MULTIPURPOSE COMMUNITY TELECENTERS (MCT) Ms. Merlita M. Opeña DOST-Philippine Council for Health Research and Development

PROJECT NOTES EVALUATION INDICATORS, objective-based PROJECT SHIFTS, LEARN AS YOU RUN – midway, exit REFLECTION, and probing, one can extend observations to gender analyses EVALUATION, an ongoing process; hence, No one-time COST

What is MCT? MCT piloted in four Philippine villages (barangays) the introduction of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) as a tool for rural development MCT aims to contribute to people’s empowerment and development by providing access to community and partners’ information and communication resources and services.

What MCT expects to achieve? To set-up a one-stop information resource center for the people in the barangays (villages), by giving them access to information, people, and organizations, with the use of simple and state-of-the-art communication tools that can provide answers to the communities’ concerns.

What MCT expects to achieve? To serve as a venue for learning, interaction, creating content and ICT-based applications, relevant to the needs of the communities (e.g., health, education, agriculture/fisheries/natural resources, rural enterprise development)

MCT Services Public Calling Office Internet Access Computer Processing Center Library and Reading Center Training Resource Center Content and ICT-based Applications

MCT Development Strategies build on existing programs work with partners create local content/application ensure long-term viability and sustainability by strengthening local capability

Project implementer´s evaluation Lessons learned from - site visits/occasional stay-in, observations; at times with donor - talking with individuals, groups (FGDs) - learning caravan with the community, from one site to the other - field reports (staff and partners) - logbooks

Lessons Learned Barangays have the capability to solve their own problem; they have resources The people in the rural community are not always waiting for free services; they have the capability to pay

Lessons Learned MCT is a relationship project, one works within a web of relationships Bottom-up governance is viable; there is a need to shift from the traditional top-down view

On management and operation… Each MCT is different from the others, strongly dependent on leaders There should be a balance between giving public and commercial services Voluntarism is valuable, especially when the MCT is just starting

On community mobilization… Project ownership by the community is essential Active community involvement, sectoral formation and participation are very important

On community mobilization… Persons with strong leadership, with the right ability and orientation, encourage active community participation and help ensure a strong and sustainable MCT Easier if community has undergone community organizing; or, if there is an existing organization

On content development... Information need is an evolving concern Content/resources/applications available in the MCT should respond to the community’s information needs

On content development... Community itself generates its own content – a major source Networking with content generators enriches information resource at MCTs

On content development... Use of local dialect hastens understanding and results to action Use popular/appropriate language and format Communicate proactively

On technical infrastructure... Use appropriate, stable, and robust technology for connectivity, computing, and communication MCT operators should be trained on equipment maintenance and basic troubleshooting

Evaluation by a third party (engaged by donor) External evaluator´s report not well received (matter of language), though well-meaning; his observations were used though in refining project activities, e.g., community mobilization, and providing information that people need in their daily lives

Based on evaluation, revise midstream Engaged a partner-NGO (eDI) who stayed and worked with the community, especially to -- mobilize the community, by ``puroks,`` by sector conduct training++ (beyond ICT, including gender sensitivity) and PRA

Evaluation from close engagement Lessons learned from close engagement with community showed observable improvements - site visits/occasional stay-in, observations - talking with individuals, groups (FGDs) - field reports (staff and partners) - logbooks

Evaluation with APC-WNSP (GEM) Provided opportunity for more focused evaluation, using more tools (4th year of project, looking for exit strategies)

Evaluation with APC-WNSP (GEM) - logbooks, seriously now - FGD by GEM - observation by GEM ( e.g., gender composition of volunteers, local government council, Management Board) - interview (3rd party) + diary (volunteers) + storytelling (3rd party)

Evaluation with APC-WNSP (GEM) From reports generated by all tools used, TOGETHER WITH THE COMMUNITY (in a workshop), analysed the results all tools, aside from storytelling, generate STORIES, e.g., stories behind numbers in logbook only the COMMUNITY can explain better the stories behind figures or situations

Why stories   for monitoring, both the volunteers and the telecenter   for determining what specific action(s) to take   to serve as basis for planning   to provide input in decision making   for expression of feeling   to learn from oneself and other volunteers

Why stories   to develop writing skills   to serve as a record of events and project’s history (milestones)   to learn the stories behind user statistics   to serve as a reflection of people who work at the telecenter, i.e., their beliefs, culture, values, perspectives, and dynamics

Why stories   to reflect/record changes in community participation and governance   to look into gender/family relations in the community to contextualize social and power structure/relations within the community

Why stories Learning went beyond answers to question of access to services; can also be used to probe gender awareness, gender considerations in designing applications and services, equity in accessing services

On evaluation and monitoring... Storytelling, by itself, and in combination with other tools, is a potent way to evaluate projects Looking into the views and needs of non-users is important

On evaluation and monitoring... a critical appraisal, not meant for donors only; importantly, for the community documentation of failures as well as successes should this be a neutral process?

Overall, what we learned Setting MCTs, more than technology Service convergence, online-offline complementation Connecting: down-up & up-down Capacity building for all participants Sustainability, more than financials

Overall, what we learned The primacy of the COMUNITY

Codifying what we learned A Manual