Summary of project status and achievements:
After intakes ending in October saw high levels of dropouts for the CDRC's Grade 7 and 8 programs, shorter intakes in November saw a noticeable increase in retention during November. Conversely, more consistent morning rains saw a drop in the Traveling Workshops, despite the fact that the workshops themselves are indoors. (Participants cited the rains affecting their commute to the classes.) With only weeks left in CDRC programming, it was decided to do 1-2 long CDRC seminars 3-4 times per week on topics such as business affairs, non-violent communication, reintegration, community development, and community economics, which was successful. This change in program also allowed the CDRC staff to participate in the staff-only educational programming.
The program which received the highest participation and excitement continued to be the program designed for Grade 12 students based on material from Search for Common Ground. A basic outline of this material can be found in the special SFCG program report submitted in November.
Papa Kamona was out for some of the month because his wife was experiencing critical health issues. CDRC coordinator Mangungu learned that he would be resettled to the USA on December 5th.
Indicators and Statistics:
See November spreadsheet.
Future goals:
N/A
Substantial problems or issues:
Rains affected traveling
Wishes or requests:
None.
By Sara WasserteilSummary of project status and achievements:
The CDRC continued with the three programs that began in September with mixed results. The traveling seminar, which spanned between 3-5 days depending on the preference of the participants continued to attract between 7-19 people per section and was received well. Although it was discovered that attendance plummeted on days of convoys, the schedule was adjusted for November to arrange classes around those days and improve attendance/retention.
Unfortunately, the youth programs that launched in mid-September were not as successful as hoped. The primary school program, designed for grade five and six students to attend 1.5 hours of CDRC instruction and 1.5 hours of health each day for one month saw inconsistent attendance and a high number dropouts, even after the course was modified to three days per week instead of five. Although 15 of the 67 students enrolled repatriated through the course, the CDRC teachers asserted that since attendance only started dropping off in high numbers after the first two weeks, that the other dropouts were a result of the length of the intake and short attendance span of that age group. Because the CDRC and health projects would like to continue this project during FORGE's final month in Kala, they have shortened the length to two weeks instead of four in hopes to improve attendance and retention rates.
The secondary school program, which was initiated for grade seven students after the primary school program was changed from five days per week to three, received similar results to the primary school program. After conversations with students, it was confirmed that like the other program, this was primarily due to the length of the intake. Scheduled to end in early November, a subsequent short, two week program will take place for grade eight students.
Lastly, in collaboration with World Vision, the CDRC has begun a program for grade 12 students, using SFCG materials to teach them about and test them on culture, business, government, and civil society in the Katanga Province. This program is designed to help the students with their exams and has received a lot of enthusiasm from staff, students, and teachers.
Indicators and Statistics:
See October spreadsheet.
Future goals:
To see improvements in attendance and retention after implementing programming changes.
Substantial problems or issues:
High numbers of dropouts.
Wishes or requests:
None.
By Sara WasserteilSummary of project status and achievements:
The CDRC saw many adjustments throughout the month of September, as schools resuming for the year meant programs either needed to change their targeted population or adjust their scheduling in order to accommodate the youth's availability. In preceding months, the CDRC had been targeting youth for its programming since adults were demonstrating declining interest in CDRC courses due to preparation for repatriation. During the last school year, there were two sessions of school per day, with some students attending classes in the mornings while others attended in the afternoon, thus allowing the CDRC to serve the youth in both the mornings and afternoons. This year, however, with a significantly lower number of children of school age left in the camp, school is only being offered in the morning.
To address this change, while continuing to serve children and maximizing the opportunities to teach CDRC topics, the CDRC created a new program which commenced on September 15th. Since children are unable to attend in the morning and adults have not demonstrated enough interest to put on a class designed for them, the CDRC began a traveling workshop-style course to take place in the morning. Designed to teach CDRC topics in series of three days per section, participants indicated great interest in the topics, so the workshop was extended to last one week. Although participation was lower than hoped for, with 7-10 participating in each of the program's first two intakes, the CDRC staff is working on better recruitment strategies and exploring the possibility of teaching in two sections at a time with instructors alternating locations.
For children, the CDRC came together with the Health Centre to create a joint health / CDRC youth program. Upon discussions with both departments, it was decided that this would be a good way to teach students the important topics from both departments without competing against each other. In collaboration, they created a month long program for grade five and six grade students in which each grade would spend 2-3:30pm in one department and 3:30-5pm in the other six days per week. The CDRC topics chosen were non-violent communication, community development, community economics, and reintegration. After working with World Vision to advertise the program in its schools, the program began with a good start and approximately 40 participants.
The video program was shown on September 5th at a cinema in Section N with an estimated 450 in attendance, and again at the CDRC on September 18th with approximately 50 viewers. Due to the greater numbers when shown in the community, primarily in areas far from the FORGE office, the CDRC will continue to do these showings with more regularity in coming months as their new program becomes more normalized.
Indicators and Statistics:
See September spreadsheet.
Future goals:
To make improvements to the new program for the upcoming month.
Substantial problems or issues:
Because the new school program was not announced until just days before the commencement of classes, all students who had anticipated attending school in the afternoon dropped out of the morning short class once the new school program was made known. Because the intake was unintentionally shortened, the students did not receive certificates. Regardless, FORGE did not receive any complaints.
Wishes or requests:
None.
By Sara WasserteilSummary of project status and achievements:
Overall, the CDRC had a good month with strong attendance. Upon the request of the instructors, the CDRC also began showing The Reel Project film, Go and See Visit, and SFCG video on land conflict resolution on Saturdays in the library, recruiting sections further away from the office who may not have had the chance to see them when the videos were shown last spring. This began on August 14th with 214 in attendance. The second two showings had low attendance, first because the solar power system was not emitting enough power so they had to use a small, battery powered DVD player, and the second time because the scheduled session conflicted with a major Congolese soccer match being shown in the cinemas. Nevertheless, the CDRC staff took the opportunity at the video showings to advertise the CDRC's programs, and upon learning this, was provided with a form to get potential students to write down their personal information for follow-up. This proved to be a very successful method of recruitment for the CDRC intakes that began at the end of August.
On August 15th, CDRC Coordinator Mangungu informed Sara he would be going to Lusaka on August 17th for the next level of resettlement interviews. He instructed the remaining two CDRC staff on the material for his classes, and both Papa Kamona and Nswima did an excellent job taking initiative and volunteering to teach his courses although attendance had slipped by the end of the month. By the end of the month, Mangungu still had not returned but had been in communication with Sara.
Lastly, on August 28th, Papa Kamona requested to be considered to teach a health class that would be opening up in September. Papa Kamona has demonstrated great commitment and has a health background; however, Sara decided to wait to hear if Mangungu is resettled before giving him the course, because if FORGE did lose Mangungu as a coordinator, Papa Kamona would be the best person to fill that role.
Indicators and Statistics:
See August spreadsheet.
Future goals:
To make sure video showings do not conflict with other events, and when possible, show the videos in locations around the community to reach more people. To start targeting adults again as schools resume.
Substantial problems or issues:
Attendance began to fall at the end of the month. In addition, in light of schools starting in early September, the CDRC will need to revisit its programs in order to both accommodate the schedules of school-going children and the limited availability of adults.
Wishes or requests:
For petrol to show the videos in the community. Upon discussion with the project manager, they were told that funds were available to do this twice per month (a total of ZMK16,000/mo that can come out of the CDRC supply budget).
By Sara WasserteilSummary of project status and achievements:
Upon their arrival to Kala, the PMs were informed that the CDRC coordinator, Andrew, had been hired by World Vision and was leaving his position with FORGE. As they worked to arrange a replacement, the PMs were alarmed to find that the CDRC was not holding its scheduled classes. Upon meeting with the CDRC staff, they were told that it was due to the absence of a coordinator, and informed that recruitment had been especially difficult with recent holidays and refugees attending convoy send-offs. With only 10 in the intake of the short class in comparison to 124 in the previous intake, the staff was reminded that such a low number was unacceptable, and that it was all of the teachers' jobs to help with recruitment. Having found success targeting their classes towards children in the previous intake, they were encouraged to do the same, especially since school was no longer in session. The staff was assured that a coordinator would be hired promptly and were encouraged to apply.
With two of the three existing CDRC staff interested in the coordinator position, the PMs decided to interview them first rather than open up the position to the public. Interviews were conducted on July 13th, at which point the coordinator position was offered to Mangugngu . Because of his obligations with the church, he was given permission to work 32 hours/week instead of the standard 40 to teach classes on Reintegration and Business Development along with his coordinator duties. In addition, rather than hiring a fourth CDRC employee, the PMs offered the Community Economics and Community Development classes to Kamona, whose hours were bumped from 18 to 30, adding on a few hours of outreach to assist with recruitment as well. In preparing them for their new responsibilities, Andrew did an excellent job meeting with both Mangungu and Kamona throughout the month.
Ultimately, it seems that Mangungu was a great choice as the new CDRC coordinator. Despite low attendance at the beginning of July, by month's end the CDRC had an impressive 170 students participating in its short and long classes. Due to such high enrollment, the CDRC actually split its long class into two different sections.
The staff demonstrated great strength and commitment throughout CDRC's changes in July, and due to his enthusiasm and initiative, Mangungu was awarded employee of the month.
Indicators and Statistics:
See July spreadsheet.
Future goals:
To continue targeting youth due to their responsiveness to the material, and because the skills learned in the CDRC will provide them with the foundation to become Congo's future leaders.
Substantial problems or issues:
Because both CD players were not working, the CDRC had to rely on a Discman from the library which was then taken back during music library hours, interrupting important SFCG information. Because a Discman will be lent to the CDRC indefinitely, this should not be a problem in the future.
Wishes or requests:
The CDRC has asked for resources to play The Reel Project and SFCG videos at the Departure Centre the night before convoys.
By Sara WasserteilSummary of project status and achievements:
An intake of both short and long CDRC classes completed in the month of June, with twenty one and one hundred twenty eight students, respectively. There were seven Search for Common Ground listening and information sessions. This program was transferred to outreach worker Nswima this month, as the former teacher was not showing commitment to the task. Nswima is very enthusiastic about the material and is doing an excellent job recruiting participants and disseminating information. The phase-out committee elected to terminate the contract of one outreach worker. Individual teachers will be responsible to partipating in outreach efforts for their classes. UNHCR provided CDRC with new articles and newspapers from DRC, and The Reel Project film “Today We Pack, Tomorrow We Settle” will continue to be shown in the community by CDRC staff. Fuel to power the generator during these screenings will be provided by UNHCR and The Reel Project.
Indicators and Statistics:
See June spreadsheet.
Future goals:
None.
Substantial problems or issues:
None.
Wishes or requests:
None.
By Stephanie Puccetti
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