Project News

Capacity Development Project for Provision of the Services for Basic Human Needs in Kassala (K-TOP) is now in the middle of three-year implementation phase. From November to December 2012, the Mid-Term Review Mission for K-TOP came from Japan. For most JICA projects, JICA Headquarters sends the Mid-Term Review Missions when the projects came to the halfway of the implementation period, and conducts a joint evaluation with the counterparts (C/Ps) of the recipient country. In the Mid-Term Review, the Mission and C/Ps investigate and analyze the current situation of the project and try to figure out how far the project has achieved its project purpose and what are the challenges for the project. Based on the collected information, they propose the future direction and the suggestions on the project for the remaining half of the project period. In case of K-TOP, at first, there was the self-evaluation conducted by C/Ps with the technical support from an evaluation consultant from Japan in September 2012, and then, the Mid-Term Review Mission came in November and December 2012.

K-TOP Mid-Term Review Mission from Japan consisted of the nine persons, Ms. Miyazaki (Deputy Director General, Economic Infrastructure Development Department), Mr. Hayase (Deputy Assistant Director, Peace Building Division, Economic Infrastructure Development Department), four JICA staffs from the relevant JICA sector departments (two of them came to Kassala in November 2012), one JICA staff in charge of the cooperation with UNHCR, and two evaluation consultants. Moreover, Mr. Mori (Chief Representative) and Mr. Shiomi from JICA Sudan Office joined the Mission from Khartoum. Every day, the Mission conducted numerous interviews (in total, with 54 persons from C/Ps and project related persons), visited the project activities and field sites, discussed with each cluster's C/Ps and Japanese experts regarding the result of the Mid-Term Review from the morning till the night, prepared and revised the report through the night, and finalized the Joint Mid-Term Review Report. After this intensive process, K-TOP and the Mission organized the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting on December 20th, 2012.

In the JCC meeting, the Mission reported the result of the Mid-Term Review for each cluster based on the five criteria, namely, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. Based on those criteria, the Mission explained that how far the K-TOP's Overall Goal (Basic human needs of the people in Kassala State are ensured by enabling them to access quality public services by the State.) and Cluster Purposes for five clusters were achieved so far and what are the challenges and suggestions to earn more outcomes in future.

Especially, the "sustainability" criterion attracted attention. Through the review process, it seemed that C/Ps in each cluster started to feel the consistent progress led by the project activities. There were many C/Ps saying that they would like to start preparing for the post-K-TOP. After the K-TOP finished its implementation phase, they want to continue to improve the quality of their public services by themselves.

In the end of the JCC meeting, the words by Mr. Mori of JICA Sudan Office made C/Ps' eyes shining.

"There were voices from the other states that they want to know about K-TOP. It seems that K-TOP is now being a model for the whole Sudan. Furthermore, through the Mid-Term Review, I felt that Kassala State Government staffs are now having a pride and confidence for providing better public service".

On the next day of the JCC meeting, Kassala was a beautiful sunny day as usual. Mr. Musa (Director General, State Ministry of Finance, Economy and Manpower) as a representative of Kassala State Government, Ms. Miyazaki as a representative of JICA Headquarters and Mr. Mori as a representative of JICA Sudan Office signed on the Joint Mid-Term Review Report, and finally, the whole review process finished. At the same time, it seems that K-TOP made a new start towards Kassala take-off.

Self-evaluation in September 2012. C/Ps and Japanese experts worked together to review the current situation of the K-TOP and evaluate the activities.

Ms. Ota (on the left), one of the evaluation consultants, visited the New Halfa Factory of Sudan Sugar Company, one of the biggest companies in Kassala, and made an interview to Director General of the factory. The factory are hiring KVTC graduates and accepting KVTC trainees as interns. Furthermore KVTC lecturers conducted training to technicians in the factory. (December 2012)

Mr. Wakui from Global Environment Department in JICA Headquarters visited the expansion work of water facilities in the northern part of Kassala town. SWC staff and Mr. Shichijo, JICA expert on rural water supply program were explaining. (November 2012)

Mr. Nabeya from Rural Development Department in JICA Headquarters, in charge of the evaluation of Agriculture and Livelihood Cluster visited Flood Irrigation Zone and observed the project activities. (December 2012)

The report of the Mid-Term Review in the JCC meeting. The Mission from Japan presented the result of the Joint Mid-Term Review, which they conducted for about one month. (December 2012)

After signing on the Joint Mid-Term Review Report, Mr. Musa (Director General, State Ministry of Finance), Mr. Jamal (Director General, General Directorate of Economic Planning and Development), Ms. Miyazaki (JICA Headquarters), Mr. Mori (JICA Sudan Office) and Mr. Tanaka (Team Leader of K-TOP) shook their hands with smiles. (December 2012)