NTA visits each project location twice a year with a joint monitoring team from Australia and Indonesia. The goal is to make sure the projects are all making good progress and inputs from the beneficiaries are received and acted upon in future planning of activities. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic made it impossible for the Australian team to join the monitoring visit. The NTA-Indonesia (NTA-I) team therefore started the monitoring visit on their own, and proved to be highly committed and skilful.
On Friday, 13 November, the first part of the monitoring visit came to an end. After two weeks of monitoring, the team finished visiting all projects in Flores and rounded the visit up with a final team meeting summarising the outcomes of the monitoring visit and planning the next steps. After a well-deserved short break, the NTA-I team will continue its monitoring activities in West Timor, on Semau Island, before moving on to the Highlands.
NTA-I team on the first day of the monitoring visit in Flores
NTA-I team on the last day of the monitoring visit in Flores
During those two weeks, the team visited 83 farmer groups and 17 schools in Flores following a tight schedule. As the team collected the data electronically and uploaded results each day, the Australian team was able to see the results including pictures from concluded projects immediately.
Here is a summary of the key figures from the farmer group visits:
- A majority of the farmer group members are women (7 out of 10 on average)
- Two groups have members with disabilities (difficulty walking) (1 female, 1 male)
- A Wwter tank reduces the daily time spent for fetching water from 2¾ to ¼ of an hour
- Fetching water is typically the responsibility of women (67% mostly women, 33% men and women)
- In 90% of the farmer groups, the children helped with fetching water
- 80% of the projects from the last semester are finished and in good quality
- 70% of the farmer groups requested for a water tank, 8% requested for toilet units and 6% requested for pig pens for the coming semester
Brand new pig pens and water tanks in Sikka
Here is a summary of the key figures from the school visits:
- Two out of 17 schools have students with disabilities (2 female, 2 male) (2 physical – hand/leg, and 2 mental)
- Most of low-wage teachers (honorary) are female (4 out of 6)
- 9 schools are accredited C-Level and 7 schools are accredited B-level (A-D)
- 3 schools do not have a library
- All schools have a water tank which is filled by water from a truck (60%), spring water (24%) or rainwater (6%)
- All 17 schools have received information regarding COVID-19 from NTA, including hand washing stations, soap and educational posters
- 100% of the items from the last semester have been finished and are in use (desks and tables, retaining wall, fence, traditional instruments)
- 65% of the schools are requesting support to improve their infrastructure (fencing, gates, toilets, tanks, repair roofs, etc.), 15% prefer furniture/equipment such as desks/chairs, whiteboards, etc.
School fence in SDK Kimbul
Discussions with school management
It is great to see our Indonesian team working independently with such a high level of motivation and delivering transparent and solid results.
According to Pak Don Bosco Meke, the Director of NTA-I, the atmosphere during the monitoring was good, open and friendly. The NTA-I team experienced warm welcomes by groups and schools during their visits. The amount of pictures and videos shared by NTA-I staff and beneficiaries showed a high level of ownership and enthusiasm, which is very motivating for all of us here in Australia. We wish the team all the best for the remaining weeks of monitoring.
Introducing improved farmer techniques during a monitoring visit
