SUMMARY:

The Ministry of Social Development (MIDES as for its acronym in Spanish) and STATUM continue to implement forms in the programs of the ministry's departments. Such forms are crucial for collecting information and taking management decisions.
 

INFORMATION:

Virginia Sáenz -Director of the Monitoring and Evaluation Division at MIDES- commented that these forms were implemented at INJU Avanza and Ciudad Universitaria projects, as well as for assessing social programs.

INJU Avanza is a program aimed at socially vulnerable individuals of 18 to 22 years of age who did not finish Middle School and have no formal job. Its purpose is to promote autonomy.

Ciudad Universitaria is a project by MIDES which offers, through the National Institute for Youths, accommodation grants for youths from low-income households of outside the capital city in order for them to access tertiary and/or university studies in the capital.

On the other hand, the assessment of social programs is a system aimed at obtaining information on the social protection system. "It allows the ministry programs to give us information to see which goals were met and which were not. We gather information from the parties involved in the programs," commented Sáenz. From her role, 30 programs are being monitored, which represent 50% of MIDES's line of action. With Apia, the work began in three lines of action, but the purpose is to cover all. "We want to migrate all to Apia," she added.

Each program has more than one form containing the information obtained during the implementation cycle. For example, in INJU Avanza, there are follow-up, consent and evaluation forms.

Sáenz also commented that Apia is a "friendly" and "useful" tool. She also highlighted the receptiveness of STATUM representatives, who work along with her to implement the requirements of the forms. When a form is developed, technical teams receive training. Sáenz works with a team of 25 members.

Migrating all the forms to Apia will take at least one year, she commented. The experience "will be rich for both parties".