Project Results
I. Progress report (August 13, 2013):
Activities undertaken:
1.Launching technical capacity building of youth group
2. Launching demonstration of conservation activities through building 7 model communities
3. Launching dissemination of project results
4. Launching participatory evaluation
Results of activities:
1. Increased conservation awareness of 99 members of Youth group and 15 community networks at various project locations, evinced by active participation in relevant community-based research activities, ability to formulate project action plans to sustain its activities, active launch weekly meeting after religious rites, weekend exhibition, activities of young tourist guides and activities on community forest and water survey, and initiating landrace conservation.
2. Emergence of a youth leader network in Mekong River in 8 province sharing experience and coordinating with network of students in Khon Kaen University and Kasetsart University and other interested audiences
3. Closely coordination among conservation groups along Mekong River at 7 provinces for formulation of future plan ( other donors being identified)
4. Compilation of result of community-based research under scrutiny of community before dissemination
5. On-line communication through FB ? Our Mekong ? to continue conservation activities of youth group
6. Public donation to the project of THB: 6,600 during the Songkran Festival.
Project Visibility and Communication by other organizations/individuals:
8 January 2013: Prachathai and Prachatham Local newspaper
14 January 2013: Thai Publica Printed Matter
28 January 2013: News Centre for Community
8 March 2013: ASTV Manager on-line
10 March 2013: Khom Chat Luek TV programme
14 March 2013: TPBS TV programme
Experience ,lessons learnt, problems and issues:
Problems & issues:
1.Distances between project locations in 7 provinces limited effective coordination due to budget constraint
2.Building capacity of core network leaders produced different degree of success, due to diverse capacity
3.Youth activities were carried out according to learning time-table of students
4. There were more community members showing more keenness to participate in the project-and additionally selected- thus requiring budget adjustment thus affecting planned expenditure
Approaches for solutions:
1.The project requested contribution from network members to be used for committee members and selected capacity-building and planned more effective plan to address all the issues.
2.The project was planning to coordinate and apply for additional assistance from other donors for future activities
Experiences:
Positive experience:
1.The project provided a right opportunity for communities to demonstrate capacity to protect natural resources.
2.Core leaders of youth groups possess capacity to manage data & information and on-line communication under clearer activities.
3.Core leaders of youth group possess unique skill that would be an example for others to change or adapt.
4.Working to manage data & information and campaigns required mainstream communication channel to go through, if wider public was to be updated.
Negative experience:
1.It was found that some core network leaders still held negative attitudes in development, i.e. based on money provided and pre-existing resources thus lacking appropriate vision on future direction and replication.
2.Community-based project management required more adjustment to suit changing circumstances.
Project expense:
The project obthe expense of THB: 451,107.49 out of the first disbursement of THB:449,120.51.
II. Project Site Visit (October 28-29, 2013):
Findings and Observation :
The interaction focusing on progress of activities and some evinced results happened in the meeting room of Viengkhuk Tambol Non-formal Education office, at Baan (village) Viengkhuk, one of the 27 targeted villages along Mekong River. The visiting team was briefed by project leaders and core leaders of the Community Council of Tambol Viengkhuk which was a network member of the grantee, followed by sharing thoughts/ideas.The briefing led the team to get some idea about council inception, in 2009, and major successive accomplishments of this CBO which had provided some pre-existing facilities/capacity for SGP involvement. The accomplishment included community savings,community-based research focusing on environment and ecosystems, and financial/technical supports from other stakeholders. Moreover, project leaders had come up with an ecosystem map of a significant wetland to be incorporated into the master development plan.
After interaction in the meeting room, the team was led to witness the wetland of about 700-ha in area called the red lily swamp, which was an ecological portion of Mekong River in this project location. After the community-based research and SGP capacity-building, this swamp had become a main targeted of conservation of fresh water biodiversity.
Other undertaken activity was witnessed at Bungkarn Province?s Tambol Khaisri, another selected location of the project along Mekong River. This one involved a successful demarcation of three fish conservation areas in wetlands closely connected to the river. Project leaders had worked with community leaders and agreed to the demarcated area and regulations for protection and use. The remaining job was to organize community public hearing which would include participation from several surrounding communities who had shared the provisions of these wetlands.
During this brief interaction, the visiting team agreed that pre-existing capacity of communities and involvement of SGP had contributed to increased capacity of targeted communities and widening community network for conservation for Mekong River. One major impact was said to be a financial support for establishing a learning centre focusing on the ecosystem of the red lily swamp, making
it as fishes habitat and an eco-tourist spot to generate income for communities.
III. Completion report (November 4, 2014):
Date of Participatory Evaluation(August 2014 ):
Number of Beneficiaries/ Participating personnel:
Women: 2,000
Men: 1,200
Children: 500
Number of persons trained/ attending seminars, joining study tours:
Women: 500
Men: 300
Children: 250
Expense:
Amount received from SGP (2 disbursements): THB: 815,804.41
Total amount spent out of SGP budget: THB: 915,984
Balance: THB: ( -100,179.59)
Amount authorized for the final payment: US$: 2,931.60
Amount Received from others: THB: 15,984 (in cash)
THB: 232,600 (in kind)
Activities undertaken:
1.Launching technical capacity building of youth group
2. Launching demonstration of conservation activities through building 7 model communities
3. Launching dissemination of project results
4. Launching participatory evaluation
Results and indicators:
1. Increase awareness and capacity of youth group in 7 project locations witnessed by an establishment of youth core leader network with at least 35 members launching conservation activities on-line(some activities could be viewed at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGONVjbpn_w)
2. Emergence of a variety of model communities consistent with Mekong ecosystems and culture such as chemical-free communities, adaptation to disaster communities
3. Emergence of a holistic plan (s) to protect Mekong River in project locations
4. Five dissemination materials being publicized through national media channel and CSO forums in the regions including two transboundary forums
Project Communication:
In addition to the previous communication, the project were made more visible and understood through five mass media ( televlision, radio and newspapers )
Problems and Issues:
1. More locations to cover than stated in project document and remoteness of some locations in 7 provinces, in conjunction with some remote areas affecting proposed budget
2. Diversity and differences among targeted communities requiring different types of supports
3. Time constraint for activities with youth groups
These were addressed by
1. The project requested additional co-finance for some activities from network members
2. The project developed 12 proposals to request fund from the Thai Health Promotion Fund and got supports as proposed
3. The project closely coordinated with core leaders of youth groups to make sure that some activities were carried out as planned, and adjusted timeline as suitable
Experience , Lessons Learnt :
1. Capacity building at local level was the main principle but participations and supports from academics and concerned government agencies was also imperative.
2. Communication and dissemination through social media was very important and effective and requiring technical capacity building among youth.
3. Conflict of natural resources use at community level and development of large infrastructure (dam construction) still remained, even though the natural resources uses concerned only local food security.
Plans and Activities for Sustainability:
The holistic plans of the project in the 12 locations had led to development of proposals from the Thai Health Promotion Fund and Sirinthorn Humanity Research aiming to underpin sustainable and model communities.
