Summary of project status and achievements:
The seventh intake of computer classes continued during the month of October. The number of students dropped due to repatriation and other reasons. Currently there are 98 computer students, about two thirds of which also attend practice hours at the computer lab. Practice hours were subject to reduction and cancellation this month due to low power levels caused by the start of rainy season. The generator is still not repaired.
Students learned to use Microsoft Office Word during October. The classes are about two weeks behind schedule, as the students are not learning as quickly as anticipated. Otherwise, activities in the computer lab have continued as planned, apart from the cutbacks in computer use due to the power situation.
Future goals:
Laura will be meeting with Francis to establish a schedule and curriculum for short and basic computer skills classes targeted toward repatriating refugees. She hopes that LISa will begin offering these classes by the third week of November.
Substantial problems or issues:
The generator is still not repaired. The malfunctioning part cannot be repaired and will need to be replaced. Laura is trying to arrange for this part to be purchased as soon as possible.
Wishes or request:
The LISa coordinator has requested that FORGE purchase current anti-virus software for use in the LISa lab.
Budget status:
ZMK 888,750 remains in the LISa budget. These funds will pay for a large portion of LISa operating expenses through the end of February. Some of LISa’s costs will be funded through the US Embassy Repatriation Grant budget.
Summary of Project Status and Achievements:
The following is a breakdown of the current activities under FACE AIDS during October:
a. Support Group B: No changes.
b. Sensitization: There were four small sensitizations in the community about prevention of HIV/AIDS and VCT. These sensitizations were held in Sections U, Q, Y, S.
There was one large sensitization about AIDS and behavior change that targeted couples this month. 23 couples participated.
c. Seminar: There was a seminar with 40 participants during September. The target sensitization group was vulnerables.
d. Sport Program:
The sport program offered instruction on HIV/AIDS and sports to 40 Mwange youth during the month of October.
Future Goals:
PMs would like to clarify FACE AIDS’ role in the Mwange community. The first goal is to ensure that we are not duplicating services, which will be accomplished through effective monitoring and evaluation. The second goal is to reevaluate the curriculums for the sensitizations and seminars to ensure that we are providing the community with the information that it really needs. PMs will collaborate with FACE AIDS employees in Mwange, as well as the FACE AIDS team in the U.S. in order to determine the appropriate future direction of the project.
Budget Status:
ZMK 960,000 remains in the FACE AIDS budget. This budget will need to be refilled before the end of December.
Summary of Project Status and Achievements:
The library saw an increase in visitors compared with September. However, only 42 of those visitors were 18 or older. The library still continues to be most popular with children and youth.
The library continued to collaborate with FORGE repatriation programs during October, hosting Radio Okapi listening sessions on Saturday evenings and CV and Business Letter writing classes on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
At the end of the month, many library employees were let go due to budget cuts. The library youth group program and the librarian positions were eliminated.
Indicators or Statistics:
Future Goals:
Laura would like to explore cost-free ways of attracting more people, particularly adults, to the library. She will brainstorm program ideas with Kaputo, the remaining library staff.
Budget Status:
ZMK 455,000 remains in the Library budget. This will pay for most library expenses through the end of February. Some library expenses will be paid through the US Embassy Repatriation Grant budget.
Budget Status:
As of 1 November, there is no longer a budget for Mwange Arts.
Guitar
Summary of Project Status and Achievements:
Activities resumed and ran successfully at the Guitar center from the 13th of October. Community members were excited by the resumption of the program. However, due to budget cuts, all of the Arts programs, including Guitar, were cut at the end of October. Laura is exploring options for continuing to provide community access to the guitars. However, it seems difficult to establish a system to allow people to use the guitars on a per diem basis because there is a chance that the guitars will be damaged by inexperienced and unsupervised use, and there is no budget for repairing guitars.
Future goals:
Laura is going to see if the Guitar center building can be used for another purpose now that the Guitar program is finished. Also, Laura would like some feedback/input on the status of the sound equipment formerly used by Guitar and Hip-hop/GPM. Should she continue to store it in the FORGE office? If former employees of Guitar want to borrow the equipment for performances, is this acceptable? There is no budget to repair the equipment should it be damaged during such use.
Piano
Summary of Project Status and Achievements:
Piano classes continued as normal through the month of October. However, due to budget cuts, the Piano program was canceled at the end of October.
Future goals:
Laura would like to know more about the status of the piano. If former Piano students or teachers wish to continue to use the piano, is this acceptable? Does the piano belong to FORGE?
Hip-Hop (MRG) and Groupe de Poètes Mwange (GPM)
Summary of project status and achievements:
GPM/Hip Hop members conducted rehearsals as well as a youth dialogue event on the topic of discrimination during October. Additionally, they held a workshop to teach members of the Mwange community about poetry and hip-hop.
Due to budget cutbacks, the members of Hip-hop/GPM were informed at the month of October that FORGE would no longer be able to financially support their activities in Mwange.
Future goals:
Laura would like more information about the status of the sound equipment in Mwange. Is it still acceptable for the youth involved with Hip-hop/GPM to use this equipment? There is no budget to repair the equipment if it breaks down through use.
Children's Center
Summary of project status and achievements:
During the month of October, Laura met with the Children’s Center employees on three consecutive Saturdays to attempt to address issues of attendance at work as well as to observe curriculum development and lesson planning. Some progress was made on these fronts, but there was some resistance from Children’s Center employees, who complained that they did not have enough time to conduct weekly meetings due to their busy schedules.
Also during the month of October, the Children’s Center began to teach knitting to 45 enrolled female students. The program was popular with the community and with the students.
However, at the end of the month all Children’s Center activities were wrapped up, due to budget cutbacks. The girls enrolled in the knitting class received the materials that they had been practicing with to continue developing their skills on their own at home. The other remaining Children’s Center supplies are in the possession of FORGE, and will be used at the pre-departure center for IOM activities.
Summary of Project Status and Achievements:
The CBDs program ran smoothly as usual during the month of October. The number of clients enrolled in family planning programs increased during the month, in part due to increased access to birth control pills. However, due to budget cuts it was necessary to eliminate the CBD program at the end of the month. This decision was made based on the fact that the services provided by CBDs were similar to those provided by Red Cross.
Budget Status:
Of the ZMK 525,750 remaining in the Health budget, ZMK 45,750 has been budgeted to compensate all former CBD employees for time worked during the first week of November.
WOMEN'S HEALTH
Summary of Project Status and Achievements:
Women’s Health began a new intake of seminars for young women, adult women and adult men during the last week of October. Due to budget cuts, this will be the last such seminar intake under Women’s Health. Laura will work with the Women’s Health teachers to finish these classes by the end of November. Beginning in December, there will be two teachers employed by Women’s Health, one male and one female, who will each work 10 hours per week teaching one seminar apiece. In December Women’s health will offer one seminar on women’s health and family planning for men and one seminar for women.
Future Goals:
As there is no longer a manager of Women’s Health, Laura will work directly with the two remaining teachers of the Women’s Health program on their curriculum and schedule, as well as on the establishment of pre and post testing.
Budget Status:
All expenses for Women’s Health will be paid from the Health budget that was formerly covering CBD expenses. ZMK 525,750 remains in this budget. This amount will cover outstanding salary payments for employees who were laid off following the first week of November, as well as all future expenses for Women’s Health through the end of February.
MATERNAL HEALTH
Summary of Project Status and Achievements:
The combined knitting and maternal health education seminar finished on the 30th of October. The participants were appreciative of the education and knitting materials that they received from FORGE. Due to budget constraints, future maternal health seminars will no longer contain the component of knitting instruction. Instead, these seminars will last for 5 weeks, and will provide a total of 30 hours of instruction in Maternal Health.
Future Goals:
PMs will work with Manager Lisa Kisimba to continue to expand and develop the curriculum to make sure it includes accurate and up-to-date information.
Wishes and Requests:
PMs continue to work with Red Cross to facilitate the training of Maternal Health Manager Lisa Kisimba as a Traditional Birth Attendant.
Budget Status:
All Maternal Health expenses will be paid from the Women’s budget. ZMK 328,150 remains in the budget. This amount will be sufficient to pay any outstanding salaries to employees laid off after the first week of November, as well as to run the Maternal Health program until the end of February.
WOMEN'S RIGHTS AND EMPOWERMENT (WRE)
Summary of Project Status and Achievements:
The WRE program finished its last seminar intake during the month of October with a dialogue with participants. 66 individuals received certificates in Women’s Rights and Empowerment. There was a small problem with the event, as the Manager of WRE changed the schedule for the day and held the event in the morning rather than in the afternoon without informing all of the WRE employees.
Due to budget cuts, as well as concerns about the effectiveness of the WRE program, all WRE activities were concluded at the end of October. Employees were paid their final salaries for the month of October and thanked for their service to FORGE.
Budget Status:
As of 1 November, there is no longer a budget for Women’s Rights and Empowerment.