children are not served with school services, in one or two agricultural communities, because they are reported to squatter for years the land of private landlords that are abroad (ex in the South-Est of Lubombo: cf;. Keregro K.J.B. (Prof.), Baseline survey for the microprojects programme, draft final report, 2001 April 20, 34p). Certainly, the minimum achievable immediately is supporting with dismountable schools, say timber made, while GoS could certainly find incentives for the absentee unproductive landlord-s to sell their lands. ______129
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______including decentralised tendering (at MPP Region zoo-forestry farming know-how, saving & credit grouping, units that support Inkundla Local Governments and processing and marketing. CBO/NSA) and without reducing the legal level of 4. Unfortunately, women mainstreaming has not yet been community participation (at least 25%). effected in the MPP Region Development Committees 4. The MPP appear to be the sole GoS/Donor (RDC), nor in all NSAs actual partners visited. Most MPP Programme that, in effect, practices decentralisation, supported primary school committees are men led i.e. to empower rural and peri-urban communities to (secretary, treasurer and chairperson), same for contribute material, money and work to build agricultural projects (diptank). All key GoS senior staff met themselves infrastructures for collective services by the mission are males. Gender is a nation challenge. rendered at community level. 5. MPP did not sufficiently tap, nor challenged, Faith Based 5. The MPP is a rare Government/Donor Programme Organisations (FBO), such as the large networks of where Government officially committed specific Council of Churches (CSC) and Conference of Churches investment public annual budget for community (SCC), yet “80% of Swazi go at least once a week in a development projects, whereby communities have to Church and about 40% primary schools are mission contribute at least to 25% of the investment costs and, schools”. lastly that creates Region Development Committees 6. Support to small business expansion strengthening to coordinate and involve all stakeholders, including NGO’s capacity through collaboration with other business NGOs 130 . counselling organizations and MFIs was not implemented, 6. The MPCU has an appropriate women senior staff with the exception of monitoring MMP 8 th EDF revolving balance (the 4 region project officers are women). funds to 2 urban MFIs. Both networks of Churches (Council However recruitment of a new female coordinator, and Conference) explained the mission their efforts to have experienced in mainstreaming the Nation rural poorer rural Swazi to develop self-help Savings and Credit challenges, is needed, not excluding tapping groups and Clusters, in order to empower them in reducing competence abroad in the AU region. Rural water extreme poverty. competence, drought prone relevant, needs to be recruited urgently too.
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5. EfficiencyEfficiency:::: Extent to which the outputs and/or desired effects have been achieved with the lowest possible use of resources/inputs (funds, expertise, time, administrative costs, etc.).
Stronger points Weaker points
1. The MPP continued to cause the creation of 1. The “public call” for MP proposal was only on community building committees, including females, newspaper, and not on the Swaziland Radios, nor through a selection of meriting members by sent by open letter to each community (chiefdom, community assemblies. Once their MP was approved, schools, church groups, etc.), particularly the the MPCU regrouped 5 members of these building remotest ones, not to say perhaps the one or two committees per community and trained them in squatting unused private land. Mbabane on all construction management aspects so 2. Community building committees are dissolved that they ensured building success their MP. when MP construction is over, causing a loss of 2. Good quality construction of social buildings and governance dynamics. small bridges. Generally MP costs only half those that 3. Most water projects visited (9 EDF MPP made and GoS Ministry of Works could have constructed with no others visited) face deficiencies: water insufficient, community contribution, nor empowerment. In addition dry boreholes, water table went down, deeper pumps several GoS stakeholders indicate that MPP needed, spring catchments production reduced, construction method is rapid and effective (no false reticulated systems not functional (electrical pumps promise). destroyed by surges, Head Teacher and his School 3. Excellent level of contribution by community, committee not bothered to replace a tap, mend/fix including very good construction quality of the leaks in a rain harvest reservoir and gutters, absence foundations, floor slabs and walls of all school and of community water conservation initiatives in their NCP buildings visited, by community building catchment area), many roofs not yet equipped with committees, under the supervision of Technicians of rain harvester gutters and tanks/jar. region offices of Ministry of Works. 4. Poor concepts of dry toilet blocks (GoS pit latrines 4. Effective contribution of Ministry of Works Region design) and of some larger rain harvest water Offices where Technicians supply proper MP designs, reservoirs (made of fired clay bricks for a capacity in the field training and control of community works. from 20m3 to 75m3) in the Shiselweni region. These reservoirs easily leak. Concerned school 5. Some I-NGOs said they motivated the NCP communities need to be empowered to mend them. communities they support to request construction support from MPP. 5. Classroom design needs to integrate two wall cupboards to ensure proper readily storage for 6. NSA Good Shepherd Hospital (Siteki town) was teachers and NCP preschool activities. In addition
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able to construct with an MPP grant, a sound rural school sport grounds are often poor or not existing. community NCP building while it carries on with They need to be made a necessary contribution from supporting it to ensure a durable service to many parents and advanced students. OVCs. 6. SI fences are made of commercial material (not 7. In all visited schools and NCP constructed with the easily replicable locally): chain links and treated MPP support, we found EU/USAID food aid forest poles, that do not resist in termites zones (as available and evidence that it is being served to observed in the South, …). Live fence concept is children. We also often found GoS/MoE school absent: no use of live trees, shrubs, sisal, euphorbia supplies (books and text books) and, in NCP, cuttings, etc. Yet some fencing plants are protective sometimes preschool didactic material from I-NGO and multi-productions and/or can be simply planted sources (WV, … ). by drought resistant cuttings.
8. In remote poorer Shewula zone, two NSAs used 7. Development & poverty reduction networking MPP grants in developing community owned needs to be improved by integrating in the MPP social and economic infrastructures, while they Region Development Committees, not only NGOs carry out other activities such as support to local (as prescribed by the 1999 Legal Notice) but also the development planning and piloting innovations FBOs, and particularly both the Council and the such community tourism mountain camp, craft Conference of Churches that silently owned about exports, nature conservation zone, linking several 40% of primary schools, etc. sub-region Conservation Parks. They also encourage the testing of renewable energy
potential (wind) and photovoltaic units. Etc.
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6. Impact: Positive and negative, primary and secondary long-term effects produced by a development intervention, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended.
Stronger points Weaker points
1. The Nation rural dramatic challenges (i.e. HIV/AIDS extension, durable drought and warming, 1. The number of direct beneficiary of MP unemployment, food insecurity, erosion/land tenure, constructed (schools, NCPs, diptanks, etc.) speaks absence of relevant primary school syllabus and other for itself, including the effective services rendered by vocational training 132 ) were not mainstreamed in the the MP. MPP, nor specifically expected as results. It is no surprise to observe that the MPP does not have a significant impact on them.
2. In some school constructed with the MPP 2. In that objective, we found that primary school home support, we found committees building additional economic blocks built and appliances supplied with MPP classroom blocks or teachers’ houses. Sometime support, need revisiting the syllabus to concretely they had already completed additional units very address the Nation dramatic challenges, including correctly. This replicable process in done under introduction of efficient fuel wood cookers, solar cooking, Head Teachers firm leadership, sometimes also solar water heaters, instead of the electrical and gas cookers supplied (since they use expensive imported aided by some funds from the Ministry of Regional energies which also contribute to climate warming). Development allocated to Inkhundla Inner Councils areas / Member of Parliament constituencies. 3. Again since photovoltaic electricity systems are viable (as well as other renewable energy systems such as 3. MPP made true efforts to target and effectively windmills on the Lubombo mountain range), the MPP support the poorer Swazi communities. However the should support their development (including water absence of operational and live GIS database pumps as they are very reliable and save a lot of time to expressing MDGs, does not help in identifying women and young girls). This needs to go together with where are rural communities not yet adequately offering technical skills training to the MP committees empowered with basic social services, such as and teachers 133 . primary schools, clinics, water both for humans and
132 We refer the reader to the Kenyan U-Turn that President Jomo Kenyata challenged his People to go into 3 years before he died in1976: through various local fundraisings, launch everywhere self-help village polytechnics “jua kali” (work even under the sunshine or under a tree if there is nothing else to start with!) and mainstreaming two technical skills relevant to develop each child into self-employment/employable, at all level of education right from grade 1. In rural primary schools, every child is offered farming skills and a second technical skill of his/her choice (textile, home care, crafts, masonry, carpentry, electricity, rural-mechanics, etc.). The objective is that whatever the level a child drops from schooling he/she will be productive. 133 MPP needs to refrain support to SEB grid extension lines as the Chinese project already extended them a lot in rural areas. Last but not least, as a contribution to climate stabilisation, GoS needs to encourage vigorously the Renewable Energy systems, starting from tax vacancy. ______133
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5. Furthermore, considering the HIV and AIDS expanding epidemic (39% of pregnant women infected) and the availability of free ARD medication, from an FBO analysis, we found that nurses of rural clinics must, urgently, be trained to threat AIDS patients with these ARV and with quality sufficient food, including training in production practices, i.e. demonstrating household
8 intensive dryland farming/dairy livestock techniques
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8) As example, w e refer the reader to the 7 th Day Adventist nurses in Southern Philippines: they are also trained to teach mothers how to grow vegetable and fruits, etc. Of course “household intensive dryland farming/dairy livestock techniques” urgently needs to be mainstreamed in all Primary Schools and all Church centres. We understood that UNICEF now considers Church communities led NCP as more sustainable and effective to serve the thousands of OVCs. Chiefdom would need to lead the way in a “Give a cow or a goat Movement ” to those many poorer Swazi AIDS affected to unable them to practice “household intensive dryland farming and dairy livestock techniques”. In addition this pro-life movement needs to .be complemented where necessary by a “ Give a small piece of land, with cuttings of cassava, standing hay and multi-production fruit trees (elephant grass, pawpaw, silkworm berry trees, etc, and recipes for cassava leaves and roots consumption …). A strategy such as “ Give a cow or goat and ensure a piece of land” to those many poorer Swazi HIV/AIDS affected, needs to be made one element of contribution in any community project that expects support from the MPP, and from any other programs. Considering that population is the first asset of a country, Chiefdom , diptank committees and large landowners need to understand that the extensive traditional cattle grazing is one main cause of water shortages and food insecurity. Because of the generalised overgrazing, rain water runs off instead of percolating into the soil where i) it would boost vegetation to grow, and ii) refill faults of springs and boreholes, regulating river flows. The Rural Water Branch needs to embark vigorously into water and vegetation conservation capacity. This includes compulsory community spring catchments and boreholes basin protection. For instance, we refer the reader to the North Cameroon Mandara mountains MPP that was able to bring up the water table in wells and boreholes, etc. The extensive traditional cattle grazing has needs to be discouraged, by encouraging intensive durable small livestock systems (semi or full zero-grazing, fodder harvesting and planting, sugarcane leaves used as fodder, protein rich complementary feeds, ). Finally dairy camel grazing needs to be tested in the South-Eastern dry part of the country, including adaptation of homestead dairy recipes.
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7. SustainabilSustainabilityityityity : Extent to which the benefits from the development intervention continue after termination of the external intervention, or the probability that they continue in the long-term in a way that is resilient to risks.
Stronger points Weaker points
4. Primary schools are staffed by GoS civil servants, with sometime lack of teachers. 1. Apparently all MP lands, and lands of older SI Though GoS share of school fees/school constructed, have been cleared of vegetation funds seems generally transferred with cover, often doing away with the precious 10 months delay, the teaching service arable soil when using Ministry of Works appeared functional everywhere visited. Region grader. This practice marks the school There is no noticeable difference or NCP territory allocated by the Chiefdom, between the many missions’ schools, since there is no land title/deed, no land community ones and those of GoS. It is survey plan, and often no legalised noted that pupils enrolment is reported constitution for the Service association everywhere on the increase because of created. Unfortunately such land clearing the generalized EU/USAID food aid destructive practice (durable loss of fertility, programme to schools and NCPs. soil, water conservation capacity and solid However, while there is dramatically 4 carbon) impacts wrong signals to peasants Swazi over 10 on the international food and students. aid programme, the number of children in age of primary school, not schooling 2. On dry land farming techniques, no cattle varies from 20% to 30% according to keeper, beneficiary or field civil servant, committee members interviewed. mentioned the potential of making hay, planting standing hay, and other practices 5. The NCP for OVCs appeared well such as cassava and other tuber cultivation, functioning everywhere, certainly or dry river sub-ground dams, counter level because of the timely nation wide stones alignments, agro-zoo-forestry, dairy EU/USAID food delivery programme by 134 camels , homestead earth span rain water NGOs under WFP. However, few NCP,
134 Contrary to cows, large feet of camels do not destroy little grass. Water need of camels is reduced. Camel milk is 4 times richer than the one of a Friesian cow. It gently grazes leaves of trees without destroying them like elephants. We refer the reader to the Kenya dairy camels industry, including those more productive imported by missionary from Pakistan. See also Israel dairy camels, and various other arid and semi-arid countries in Africa, etc. ______135
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and even primary schools, visited had harvester (on hardened bare red soils), water made an effort to cultivate some food on saving pipe/bottle planted sub-roots manual their land. It is not uncommon to find NCP irrigation, sugarcane heads as fodder, 135 committees taking steps to turn their NCP ECOSAN fertilising latrines. Only one MP into pre-schools. One Region Education committee member met knew drip irrigation Officer interviewed clearly wishes that to (agricultural technician, he irrigates 20 ha of happen. Unfortunately many NCP visited sugar cane with water wasteful sprinklers). are not located nearby a primary school 3. Some poor MPP beneficiary communities and this could become an additional visited complained of having to buy back now administrative cost if they become the land of their ancestors, and worse, have preschools. no loan system to allow them to buy these 6. The sustainability of the Microprojects farms. Consequently they explained that such Programme itself is still comforted by land ends to be sold to new comers, i.e. GoS 1999 legal decision. However if EU employed persons. definitely withdraws from it, the level and 4. As training did not integrate inter-groups high quality of the local contribution may networking methodology and constitutions not stand competition from free public systemised, committees governance may donation programmes, … which will weaken again once MP constructions are anyway end to be counter- completed. developmental.
135 ECOSAN: Ecological Sanitation: refer: www.CREPA , a West-Africa NGO, etc. ______136
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The Programme Cycle was not sufficiently followed. The 2003 final evaluation of the MPP / 8 EDF served for MPCU staff to “propose a draft Financing Agreement, which was then reviewed by a TA in NAO’s office”. The 9 EDF MPP programme was ambitious. However there was no feasibility and formulation study that would have certainly looked at integrating the known “Nation rural challenges” into the FA Logical Framework. Better complementary with other programs and mainstreaming would have resulted. Considering new orientations and changes introduced by the 2000 Cotonou Agreement, TA would have been integrated to support the MPP management.
Later, end of 2003, there was no “global inception report” and the MPCU team certainly continued as usual, as actually few people noticed a difference between the 8EDF and 9 EDF. As example, the application form for MP proposal is still the one on the 7 EDF MPP, a program that was insufficiently participatory according to its final evaluation.
The Logical Framework approach was not sufficiently followed from 2003 to 2006 MTR, including in reporting. Generally the “bottom results and activities” were not implemented, yet they were and are strategic to contribute to the MPP objectives. Results dropped: 4) Small business enterprises, which are profitable and sustainable 5) Strengthen NGO’s capacity through collaboration with other business counselling organizations. Activities dropped: Providing small business training and loan funds for business investment. Conducting a study on pilot and selected communities. Provide business counselling services for small entrepreneurs. Secure TA for design and supervision of water projects.
In the absence of TA supporting MPP management, the MPCU took time to master changes in EC/ACP implementation procedures and the EC deconcentration.
In addition the information launching of the MPP 9EDF could have not sufficiently reached the poorer communities and poorer rural groups for two reasons: i) Empowering the poorer groups is thought to be primarily achieved through MPCU training for helping them to build social and economic facilities. ii) The launching of the MPP 9EDF did not consider tapping into NSAs that are in the field, and this include FBOs networks, yet they are silently active and networking. In addition the launching was only on newspaper. Radios and NSA networks were not used.
Again probably, “poorer MDG oriented” criteria could have been spelt more clearly. Then water, classroom blocks, rural clinics and income/food security projects , could have certainly been even more dominant.
Mapping poorer zones and type of projects that impact on the Nation rural extreme poverty challenge is of great importance.
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If the MPCU would have called NGOs, including FBOs, right at the beginning of the implementation period, EDF would not have had to decommit funds in early 2007 (€ 1 280 000). Last but not least, it appears that NSAs are not yet fully perceived as essential in “participatory planning and development methods”, which includes ensuring on the long run, good governance of groups and committees for maintenance and further development.
Nevertheless achievement is great
Indeed, the MPCU team, with the MPP Region Development Committees (RDC) and their Ministry of Works technicians, delivered.
Achievements are summarized as follow: i) The communities’ contribution to construct their projects is effectively of 25 % value. This is fully in line with MPP requirements. Perhaps some difficulties were observed on very few projects (such as small bridges and fencing “conservation parks”). ii) MPP implemented four funds: EDF, GoS/CDSF, Japan and Kellogg, as shown below:
Funds Disbursed funds 2003 - 2007
EU funds 21,233,430 Govt. Funds 12,193,533 Japanese Grant 17,612,169 Kellogg 5,100,000
TOTAL 56,139,132 iii) While EDF paid all operational costs of the MPCU (14 staff only), GoS funded from its ordinary budget lines, RDC and Ministry of Works technicians. Unfortunately GoS operational costs is not documented.
In 4 years, 147 MicroProjects were achieved, as follow:
SECTOR NO. OF PROJECTS DIRECT BENEFICIARIES
Education 81 40 262 Rural Electrification 17 12 184 Neighborhood Care Points 11 10 167 Agriculture (dip tanks) 10 4 946 Water Supply 6 12 420
All building projects are equipped with rain harvest systems and toilets.
In addition 11 projects were implemented under NSAs. Etc.
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The total of direct beneficiaries reaches 10% of the population (99 656). They are concentrated in rural and peri-urban areas.
Finally we noted that all MP visited are functioning, except one large rain harvest reservoir (in fired bricks, 45m3?).
9. Some recommendations
4. Education projects are, for perhaps half of them are not classrooms, but teacher’s houses, home economic blocks, kitchen and fences. In addition, education syllabus needs to be relevant to rapid poverty reduction.
5. Rural Electrification Schemes : MPCU Steering Committee has the challenge to perhaps revisit why the community should not be the owner of these schemes, since MPP principle is to support to communities that invest 25% minimal contribution in their projects. This is also highlighted by the recent transformation of the SEB into a company (SEC). o Considering the various Nations challenges and Global commitments, renewable energies need to be given full support, including tax vacancies and mainstreaming, starting from female friendly solar water pumping , which very reliable.
6. Rural water supply, with water conservation, rain harvesting and using solar renewable energy , needs still a lot of further practical support. Water efficiency needs to be mainstreamed in all sectors. o In dryer areas, rural water initiatives need to consider subground water harvesting (subground clay dams in the sand of dry rivers, homestead earth span 136 rain water with ground tanks, …), through giving support to pilot initiatives (perhaps NSA).
7. Diptank projects are livestock disease control project. Diptank projects need to be enlarged to fodder harvesting and production (standing hay planting, …), through giving URGENTLY support to pilot initiatives (perhaps NSA). o In addition, MPCU needs to challenge all actual diptank committees i) to embark on fodder harvesting and production, and ii) where the communal grazing land is an area of water catchment, to develop measure and actions towards water conservation (counter level alignments with stones or plants, overgrazing control, bush fire control). This has to be a pre-condition to any additional dip tanks project support. o In dryer areas, dairy camel initiatives need to be considered to reduce water need and mostly vegetation and soil erosion damages, through giving support to pilot initiatives (perhaps NSA).
8. If impact on mass poverty is to be achieved, everywhere ecological sanitation, renewable energies, dryland farming / agro-zoo-forestry practices, drought resistant crops, and other food security recipes, as well as water efficiency, harvesting and conservation, need to be introduced, favored and/or stimulated and mainstreamed.
136 on hardened bare red soils. ______139
ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS Final Evaluation review of the Multi-annual Micro Projects Programme (MPP) ______
o To quickstart the process in rural areas, MPCU needs to distribute to all Primary Schools and committees, NCPs, water committees and rural health units, and FBO rural groups, practical books in these fields. CTA could guide MPCU in finding most relevant ones.
9. Rural clinics , where absent or not sufficiently functioning, are certainly silently requested by the rural voiceless. Rural clinic projects have to include URGENT training of nurses to administer the available ARV medication to the thousands parents that are affected by AIDS. Rural nurses and teachers needs also to be trained on quality food security / dry farming production, so that the hundreds of thousands that are HIV/AIDS affected and food insecure can contribute to their extreme poverty reduction.
10. Considering i) that rural communities and stakeholders understand and appreciate the MPP local participation/empowerment strategy , ii) that rural poorer Swazi are still many to prioritize water, food security and employability training, and health , iii) that while GoS is committed to pursue community empowerment process, through the decentralisation Articles of the New Constitution, we recommend a feasibility study to prepare a new MPP programme , with view to implement, in rural areas relevant actions of the 10 EDF / CSP programming. The new MPP programme would integrate practices and lessons learnt in other ACP countries (support to decentralisation, to NSA, to rural basic services, i.e. water, heath and education).
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ITALTREND in association with SOPEX, HYDRO R&D, IAK, MEP, ADAS