SPA- Is it worth it?

*Again, this article was written to other volunteers in Peru for a news magazine called Pasa La Voz. It however, did not make the deadline but I wanted it to be published here.

SPA-IS IT WORTH IT?
Matt Lindsley, Peru 6

The SPA (Small Project Assistance) Grant is available for all PCV´s during our service. In Peru, former volunteers have used the grant in a variety of ways in their primary or secondary projects. Past SPA proposals include tourism and small business start-ups, youth initiatives (music, sports, clubs), reforestation, garden and green house projects, potable water/latrine construction, training courses/manuals, cooking stoves and even DVD production.

If you and your community have an idea, and can dedicate time to develop that idea, it may become a reality. Even after thoroughly exhausting your communities resources and beyond, you just may not have the funds to carry out your project. Don’t feel guilty in using SPA funds. You’ll have control over how it’s spent.

It’s probable that you’ll be buying very practical things, like materials, equipment, a person’s service, and other items. You’ll follow your proposal, completing tasks and spending along the way. It’s not as if your just handing over a check to ¨tal fulano¨ in your site.

The application process is straight forward and follows a manual. After many months of discussion, I sat down with my counterpart and we began the rough draft, step by step. After soliciting the local municipality to renovate our potable water system, we though about forming a new water committee (JASS) to manage the system. SPA funds would be ideal in facilitating a complete training for our newly elected JASS.

It took us roughly three months to complete the proposal. It’s not easy. PC asks for a lot of details. Participating in the PDM workshop was useful, but unfortunately the nurse I brought has permanently left my site. Deciding how we wanted to design the project and the logical progression was the biggest challenge. My counterpart was patient and did is hest to share the workload with me. If anything I gained some grant writing experience and learned much more Spanish along the way! It was also a strict lesson in organization.

My APCD, Emilia read over our rough draft and we made changes. She also forwarded another PCV´s proposal. This was extremely helpful for us in preparing the final draft. In just one month after sending the final draft we got word that the SPA review board had passed our project. Small details needed correction and than it was sent to Washington. Two weeks later it was fully approved.
Just when we thought the hardest part was over we still had an enormous project to execute. Fortunately it couldn’t be too hard because the proposal would carry us through the notions.

We were off to a late start (behind the intended work plan) for a number of reasons. Eventually we made some progress and moved forward. As of currently, the contracted microbiologist who is facilitating our trainings had to postpone the second and third sessions. He was sent to Ica to help with earthquake relief efforts. The JASS t-shirts are being made, as are the participant manuals. Meanwhile my counterpart and I have had to resort to plan b, c, d and e at times. This of course being much easier for him than I, since he’s Peruvian.

The greatest joy to come out of this project is to watch our JASS work. Since our training coincided with the potable water renovation the committee has assumed an important primary task. When the municipality sent a foreman to start the renovation without first orienting the locals to the project plan, the foreman quickly became frustrated because few locals came forward as the labor force. Until our committee of 10 (who were less than a month old) organized a town meeting to find a solution to the problem. Each JASS member has diligently supported the renovation by assigning tasks, supervising work sites, coordinating delivery of materials, and acting as an intermediary between the municipalities’ foreman and the locals.

I’m not preoccupied with the delay in our own plans, because this could have been predicted. As long as we finish the JASS training before I COS in the next few months. What I never expected from the JASS took me by surprise and has taught me a lesson- step back and allow someone else to take the reigns. Hasn’t that always been our job? Our goal? It’s happening and I’m here to see it!

So yes, SPA is worth it.

Some helpful hints:

1. Think feasibility in a long term or short term project. What are your objectives?
2. Don’t over budget; be realistic in your needs. Our proposal was easily accepted because we asked for a smaller amount of funds.
3. Print and bind your SPA proposal. Give copies to extended parties (my mayor, and MINSA CLAS director received copies). This legitimizes your work, is evidence of the proposed plan and will keep you on task.
4. Make it clear to the community that we’ve been granted a subsidy but only because a large percentage of the funds are coming from you by means of labor, transport, food, materials, etc. They will complete their part.
5. Even after receiving the SPA check continue asking locals to contribute with in-kind donations. Our training manuals are being subsidized by a local. This leaves more money in our budget to cover unexpected costs.
6. Ideally you can return unspent money.
7. Be honest with locals about how much money you’ve received and the plan for it. Technically the money is already ¨spent¨ if you follow your plan.
8. Maintain detailed accounting and save all receipts.
9. Monitor and evaluate the process of the project to make changes along the way.
10. Celebrate successes with your counterparts, you’ll need it.
11. Stay on task. But allow for miracles to creep in.