Informe de Evaluacion Final “Proyecto Crea Belen“

Project Description and Background to Evaluation

Crea Belen  Project was carried from 2008 to 2012. The proposal sought the participation of children and adolescents at risk living in Belen (Iquitos) to develop life skills and other protective factors in them in order to ensure their integrity against social problems of high incidence such as: abuse, sexual exploitation and early sexual infections  HIV/ AIDS.

The proposal also was geared towards youth empowerment through the training of promoters. It aims at improving their personal, social and management skills to identify, solve problems and develop the ability to be organized as a group and peers to articulate with the community organizations including the district municipality, joining efforts to address and share possible solutions to the needs and problems of children and adolescents in the district.

Purpose/objective

This evaluation aimed to analyse the progress regarding the achievement of outcomes and processes implemented in the four objectives proposed in the project, which were implemented with specific strategies and activities, whose goals and indicators were determined. The evaluation considered as priorities: the effectiveness, efficiency in terms of methodology and strategies implemented as well as the relevance and pertinence of the training materials produced within the project, beneficiary satisfaction and sustainability. It also presents a diagnostic of information, communication, monitoring and evaluation systems strategies.

Methodology

The evaluation prioritizes the elements of qualitative exploration of strategies developed to identify facilitators and barriers processes to achieve the project’s objectives.

The impact analysis and goals coverage of interventions was obtained from the documentation that integrates quantitative data from primary and secondary sources since December 2012 till the end of the project. The terms of reference, the logical framework of the project and SF’s strategic partners participants were considered for the evaluation design. The evaluation methodology included the use of different techniques of gathering information, such as semi-structured interviews, workshop with children, focus groups, group discussions with the project management team and surveys.

Key findings

• The project fulfilled with the formation of a group of young promoters and achieved the target scope. The strategy developed with the teen group has enabled them to develop skills that allow them to have greater confidence and security in themselves, value personal aspects such as their Amazon identity, improve the communication with peers, family and adults, and perceive themselves as active members their community.
  
  
• The children participating in the community intervention improved their abilities to recognize their emotions, develop skills for realizing abuse, the dangers of keeping secret deals and improve their assertiveness. The project team considers a two years period as the minimum time for the development of these skills.
  
  
• The strategy implemented in the school did not have the expected results. It was unable to have an effective coordination with school authorities to implement strategies designed in the education curriculum. While tutoring sessions were a space to cover issues related to the prevention of abuse and violence, it was not possible to have a proper monitoring and follow up of these activities. Moreover, the team says that there was not an adequate involvement of teachers to develop activities. In addition unexpected circumstances external to the project made difficult the work in the schools.
  
  
• The work with project children’s and adolescents’ mothers helped to reinforce the intervention strategy with these groups. Also, the intervention had a positive impact on participants such as improving their perception of the use of violence, communication with their families and informing them about the exercise of their rights. The work with women took place mainly in the last two years of the project. The involvement of them was heterogeneous, but the population scope defined in the original plan was achieved. It was not possible provided for in the original design was reached. The proposal to work with children and adolescents was not designed.
  
  
• The Multisectoral Platform District planned in the project design ceased its activities and in practice it does not work as such. The limited involvement of Belen Municipality, the leadership change and the low participation of members of Belen Network contributed to this result. Participation of project staff in multi-sectoral settings was achieved through the RPAVL, which operates at regional level. However, in this arena there is also a weak involvement of Belen local government. Ordinances agreed in the outcome indicators, and which were related to the involvement of Belen Municipality on the subject, were not generated.
  
  
• Monitoring Committees, formed within the project activities are organizations of active and effective community involvement, with official recognition from the Municipality of Belen. They supplement the work of the current structure of local participation and are an agent of supervision and monitoring of the work performed by local government in Pueblo Libre area. They are also an option of organization that facilitates the response of neighbours in case of emergency.
  
  
• As a positive effect, which was not foreseen in the project, La Restinga (the project team) has acted as a "front door" before institutions such as the Ombudsman or the Family Office, when members of Pueblo Libre community were in need.  It has also served as link between women in the community and these institutions, allowing the approach and response in special cases of domestic violence.
  
  
• Regarding the methodology of intervention, Crea Belen project has an intervention designed and validated to prevent the violence against children in the Peruvian Amazon. This strategy proved to be effective for the development of protective factors against violence. In addition it is culturally sensitive and uses recreational, educational and participatory elements that favour ownership and enjoyment of beneficiaries to achieve their goals. Moreover the intervention modules, the monitoring and evaluation system and the systematization of the intervention facilitate the replication of the strategy.

Recommendation

• To continue and encourage participation of Teen promoters in the platforms of youths called at regional level. Although these organizations do not have a continuous work, it is important to consolidate the group of promoters as such through the representation of their peers in Pueblo Libre. Moreover, these spaces can serve young people put their need into an agenda that goes beyond the local level.
  
  
• To work with both teens and adults to facilitate the incorporation of Teen promoters group as part of the Vigilance Committees. It will allow positioning the group of promoters as relevant stakeholders in their community, and it will allow greater visibility of their needs in the community.
  
  
• The project team should complete and publish the module that summarizes the intervention with children and adolescents in Pueblo Libre. This is a very important input that provides a range of methodological tools adapted to different levels of participants’ progress, which can be used for addressing violence in other populations of children in the Peruvian Amazon as well as in other geographical areas.
  
  
• To synthesize the information of intervention with children, collected through the monitoring and evaluation tools. This work will generate valuable information to understand the degree of progress that the beneficiaries achieve, according to their level of participation in the project. This will facilitate the replication of the intervention in other areas.
  
  
• To develop a framework agreement between La Restinga and the Regional Education Bureau for future interventions in schools. The coordination with a senior instance will facilitate the development of activities in schools.
  
  
• To complete the formation of Vigilance Committees in the twelve sectors of Pueblo Libre. The committees have an active role in monitoring and responding to emergencies and problems in the community. Moreover they facilitate the coordination with authorities in each sector.
  
  
• To coordinate with members of the Violence Care Network from Loreto in order to develop an action plan for intervention, which may be funded by public funds.
  
  
• To develop fund raising actions with Bolaroja and Gesundeheit to build the Community Center of Pueblo Libre. This will facilitate the work that takes place in the community and it will strengthen the bond between La Restinga and Pueblo Libre residents.