Capacity Building in the Disability Sector in Mozambique

- Final Evaluation Report -

Executive Summary

Introduction

This report presents the findings of the final evaluation of the project Capacity Building in the Disability Sector in Mozambique, which was carried out in May 2006. The project was implemented by POWER a British non-governmental organization (NGO) in partnership with FAMOD the network of Mozambican organizations working in the disability sector.

The purpose of the evaluation was to assess the performance and results of the program during its four years of implementation from April 2002 to May 2006 as well as draw lessons for future strategies. The evaluation will focus on activities of the core capacity building program as well as considering the contribution of the ‘Voices’ project, which began in 2004. This is not covered by the EU funds.

In Mozambique it is estimated that people with disabilities (PWDs) make up 10% of the population. They are among the most marginalized, isolated and disadvantaged of the country’s population. Women with disabilities are particularly vulnerable. The Ministry for Women and Social Action (MMAS) has the responsibility of overseeing disability issues but does so within a legislative vacuum and with few resources. In response to the largely unmet needs of persons with disabilities there has been a growth in the number of disability organisations (DPOs) in recent years. But the ability to meet these challenges andto fulfil both an advocacy and service delivery function has been undermined by their limited institutional capacity.

Project objective and expected results

The long term goal of the project is to enable people with disabilities (PWDs) in Mozambique to enjoy all the rights available to the able-bodied, including access to and participation in education, healthcare, employment, and all other services and empowered to participate fully in civil society as equal citizens of Mozambique. This will be done by building institutional capacity of local organisations for people with disabilities (DPOs) to enable them to establish a co-ordinated plan of action for the sector, and to provide a professional service to their members in both service delivery and advocacy.

Expected results

The Council of Action on Disability (CAD) will be registered and built its membership. It will bring together disability groups, professionals and government to develop a vision and plan for the inclusion of people with disabilities (PWDs) in the country.

The project will strengthen civil society as it builds institutional and organisational capacity of key disability groups. It will also have links with government departments.

Influence/improve government policy, strategy and framework for disability.

Raise the level of public awareness of rights and needs of people with disabilities.

Main Findings

The main findings show that the project was relevant and has made progress towards meeting the needs of its target group and key partner organizations. The feedback from groups and individuals interviewed during the evaluation was positive and supportive of the overall project. Significant areas of the project’s contribution to the disability sector in Mozambique have been in human rights and strengthening the development of civil society organizations. For example, the status of people with disabilities especially women has been enhanced and the National Plan of Action has been approved by GoM as well as a putting in place a capacity building program that reached out to its target groups particularly in the provinces.

These notable successes notwithstanding and these are significant, the evaluation concludes that the project has only partially demonstrated the promised results expected. In other words, the project’s success was tempered by the fact that many of the key organisations continue to function poorly, have few if any resources and lack strategic focus. In the training programme participants’ levels of education and experience were too disparate and this proved an inhibiting factor to optimising its full potential. It also made it difficult for some to understand the relevance of training. The level of participation by ordinary members in the overall project was low. POWER and its partner organisations particularly FAMOD will need to consolidate the positive achievements while addressing the above challenges and other identified deficits.

Strengths

The overwhelming emergent theme from discussions with participants was that this type of project was worthwhile and should continue. They identified the following as key achievements and very positive developments:

The project has helped raise the profile and self-esteem of people with disabilities in Mozambique. “The project was good because it highlighted the situation of disabled people and especially women” (VJ) “It also helped change people’s attitude towards us”.(ML)

The collaboration between the DPOs, FAMOD and other key institutions working together to produce the National Action Plan and the belief that this plan was produced as a direct result of the project

Strategic alliances that were forged with key interest groups and institutions in Mozambique, Southern Africa and Europe. “One of the strong points of the project was the opportunity to exchange experiences and ideas with Mozambican DPOs during regional meetings as well as with Organizations from other countries.” (ADEMIMO, Maputo)

At a practical level the micro-projects fund was a great success because the beneficiaries were able to utilize new skills and reap tangible benefits through income-generating projects

The gender training helped highlight the vulnerable position of women in Mozambican society

The training programs were delivered in the provinces as well as in Maputo

The project was jointly implemented by POWER and FAMOD

POWER’s interest in and commitment to the disability sector.

Challenges

This section highlights a number of challenges identified during the evaluation of the project. These issues have implications for the effective transfer of responsibility to, and the ability of partner organizations to take forward the work developed in this project.

Training

Trainers and trainees alike reported that bringing ‘mixed ability/experience’ groups together limited the effectiveness of the training. In other words some participants were unable to get full benefit from the course. Insufficient numbers of local trainers were trained.

Institutional capacity (DPOs)

A number of the DPOs that participated in the project were organizations in name only with neither the institutional capacity nor the resources to implement activities in their local community. There was a high level of aid dependency among the DPOs. Democratic practice within the organizations was poor and women’s role and contribution are rarely acknowledged.

FAMOD

At provincial level FAMOD was present in name only. Provincial organizations were critical of the lack of support from FAMOD (Maputo) at central level.

Project management (POWER & FAMOD)

Roles and responsibilities for FAMOD and POWER were not clearly defined in the project. Neither FAMOD nor DPMMAS had funds or adequate resources to accompany the implementation of the project in the provinces.

Target group

It could be argued that the benefits for the direct beneficiaries namely the ten key DPOs involved in the project may have been reduced because of their geographical spread and weak institutional capacity as well as inadequate systems to accompany and support them.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The project with its implementing organisations has made a major contribution to the disability sector in Mozambique. It has laid the groundwork for future development with organisations in the sector.

However, as the evaluation has shown that the institutional and organisational capacity of most DPOs is still very limited. The principal challenge for POWER and its key partners is how to support and improve the competency of those organisations whose constituencies are very poor and largely rural.

The specific recommendations that emerged from the evaluation were:

Consolidation

Build on past successes: Over the past four years the Capacity Building project has helped lay important groundwork for future development in the disability sector in Mozambique. The work now needs to be consolidated using a more focused approach in order to achieve sustainable change.

Develop key partnerships

Review current partners. Select as key partners a lesser number of individual organizations giving preference to those with provincial delegations to ensure a more coherent approach to strengthening organizations at local and national level. These organizations in turn can provide the leadership focus for others at provincial and national levels. It should also facilitate more effective communication and dissemination of information. One of the positive aspects of the project under review was the effort made to include organizations based at provincial level in project training and other core activities.

Support capacity building

Develop key priorities: In consultation with key partners agree a clear definition of capacity building and a strategy for future development. In consultation with key partners select and develop for prograz development key strategic priority areas which might include Leadership and organizational management, Gender and HIV/AIDs as this will build on the work already initiated in the current project. Ensure that training is focused on the skills needed to develop these priority areas and to implement feasible action plans as well as developing organizational competence. Training strategies will need to take account some of the weaknesses highlighted in the current project. Develop systems that will include a training component for partner organizations to ensure adequate monitoring of program activities. Ensure that roles and responsibilities of all partners are clearly defined in any agreed program. In consultation with key partners conduct an audit on the institutional supports and core costs needed over the next five years based on an agreed three to five year development program. POWER and key partners would be well advised to explore key institutions and donor agencies willing to form a strategic alliance to work with and support the target organizations.