I. Background

The Project on ICT & HIV/Aids Preventive Education in the Cross-Border Areas of the Upper Mekong Region on Selected SEAMEO Countries: A SEAMEO-UNESCO Proposed Innovative Project was approved by the 37th SEAMEO Council Conference on 13 March 2002. A progress report was made to the 25th High Officials Meeting in December 2002 (see Appendix I). Since then, the Project has been officially approved by the Asian Development Bank on 19 December 2002 as Technical Assistance on a grant basis not exceeding the equivalent $1,000,000 for ICT and HIV/AIDS Preventive Education in the Cross-Border Areas of the Greater Mekong Subregion.

II. Summary of the Technical Assistance

A. Rationale

The project is in line with the ADB’s Human Resource Development (HRD) thrusts in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS--Cambodia, Yunnan Province of the People’s Republic of China, Lao PDR, Thailand, and Vietnam) until 2011 which support a more proactive approach in effort to prevent the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and the promotion of information and communication technology (ICT). The project dovetails with the urgency of reducing poverty and is supportive of the Millennium Development Goal of halting and reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015.

B. Goals

The goals of the Project are to: reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS infection among vulnerable age groups and poor and marginalized population groups; and to expand the use of ICT and other multimedia technologies in HIV/AIDS preventive education.

The Project aims to:

(i) develop ICT learning materials in local languages;
(ii) build the capacities of teachers, health workers, and other stakeholders for HIV/AIDS preventive education;
(iii) expand the use of ICT interventions in HIV/AIDS preventive education; and
(iv) deliver ICT-based interventions to isolated, marginalized, and vulnerable populations.

C. Strategy

The Project will seek to achieve increased awareness of and skills on how to prevent infection among the more vulnerable groups by:

1. training teachers in using ICT-based learning materials and preventive education efforts in schools;
2. decentralizing materials development down to the provincial level;
3. developing and disseminating educational radio programs and tapes;
4. systematically collecting, storing, and repackaging innovative education materials in an information clearinghouse of information and materials support;
5. establishing a geographic information system (GIS); and
6. targeting interventions among special and interstitial populations, in collaboration with community-based organizations and NGOs.

D. Methodology and Key Activities

The Project will target around 8,000 in-school youth (13-24-year-olds) through interventions in schools in high-risk cross border areas with special risk groups and source communities, through community-based information programs, community learning centers (CLCs), and peer education support to ICT programs. The school and CLC setting will focus on schools and communities in the identified high-risk cross-border areas. The Project will have four components:

1. Learning Materials Development
2. Capacity Building
3. Program Delivery
4. Database and Information Support

E. Cost and Financing

The total cost of the Project is estimated at US $1.85 million equivalent, of which $1 million will be financed on a grant basis by ADB’s TA program. SEAMEO and UNESCO will provide cofinancing in cash and kind in the amounts of US $431,000 and US $317,000, respectively. The 5 DMCs are expected to contribute a total of around US $100,000 in kind.

F. Implementation Arrangements

The following are the Project implementation arrangements:

1. The Executing Agencies for the Project will be SEAMEO and UNESCO, each with its own project management unit (PMU);
2. Implementing agencies will be selected partners of the three SEAMEO Regional Centers (INNOTECH, SEAMOLEC and TROPMED) and UNESCO;
3. Country-level supports will be provided through the SEAMEO country teams, as well as ministries of education and health in each DMC; UNESCO offices and UNESCO National Commissions in each country;
4. Each participating DMC will designate focal points for implementation;
5. A coordinating board comprising directors of SEAMEO Secretariat, UNESCO and an ADB representative will provide policy guidelines;
6. Project implementation will be guided by a steering committee comprising members of the coordinating board, directors/chiefs of implementing agencies, focal points/champions of DMCs, and representatives of national coordinating bodies;
7. SEAMEO and UNESCO will be responsible for administering their own contributions;
8 Implementation is envisaged over 18 months, starting in January 2003 and ending by June 2004;
9. A mid-term review will be conducted around October 2003 at which time the envisaged phase 2 of the Project will be planned and formulated.
10. All procurement financed by ADB under the Project will be in accordance with ADB’s Guidelines for Procurement; and
11. International consultants will be recruited individually in accordance with ADB’s Guidelines on the Use of Consultants.

The Technical Assistance Framework and the Cost Estimates & Financing Plan is attached as Appendix II.

III. Inception Workshop

An Inception Workshop held on 18-21 February 2003 in Bangkok, Thailand worked out strategies and overall work plan for the implementation of the project. This was attended by representatives of ADB, UNESCO, SEAMEO Secretariat, SEAMEO INNOTECH, SEAMEO SEAMOLEC, SEAMEO TROPMED, Cambodia, Lao PDR, China, Thailand and Vietnam.

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