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SWOT Analysis of WATCH project

SWOT Analysis of WATCH project

- Nawaraj Subba

Under ToR with AIFO Italy which is one of the donors of WATCH, an assessment of the project was indertaken by this writer. WATCH is working in HIV/AIDS, social empowerment and income generation in Kathmadu, Rupandehi, Kapilvastua and Nawalparashi districts.

SWOT Analysis on the basis of FGD with Rupendehi staff.

SWOT Analysis

Strengths

• Project is locally appreciated and there is high demand of the project activities at the project areas.
• All the beneficiaries are very active and committed to the programmes. They have strongly recommended the continuation of WATCH’s projects.
• Donor are ready to consider on the proposal proposed by WATCH, said a staff. Donors have trusted on WATCH. Local and international network has also been established. Adopted right-based approach. WATCH adopted Self-dependence strategy.
• Now WATCH can produce Video productions and IEC materials. Production and dissemination of IEC and learning materials.
• Women federation are being recognized and are able to get programme and from DDC in Okhaldhunga. In DDC Rupendehi, women representatives have been included in HIV/AIDS committee.
• 1700 people were benefited from Health Camps held in Rupendehi. Activities such as seeding, livestock, and income generation have been handed over to federation. Local girl schooling was encouraged by scholarship.
• Some federation and groups have become successful in establishing their own office and are canalising their activities with the collaboration of VDCs and CBOs.
• Community people, especially women, have been involved in income generating activities through the saving credit programmes.
• Decision-making power of the members of Women’s Group and Women’s Group Federation has been enhanced.
• Trained Traditional Birth Attendants have expressed that they would be more confident in applying the practical knowledge derived from the training programmes.
• Formation of Women’s Group and Federations
• Collaborative Awareness Raising Campaign
• Distribution of IEC Materials, Seeds and Medicines
• Volunteer Service to the poor people
• Participation of poor or marginalized women
• Preparation of Calendar of Operation and Mapping
• Effective Monitoring and Evaluation
• Clear vision of capacity building and institutionalisation.

Weakness

• Trying to make system but it may take time.
• Limited number of clinics and mobile camps.
• Limited number of staff.
• Referral system has problems.
• Most of the members are illiterate.
• Difficulty to support and solve problems for those people living under absolute poverty line and landless.

Opportunity

• There is a high demand for mobile health clinic as well as regular clinic for SWs, clients and sick people.
• The project is supporting and providing facilities for the enhancement of livelihood to the community people. However, many beneficiaries have not been able to fully utilise the project benefits on account of their agricultural schedule.
• The project is supporting and providing facilities for the enhancement of livelihood to the community people.
• The projects have played a significant role in raising awareness level of the target population with regards to HIV/AIDS and STI. This has been most effective in the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.
• Capacity building through training and awareness for both staff and beneficiaries has also been found to be effective
• Volunteers and peer educators have been found to be dedicated towards their work. Their efficiency level could be enhanced with improvements in their financial benefits.
• The projects have improved health and sanitation condition of the target groups through awareness campaigns, one to one education contact and distribution of IEC materials.
• Scholarships for those students who are unable to attend school due to labour.
• Training programmes like Assertiveness training, Leadership Development, HIV/AIDS Prevention, Agriculture, Basic Health, Group Formation etc have been effectively implemented.
• Many of the SWs have expressed interest in participating in an advance level of skill development training, which would enable them to be adopt an alternative profession while also facilitate the process of obtaining a new identification in the community as a social worker.
• SWs are interested in legalising their profession that would enable them to carry on their work safely. Some are also interested to leave the profession if they could have some training or any other alternative earning source for their livelihood.

Threats or Constraints and Limitations

• Since Tukis are illiterate; it is difficult to share the ideas and form the concept. Salary is also low.
• Poor coordination between NGOs.

• No land to make toilet, to collect garbage.
• Toilet over flooded during rainy season.
• Crops depend on the weather and seed.
• Disease of crops.
• Epidemics or outbreaks of diseases in population.
• To take all kind of risks. People are so helpless that they need to be guided and supported to get service outlets.
• New members are being attracted to form new groups to get benefit from WATCH.
• Being taken into custody and subsequent harassment by security forces is a common problem faced by SWs.

CONCLUSION

WATCH has focused primary Health Care. Women’s health especially STD has been addressed by clinic and mobile health camps. WATCH’s role in building up the confidence, raising awareness level and supporting livelihood improving income generating activities for the targeted population have been well appreciated by the beneficiaries and stakeholders. It has been observed that WATCH’s programmes reach the targeted population comprising deprived, poor and marginalized group with the active participation of local people. WATCH has been effectively fulfilling its objectives while also trying its best to make the programmes sustain locally. WATCH’s objectives are highly relevant and its programmes have been executed with reasonable degree of effectiveness and success. The existing programme areas of WATCH can be considered as appropriate with regards to its selection.

WATCH has adopted a right-based approach and has been instrumental in the formation of a large number of CBOs, such as associations, federations and. groups. WATCH facilitates awareness rising and capacity building of these CBOs so that marginalized and deprived people have the confidence and ability to demand and jointly fight and lobby for the rights that have been guaranteed by the law of the land. This approach of WATCH, which focuses on empowering its targeted population to solve their problems, has also been the right move towards the sustainability of programme in the long run.

Reproductive health and reproductive rights need to be protected and focussed through family planning, safe motherhood and child health. TB and Leprosy programmes require additional activities to be extended. There is also demand for health care for HIV/AIDS and support to the family. Rehabilitation of disability caused by leprosy is also a part of socio-medico problem to be addressed by the programme.

RECOMMENDATIONS

1)      WATCH should give priority on family planning and safe motherhood programme in the groups.

2)      Awareness programmes for leprosy, TB to be extended through IEC materials.

3)      Disability and helplessness can be addressed by providing vocational training for disable patient and supporting the family member by providing free health care and supporting their children by schooling.

4)      WATCH should give priority to formal registration of CBOs, federations.

5)      WATCH should ensure that the capacity of the concerned federations and groups are adequate for the institutional sustainability of the programmes prior to the phasing out of its programmes.

6)      High interest rate have been deterring them to avail loans from their respective groups, it calls for evaluation of the saving credit programmes in consultation with members of the groups.

7)      Rehabilitation centre for HIV/AIDS, disable, helpless should be established in collaboration with other organizations.

8)      Refresher training course should be commenced for the most active volunteers who have the potential to take the lead role in the community.

10. WATCH needs to develop long-term partnership with local NGOs for the implementation of its programmes.