Evaluation of the Namchouam and Meung Rural Development (NMRD) Program’s Supplementary Project 2004-2006 in Bokeo Province, Lao PDR

Background

The NMRD Progam's Supplementary Project ended in 2006 and the aim of this evaluation was to assess to which extent the project has achieved its objectives and outputs and led to the sustainable desired impacts. These findings will be important for future planning of similar projects in Lao PDR.

Purpose/objective

The objective for the NMRD Supplementary Project (2004-2006) was to ensure that the project achievements in previous phases (1993-2004) with focus on drug demand reduction, food security, health, education and capacity building at community level would be sustainable. The project has used participatory village planning and has targeted vulnerable groups such as ethnic minorities, poor households, opium addicts and women.

Methodology

A two-step approach has been used for this evaluation. Firstly the project staff and district coordinators conducted an annual evaluation with the rights holders and then the external evaluation team conducted an overall evaluation. The evaluation is based on a field assessment, reports, project documents, and interviews with the Vientiane NCA staff, NGOs (ACF and VECO), NCA's Project Director and technicians in Bokeo, local NCA staff in Hounanamkha and meetings with district authorities.

Key findings

The community-based approach has increased the general knowledge and awareness among the target population about drug abuse and its consequences. The latest figures from 2006 claim that opium addiction has now been reduced to zero by the use of methodologies such as self-detoxification. 2007 figures will show if these results are sustainable.
The project's agricultural component has reached it objectives in terms of rice self-sufficiency and improvement of the farmers' cash income for most households, but has yet to include all poor families in its activities.
The project's health activities with focus on prevention and primary health care by training of the traditional birth attendances and volunteers, easy access to clean water and general hygiene in the villages has lead to a significant decrease of main diseases.
The education component has benefited the whole community by promoting parents' awareness, provision of teaching and recreational equipment, but has only to some extent been able to include and encourage a smaller group of vulnerable families to fully participate. Gender balance issues have improved significantly and women are more represented at the decision-making level and are starting to benefit from women targeted income generating activities. The project has continued to strengthen the village and district administration. The capacity building has improved the general administration although the villages are not yet ready to manage the village funds, handle unforeseen aspects in their environment and to get easy access to the markets.
The overall impression is that the project has been successful in reaching its rights holders namely the poor, drug addicts, ethnic minorities and women by improving their livelihood in a sustainable way by also strengthening the whole community.

Recommendations

Opium: To keep the good results regarding use of opium it is necessary to sustain the health of the poorest and reinforce their livelihood options. In the future it is important to emphasize the awareness of danger of alcoholism and new type of drug addictions.
Agriculture: Focus must be for all involved parties to get a real understanding of the farmer's strategy and the characteristics of the ecosystem, market chain analysis and market information, experimentation before implementation, develop agro-forestry system and quick vaccination of poultries should be highlighted.
Education and Health: The village workers (teachers, health volunteers, and traditional birth attendances), together with education and health district staffs, must continue the training and follow up with a good referral system.
Gender: To ensure gender balance the women have to be empowered, for example by encouraging education, take part in economic areas, enlarge their market for handicraft and automatically be involved in all local decision.
Infrastructure: Further priority should be given to increase existing infrastructure to include those families that still do not have access to basic services. Their immediate needs are small-scale irrigation and paddy lands expansion for food security. Of the 9 villages 4 schools remain to be rehabilitated or built.