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Summary:

This report evaluates the literacy program conducted during 1998/99. It summarises the literacy activities conducted by the Project as well as the achievements made in relation to the meeting of objectives. During the year, a total of 337 literacy classes were conducted at the Basic, Post and Advanced levels reaching 23% of the formally handed over FUGs in the two districts of Sindhupalchok and Kabhre Palanchok. A total of 8301 persons studied in the classes of which 98% were female. Eighty one percent of those who appeared in the final exams passed.

The classes delivered messages on community forestry and environmental protection, with a focus on building women's confidence, thereby empowering them to mobilise and contribute to decision-making processes of their FUGs. Data show that in FUGs where literacy classes were conducted, an average of 1.3 literacy participants were elected to the FUG committee. The data also show that after the termination of the literacy classes, the representation of literacy participants in the FUG committee drops by in a period of 10 months. There was a steady increase in the percentage of literacy participants attending general assemblies as the class was upgraded to a higher level. Data show that an average of 34% of participants from Basic classes, 45% from Post classes and 72% from Advanced classes had attended FUG general assemblies during 1998/99. During the course of the classes and in relation to the topics discussed and messages given, women organised themselves to undertake development activities in their communities. Figures show that an average of 5.9 activities were undertaken by the women during the five month period of Advanced classes. Examples of activities undertaken include forest management and development, health, sanitation and nutrition, the maintenance of community infrastructure and savings and credit activities.

Because of the effectiveness of the literacy program to create awareness, to increase participation, to create social mobilisation and increase social equity, the Project introduced the concept of self-directed learning as an integral part of the literacy program. With this, literacy would become the central element of FUG development linking in logically, with the other Project activities. A proposal was developed and submitted to AusAID for the funding of additional literacy classes and the development of a self-directed learning program. The major aim of the expanded literacy program was to examine and modify the existing Basic/Post/Advanced literacy course so that participants attained adequate literacy competency and group organisation skills to allow them to proceed, independently, to a self-directed learning program with the help of packages developed by the Project. The objectives of self-directed learning were related to retention and application of literacy skills, enhancement of knowledge and strengthening of group mobilisation. Regrettably, funds could not be found by AusAID to expand the literacy program, and hence the program will be phased out over the course of the coming year. As a consequence, the Project will now also need to reformulate its strategy for FUG development.

During 1998/99 a number of preliminary activities for self-directed learning were initiated, but had to be suspended by May 1999 following feedback that the literacy program could not be expanded. The preliminary activities included identification of an implementation strategy, identification of the subjects of the packages, a preliminary draft of the first package on "women's roles and legal provisions" and a survey of Advanced literacy class participants to determine their competency levels in literacy and group organisation. The results of the latter survey have been included in this report: they show that the literacy competency of Advanced class graduates falls below the level of Post class graduates in a period of 10 months if classes are discontinued.
The main findings highlight how the Basic/Post/Advanced course can be condensed and partly redesigned in order to give participants basic literacy and group organisation skills required to embark on self-directed learning. Despite the remarkable contribution made by the literacy program in the areas of FUG strengthening and women's empowerment, the process of making literacy activities a core element of the project can no longer be pursued, due to AusAID's funding limitations. On this basis, the following recommendations for the implementation of literacy classes during 1999/2000 are made.

•	A total of only 13 Basic classes will be conducted and all eligible Basic classes conducted in 1998/99 will be upgraded to Post and Advanced classes during 1999/2000.
•	Implementation of literacy classes by NGOs, FUGs and VDCs by accessing user group development funds will be actively pursued.
•	Efforts will be made to increase the contribution to literacy classes by FUGs and NGOs.
•	The "Basic FUG Management Training" was dropped during 1998/99 because the modules were to be incorporated into the self directed learning packages. This training will be reinstituted during the coming year.
•	Under a proposed partnership with the NGO "Didi Bahini", literacy materials will be sensitised for gender.