[Vnbiz] CD/DVD about Tan Hoa Lo Gom project

[LeDieu Anh]

Dear chi Thu,

Compared to you I am junior in the field of ODA. I started to work as
consultant for some ODA projects since late 90s. I used to work for
ODA Partneship before coming to this project. I also work as
consultant for ODA projects and NGO projects, too. So now we have
something in common to share with each other.

I will send the project CD/DVD to the address you gave. In the CD
(both in E and VN) you can find evaluation reports of our pilot
projects: solid waste, social work/activities, resettlement project
and wastewater treatment, and a final report, a kind of overall
project evaluation. These are end-of-project evaluations rather than
post-project ones. I mentioned in my note to vnbiz about a follow-up
study on resettlement housing in coming 18 months, which will be a
kind of the post-project evaluation.

Yes, it is the fact (and pity) that [ODA] PMUs are dissolved after
projects finished. This issue has been discussed in many workshops
here in HCMC. In case of my project, we are now in the phase of cost
finalisation with the government. After we get the approval of
finacial report, our PMU will close. Most of my technical staff
already left the PMU after June 2006. The city government encourages
PMU staff with its experience in project implementation and
familiarity with ODA, to continue to work in other ODA projects here
in Saigon. However, as you know, the remuneration for PMU staff is
low, while the workload is huge with clear deadline. No where in the
government system like in ODA PMUs, staff are pushed to meet deadline,
since there are two 'bosses': government and donor. Almost all of my
staff said, when looking back at the work done, that they cannot
imagine, what a tough road was, fighting with all kinds of obstacles
in many areas, to come to the final today. If they knew that before,
they would not dare to join the project. It was a half-joking,
half-serious feeling, but it is true. Therefore, for the time being,
even if the government does not close PMU, its (good technical) staff
would not stay to work, and this is the fact.

You also mentioned about post-project evaluation of other projects. I
share the same concern because we can learn many from other projects.
I think chi Tanh An, thu Trang of MPI in vnbiz can contribute to this
also. The evaluation reports that you will find in my project CD/DVD
will give you some results and some evaluation of 'technical' aspects
of the project only. I have said in an workshop on evaluation of VN
Urban Upgrading project, organized by MOC rcently, that any evaluation
need to identify clear intended users of evaluation report. Otherwise,
the evaluation is simply a step in project management to complete
only, and therefore meaningless.

Just a few lines to share with you. When you come down to SG and are
interested in discussing it with a cup of coffee, I would love to do
so :-)

Keep in touch, chi Thu nhe.

Have a great day,
Dieu Anh

PS. Sorry I reply to your private email with a cc to vnbiz, since i
think some CACC might like to chip in.


On 1/4/07, Tran nguyen Anh Thu <anhthu592002 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> Dear chi Dieu Anh,
>
> I read your email with interests in learning more about the project. Could
> you pls send me a CD/DVD of your project to Tran Nguyen Anh Thu, 21 Ngo Van
> So, Hoan Kiem, Ha Noi. Thanks  a lot.
>
> I used to work in ODA management for years, since 1984 untill 2002. And
> since last year I have worked as a freelance consultant in sustainable
> development, natural resources & environmental management and project and
> program reviews. I know that there have been many ODA projects that have
> very good lessons to share with others but  to my knowledge I don't know any
> websites that keep lessons learned of projects/programs. Particularly, their
> impacts let say, five years after the project completion. Normally, when the
> project finnishes, its management board is dissolved and nobody is in charge
> of post project evaluation. Do you know any such kind of evaluation reports
> available?  May be Thanh an should know about that.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Anh Thu
>
>
>
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