governmental organization. We make numerous mistakes while work ing on project
budgets, compiling financial reporting to donors due to regular unawareness of the
basic rules of expenditure classification, drawing up documentation, labor
contracts and etc. It negatively affects the relations with donors and constrains
our ability to participate in large-scale grant programs. It should be noted that the
training on accountancy and taxation in non-governmental organizations conducted
by Zhanat Saparzhanova let me, the head of the organization, “open my eyes” and
see the most acute moments. Owing to opportunity to openly ask questions, I
became better aware of preparation of almost all significant financial documents.
This will be very useful for me when implementing other future projects". Ismanov
Sardor, Chairperson of PA "Zhalynda Zhastar"
Attachment 7 – Accounting, Taxation and Office Records Management training Agenda (for CR
and SR)
Attachment 8 – List of Accounting, Taxation and Office Records Management training Participants
h) Monitoring and Evaluation Training for the 1-st Level Rural CSOs
On January 10, 2016 PA "Bereke" management sent a letter to USAID requesting additional
Monitoring and Evaluation training for Level-1 and Level-2 CSOs.
Questionnaire survey alongside with the results of OD assessment conducted among Program target
rural CSOs as well as recommendations given by the Grant Committees in both regions had shown
the acuteness of M&E training for the CSOs of both levels. Moreover, it was extremely significant
to acquire M&E skills for CSOs that have received grants
in the framework of the "Partnership for Development
and Prosperity" Program to better manage their projects.
Thus upon the USAID approval Bereke staff conducted
Monitoring and Evaluation training for Level-1 CSOs
from all four Program target oblasts on May 17-18, 2016
in Karaganda. The training was very interactive, it gave
participants concept, skills and knowledge on monitoring
and evaluation for development projects.
CSO workers have aquired knowledge and skills of
setting project goals and objectives, choosing proper
activities to meet the objectives and developing project
logical framework including output, outcome and impact
indicators.
A session on writing a sucess story helped the participants to understand how they can demonstrate
the impact of the project on the life of their target group in an easy and accessible way.
By the end of the training each CSO representative has developed the draft M&E plan for their
project and they sent the final version of it to PA "Bereke" and PA "ECOCENTER" ten days later
after discussing with the respective project staff. It was agreed that they should submit a completed
indicator table alongside with program and financial intermediate and final reports.
In addition, the training participants from Southern and Central regions had a good opportunuty to
exchage information, experience and contacts as well as to discuss the possibilities for future joint
projects.
"Before this training I did not really
understand the concept of monitoring and
evaluation and referred to it as one of the
requirements of donors that have nothing to
do with implementation of the project and only
upon
the
development
of
our
project
monitoring and evaluation plan I realized how
important it is for the effective implementation
of our projects. I believe now that the aquired
knowledge and skills will allow us to perform our work in a more quality and
systematic way". Rakhimzhanova Muslima, PA "Women's Council of Arys Town",
South Kazakhstan region.
Attachment 9 – Monitoring and Evaluation training Agenda (for CR and SR)
Attachment 10 – List of Monitoring and Evaluation training Participants
i) Implementation of community development projects
All the projects of Level-1 CSOs have been fully implemented. Project monitoring and evaluation
plans including indicator table developed with the assistance of the Program staff helped CSOs
better manage their projects. The majority of CSOs carried out planned activities in accordance with
their work plans. Rarely, there were some modifications or shifting of the activities within the
project frames and the budgets. Any modifications in the work plans and the project budgets were
obligatorily coordinated with Bereke and ECOCENTER teams.
One of the major Program requirements was when procure any goods and services when total
expenditure costs exceed 25 000 tenge rural CSOs should utilize a competitive procurement
method, which involves obtaining bids from at least three participants. It was not easy for rural
CSOs to follow this requirement as there were not often enough alternative certain goods/service
supplyers. Nevertheless all CSOs tried to
comply with the Program policy, which, according to their
feedback became very useful.
"The requirement to obtain bids from at least three
vendors first provoked our negative reaction, however it
proved to be very useful as it made us to analyze the
prices in the market and choose the most appropriate for
us. For example, we used to buy furniture from a vendor
whose prices have turned out to be 40% higher than that
of a sales company in Shymkent even though the quality
of furniture was the same". Mustapa Suleimenov,
Chairperson of Saryagash rayon Veterans' organization.
The grants for the implementation of the rural CSOs projects were divided into two tranches. The
second tranche was transferred after submission of the interim program and financial reports
conforming completion of the planned activities.
We could observe the improvement of the quality of final program and financial reports compared
to the previously submitted interim reports. However, a number of difficulties with the reports
preparation were observed.
The following main problems can be underlined upon the results of the final financial reports
evaluation:
incorrect
salary accounting, incorrect calculations of obligatory payments and taxes;
cash utilization (mostly for the rural CSOs of CR);
incomplete provision of the accounting primary documentation for
confirmation of transactions
with sub-contractors;
untimely provision of the documentation conforming the amount contributed
by rural CSOs;
Untimely reports provision.
As for the program reports the problems were related to
improper completion
of reporting templates;
untimely submissions of attachments to reports;
lack of description of qualitative indicators.
For optimization of the reporting process and improvement of quality and timely provision of the
reports the following steps will be taken according to the decision of Program managers: