Appendix I
Progress Report December 2002

I. GENERAL UPDATED INFORMATION

1. There has been a change in the Project title. The phase “Upper Mekong Region” has been changed to “the Greater Mekong Sub-region” as the project also includes Cambodia. The Project’s official name has therefore been changed to “Project on ICT and HIV/AIDS Preventive Education in Cross Border Areas of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS)”.
2. The focus of the Project is both geographic - on border areas, and on sociological and economic aspects - on vulnerable groups in these areas.
3. Yunnan Province of China and Myanmar will also be included in this Project.
4. The range of ICT to be explored starts with radio and continues through TV to computers and access to internet.
5. The Project is now proposed by ADB to be in 2 phases, 18 months per phase. Each phase will be treated distinctively in terms of JFICT financing, i.e. 1 million for each phase.
6. Both SEAMEO and UNESCO are expected to provide a budget in cash/in kind of about US$250,000 each.
7. The Project proposal has been submitted for support by Japan Fund for Information and Communication Technology (JFICT), a grant financed trust fund administered by ADB.
8. The ADB position paper of the above project has been circulated to all partners. The position paper is the first step in the approval process of the application to JFICT. Fact-finding was required by ADB to reach a formal agreement with SEAMEO and UNESCO, and governments of participating Developing Member Countries (DMC), on the objectives, scope and implementation arrangement of the Project.
9. A Fact-Finding Mission was held by ADB from 29 July to 2 August, 2002 as the first step in the approval process of the application for JFICT assistance. A Fact-Finding Mission Workshop was held at the Windsor Suites Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand, from 30-31 July 2002, chaired by the SEAMEO Secretariat Director. Participants to the workshop included representatives of each of the six participating Developing Member Countries (DMC), with the exception of Myanmar, the ADB, UNESCO Asia & Pacific Regional Bureau for Education, UNAIDS, Asian Harm Reduction Network, World Vision Myanmar, the SEAMEO Secretariat, SEAMEO INNOTECH, SEAMEO SEAMOLEC, and SEAMEO TROPMED Network. A delegation of SEAMEO, ADB and UNESCO representatives made a fact-finding visit to the Thai-Cambodian Border on 2-3 August 2002.
10. Pending official funding approval, it is expected that the Project will commence in the year 2003.
    

II. FACT-FINDING MISSION AND WORKSHOP

1.Background

Contiguous areas of the GMS countries (Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam) as well as Yunnan Province of the People’s Republic of China (PROC) are potential high risk areas for HIV/AIDS transmission and spread among mobile, generally poor, marginalized, and vulnerable populations of multifarious origin and level of awareness of the disease. Here as it is elsewhere in Third World Countries the impact of socio-economic development on poverty alleviation, health and quality of life is a priority concern. As partners in the development efforts of Developing Member Countries (DMCs), UNESCO and SEAMEO are two of the major players in the region with a long track record of involvement in human resource development (HRD) through a wide range of bilateral and multilateral cooperation programmes. By and large expertise in various fields of specialization in education and health is in place in both.

The application of ICT as a tool for intervention in preventive HIV/AIDS education in border areas is considered not only timely but appropriate in reaching the greatest possible number of people in these diverse and impoverished environments. Consultative meetings were initiated with ADB, SEAMEO and UNESCO officials and a position paper was eventually prepared being the first step in the approval process of the application for JFICT assistance. The ADB position paper was circulated to all partners.

A Fact-Finding Mission was launched from 29 July to 2 August, 2002 as required to reach a formal agreement with SEAMEO and UNESCO, Governments of participating DMCs on the goal, objectives, scope and implementation arrangement of the Project. Participants to the workshop were representatives of each of the 6 DMCs, with the exception of Myanmar, one each from health (HIV/AIDS), education, and ICT sectors; and officials from SEAMEO, ADB and UNESCO, including other relevant agencies.

The Project focuses on demographic and socio-economic aspects and vulnerable groups in border areas. An on-site visit to one such area between Thailand and Cambodia was conducted on 2-3 August 2002.

The range of ICT to be explored starts (at the least) with radio and continues through TV to computers and access to Internet.

2. Fact-Finding Mission Workshop, 30-31 July 2002

2.1. The workshop, held at Windsor Suite Hotel in Bangkok, was chaired by Dr. Arief S. Sadiman, SEAMEO Secretariat Director and Dr. Sheldon Schaeffer, Director, UNESCO Asia & Pacific Regional Bureau for Education. Dr. Ma. Sandra B. Tempongko served as overall workshop facilitator.

2.2. Welcome remarks were delivered by Drs. Sadiman and Shaeffer, and Mr. Paul L. Chang, Principal Education Specialist, Mekong Department of ADB. The keynote speaker was Dr. Taweesap Siraprapasiri in behalf of Dr. Vallop Thaineua, Director-General, Department of Communicable Disease Control, Ministry of Public Health Thailand and concurrently, SEAMEO TROPMED Network Governing Board Member for Thailand.

2.3. Mr. Paul Chang presented the highlights of the JFICT Project Proposal, expected outputs of the workshop in terms of country needs, scope, operational plans, financial requirements, delineation of functions and responsibilities, management, and administrative procedures.

2.4. Each country delegation was given 30 minutes for presentation to cover the following topics in plenary session:

2.4.1. AIDS Sector: Current situation of HIV/AIDS with special focus on border areas and target groups (e.g., school children, ethnic minorities, remote, hard-to-reach communities, itinerant groups, etc.); description of existing interventions.

2.4.2. Education Sector (Preventive Education): Overall situation; policies; major strategies; coverage; materials used and main messages transmitted; special challenges.

2.4.3. ICT Sector (Application of ICT): infrastructure of ICT in the country esp. in border areas; existing policies and development plan for ICT; utilization of ICT e.g., in business, education. etc.

2.5. The Open Forum which followed enabled the other participants to respond to the presentations from their own perspective, interact with experts, offer useful comments, and clarify issues that were important to the life of the Project. The country reports were comprehensive, were well prepared and up-to-date, thus, providing much of the background information needed to understand the situation in the study areas.

The prompt response of governments to the threat of HIV/AIDS from the time that these were first recognized in the country deserves commendation. Despite differences in opinion among participants the conduct of the workshop was professional and collegial and showed their willingness to translate knowledge into positive actions given the limitations of time and resources.

2.6. Participants were then assigned in three discussion groups as follows:

2.6.1. HIV/AIDS: Priority groups for interventions; major messages to be developed.

2.6.2. ICT: Range of ICT that can be utilized for the Project; proposed activities.

2.6.3. Education: Learning strategies and activities for both in-school and out-of-school settings.

2.7. The results of group discussions as presented in plenary session were generally accepted for collation and revision, if needed, by the fact-finding team.

2.8. The day’s tasks culminated with presentation of the revised JFICT proposal by the fact-finding team.

3. Visit to the Thai-Cambodian Boarder 2-3 Augsut 2002

3.1. A delegation of SEAMEO, ADB and UNESCO representatives left Bangkok in two groups to travel by land route to Aranyaprathet District, Sa Keo Province in the southwest border of Thailand with Cambodia.

3.2. Upon arrival in the District the delegation proceeded to the Aranyaprathet Secondary School to meet with Provincial Officials. Thereupon, the purpose of the visit was explained by the fact-finding team followed by presentation by the Provincial Officials of activities on HIV/AIDS preventive education in schools in the area. The resulting dialogue provided further insight into the HIV/AIDS situation and the relevance of proposed interventions as it were.

3.3. The delegation was accommodated overnight at the Mermaid Hotel in Aranyaprathet. Dinner was organized by Sa Keo Provincial Health Office.

3.4. The delegation continued to travel across the border check point of Klong Luek thence to the check point in Poi Pet to meet Dr. Ung Sophirom, Vice Director of Banteay Mean Chey School on the Cambodian side. Thereupon, the exchange of necessary information took place as in the previous day. This two-way participatory approach to community-based interventions will be the guiding principle of the Project throughout its implementation.

4. Suggested Boarder Areas to be covered in the Project:

Cambodia:
1. Poipet with Aranyaprathet (with Thailand)
2. Koh Kong with Trat (with Thailand)

Lao PDR:
1. Borikhamsay with Ha Tinh (with Vietnam)
2. Vientiane with Nongkhai (with Thailand)

Yunnan:
1. Ma Li Po with Ha Giang (with Vietnam)
2. Mung La with Luang Nam Tha (with Lao PDR)
3. Ying Jiang with Muse (with Myanmar)

Vietnam:
1. Muongte, Lai Chau with Phongsaly (with Lao PDR)
Moungte with Honghe Prefecture (with Yunnan)
2. Ha Tinh with Borikhamsay (with Lao PDR)
3. Longan with Svay Rieng (with Cambodia)

Thailand:
1. Chiang Rai with Bokeo (with Lao PDR)

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