Compass assessment: 2002 document 44 august 2002

ANNEX 7

Evaluation of Compass Small Grants Performance (1999 – 2001)

The report covers the projects visited during the course of evaluation.

Table 7: Categories of Project Grants Awarded by COMPASS

Project Type		Number Of Grantees	Number Interviewed
1.	Afforestation	11	9
2.	Capacity building	5	3
3.	Beekeeping	3	3
4.	Alternative Energy	3	3
5.	Aquaculture	2	2
6.	Wildlife Management	4	3
7.	Herbal Production	1	1
8.	Mushroom Production	1	1
9.	Fruit Tree Nursery	2	2
10.	Sustainable Agricultural Organic Farming	1	1
11.	Other	3	2
Total		36	30

COMPASS-3180-001 and COMPASS-3180-031 Briquettes Promotion Campaign:

Ndirande Women’s Briquettes Group, Blantyre
Origin of the project: Nkhomano Centre for Development identified the women’s group and wrote a proposal to COMPASS. There was a misunderstanding with Nkhomano. Later the group became independent and have since been funded directly by COMPASS.
Training: They have received training on four occasions (Motel Paradise, Sun Village, Nantipwiri at Bvumbwe). The women have been used to train others in Ntcheu, Dedza and Zomba.
Problems/Constraints: There is a limited market for briquettes. Dedicated buyers of the product are only EDETA and the Chiwembe Women’s Group growing mushrooms. Other ways of marketing involves the women carrying the briquettes to sell at the roadside or market places in the Blantyre suburbs such as at Chilomoni, Mbayani, Chilobwe and Bangwe. Attempts to sell near ITG (now known as International Timbers Limited) failed because of competition since that is a wood off-cuts outlet. The grantees were puzzled that the initial enthusiasm of individuals who came to buy the briquettes was not sustained, thus some never came back to buy some more, yet these same people mentioned to the women that they were satisfied with the performance of the briquettes. On close examination, the women have however discovered that people politely complain about the ash content being high and that the briquettes do not last as well as charcoal.

-The women wondered whether firms like Carlsberg Breweries could not become large buyers of briquettes instead of using cottonseed husks or whether schools could not provide such a market. The main concern is to balance production with market requirements. With a production of 500 briquettes per day, the women feel that they can satisfy a bigger market.

-Two other problems were highlighted also. Firstly, they do not have a warehouse for storage of materials and products. They are currently using one of the rooms in a house of one of the committee members. Secondly, there is lack of security since houses surround the project premises. A recent fire that destroyed a grass fence demarcating the premises spread and destroyed part of the shed including materials. The women therefore want to construct a brick fence and need financial support.
Information networking: Briquettes are a new product to the Malawian community. The women have used the radio, TV and demonstrations to advertise the product. The Story Workshop is also assisting through public education and awareness campaigns.

Sustainability: Initially, the project had 30 zones, each with ten members working with one press. Production and sales were not enough and so the women were not adequately compensated to keep up the interest. Some women dropped out and most zonal committees reduced to only two active members. A decision was made to centralise production to the present site. This has concentrated the group to those highly committed.
Organisational development: The women feel that selling the briquettes should go hand in hand with stoves. They have therefore requested COMPASS for funding to be trained in manufacturing stove liners.

COMPASS-3180-002 Ndirande Mountain Rehabilitation Project: