type: other

jurisdiction: US

text: b"\x0c\x0c Peace Corps\n Office of Inspector General\n\n\n\n\nPeace Corps office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia\n\n\n\n\n Final Country Program Evaluation Report:\n Peace Corps/Ethiopia\n IG-11-02-E\n\n January 2011\n\x0c EXECUTIVE SUMMARY\n\nOver 3,000 Peace Corps Volunteers have served the people of Ethiopia since the program was\nfirst launched in 1962. The program has closed two times since then, but reopened in 2007 with\nVolunteer assignments focusing on community health and prevention of HIV/AIDS. Peace\nCorps/Ethiopia (hereafter referred to as \xe2\x80\x9cthe post\xe2\x80\x9d) plans to contribute to Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 growth by\nplacing up to 240 Volunteers in Ethiopia by the end of 2012. At the onset of this evaluation, 76\nHealth-HIV/AIDS Volunteers were serving in Ethiopia. The post plans to achieve its growth\ngoal by establishing two new project sectors, environment and education. The first group of 33\nenvironment trainees arrived in September 2010; 35 education trainees are set to arrive in June\n2011.\n\nThe post is coordinating well with host country and project partners, and its Volunteer project\ngoals are aligned with host country development priorities. The post has made progress in\nfurther establishing its health and HIV/AIDS project sector and is building relationships with\npartner organizations by placing Volunteers in health centers, community based organizations,\nand ministry of health regional offices. However, the Peace Corps is not well-known in Ethiopia\nas a result of interruptions in the program from 1999 through 2007. The country director (CD)\nhas directed programming staff members to increase and expand community meetings during\nVolunteer site development to focus more on Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 development strategy and the role of\ncounterparts and Volunteer in the community.\n\nPrior to the arrival of the current CD, headquarters and post staff described the leadership at the\npost as weak mostly because of poor communication. Communication and staff morale have\nclearly improved since the arrival of the current CD in December 2008. Volunteers are well\nsupported by programming, training, and administrative staff members. They are particularly\nsatisfied with the care they receive from medical staff members. However, we recommend\nadditional English training for host national staff members so they can respond more effectively\nto Volunteer support needs or in the event of an emergency. Volunteer housing costs have been\nin excess of $100,000 since re-entry in 2007. We recommend that the CD work with the\nministry of health and other partners to ensure that operating agreements clearly detail whether\nthe post is responsible to provide Volunteer housing, or whether its partners will provide\nVolunteer housing as a host country contribution.\n\nThe post has focused its energies on quality improvements to its Volunteer training programs.\nThe addition of community-based training in 2009\xe2\x80\x94to include training outside the classroom\nwhile living with a host family\xe2\x80\x94has better prepared Volunteers to integrate into their\ncommunities. As a result, Volunteers reported that they are working more effectively with\ncounterparts and community members and their language skills have improved. Programming\nstaff have incorporated Volunteer and staff feedback regarding training success, with expanded\ndiversity training and revisions in culture and language materials. However, training staff should\nengage Volunteers in a dialogue with trainees in safety and security training sessions so they can\neffectively relate safety issues from a Volunteer perspective and take part in suggesting practical\nresponse strategies.\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia i\n\x0cDuring our visit we determined that a number of issues and recommendations discussed in\nagency re-entry assessments and Internal Management Assessment (IMA) and Peace Corps\nsafety and security officer (PCSSO) trip reports remain unaddressed. Addressing these issues is\nparticularly important given the post\xe2\x80\x99s plans for growth, including expansion to new project\nsectors and plans for Volunteer placements in more remote areas of the country. A complete\ncountry risk assessment has not been conducted for the post since its re-entry in 2007; the CD is\nmandated by Peace Corps Manual Section 270 to establish procedures for responding to security\nincidents, and we found a procedure for effectively responding to sexual assaults should be\nfinalized immediately. We found an urgent need to address weaknesses in the communication\nsystem between post and Volunteers. Volunteers and staff lack reliable, real time\ncommunication methods to send and receive notifications in case of an emergency. The post\nalso needs to update its Emergency Action Plan, test it annually, and ensure all Volunteers are\nfamiliar with it as well as the consolidation points. There is inconsistent recording of incidents\nin the Crime Incident Reporting System and we recommend these inconsistencies be addressed.\nWe also recommend that the CD ensure Volunteers are adequately trained to report all safety and\nsecurity incidents to post staff.\n\nThe post has effectively outlined the resources necessary to support planned growth in its 2011-\n2013 planning and budget requests. However, we found that the post has faced challenges\neffectively balancing the planning and budgeting of agency appropriated funds with the\nPresident\xe2\x80\x99s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding. This problem may be\nexacerbated by the agency's planning and budget process and the post\xe2\x80\x99s unique budget scenario\nwhich necessitates additional guidance from headquarters. We recommend that the post\ncoordinate with headquarters to effectively spend down PEPFAR funds authorized and unused\nfrom prior year requests.\n\nOur report contains 19 recommendations intended to strengthen the post's programming\noperations and correct the deficiencies detailed in the accompanying report.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia ii\n\x0c Table of Contents\n\n\nEXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................... I\n\nHOST COUNTRY BACKGROUND .......................................................................................... 1\n\nPEACE CORPS PROGRAM BACKGROUND ........................................................................ 1\n\nEVALUATION RESULTS .......................................................................................................... 3\n\nProgramming .............................................................................................................................................................3\n\nTraining ........................................................................................................................................... 7\n\nVolunteer Support ........................................................................................................................... 9\n\nManagement Controls ................................................................................................................... 16\n\nOBJECTIVE, SCOPE, AND METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 23\n\nINTERVIEWS CONDUCTED .................................................................................................. 24\n\nLIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................................... 28\n\nAPPENDIX A: MANAGEMENT\xe2\x80\x99S RESPONSE TOTHE PRELIMINARY REPORT\n\nAPPENDIX B: OIG COMMENTS\n\nAPPENDIX C: COUNTRY PROGRAM EVALUATION COMPLETION AND OIG\nCONTACT\n\x0c HOST COUNTRY BACKGROUND\n\nThe nation of Ethiopia is located in East Africa and surrounded by the countries of Eritrea,\nDjibouti, Somalia, Kenya, and Sudan. The population of Ethiopia is approximately 80 million.\nBesides a short Italian occupation from 1936-41, Ethiopia has maintained its independence from\ncolonial rule. In 1994, Ethiopia transitioned from a socialist regime and adopted a democratic\nconstitution. In 1995, its first multiparty elections were held.\n\nAccording to the United Nation\xe2\x80\x99s 2009 \xe2\x80\x9cHuman Development Report\xe2\x80\x9d Ethiopia is one of the\nmost impoverished nations in the world, ranking 171 out of 182 indexed nations. An estimated\n85 percent of its labor force is agricultural, but land is state-owned, which is a barrier to\nentrepreneurship. The inflation rate has been over 40 percent the past two years as a result of the\nglobal economic downturn and soaring commodity prices.\n\nEthiopians are at high risk for contraction of major infectious diseases such as malaria, hepatitis,\nand skin infections. The HIV/AIDS adult prevalence rate is 2.3 percent, principally in urban\nareas, as compared to 0.2 percent throughout North Africa and the Middle East, and over 5\npercent in Sub-Saharan Africa, the region of the world most affected by HIV/AIDS. Cell phone\nand Internet usage are quite low, estimated at 3.2 million and one half million, respectively. The\nagriculture sector suffers from frequent water shortages and poor cultivation practices, which\nhave led to widespread deforestation, overgrazing, and soil erosion, among other environmental\nconditions. Although access to education has improved in recent years, the quality of education\nstill needs to be improved, in particular English language instruction.\n\n\n\n PEACE CORPS PROGRAM BACKGROUND\n\nOver 3,000 Volunteers have served in Ethiopia since 1962 in the areas of education, community\ndevelopment, business development, agriculture and health. Peace Corps first entered Ethiopia\nin 1962, but closed in 1977 due to political instability. The post re-opened from 1995-1999, but\nconflict with its northern neighbor Eritrea caused the post to close again. In 2006, the\nGovernment of Ethiopia and the U.S. Ambassador signaled strong support for the placement of\nhealth sector Volunteers to strengthen community-based HIV/AIDS prevention, care and\ntreatment activities as part of PEPFAR. Subsequently, a new country agreement was negotiated\nand the post re-entered the country in 2007. At the onset of this evaluation there were 76\nVolunteers serving in Ethiopia.\n\nAfter the program closed for the second time in 1999, the Peace Corps periodically reviewed the\nprospects for renewed operations in Ethiopia and a series of re-entry assessments were\nperformed by senior management in 2002, 2004, and 2006. These re-entry assessments\naddressed four areas: administration, programming and training, medical services and safety and\nsecurity. The 2006 assessment recommended a health sector be added with Volunteers working\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 1\n\x0con PEPFAR funded HIV/AIDS programs. The first Health-HIV/AIDS sector Volunteers arrived\nin 2007.\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Health \xe2\x80\x93 HIV/AIDS\nSince re-entry in 2007, three Health-HIV/AIDS sector (hereafter referred to as health) Volunteer\ngroups have sworn in and work in support of three PEPFAR objectives: 1) Prevention, Basic\nHealth Care and Support; 2) Services for Orphans and Vulnerable Children; and 3) People\nLiving with HIV/AIDS. Volunteers are assigned to work at health facilities, non-governmental\norganizations (NGOs), and community based organizations (CBOs) to help build service\nnetworks, strengthen organizational capacity, and improve prevention, care and support services.\nThe post\xe2\x80\x99s health sector projects target vulnerable and at-risk populations including youth,\npregnant women, commercial sex workers, people living with HIV/AIDS, and orphans and\nvulnerable children. Volunteers also provide capacity building assistance to organizations,\nservice providers and individuals.\n\nSince re-entry, funding received by PC/Ethiopia under the PEPFAR has been the primary source\nof the post\xe2\x80\x99s operational budget. The post was re-opened with an approved plan to fund its\noperational and start-up costs using 75 percent PEPFAR funding and 25 percent agency-\nappropriated funds. Post was funded with an estimated $14 million from fiscal years (FYs) 2007\nthrough 2010. About $3.5 million of these funds was appropriated to Peace Corps. The\nremaining estimated $10.5 million was appropriated to PEPFAR, and subsequently transferred to\nPeace Corps from the Department of State for obligation by PC/Ethiopia. The post\xe2\x80\x99s PEPFAR\nfunding for fiscal years 2007 through 2009 was used to recruit and train staff, purchase\nequipment, supplies, and post vehicles, and to develop Volunteer sites and implement Volunteer\ntrainings, among other things.\n\nAn internal management assessment (IMA) team of senior managers visited the post to assess its\noperations in October 2008. The IMA team reported that more than 30 headquarters staff\ntraveled to post to provide additional support from April 2007 through September 2008. Also,\nfive visits were conducted by a Peace Corps safety and security officer to assess the post\xe2\x80\x99s safety\nand security program between July 2007 and May 2010.\n\nThe post plans to expand from 76 to approximately 240 Volunteers by the end of FY 2012 by\nadding two new sectors, conservation and natural resource management (hereinafter referred to\nas environment) and education. These two sectors are top development priorities for the\ngovernment of Ethiopia. Project plans call for environment sector Volunteers to address land\ndegradation by teaching alternative agricultural practices. Education sector Volunteers will\nprovide technical training to build Ethiopian teachers\xe2\x80\x99 capacity and model English-teaching\nability and techniques. Thirty-three environment sector trainees arrived in September 2010; 35\neducation and 35 health sector trainees will arrive in June 2011.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 2\n\x0c EVALUATION RESULTS\n\nThe evaluation reviewed the current Peace Corps program in Ethiopia, with a focus on training\nand support provided to Volunteers, overall management of the post, and support provided to the\npost by headquarters offices and region management. We paid particular attention to the extent\nto which agency re-entry guidance was applied to re-establishing the post, as well as the post\xe2\x80\x99s\nuse of PEPFAR funds. Please see the Scope, Purpose and Methodology section at the end of this\nreport for further information on our review.\n\nPROGRAMMING\n\nThe evaluation assessed to what extent the post has developed and implemented programs\nintended to increase the capacity of host country communities to meet their own technical needs.\nTo determine this, we analyzed the following:\n\n \xe2\x80\xa2 The coordination between the Peace Corps and the host country in determining\n development priorities and Peace Corps program areas;\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Whether post is meeting its project objectives;\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Counterpart selection and quality of counterpart relationships with Volunteers;\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Site development policies and practices.\n\nA new country agreement signed between the Peace Corps and the government of Ethiopia, and\nan operating agreement signed between Peace Corps and the Ministry of Health in October 2007\nare relevant to host country development priorities and health sector programming. We found\nthat in general, the post is coordinating effectively with host country and project partners. Post is\nalso coordinating with other United States government agencies in the field. The CD, AO and\nprogramming staff are members of the PEPFAR Executive Council and Collaborative Teams,\nand serve on the Prevention, Care and Support USG Technical Working Groups. The post\nfinalized its health project plan in May 2010 and has used its project framework and PEPFAR\nguiding documents to guide its programming and training in the health sector and to meet project\nobjectives.\n\nWe found that the post has developed practices for placing Volunteers at sites that aligns with\nagency site development guidance, and Volunteers are generally satisfied with their placements.\nWhen asked, \xe2\x80\x9cHow satisfied are you with your site?\xe2\x80\x9d Eighteen out of 20 Volunteers responded\nthey were \xe2\x80\x9csatisfied,\xe2\x80\x9d \xe2\x80\x9cabove average\xe2\x80\x9d or \xe2\x80\x9cvery satisfied.\xe2\x80\x9d Volunteers rated relationships with\ntheir counterparts favorably, and all 20 Volunteers we interviewed confirmed they have at least\none counterpart in their community. We confirmed that post staff was tracking Volunteer site\nhistories, which consist of Volunteer request forms and community contact information; site\nassessments completed by programming, medical or safety staff; and safety and security incident\ninformation for each site. Accessible site histories will likely help ease the site development\nburden as new Volunteer groups follow-up Volunteers at previously established sites.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 3\n\x0cPC/Ethiopia is working to improve Volunteer placements\n\nProgramming staff members are increasingly placing Volunteers within partner implementing\norganizations such as health centers and community-based organizations with a goal of\nincreasing effectiveness. Previously, Volunteers were placed with the oversight and\ncoordinating body for the Ministry of Health, the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control Office\n(HAPCO). According to post management and Africa Region management, Volunteers will\nhave more opportunities to assist in the implementation of community-based prevention, care\nand support because they will be placed directly within community-based organizations and\nhospital centers working in HIV/AIDS. Programming staff and Volunteers will continue to\npartner with HAPCO at the regional level by coordinating Volunteer activities with the Ministry,\nHAPCO, and implementing organizations as part of the national effort to target vulnerable and\nat-risk populations.\n\nProgramming staff did not include host country government and project partner stakeholders\nin program advisory committee meetings\n\nProgram Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings conducted by post staff has only been attended\nby Peace Corps staff and Volunteers. According to Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 Programming and Training\nGuidance: Introduction and Overview, PACs should also include the participation of ministry-\nlevel and local partners. This guidance also states:\n\n The input of PACs is critical to maximize the sustainability of Volunteer work, to confirm project support\n from the government, and to define and communicate an optimum role for Volunteers in collaboration with\n other organizations addressing the issue.\n\nThe importance of regular, substantive communication with ministry partners is underscored in\nPeace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 Characteristics and Strategies of a High Performing Post: Post Management\nResource Guide, Part 6.4, \xe2\x80\x9cCommunication with Host-Country Government and Partner\nAgencies,\xe2\x80\x9d which states:\n\n . . . There is much value to setting up a regular communications network with the counterpart\n agency (ministry, NGO, or community organization), so that consultation, exchange, and\n understanding take place on a steady basis, outside of the realm of special problems and crises \xe2\x80\xa6.\n It is also both a protection and a support for Volunteers in the field who, if their supervising\n organizations are meeting and communicating on a regular basis, will receive much more coherent\n and consistent direction concerning the project\xe2\x80\x99s objectives and activities.\n\nAccording to post staff, the PAC\xe2\x80\x99s primary purpose has been to provide a forum for staff and\nVolunteers to address programming, training and support issues. Programming staff described\nits intention to include more host country government and partner stakeholders in these meetings\nin the near future.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 4\n\x0c We recommend:\n\n 1. That programming staff include host country government and project\n partners in program advisory committee meetings with Volunteers and\n programming staff.\n\n\nPC/Ethiopia has not pursued an option in the operating agreement that encourages its\nMinistry partner to contribute to Volunteer housing costs\n\nAn operating agreement signed in October 2007 between Peace Corps and the Ministry of\nHealth, \xe2\x80\x9cencourages the ministry to make available housing for Volunteers, on a gratis basis\xe2\x80\x9d\nand, \xe2\x80\x9cif housing is not available at the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s site, the ministry may elect to contribute a\nhousing stipend, through the post, to cover housing needs rented by the Volunteer from a local\nlandlord.\xe2\x80\x9d This agreement does not articulate which party\xe2\x80\x94the post or its health partner\xe2\x80\x94is\nresponsible to provide housing future Volunteers beyond 2008.\n\nThe post has paid an estimated $112,500 for Volunteer housing since the post reopened. When\nthe project was launched the post made PEPFAR funds available in the amount of $45,000 for\nthe 2007-2008 period to cover Volunteer housing, but the operating agreement contains no\nspecific language for providing housing in subsequent years. The administrative officer (AO)\nreported that in 2010 nearly $46,000 will be spent to house 71 Volunteers, using approximately\n$35,000 in PEPFAR funds and approximately $11,000 in appropriated funds. The post will\ncontinue to pay for all Volunteer housing if action is not taken to clarify this agreement. This\nclarification will be particularly important as the post enters into new agreements with its\nenvironment and education sector partners.\n\nSecuring housing for Volunteers was cited as potentially problematic in the 2004 re-entry\nassessment. This assessment noted that local partner agencies did not typically provide housing\nto volunteers, and recommended that this issue be explored further by the country team at re-\nentry. According to regional management, the previous CD, who served from January 2007 to\nNovember 2008, did not pursue the option of having the Ministry provide Volunteer housing\nduring his tenure. The current CD reported that the post was planning to revise and redefine the\nHIV/Health program to broaden its mandate, and indicated that at that time it would revisit the\nissue of housing.\n\nDuring our visit, we raised the housing support topic in interviews with new sector stakeholders.\nThe director of the Ministry of Agriculture Directorate and a representative of United States\nAgency for International Development acknowledged that as partners they are expected to\nsupport the costs of Volunteer housing as a host country contribution. However, at the time of\nour report, these responsibilities were not yet finalized in writing.\n\nIn 2009, the Office of General Counsel issued a template called \xe2\x80\x9cMemorandum of Understanding\nbetween Peace Corps and Partnering Organization\xe2\x80\x9d available to CDs. It outlines the roles and\nresponsibilities of Peace Corps and partnering organizations. The housing section contains a\nproposed provision that outlines responsibilities when a partnering organization provides housing\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 5\n\x0cfor Volunteers. This memorandum may help to clarify whether the post or its partners are\nresponsible to provide housing for future Volunteers.\n\n We recommend:\n\n 2. That prior to its next trainee input, PC/Ethiopia secure an agreement\n with its health sector partners which clearly states whether the post or its\n health partner assumes responsibility for Volunteer housing.\n\n 3. That PC/Ethiopia negotiate and secure an agreement, which clearly states\n whether or not environment and education partners are to provide\n Volunteer housing as a host country contribution.\n\n\nProgramming staff report increased efforts to educate communities about Peace Corps\n\nVolunteers are serving Ethiopian communities for the first time since 1999, and are performing\nnew activities as health sector Volunteers. While visiting Volunteers in their communities, we\nobserved that Volunteers were not quickly recognized by members of their community.\nVolunteers told us they had to repeatedly reintroduce themselves to the same members of their\ncommunities especially after being temporarily away from their sites. Despite integration\nchallenges, Volunteers exhibited motivation and pragmatic patience and they recognize their\nefforts are valuable for the next Volunteers to arrive in their community when their service is\ncompleted.\n\nThe CD identified representation and advocacy as a top priority in the FY 2011-2013 Integrated\nProgram and Budget System (IPBS), with goals to educate younger Ethiopians about Peace\nCorps, better prepare communities to receive and utilize Volunteers, and highlight the post\xe2\x80\x99s\nachievements in the local media. The CD and programming staff reported increased efforts to\neducate communities about the mission of the Peace Corps and the role of the Volunteer. As part\nof their visits to develop sites, programming, medical, and safety and security staff conduct\ninformational meetings with local government and partner agency stakeholders. Informational\nmaterials are distributed in both English and Amharic. Based on the post\xe2\x80\x99s attention to this issue\nand actions taken, we are not making a recommendation, but we encourage staff to monitor\nprogress made addressing this issue.\n\nProgramming staff does not orient counterparts before they attend Pre-Service Training\n\nCounterparts often did not fully understand their role or the role of the Volunteer in the\ncommunity when they were invited to attend Pre-Service Training (PST). The CD and\nprogramming staff described the process of exploring and selecting potential Volunteer sites as\nresource-intensive and time consuming, frequently leaving insufficient time for orientation of\ncommunity members. As a result, educating communities about the roles of the Volunteer and\ncounterpart, and the mission of Peace Corps, had been limited and incomplete during the initial\ninputs of Volunteer groups following the 2007 re-entry. We reviewed post\xe2\x80\x99s written site\ndevelopment policy, examining the community surveys, and site and housing checklists, and\ndetermined that a discussion of the role of the counterpart is lacking.\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 6\n\x0cAccording to the Volunteer Safety Council, counterpart orientation includes such things as Peace\nCorps history and the role of the Volunteer and the counterpart. Moreover, the Office of Safety\nand Security\xe2\x80\x99s \xe2\x80\x9cSite Development Procedural Guidance\xe2\x80\x9d states, \xe2\x80\x9cPeace Corps should provide all\ndesignated host country counterparts with a counterpart orientation\xe2\x80\x9d prior to placement of the\nVolunteer at a site.\n\nTo address this shortcoming, the CD has specifically designated associate Peace Corps directors\n(APCDs) responsibility for site development. More specifically, programming staff will develop\nVolunteer, counterpart, and supervisor position descriptions with potential counterparts and\nsupervisors in the community, prior to Volunteer site placement. This should help ensure that\ncounterparts understand their role and the role of the Volunteer in the community when they\nattend PST.\n\n We recommend:\n\n 4. That PC/Ethiopia include steps in its site development plan to better\n ensure that counterparts understand their role in supporting the\n Volunteer and the Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 role in the community.\n\nTRAINING\n\nAnother objective of the post evaluation is to answer the question, \xe2\x80\x9cDoes training prepare\nVolunteers for Peace Corps service?\xe2\x80\x9d To answer this question we considered such factors as:\n\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Training adequacy;\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Planning and development of the training life cycle;\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Staffing and related budget.\n\nProgramming and training staff have effectively used the training, design, and evaluation (TDE)\nprocess to identify the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to adequately train Volunteers to\ndo their jobs effectively. Core, technical (or sector), language, safety and security and health\ntrainings are provided at appropriate points in Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 service. The training staff, the AO,\nand CD verified that their training budget is sufficient.\n\nTraining staff are using Volunteer feedback to improve training and materials\n\nStaff and trainee feedback is routinely collected both during and after trainings and used to\nimprove training. Volunteers provided many examples of improvements made to training which\nwas based on feedback solicited by staff both during and after trainings. However, we found\nadditional improvements could be made to safety and security training.\n\nWe asked Volunteers to rate training based on the following scale: (1) ineffective; (2) below\naverage effective; (3) moderately effective; (4) above average effective; (5) very effective.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 7\n\x0cTable 1: Volunteer Perceptions of Training Effectiveness\n Average rating\n Pre-Service Training\n Language 3.35\n Culture 2.75\n Safety & Security 3.55\n Health 4.4\n Technical 3.0\n Three month In-Service Training 4.2\n 12-month In-Service Training 3.4\nSource: OIG Volunteer interviews.\n.\nVolunteers rated all but cross-cultural training an average rating of three or higher. Forty percent\n(eight out of 20) felt cultural training was \xe2\x80\x9cbelow average effective\xe2\x80\x9d or \xe2\x80\x9cineffective.\xe2\x80\x9d Post staff\nwas aware that the December 2009 trainee group was dissatisfied with the cross-cultural training\nthey received. In March 2010, in response to feedback indicating a need for improved culture\ntraining, Volunteers and staff attended diversity training. In OIG interviews, Volunteers said the\ndiversity training helped address topics not covered in their PST culture training. Training and\nprogramming staff reported they now had a better understanding of trainees\xe2\x80\x99 frustrations and\nstaff felt more capable of providing trainees better support and training. The language and cross\ncultural coordinator is developing an Ethiopian culture handbook with input provided by\nVolunteers.\n\nAdditional improvements made to training include:\n\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Language learning materials were recently revised by the language and cross cultural\n coordinator with input from Volunteers. Volunteers and the sub-regional programming\n and training coordinator reported that the changes are useful for self-directed learning,\n both to help sound out words and learn the Amharic alphabet.\n\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Technical training was rated a \xe2\x80\x9cmoderately effective\xe2\x80\x9d on average, because as Volunteers\n noted in our interviews, technical trainers lacked in-depth knowledge of the material\n covered. To address this issue, the CD assigned the responsibility for technical training\n to APCDs, and tasked one APCD to develop a health technical training manual before the\n next health training group arrives in June 2011.\n\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Starting in 2009, the post added community-based training to its PST program to include\n training outside the classroom, while living with a host family. Volunteers rated their\n living accommodations with host families favorably. Programming and training staff\n reported they observed trainees\xe2\x80\x99 increased motivation levels as a result of living with a\n host family while attending training as compared to prior training groups who did not live\n with a host family during PST.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 8\n\x0cPre-service safety and security training did not prepare Volunteers for uncomfortable or\nunsafe situations\n\nDuring interviews with Volunteers we learned that PST sessions did not cover some of the issues\nthey experienced such as having had rocks thrown at them or having been inappropriately\ntouched on public transportation. Volunteers did not feel as though they had been sufficiently\nwarned about such incidents nor had they been provided strategies for how to respond to them.\nVolunteers suggested that they would be better prepared to respond to safety and security\nincidents if currently serving Volunteers had facilitated a session at PST about these types of\nincidents and how to respond to them. The CD agreed that these sessions would enhance safety\nand security training, and discussed plans to invite Volunteers to share their safety and security-\nrelated experiences with future trainees.\n\n We recommend:\n\n 5. That Volunteer safety and security training presentations include a\n review of common safety and security incidents experienced by\n Volunteers and strategies for how best to avoid or respond to such\n incidents.\n\n\nVOLUNTEER SUPPORT\n\nOur country program evaluation attempts to answer the question, \xe2\x80\x9cHas post provided adequate\nsupport and oversight to Volunteers?\xe2\x80\x9d To determine this, we assessed numerous factors,\nincluding staff-Volunteer communications; project and status report feedback; medical support;\nsafety and security support including staff visits to Volunteer work sites, the Emergency Action\nPlan (EAP), the handling of crime incidents; and the adequacy of the Volunteer living allowance.\nIn reviewing overall staff support, living allowance, medical support, and Volunteer whereabouts\npolicy, OIG found no significant areas of concern that would warrant action by the post.\n\nVolunteers are satisfied with support from staff including post leadership, program, medical,\nsafety and security, and administrative staff\n\nDuring our interviews, Volunteers described the availability and open-door policies of post staff,\nwhich has built staff-Volunteer trust and facilitated Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 adjustment to the Ethiopian\nculture and living and working in Ethiopia. Eighteen of 20 Volunteers reported that in-country\nstaff were moderately to very effective in helping them adjust to life as a Volunteer. See\nadditional detail outlined in the table below.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 9\n\x0cTable 2: Volunteer Perceptions of Staff Support\n Average Score for\n Area of Support Support\n Country Director 4.73\n Programming a 3.57\n Training Manager 4.45\n Safety and Security\n Coordinator 3.88\n b\n Medical 4.25\n Administrative c 4.04\nSource: OIG interview of Volunteers.\na. Programming was derived by averaging APCD and Program Assistant scores.\nb. Medical was derived from the collective PCMO score.\nc. Administrative was derived from the AO and Financial Assistants scores.\n\n\n\nAll 20 Volunteers we interviewed responded favorably when asked about the level of support\nprovided by the training manager. In particular, Volunteers praised his openness to feedback\nabout the training program and his effective planning skills. Sixteen Volunteers responded\nfavorably when asked about the level of support provided by the safety and security coordinator.\nAll 20 Volunteers rated the level of support received from Peace Corps Medical Officers\n(PCMOs) as \xe2\x80\x9caverage\xe2\x80\x9d or higher. In addition, Volunteers responded favorably when asked about\nthe work of the AO and financial assistants. Several noted the AO had provided them with\npractical advice during training in regard to slow reimbursement processing due to Ethiopia\xe2\x80\x99s\nantiquated banking practices.\n\nThe host country staff\xe2\x80\x99s English language skills limits their ability to respond to Volunteer\nsupport needs\n\nWe observed some limitations in the staffs\xe2\x80\x99 English proficiency during our visit that raised\nconcerns as to whether staff members would correctly record information in an emergency\nsituation. Volunteers also reported difficulties communicating the need for information or\nsupport to non-native English speaking staff members.\n\nThe PCSSO initiated a communications test of the EAP that consisted of staff members sending\na message to all PC/Ethiopia Volunteers requesting that they contact the Peace Corps office in\nAddis Ababa immediately. The staff was directed to ask the Volunteers to cite their\nconsolidation point and which items to bring with them when a consolidation was initiated, to\ncorrect any Volunteer that provided misinformation, and to make a note in the Volunteer\nInformation Database Application (VIDA) of their conversation. The purpose of the note was to\ndetermine how much time elapsed to reach all Volunteers, and what percent of Volunteers were\nfamiliar with consolidation instructions. Although all staff members acknowledged their\nunderstanding of this request, they did not record all the required information and only partial\nresults were available at the completion of the communications test.\n\nSeven of 20 Volunteers reported difficulties communicating needs for information or support to\nnon-native English speaking staff at post. The Volunteers described attempts to seek project\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 10\n\x0cinformation or help in addressing issues with their landlords but said they often experienced\ncommunication barriers when sending in a request in writing, by telephone, and in-person\nconversations. Volunteers noted in our interviews that they reached out to native English\nspeakers only after attempts to communicate with local staff resulted in a limited response.\nConsequently, U.S. direct hire staff field the bulk of Volunteer inquiries when the host national\nstaff are unable to effectively respond. To illustrate, Volunteers cited the following:\n\n \xe2\x80\x9c\xe2\x80\xa6Email responses are half a sentence response to detailed questions.\xe2\x80\x9d\n\n \xe2\x80\x9c[His/her] English isn't a barrier, reading ability is good but verbal interaction is more limited.\xe2\x80\x9d\n\n \xe2\x80\x9cWritten communications from host country national staff are often unclear to me.\xe2\x80\x9d\n\n \xe2\x80\x9cAmerican staff is easier to communicate with.\xe2\x80\x9d\n\nThe CD previously identified the host country staffs\xe2\x80\x99 need for additional English language\ntraining in the FY 2011-2013 IPBS, and distributed a sign-up sheet for English instruction to all\npost staff in March 2010. According to the CD, nearly all host country staff members plan to\nattend English courses designed at three proficiency levels by the end of this fiscal year.\n\n We recommend:\n\n 6. That the post provide additional English language training to host\n country staff so they may more effectively respond to Volunteer support\n needs, or in the event of an emergency.\n\n 7. That the post establish minimum English language requirements for\n current and future staff.\n\n\nVolunteer location, contact, and program-related information is not systematically collected,\ntracked, and stored for quick retrieval in case of emergency\n\nIn a review of sampled Volunteer information maintained at post, we determined that Volunteer\nsite locator forms, site histories, site visit reports, Volunteer contact and whereabouts\ninformation was incomplete and stored in different locations in the office\xe2\x80\x94which could impede\nthe post staffs\xe2\x80\x99 ability to locate Volunteers in case of emergency.\n\nThe importance of up-to-date site locator forms, which include an accurate map to the\nVolunteer\xe2\x80\x99s site and house, and nearest clinic, are discussed in Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 Characteristics and\nStrategies of a High Performing Post. We used site locator forms to try and locate Volunteers\nwhile conducting field visits. Only two of 15 site locator forms we reviewed contained maps to\nVolunteer sites with sufficient detail to locate the Volunteers. In addition, the site locator forms\ndid not include information on health clinics in close proximity to Volunteer sites.\n\nCharacteristics and Strategies of a High Performing Post contains additional guidance for\neffective organization of Volunteer information for quick retrieval. The guidance states that files\nsuch as site locator forms, site histories and site visit reports should be systematically organized\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 11\n\x0cand accessible to all relevant staff. The organization of this information is particularly important\nto allow any Peace Corps staff member or other authorized individual to access it quickly in\nresponse to emergency situations. To be sure the Volunteer can be reached should an emergency\narise, PCM section 270 \xe2\x80\x9cVolunteer/trainee Safety and Security\xe2\x80\x9d, states, \xe2\x80\x9cEach post must\nestablish a system to collect contact and whereabouts information from Volunteers when they are\naway from their communities for personal reasons, annual leave, or for official work related\nbusiness.\xe2\x80\x9d\n\nWe found that programming and safety and security staff maintained paper and electronic files\nfor each Volunteer, but the files we reviewed were not stored in a centralized location, and were\nincomplete. For example,\n\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Paper site locator forms were stored in a program assistant\xe2\x80\x99s office, and a few were\n missing or contained outdated information;\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Paper site histories were stored in the office of an APCD;\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Only 20 out of 31 electronic site visit records were stored in VIDA. An APCD provided\n written summaries of site visits for all but two Volunteers in the sample upon request.\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Staff did not consistently enter Volunteer whereabouts records into VIDA. The\n whereabouts of all Volunteers were not up-to-date when a communications test was\n conducted during the OIG field visit.\nProgramming and medical staff recognized that site visit reporting in particular could be more\nsystematically tracked. Staff from both offices acknowledged that not all site visits were\nrecorded and that others were missing the dates of visit. The CD stated that staff had recently\norganized existing Volunteer information in an effort to correct these deficiencies. She agreed\nthat Volunteer information could be better tracked and organized for quick retrieval in case of\nemergency.\n\n We recommend:\n\n 8. That post maintain complete Volunteer information, which includes up to\n date, reliable, accessible site locator forms, site histories, site visit reports\n and Volunteer whereabouts information in case of emergency.\n\n\nPC/Ethiopia has not finalized a process for responding to sexual assault incidents\n\nWe asked post to provide us with a copy of its procedures for effectively responding to sexual\nassault incidents. We found that the PCMOs and the CD lacked knowledge of legal\nrequirements and procedures to respond to sexual assault. The CD and PCMOs were unsure of\nthe Ethiopian laws that dictate whether a PCMO may collect evidence while conducting a\nphysical examination of the victim.\n\nPeace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 Medical Technical Guideline 540 for Management of Sexual Assault includes\nguidance for conducting physical examinations of victims of sexual assault and for collecting\nforensic evidence useful during legal proceedings. According to the guidance, \xe2\x80\x9cPCMOs and\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 12\n\x0cCDs should be familiar with local laws and procedures and should adapt U.S. procedures to\nconform to local ones.\xe2\x80\x9d\n\nAccording to PCM 270, the CD is responsible for establishing procedures for responding to\nsecurity incidents and for ensuring that necessary follow-up actions are taken, especially if a\ncriminal investigation and prosecution ensues.\n\nFortunately, no rape incident has been reported by a Volunteer since re-entry in 2007. The status\nof post\xe2\x80\x99s established rape response protocol was reported as \xe2\x80\x9cincomplete\xe2\x80\x9d by a PCSSO as early\nas October 2007. In discussions with post staff, we raised the issue of post staff lacking the\nknowledge of legal requirements and a procedure for effectively responding to sexual assault\nincidences.\n\n We recommend:\n\n 9. That the country director finalize the post\xe2\x80\x99s process for responding to\n sexual assault incidents.\n\n\nVolunteers and staff lack reliable, real time communication systems to send and receive\nnotifications in case of emergency\n\nWe found weaknesses in the post\xe2\x80\x99s Volunteer communications systems. Volunteers often lack a\ncellular signal to send or receive emergency communications from their site, and staff members\noften lack a cellular signal while on travel. The government of Ethiopia has control of and has\nbeen known to shut down landline and cellular phone systems, particularly during elections or\nperiods of political tensions, which are times when post is likely to activate its EAP. High-\nfrequency radios are not used by Volunteers at site or by staff in post vehicles as a\ncommunications alternative because the government of Ethiopia has not granted the post the\npermission that is required to use them. These factors could prevent Volunteers and staff from\nsending or receiving information in an emergency given the limited alternatives to\ncommunicating by land and cell phone.\n\nSafety and security assessments conducted as early as 2004 by Peace Corps senior managers\ncited weaknesses in communications system options for the post. The 2004 re-entry assessment\nreport stated that, \xe2\x80\x9c\xe2\x80\xa6alternative methods of communication should continue to be explored for\nuse in emergencies.\xe2\x80\x9d As recently as November 2009, the PCSSO recommended that\ncommunications back-up systems \xe2\x80\x9cbe firmly in place prior to placement of [environment\nVolunteers],\xe2\x80\x9d who arrived at post in September 2010.\n\nNew entry guidance and PCM 270 discuss the importance of having an emergency action plan\nfor trainees and for Volunteers at site one month before pre-service training (PST) that includes\nannual testing of the adequacy and reliability of the in-country communication network. In its\nfourth year, the post has yet to establish an adequate and reliable in-country communication\nnetwork.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 13\n\x0cThe CD raised the issue of unreliable communications systems in a memorandum to the Africa\nRegion director on January 13, 2010:\n\n Given the vastness of the country and the limited telecommunications infrastructure, we cannot\n rely on cell phones or landlines and our satellite phones have never worked effectively (the\n Thuraya SIM cards belong to the Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation \xe2\x80\x93 a government\n monopoly). We are in the process of trying to circumvent this system by purchasing and testing\n Iridium phones. This remains a source of concern especially as we initiate an environment\n program which will place Volunteers in more remote sites in and around parks and forest areas\n where telephone network is limited to non-existent.\n\nThe CD stressed that, regardless of the resources in place (e.g., helicopters to support medical\nevacuation), they remain compromised if the post cannot receive a timely distress call. A PCMO\nstated his concern regarding his limited ability to reliably communicate with Volunteers in the\nevent they get sick or have a medical emergency.\n\nThe CD has requested funding in the post\xe2\x80\x99s FY 2011-2013 IPBS for vehicle radios and for\nadditional iridium phones for Volunteers with no cellular service at site. After our field visit, the\nCD distributed iridium phones to nine Volunteers assigned as security wardens to disseminate\ncommunications to the other Volunteers in their regions. Iridium phones operate by satellite and\nare independent from the Ethiopia-controlled phone systems. In November 2009, however, the\nPCSSO reported that securing permission from the government of Ethiopia to operate shortwave\nradios in Ethiopia \xe2\x80\x9cis unlikely.\xe2\x80\x9d\n\nWe are encouraged by the recent actions post has taken to improve its communications system.\nHowever, given that the post does not currently have permission from the government of\nEthiopia to use high-frequency radios, additional communications options are needed to ensure a\nreliable communications system is in place for all Volunteers and staff to receive information in\ncase of an emergency.\n\n We recommend:\n\n 10. That PC/Ethiopia identify and establish a reliable, real-time means of\n communication with every Volunteer.\n\n 11. That PC/Ethiopia work with the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa and\n pursue authorization from the government of Ethiopia to use high\n frequency radio units as part of its communications system.\n\n 12. That the Office of Safety and Security work with Office of Global\n Operations and the Africa Region to ensure that Volunteer safety and\n security recommendations made in prior Peace Corps safety and security\n and Internal Management Assessment reports are addressed.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 14\n\x0cThe post reported plans to open regional offices to improve Volunteer support\nThe 2006 security assessment recommended that the post establish a regional office to provide\nmedical care and resource center support and also as a means to reduce Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99\ntransportation risks and shorten time away from their communities.\nVolunteers we interviewed confirmed the need for regional centers. Many described the\nchallenge of multi-day travel to the post in Addis Ababa for medical or other support needs. In\nparticular, they felt unsafe travelling before daybreak and waiting at bus stations in the dark. A\nPCMO stated that the long distances between the post and Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 sites is an area of concern\nin the event of an emergency.\nThe CD requested funding to open four regional offices in an IPBS proposal for FY 2011-2013\nto Africa Region management in March 2010. Although the CD reported having received\napproval from region to fund one regional office using PEPFAR funds, no evidence was\nprovided to confirm this approval at the time of our report.\n\nVolunteers were not prepared to respond to rock throwing incidents\n\nWe compared rock throwing incidents Volunteers described in interviews with similar reports\nthe post had on file. We found that only one of four rock throwing incidents reported to post was\nentered into the Consolidated Incident Reporting System (CIRS). All safety and security\nincidents must be reported in the CIRS per Agency policy.\n\nTwo additional rock throwing incidents were reported to OIG by Volunteers who stated they did\nnot report the incidents to post staff. According to PCM 270, the CD is responsible for making\nVolunteers/trainees aware of the safety and security reporting protocols. We are concerned that\nVolunteers are not adequately trained to report incidents to the post. In interviews, Volunteers\nexpressed fears of having rocks thrown at them and concerns about how they should respond.\nVolunteers stated that the threat of rock throwing incidents should have been discussed during\nthe safety and security session at PST.\n\nPCM 270 requires posts to track trends and develop strategies to minimize risks to Volunteers\nand trainees. Characteristics and Strategies of a High Performing Post states CIRS data should\nbe used to shape training, develop best practices, and change policies to enhance safety and\nsecurity. We are concerned safety and security training may be missing relevant safety and\nsecurity warnings when not reported by Volunteers, or, when incidents are not entered into\nCIRS.\n\n We recommend:\n\n 13. That the country director ensure that trainees and Volunteers are\n adequately informed regarding their responsibility to report all safety\n and security incidents to post staff.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 15\n\x0c 14. That the country director ensure that all safety and security incidents\n reported by Volunteers are entered into the Crime Incident Reporting\n System within three business days, or immediately for violent crime\n incidents.\n\n\nThe emergency action plan has not been tested and updated annually as required\n\nPCM section 270 on \xe2\x80\x9cVolunteer/trainee Safety and Security\xe2\x80\x9d requires that each post develop and\nrevise its emergency action plan annually. It states:\n\n Under the direction of the CD, the EAP must be reviewed and tested annually to identify areas that\n may need revision. Such testing should include, at a minimum, the adequacy and reliability of the\n in-country communication network and the process for confirming the course of action to be taken\n by V/Ts and staff at each potential stage of an emergency.\n\nThe post has conducted only two communications tests in nearly four years. In interviews with\nVolunteers, seven out of 20 either indicated that they had not participated in a test of the EAP or\nthey could use a refresher. All 20 confirmed they had a copy of the EAP. However, post\nmanagement reported that sections of the December 2009 EAP required updating. The CD and\nthe PCMOs reported they have been unable to update a listing of local medical facilities in\nregions where Volunteers are placed due to competing priorities. The CD reported plans to\nconduct a non-cellular communications test within a years\xe2\x80\x99 time.\n\nPCM section 350, \xe2\x80\x9cEmergency Action Plans\xe2\x80\x9d requires Peace Corps posts to submit their EAP to\nthe U.S. Embassy to be attached to the U.S. mission\xe2\x80\x99s EAP. The embassy regional security\nofficer reported he did not have a copy of the post\xe2\x80\x99s EAP when OIG interviewed him in April\n2010. The embassy regional security officer noted he wanted the post\xe2\x80\x99s EAP linked with the\nembassy\xe2\x80\x99s emergency plan so that the embassy would know how the Peace Corps plans to\nrespond in different emergency scenarios. The CD provided a copy to the U.S. Embassy in July\n2010, which should help the embassy\xe2\x80\x99s emergency action committee coordinate its planning.\n\n We recommend:\n\n 15. That PC/Ethiopia test its emergency action plan annually to ensure that\n staff and Volunteers are adequately trained to respond in case of\n emergency.\n\n 16. That PC/Ethiopia review its emergency action plan and update any\n information as necessary, and that it provide updates to the U.S. Embassy\n annually.\n\n\nMANAGEMENT CONTROLS\n\nAnother key objective of our country program evaluation is to assess the extent to which the\npost\xe2\x80\x99s resources and agency support are effectively aligned with the post's mission and agency\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 16\n\x0cpriorities. To address these questions, we assess a number of factors, including staffing; staff\ndevelopment; office work environment; collection and reporting performance data; and the\npost\xe2\x80\x99s strategic planning and budgeting.\n\nIn reviewing staff performance appraisals, OIG confirmed that all staff performance reviews\nwere completed on schedule. Upon arrival, the CD clarified each staff member\xe2\x80\x99s role and\ncharged them with additional responsibilities. Staff members described increased clarity and\nempowerment regarding their job duties as a result. Programming, administrative and medical\nstaff members consistently described their workload as heavy, but manageable. Nonetheless,\nstaff members are thoroughly motivated and engaged in their Peace Corps work.\n\nSince the arrival of the current CD, programming, training, and administrative staff described\nopen communications among staff and a level of comfort with leadership, which has empowered\nthem to address operational or programmatic issues as needed. All staff members described\nexamples of working together as a team to support Volunteers. Programming, administrative\nand medical staff members confirmed they were all included in the country program\xe2\x80\x99s planning\nand budgeting efforts. Staff reported that Volunteer and staff handbooks are updated so that\ncommon questions and information needed by staff and Volunteers are addressed. The PCSSO\nreported that the post\xe2\x80\x99s duty officer protocols are well-written and would serve as a good\ntemplate for use by other posts.\n\nPost is working to provide training opportunities for all staff\n\nThe CD acknowledged that staff development is particularly important given that none of the 24\nlocally-hired staff members hired since re-entry possessed prior Peace Corps work experience,\nand given the high turnover of three direct hire staff, each having worked at the post for less than\ntwo years. The post has had two AOs and several TDY AOs since re-entry in 2007. As a result,\nthe post does not possess the institutional knowledge present at more established posts, which\nhave operated for many years with a longstanding base of local staff.\n\nProgramming staff in particular described the challenges they face effectively supporting\nVolunteers due to a lack of in-depth knowledge of Peace Corps programming and training\nprocesses or prior experience and skills conducting Volunteer worksite development or\nproviding programmatic support. Staff expressed interest in shadowing their Peace Corps peers\nat other posts to learn best practices and also in accessing online training to improve technical\nskills.\n\nIn our discussions, the CD indicated her support for increased professional staff development.\nStaff training opportunities for all staff are included in the FY 2011-2013 IPBS proposal, which\nhad not been done previously.\n\nPC/Ethiopia has not completed a country program risk assessment\n\nA PCSSO visited the post in November 2009 and produced a report, which he described, \xe2\x80\x9cwould\nserve as a starting point for a country risk assessment.\xe2\x80\x9d The report noted concerns about political\nviolence in Ethiopia and a \xe2\x80\x9clarge misunderstanding of what Peace Corps was and was not,\xe2\x80\x9d in\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 17\n\x0cthe communities he visited. A subsequent April 2010 PCSSO visit was limited to providing\nassistance with post\xe2\x80\x99s preparations to consolidate Volunteers during the May 2010 countrywide\nelections. There was no additional progress toward completing a country risk assessment. Only\ntwo of four regions where Volunteers serve have been visited by a PCSSO since re-entry, and a\ncountry risk assessment has not been conducted since re-entry in 2007. Environment Volunteers\nwill be assigned to more remote areas of the same four regions in late 2010.\n\nPeace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 New Country Entry Guide states that a country risk assessment should be carried\nout and repeated annually or as often as warranted. According to the guide:\n\n The CD is responsible for communicating safety and security information to Volunteers, including an\n overall assessment of potential safety and security risks, any country-specific conditions that may require\n lifestyle adjustments and the support Volunteers can expect to receive. To accomplish this, CDs are\n encouraged to ask for assistance from the regional PCSSO or embassy regional security officer, to refer to\n prior security assessment reports and guidance for developing an EAP, and to meet with their SSC [safety\n and security coordinator] and others to ensure that a risk assessment is carried out and repeated annually or\n as often as warranted.\n\nA complete and thorough country risk assessment should be conducted given changes in safety\nand security conditions reported by post staff and the post\xe2\x80\x99s plans for placing environment\nVolunteers in more remote areas in late 2010. The post\xe2\x80\x99s programming, medical, and safety and\nsecurity staff we spoke to reported that safety and security conditions have changed in the past\ntwo years. They observed or experienced increases in xenophobia or hostile acts toward\nforeigners including increased incidences of rock throwing at Volunteers already commented on\nin this report.\n\nA completed country program risk assessment would provide valuable insights for how best to\nsupport Volunteers in four regions where conditions may be different since re-entry, and to\neffectively support environment sector Volunteers to be assigned to more remote areas of the\nsame four regions in late 2010.\n\n We recommend:\n\n 17. That the Office of Safety and Security assign a Peace Corps safety and\n security officer to complete a country risk assessment.\n\n\nLow bandwidth limits post\xe2\x80\x99s access to information sharing and support provided by\nheadquarters offices\n\nThe Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) guidance advises Peace Corps posts to\nchoose an Internet service provider with minimum download and upload speeds of 512 kilobytes\nper second (kpbs) and 256 kbps, respectively. The post received an upgrade to its Satellite\nInternet access in April 2010. However, according to the OCIO global network operations\nmanager, the upgrade does not meet minimum bandwidth for new technology and architecture\ncurrently being deployed to posts. Posts are provided guidance to conduct three bandwidth tests\nduring normal business hours. The AO\xe2\x80\x99s test conducted in July 2010 yielded averages of 183\nkbps download and 199 kbps upload, which are lower than what OCIO guidance recommends.\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 18\n\x0cWe learned from OCIO staff that as an alternative, posts use a local Internet service provider,\nwhich meets minimum bandwidth requirements and Satellite Internet as a backup. According to\nthe post\xe2\x80\x99s IT specialist, the government of Ethiopia\xe2\x80\x99s control over the in-country Internet service\nprovider could be problematic. It is unknown at this time what the cost is for this alternative\noption.\n\nPost staff reported that Internet bandwidth is too slow to send and receive information via the\nInternet. The staff reported that due to the slow connection speeds web pages frequently timeout\nwhile they are updating security clearance forms. A PCMO noted he is unable to stay abreast of\nmedical information and online training due to slow connection speeds. Programming staff\nnoted they are unable to access videos and large files disseminated by programming and training\nsupport staff; they are frustrated by the time it takes to load Guru 1, and post staff may not access\nPeace Corps or other online information as a result. Limited or slow access to Internet also\nmakes sending and receiving Volunteer Reporting Tool files difficult. Post should explore\nalternative Internet options that would allow post staff to effectively send and receive\ninformation.\n\n We recommend:\n\n 18. That the post coordinate with the Office of the Chief Information Officer\n to pursue alternative Internet options to help PC/Ethiopia meet minimum\n Internet bandwidth requirements.\n\n\nMixed guidance from Region and the Office of AIDS Relief regarding PEPFAR funds has\ncreated confusion regarding the management and use of funds\n\nAfrica Region management\xe2\x80\x99s review of the post\xe2\x80\x99s budget proposals for appropriated funds, and\nOffice of AIDS Relief (OAR) management\xe2\x80\x99s separate reviews of the post\xe2\x80\x99s budget proposals for\nPEPFAR funded activities has resulted in mixed guidance to the post. This mixed guidance has\nmade it difficult for post management to plan and budget PEPFAR funds according to federal\nrequirements and agency guidance. Additional guidance is needed for the post to spend down its\nsubstantial carryover balance estimated at more than $4 million.\n\nThe management of PEPFAR funds is a complex and multipart activity that requires two\nseparate budgeting and planning processes. Post management develops a country operating plan\n(COP) outlining PEPFAR activities with other PEPFAR-funded U.S. agencies in-country. The\nCOP is developed annually, as required by PEPFAR guidance, and is approved by the\nDepartment of State. The post also annually submits an implementation plan and budget\nexecution plan to Peace Corps headquarters. OAR management participates in this review to\nensure the post\xe2\x80\x99s PEPFAR activities are relevant to the Peace Corps mission and in compliance\nwith the COP. The COP guides PEPFAR programming and spending by country. PEPFAR\nappropriations are transferred to Peace Corps via the Department of State.\n\n\n1\n Guru is a Peace Corps online collaboration tool that enables the sharing of best practices via discussion forums,\nFAQs, documents and a searchable directory.\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 19\n\x0cAfrica Region management reviews Peace Corps appropriations funds requested as part of the\nIPBS process, while OAR oversees the posts\xe2\x80\x99 COP budget planning process for PEPFAR\nappropriations. According to the OAR senior advisor, OAR\xe2\x80\x99s responsibility is limited to\nensuring that the post\xe2\x80\x99s budget execution plan complies with activities and funding levels\noutlined in the COP approved by Department of State. The OAR senior advisor further stated\nthat region management is responsible for approving post operations budget proposals, including\nPEPFAR.\n\nAccording to the Africa Region chief AO and the OAR senior advisor, posts receiving PEPFAR\nfunds have been advised to use Peace Corps appropriations to support core functions in order to\nreduce budget risk in the event that PEPFAR funds are not made available. Posts have been\nadvised to focus its PEPFAR expenditures on supplementing HIV/AIDS activities.\n\nAfrica Region management and OAR management acknowledged that the post faces different\ncircumstances when compared to other posts. First, PC/Ethiopia receives a significantly higher\nproportion of PEPFAR funding. PEPFAR funds accounted for 75 percent of the post\xe2\x80\x99s operating\nbudget from FYs 2006 through 2009. Second, the post possesses higher unobligated balances\nfrom prior fiscal years. According to the AO, one reason for the higher unobligated balances is\nthat the post lacked data to make informed requests for PEPFAR funding from FYs 2006-2009.\nAfrica Region management, the OAR senior advisor, and AO concur that post received more\nPEPFAR funds than necessary through FY 2009 as a result. Therefore, the current CD and AO\ninherited a substantial carryover balance when they assumed their positions during FY 2009.\nThe AO estimated a carryover balance of $4.2 million in April 2010. The post has begun to\naddress spending its PEPFAR carryover balance and has received approval to re-program $1.4\nmillion of its prior year PEPFAR balance to fund FY 2010 activities. A preliminary finding\ndeveloped as a result of a concurrent OIG audit found that the post has not determined, in\nconsultation with Africa Region management and OAR management, how it will cost-effectively\nmaximize the use of its carryover PEPFAR funds.\n\nThe CD and AO reported that guidance provided by Africa Region management on how to spend\nPEPFAR funds has not been consistent with guidance provided by OAR management. Since his\narrival in September 2008, the AO was advised by both Africa Region and OAR management to\nfund more of the post\xe2\x80\x99s operations using appropriated funds. However, in March 2010 the AO\nreceived guidance from OAR management to spend down unobligated PEPFAR balances from\nFYs 2008 and 2009. In addition, in May 2010 the CD was advised by Africa Region\nmanagement and OAR management to increase PEPFAR spending in order to address carryover\nbalances remaining. In May 2010, the OAR senior advisor changed guidance to posts slightly:\nOAR distributed draft guidance to CDs to use PEPFAR funding to supplement programming,\nand as enhancements to support growth.\n\nAccording to the Africa Region chief AO and the OAR senior advisor, in the future they expect\nthe post to focus its PEPFAR expenditures on supplementing current HIV/AIDS activities and\nsupporting program growth, rather than on supporting core functions as the post did during its\ninitial years of operations. Additional, coordinated guidance from Africa Region management\nand OAR management will help the post effectively transition its PEPFAR spending to\nsupplement its programming and to support growth, while also spending down carryover funds.\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 20\n\x0c We recommend:\n\n 19. That Africa Region and Office of AIDS Relief coordinate to provide\n guidance to address PC/Ethiopia\xe2\x80\x99s President\xe2\x80\x99s Emergency Plan for AIDS\n Relief (PEPFAR) funding scenario, including any guidance necessary to\n finalize a transition plan for the use of PEPFAR funds while maximizing\n the expenditure of carryover funds.\n\n\nThe post is overcoming re-entry setbacks and preparing for growth\n\nPC/Ethiopia has supported the agency\xe2\x80\x99s growth strategy by effectively working to expand its\nprograms in the areas of environment and education to meet the development needs of Ethiopia\nin those areas, and improvements to its Health-HIV/AIDS program and operations are\nencouraging. The CD has outlined a plan to effectively address most of the weaknesses cited in\nthis report, as well as a sound plan for growth, in the FY 2011-2013 IPBS.\n\nProgram staff is developing new relationships with environment and education partners, and\noperating agreements are being drafted. The host country officials and senior Peace Corps staff\nwe interviewed are confident that Volunteers will make significant contributions in both the\nenvironment and education project sectors and these new relationships are likely to result in\nmore widespread HIV/AIDS activities for all of the post\xe2\x80\x99s Volunteers.\nThe post received 33 environment sector Volunteers in September 2010 on schedule. A project\nframework, core and technical competencies, and learning objectives have been drafted in\npreparation for the environment sector training group. Post\xe2\x80\x99s training preparations conform to\nthe suggested timelines for new projects outlined in the agency\xe2\x80\x99s Pre-Service Training\nPreparation Timeline Guidance.\nThe CD submitted an IPBS proposal for FY 2011-2013 to Africa Region management in March\n2010. The CD described the post\xe2\x80\x99s plans for growth as feasible and on schedule. A majority of\nthe staff members stated they feel confident the post can grow effectively as long as it continues\nto be adequately resourced. In addition to the resource requests already discussed in this report,\nthe IPBS requests the following to effectively support the post\xe2\x80\x99s growth:\n\n \xe2\x80\xa2 An additional general services officer to address long standing staff housing issues and\n manage the motor pool,\n \xe2\x80\xa2 A grants coordinator to assist with grants management and conduct informational\n meetings in communities where Volunteers serve or will serve,\n \xe2\x80\xa2 A second safety and security officer to support the increased workload associated with\n additional Volunteers,\n \xe2\x80\xa2 A third PCMO to provide support to additional Volunteers,\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Staffing and resources for creation of four regional offices,\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Transition additional personal services contractors to foreign service national positions in\n order to effectively manage additional staff associated with growth.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 21\n\x0cEnsuring effective post operations will remain challenging, particularly given the long distances\nbetween Volunteers and the post serving in such a large country. Ethiopia is approximately\ntwice the size of Texas. The pace of work is slowed by the long distances between Volunteer\nsites and travel over rough terrain to reach them. This impacts the staffs\xe2\x80\x99 ability to quickly\naccomplish programmatic and administrative tasks such as conducting site visits and ongoing\nengagement with local community members. We found that conducting visits of Volunteers at\ntheir sites often required a full day of travel to visit a single Volunteer. We observed the CD is\ncareful to plan for the necessary time and resources to effectively support Volunteers. We\nencourage Peace Corps management to consider the post\xe2\x80\x99s requests for additional staff and\nresources intended for both addressing weaknesses and to achieve effective growth through FY\n2013.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 22\n\x0c OBJECTIVE, SCOPE, AND METHODOLOGY\n\nThe purpose of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) is to prevent and detect fraud, waste,\nabuse, and mismanagement and to promote economy, effectiveness, and efficiency in\ngovernment. In February 1989, the Peace Corps OIG was established under the Inspector\nGeneral Act of 1978 and is an independent entity within the Peace Corps. The Inspector General\n(IG) is under the general supervision of the Peace Corps Director and reports both to the Director\nand Congress.\n\nThe Evaluation Unit within the Peace Corps OIG provides senior management with independent\nevaluations of all management and operations of the Peace Corps, including overseas posts and\ndomestic offices. OIG evaluators identify best practices and recommend program improvements\nto comply with Peace Corps policies.\n\nOIG Evaluation Unit announced its intent to conduct an evaluation of PC/Ethiopia on January\n29, 2010. For post evaluations, we use the following researchable questions to guide our work:\n\n\xe2\x80\xa2 To what extent has post developed and implemented programs to increase host country\n communities\xe2\x80\x99 capacity?\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Does training prepare Volunteers for Peace Corps service?\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Has the post provided adequate support and oversight to Volunteers?\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Are post resources and agency support effectively aligned with the post\xe2\x80\x99s mission and agency\n priorities?\n\xe2\x80\xa2 Is the post able to adequately administer the PEPFAR program, support Volunteers, and meet\n its PEPFAR objectives?\n\nCurrent PC/Ethiopia program operations are entirely focused on Volunteer projects that further\nthe goals of the PEPFAR. Therefore, our research question related to the PEPFAR program was\nincorporated into each of our researchable questions and was considered an integral part of our\ndata collection and fieldwork. As a relatively new country entry, we also paid particular\nattention to country re-entry guidance established by Peace Corps. The period of review for a\npost evaluation is one full Volunteer cycle (typically 27 months).\n\nWe did not include grant funding activities in the scope of our work because a simultaneous\naudit of PC/Ethiopia was conducted (at the time of this writing, the final audit report has not yet\nbeen issued).\n\nThe evaluator conducted the preliminary research portion of the evaluation January 29-March\n29, 2010. This research included review of agency documents provided by headquarters and\npost staff; interviews with management staff representing the region, Office for Overseas\nProgramming and Training Support (OPATS), and OAR; and inquiries to the Offices of Safety\nand Security, Medical Services, Private Sector Initiatives, and Volunteer Recruitment and\nSelection.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 23\n\x0cIn-country fieldwork occurred from March 23 - April 8, 2010, and included interviews with post\nsenior staff in charge of programming, training, and support; the U.S. Deputy Chief of Mission;\nthe embassy regional security officer; and host country government ministry officials. In\naddition, we interviewed a stratified judgmental sample of 20 Volunteers (27 percent of\nVolunteers serving at the time of our visit) based on their length of service, site location, project\nfocus, gender, age, and ethnicity.\n\nThis evaluation was conducted in accordance with the Quality Standards for Inspections, issued\nby the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) (formerly the\nPresident\xe2\x80\x99s Council on Integrity and Efficiency). The evidence, findings, and recommendations\nprovided in this report have been reviewed by agency stakeholders affected by this review.\n\n\n\n INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED\n\nAs part of this post evaluation, interviews were conducted with 20 Volunteers, 12 staff members\nin-country, and 16 representatives from Peace Corps headquarters in Washington D.C., the U.S.\nEmbassy in Ethiopia, and key ministry officials. Twenty-two Volunteers were initially identified\nas part of the interview sample. 2 Volunteer interviews were conducted using a standardized\ninterview questionnaire, and Volunteers were asked to rate many items on a five-point scale (1 =\nnot effective, 3 = average effective, 5 = very effective). The analysis of these ratings provided a\nquantitative supplement to Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 comments, which were also analyzed. For the purposes\nof the data analysis, Volunteer ratings of \xe2\x80\x9c3\xe2\x80\x9d and above are considered favorable. In addition, 16\nout of 20 Volunteer interviews occurred at the Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 homes, and we inspected 14 of these\nhomes using post-defined site selection criteria. The period of review for a post evaluation is\none full Volunteer cycle (typically 27 months).\n\nThe following table provides demographic information that represents the entire Volunteer\npopulation in Ethiopia; the Volunteer sample was selected to reflect these demographics.\n\n\n\n\n2\n Although there were 20 Volunteers in the final sample, 5 additional informal interviews of Volunteers were\nconducted in-country. Some sampled Volunteers were replaced due to: (a) time constraints related to OIG travel, (b)\nrequests for an interview by Volunteers, and (c) Volunteers on annual leave during the interview period.\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 24\n\x0cTable 3: Volunteer Demographic Data\n Project Percentage of Volunteers\n Health 100%\n Gender Percentage of Volunteers\n Female 57%\n Male 43%\n Age Percentage of Volunteers\n 25 or younger 62%\n 26-28 24%\n 29-49 7%\n 50 and over 8%\nSource: March 2010 PC/Ethiopia Volunteer roster. Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.\n\nAt the time of our field visit, PC/Ethiopia had 28 staff positions. The post also employs\ntemporary staff/contractors to assist with PST. Given the time of our visit, these positions were\nnot staffed. We interviewed 15 staff members, including a consultant hired to assist with the\nenvironment program.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 25\n\x0cTable 4: Interviews Conducted with PC/Ethiopia Staff Members\n Position Status Interviewed\n Country Director USDH X\n Administrative Officer USDH X\n Associate Peace Corps Director/Health USDH X\n Program Manager/Health PSC X\n Program Assistant/Health PSC X\n Program Assistant/Environment PSC\n Training Manager PSC X\n Language & Cross-Culture Coordinator PSC X\n Peace Corps Medical Contractor US PSC X\n Peace Corps Medical Contractor PSC X\n Medical Secretary PSC\n Safety & Security Coordinator PSC X\n IT Specialist PSC\n Executive Assistant / Volunteer Support Coordinator PSC X\n Volunteer Records Clerk PSC\n Receptionist PSC\n Cashier FSN\n Voucher Examiner PSC\n Financial Assistant FSN\n General Services Manager PSC X\n General Services Assistant PSC\n Driver/Mechanic (5) PSC\n Janitor PSC\n Gardner PSC\nSource: PC/Ethiopia staffing data, April 2010.\n\nSixteen additional interviews were conducted during the preliminary research phase of the\nevaluation, in-country fieldwork and follow-up work upon return to Peace Corps headquarters in\nWashington, D.C.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 26\n\x0cTable 5: Interviews Conducted with PC/Headquarters Staff, Embassy Officials and Key\nMinistry Officials\n Position Organization\n Acting Regional Director PC/Headquarters\n Acting Chief of Operations PC/Headquarters\n Chief Administrative Officer PC/Headquarters\n Programming & Training Assistant PC/Headquarters\n Country Desk Officer (2) PC/Headquarters\n Regional Safety & Security Desk Officer PC/Headquarters\n Program & Training Specialist (Health) PC/Headquarters\n Program & Training Specialist (Education) PC/Headquarters\n Peace Corps Safety & Security Officer PC/Headquarters\n Sub-Region Programming & Training Coordinator PC/Headquarters\n Deputy Chief of Mission U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia\n Regional Security Officer U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia\n President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief Coordinator U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia\n Director of Directorate, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Ministry of Environment & Forestry\n Development Resources\n Chief, Basic Education Services U.S. Agency for International\n Development\nSource: PC/Ethiopia data, April 2010.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 27\n\x0c LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS\n\nWE RECOMMEND:\n\n 1. That programming staff include host country government and project partners in program\n advisory committee meetings with Volunteers and programming staff.\n\n 2. That prior to its next trainee input, PC/Ethiopia secure an agreement with its health sector\n partners which clearly states whether the post or its health partner assumes responsibility\n for Volunteer housing.\n\n 3. That PC/Ethiopia negotiate and secure an agreement, which clearly states whether or not\n environment and education partners are to provide Volunteer housing as a host country\n contribution.\n\n 4. That PC/Ethiopia include steps in its site development plan to better ensure that\n counterparts understand their role in supporting the Volunteer and the Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 role in\n the community.\n\n 5. That Volunteer safety and security training presentations include a review of common\n safety and security incidents experienced by Volunteers and strategies for how best to\n avoid or respond to such incidents.\n\n 6. That the post provide additional English language training to host country staff so they\n may more effectively respond to Volunteer support needs, or in the event of an\n emergency.\n\n 7. That the post establish minimum English language requirements for current and future\n staff.\n\n 8. That post maintain complete Volunteer information, which includes up to date, reliable,\n accessible site locator forms, site histories, site visit reports and Volunteer whereabouts\n information in case of emergency.\n\n 9. That the country director finalize the post\xe2\x80\x99s process for responding to sexual assault\n incidents.\n\n 10. That PC/Ethiopia identify and establish a reliable, real-time means of communication\n with every Volunteer.\n\n 11. That PC/Ethiopia work with the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa and pursue authorization\n from the government of Ethiopia to use high frequency radio units as part of its\n communications system.\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 28\n\x0c 12. That the Office of Safety and Security work with Office of Global Operations and the\n Africa Region to ensure that Volunteer safety and security recommendations made in\n prior Peace Corps safety and security and internal management assessment reports are\n addressed.\n\n 13. That the country director ensure that trainees and Volunteers are adequately informed\n regarding their responsibility to report all safety and security incidents to post staff.\n\n 14. That the country director ensure that all safety and security incidents reported by\n Volunteers are entered into the Crime Incident Reporting System within three business\n days, or immediately for violent crime incidents.\n\n 15. That PC/Ethiopia test its emergency action plan annually to ensure that staff and\n Volunteers are adequately trained to respond in case of emergency.\n\n 16. That PC/Ethiopia review its emergency action plan and update any information as\n necessary, and that it provide updates to the U.S. Embassy annually.\n\n 17. That the Office of Safety and Security assign a Peace Corps safety and security officer to\n complete a country risk assessment.\n\n 18. That the post coordinate with the Office of the Chief Information Officer to pursue\n alternative Internet options to help PC/Ethiopia meet minimum Internet bandwidth\n requirements.\n\n 19. That Africa Region and Office of AIDS Relief coordinate to provide guidance to address\n PC/Ethiopia\xe2\x80\x99s President\xe2\x80\x99s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding scenario,\n including any guidance necessary to finalize a transition plan for the use of PEPFAR\n funds while maximizing the expenditure of carryover funds.\n\n\n\n\nFinal Country Program Evaluation Report: Peace Corps/Ethiopia 29\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\n\n MANAGEMENT\xe2\x80\x99S RESPONSE TO\n THE PRELIMINARY REPORT\n\n\n\n\nDATE: December 8, 2010\n\nTO: Kathy Buller, Inspector General\n\nFROM: Daljit K. Bains, Chief Compliance Officer\n Dick Day, Africa Regional Director\n\nCC: Carrie Hessler-Radelet, Deputy Director\n Stacy Rhodes, Chief of Staff\n Joaquin Ferrao, Deputy Inspector General\n Jim O\xe2\x80\x99Keefe, AIG Evaluations\n Esther Benjamin, AD, Office of Global Operations\n Lynn Foden, AF CHOPS\n Nwando Diallo, CD Ethiopia\n Bill Rubin, General Counsel\n Lien Galloway, Associate General Counsel\n Ed Hobson, AD Safety and Security\n April Miller, Senior Evaluator\n\n SUBJECT: Africa Region\xe2\x80\x99s Response to the OIG Preliminary Report on the\n Program Evaluation of PC/Ethiopia\n\n\nEnclosed please find Africa Region\xe2\x80\x99s response to the recommendations made by the\nInspector General for Peace Corps/Ethiopia, as outlined in the Preliminary Report of\nthe OIG Audit, November 2010.\n\nThe Region concurs with twelve (12) recommendations, partially concurs with six (6)\nrecommendations and does not concur with one (1) of the nineteen recommendations.\nRegion will continue to work with Post to ensure full implementation of the OIG\nrecommendations.\n\n\nRecommendation 1.0: That programming staff include host country government and\nproject partners in program advisory committee meetings with Volunteers and\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\nprogramming staff.\n Concur: Post agrees that the HIV/Health sector include host country government\n and project partners in its Program Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings with\n Volunteers and programming staff. Due to the rapid re-entry into Ethiopia and the\n start-up of the Health sector, host country government and project partners were\n not sufficiently incorporated in a PAC.\n For the new Environment sector, which completed swearing in December\n 3, 2010, the PAC is on the agenda and will comprise of key collaborating\n partners who participated in the Stakeholders\xe2\x80\x99 Workshop held December\n 22, 2009. Post will ensure the next PAC meeting for the Health sector, March\n 2011, will include the necessary government and non- gvernmental partners.\n Documents included:\n Invitation to Partners \xe2\x80\x93 December 8, 2009\n Stakeholder Meeting Attendees\n Meeting Minutes \xe2\x80\x93 December 22, 2009\n Documents to be submitted:\n Post will send a PAC Health Agenda and Minutes when this meeting is held\n March 2011.\n Status and timeline for completion: March 2011\n\nRecommendation 2.0: That prior to its next trainee input, PC/Ethiopia secure an\nagreement with its health sector partners which clearly states whether the post\nor its health partner assumes responsibility for Volunteer housing.\n\n Partially Concur: Due to the rapid start up of programming and re-entry into Ethiopia\n with the Health sector, and available PEPFAR funding, the Health MOU contained\n language stating, \xe2\x80\x9cAs organized with PEPFAR for the 2007-\n 2008 fiscal year, PEPFAR-Ethiopia will make resource available in the amount of\n approximately $45,000 (forty-five thousand US dollars) to the Ministry of Health to\n cover Volunteer housing for the first year.\xe2\x80\x9d (Ministry of Health MOU B. Housing and\n Furnishings, 2007). It should be noted that the current Country Director inherited this\n MOU and the associated historic precedent; the existing language in the MOU is\n unlikely to change.\n\n As a general matter, until the Ministry or any partner organization agrees to provide\n Volunteer housing as a host country contribution, Peace Corps bears such cost.\n Although the standard placement MOU template generated by the Office of General\n Council (OGC) provides for the possibility that a ministry or partnering organization\n may provide Volunteer housing, Post generally does not and cannot mandate\n contributions by ministries and partnering organizations.\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\n\n However, some ministries and partner organizations may be amenable to further\n discussions, and therefore, the MOUs may state that Peace Corps encourages the\n ministries or partner organizations to provide Volunteer housing. As the\n collaboration progresses and strengthens and resources become available, the\n ministries or partnering organizations may end up bearing such cost in whole or in\n part. For example, the MOU with the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority\n for the Environment sector has revised language that Peace Corps \xe2\x80\x9cencourages\xe2\x80\x9d the\n Ministry to provide housing. In further discussions with the Ministry, the Country\n Director has been successful in securing 50% of Volunteer housing covered by the\n Ministry. Given this achievement, the Post will continue to negotiate housing\n coverage as new MOUs are negotiated.\n\n The current Country Director of Peace Corps Ethiopia consults and works with the\n Office of the General Counsel (OGC) all of the current MOUs that were signed with\n the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Ethiopia Wildlife\n Conservation Authority. Therefore, all of the above- mentioned MOUs signed by the\n current Country Director have been vetted with the OGC.\n\n When the opportunity arises, Post will approach the Ministry of Health in an attempt\n to update the HIV/Health Sector MOU. This process though will not take place for\n another 2-3 years given the Post focus on effectively implementing the Education\n and Environment sector programs. Given the lessons learned from implementation\n of the Health Program, Post has been successful in negotiating and securing host\n country contribution toward Volunteer housing, and is confident this will be the\n precedent moving forward.\n Documents included:\n MOU Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, (Article 19: Housing\n and Furnishings, page 10), August 27, 2010\n MOU Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA), (Article 5:\n Obligations of the Authority, B. Housing and Furnishings)\n Operating Agreement with Ministry of Health\n Status and timeline for completion: complete\n\n\nRecommendation 3.0: That PC/Ethiopia negotiate and secure an agreement, which\nclearly states whether or not environment and education partners are to provide\nVolunteer housing as a host country contribution.\n\n Partially Concur: Post at all times will attempt to negotiate greater host country and\n partner contributions with regard to housing costs. As a general matter, until the\n Ministry or any partner organization agrees to provide Volunteer housing as a host\n country contribution, Peace Corps bears such cost. Although the standard placement\n MOU template generated by the Office of General Counsel (OGC) provides for the\n possibility that a ministry or partnering organization may provide Volunteer housing,\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\n Post generally does not and cannot mandate contributions by ministries and\n partnering organizations.\n\n However, some ministries and partner organizations may be amenable to further\n discussions, and therefore, the MOUs may state that Peace Corps encourages the\n ministries or partner organizations to provide Volunteer housing. As the\n collaboration progresses and strengthens and resources become available, the\n ministries or partnering organizations may end up bearing such cost in whole or\n in part.\n Although the MOU with the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority for\n the Environment sector has language that Peace Corps \xe2\x80\x9cencourages\xe2\x80\x9d the\n\nMinistry to provide housing, the Country Director has been successful in securing 50% of\nVolunteer housing covered by the Ministry.\n\n To the extent that Post is able to negotiate and settle with other ministries, such as\n the Ministry of Education, and partner organizations the Volunteer housing issue at\n the time of signing of the MOUs, post will do so diligently. But if the parties cannot\n come to agreement but are amenable to continued discussions on Volunteer housing,\n MOUs will contain the \xe2\x80\x9cencouragement\xe2\x80\x9d language or some other language favorable\n to such discussions.\n Documents included:\n MOU Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, (Article 19:\n Housing and Furnishings, page 10), August 27, 2010\n MOU Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA), (Article 5:\n Obligations of the Authority, B. Housing and Furnishings)\n Status and timeline for completion: complete\n\n\n Recommendation 4.0: That PC/Ethiopia include steps in its site development plan to\n better ensure that counterparts understand their role in supporting the Volunteer and\n the Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 role in the community.\n\n Concur:\n Since PC/Ethiopia is returning to the country after an absence, there continues to\n be a familiarization phase with counterparts and the community with regard to the\n counterparts role and there being a full understanding of the responsibilities of the\n counterpart. This is a natural evolution in the re-entry process.\n\n Additionally, Post is launching a program to familiarize the people of Ethiopia at large\n and more specifically our partners in the field on Peace Corps goals and objectives, and\n to facilitate greater counterpart understanding and commitment as well as community\n integration for Volunteers. This program is modeled after the existing successful\n Environment installation program in Madagascar. The installation program will take\n place during the first month of the newly sworn-in Environment Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s arrival. The\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\n swearing in ceremony took place on Friday, December 3, 2010.This timeframe was\n selected in order to involve the Volunteers and their counterparts in making\n appointments with key officials and community members in their respective community\n at the outset and in order to allow the Volunteer time to settle-in so that if there are any\n issues regarding their general welfare such as housing, etc., we can use this opportunity to\n address it.\n\n The sites will be visited by Post staff between the dates of December 13 \xe2\x80\x93 January 12,\n 2011.\n\n Post also includes steps in its site development to ensure that counterparts\n understand their role in supporting Volunteers and the Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 role in the\n community. The site development actions implemented by Post regarding the\n counterparts are outlined below with supporting documentation.\n\n For example, after receiving the \xe2\x80\x9cVolunteer Request Form\xe2\x80\x9d, Peace Corps staff return to\n the site to conduct an extensive orientation and hold discussions with theselected\n counterpart. During this orientation, Peace Corps staff explain the mission of the\n Peace Corps and discuss the roles and responsibilities of the Peace Corps office, the\n hosting agency, the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s supervisor, the Volunteer\xe2\x80\x99s counterpart and those of\n the Volunteer, leaving with the counterpart a copy of the pamphlet \xe2\x80\x9cRoles and\n Responsibilities of Peace Corps Partnerships\xe2\x80\x9d.\n\n At Pre-Service Training (PST), counterparts are invited to attend a Counterpart\n Workshop during which Peace Corps staff again explain the role of the\n counterpart and what they can do to support their Volunteer. At the end of the\n Counterpart Workshop which includes time for Volunteers and counterparts to get to know\n each other and work on an action plan, the counterpart travels back to site with the\n Volunteer who then spends one week at site working with their counterpart before\n returning to complete PST.\n\n It should be noted that the government of Ethiopia has initiated a Business Review\n Process exercised by the Ethiopia Federal Government, which reviews every task and\n job in every federal, regional, district and Woreda level of the government structures.\n This has resulted in many staff being replaced, reshuffled and/or transferred and has had\n an impact on the retention of counterparts. The BPR is expected to be completed within\n the next 2 years.\n\n Operating within this current environment, the re-entry familiarization phase and the\n additional steps being taken by Post to ensure the counterparts understand their role,\n Post and Region are confident that the understanding by counterparts of their full\n responsibilities will be met.\n Documents included:\n Counterpart Workshop Schedule \xe2\x80\x93 November 2009\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\n Environment PST Counterpart Workshop \xe2\x80\x93 November 2010\n HIV/AIDS Counterpart Workshop 2008\n Roles and Responsibilities of Partnerships\n Volunteer Request Form (2 pages)\n\n Environment Group I \xe2\x80\x93 Installation Plan\n Documents to be submitted:\n Post staff site visit notes from December 2010-January 2011\n Status and timeline for completion: January 2011\n\n\nRecommendation 5.0: That Volunteer safety and security training presentations include\na review of common safety and security incidents experienced by Volunteers and\nstrategies for how best to avoid or respond to such incidents.\n\n Concur: Even prior to becoming a volunteer, Peace Corps communicates multiple\n times and through multiple mediums the importance of safety and security to invitees.\n Safety and security is addressed in the Ethiopia Welcome Book, the Invitee\xe2\x80\x99s Letter to\n Family and also during Staging (pre-departure training).\n\n This messaging of the importance of safety and security continues through volunteer\n service. During three months of Pre-Service Training (PST), safety and security\n strategies, PCV concerns, potential safety and security threats and how to respond to\n these incidents are all addressed. Safety and Security is also included in the\n Volunteer Handbook (pages 16-18) which is used by all Volunteers throughout their\n twenty-seven months of service.\n\n At both Pre-Service and In-Service Training (IST), Post\xe2\x80\x99s Safety and Security\n Coordinator (SSC) conducts a review of common Volunteer-related safety and security\n incidents and strategies on how best to avoid and/or respond to these incidents. The\n Regional Safety and Security Officer (PCSSO) and the SSC collaborate on safety and\n security trends analysis. In November 2010, during the Environment PST the SSC led\n a session with Volunteers on the 2010 year- to-date crime statistics, covering the types\n of incidents, when and where they occurred, and ways Volunteers can reduce the risk\n of being a victim.\n\n Additionally, in order for Volunteers to understand the importance of safety and\n security in country, Post has willing Volunteers share their experiences as a victim of\n a crime or incident to minimize future incidents. Post has found this personal\n sharing is very effective. This type of session is documented in the Environment PST\n Counterpart Workshop Agenda.\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\n Documents included:\n OCSR Addis - All PCVs, April 15, 2010\n\n Election Plan Memo \xe2\x80\x93 All PCVs, May 7, 2010\n\n Incident Reporting Flowchart\n\n Approach to Safety and Security (All PCVs)\n\n Environment PST Counterpart Workshop - S&S Session \xe2\x80\x93 November\n 2010\n\n SSC CIR Data Analysis (Excel)\n\n Victimization by Crime Type 2010 (PowerPoint)\n Status and timeline for completion: complete November 2010\n\n\nRecommendation 6.0: That the post provide additional English language training to\nhost country staff so they may more effectively respond to Volunteer support needs, or\nin the event of an emergency.\n\n Partially Concur: Post recognizes the importance of having Volunteers\n communicate successfully and comfortably with staff. Staff which interact most\n directly with Volunteers and provide Volunteer support have effective English\n language skills. These positions include: Program Managers, Program Assistants,\n PCMCs, and Safety and Security Coordinator. English fluency is reflected in their\n job announcements and assessed during the interview process.\n\n In countries such as Ethiopia where English is not the official language, Region does\n not require all staff to have English fluency. As such, drivers, janitors and some\n other staff may have rudimentary English skill. For most Posts that are not native\n English speaking this is an ongoing challenge that requires continuous support and\n is addressed with Volunteers during PST.\n\n Post is searching to identify an English tutor or program in response to the staff\n initiated request for English language as a development opportunity for staff.\n\n Documents included:\n\n Job announcements and language requirements: Driver, Guard,\n Program Manager Health, Program Assistant Health\n Status and timeline for completion: TBD, once an English tutor or suitable\n English classes are identified\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\nRecommendation 7.0: That the post establish minimum English language\nrequirements for current and future staff.\n\n Partially Concur: Post recognizes the importance of having volunteers communicate\n successfully with staff. Staff that interact most directly with volunteers and provide\n Volunteer support have effective English language skills. These positions include the\n Program Managers, Program Assistants, PCMCs, Safety and Security Coordinator.\n English fluency is required as reflected in their job announcements and assessed\n during interview processes. Additionally, a language test is conducted for these staff\n who must pass a written exam.\n\n In countries such as Ethiopia where English is not the official language, Region does\n not require all staff to have English fluency. As such, drivers, janitors and some\n other staff may have only rudimentary English. The importance of Peace Corps Pre-\n Service Training (PST) is to ensure local language proficiency of volunteers and\n also other cultural barriers in communicating and communication style. Similarly,\n during PST Volunteer expectations are addressed given that they are not operating in\n an English speaking post. For most Peace Corps posts that are not native English\n speaking this is an ongoing challenge that requires continuous support.\n\n Given staff interest, Post is pursuing English language training for staff. This training\n is not required, but Post has been in the process of locating and recruiting an English\n teacher as a staff development opportunity.\n\n\n Documents included:\n Job announcements and language requirements: Driver, Guard,\n Program Manager Health, Program Assistant Health\n\n Status and timeline for completion: TBD, once an English tutor or suitable\n English classes are identified\n\nRecommendation 8.0: That post maintain Volunteer information, which includes up to\ndate, reliable, accessible site locator forms, site histories, site visit reports and Volunteer\nwhereabouts information in case of emergency.\n\n Concur: Post is beginning to use Volunteer Information Database Application (VIDA)\n more comprehensively to compile Volunteer information using a combination of\n different information such as the site locator forms, site histories, site visit reports and\n Volunteer whereabouts. Post has scanned Volunteer site locator forms into VIDA, has\n input site visits, except those by the PCMOs, into VIDA, and has developed a country\n map identifying all Volunteer sites. Post has also begun filing by site as opposed to by\n Volunteer, allowing for a site\xe2\x80\x99s history to be captured comprehensively regardless of\n the number of Volunteers who lived and worked at that site.\n Documents included:\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\n\n PCV Sites (PCV Site Map with Headshot, Locality Map, VIDA\n Screenshot)\n\n PCV Volunteer Roster\n\n Site Locator Map Training\n\n Map Images (1-5)\n\n S&S community Survey \xe2\x80\x93 July 2009\n Status and timeline for completion: completed November 2010\n\n\nRecommendation 9.0: That the country director finalize the post\xe2\x80\x99s rape response\nprotocol as required by PCM section 270.\n\n Concur: Post has updated its Rape Response Protocol as required by the PCM Section\n 270. Additionally, Post maintains a Rape Response Action Plan.\n Documents included:\n Rape Response Action Plan\n Crime Incident Reporting Flow Chart\n Rape Incident Notification Flow Chart\n\n Documents to be submitted:\n Rape Response Protocol\n Status and timeline for completion: December 2010\n\n\nRecommendation 10.0: That PC/Ethiopia identify and establish a reliable, real-\ntime means of communication with every Volunteer.\n\n Partially Concur: Post agrees that having more immediate real time\n communication with every volunteer would be ideal. However, this technology\n capacity does not exist. Even prior to becoming a volunteer in Ethiopia, Post\n conveys the distinct nature of communication challenges. These communication\n challenges highlight the importance of safety and security through different\n messaging in Welcome Books, the Invitee Letter and during Staging. Despite these\n challenges, Post utilizes different means of technology to communicate with\n Volunteers: cell phones, satellite phones and e-mail.\n\n The Peace Corps/Ethiopia Welcome book is sent to Volunteers before in- country\n arrival and all other communication with potential and current Volunteers\n establishes a realistic expectation of communication. Post has not given Volunteers\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\n the impression that reliable, real-time communication can or will be achieved. The\n emphasis by Post to Volunteers is to build reliable relationships and establish\n concrete backup plans at their sites in case of an emergency and if they are\n unable to get through immediately to Pos. Examples of these messages on\n realistic communication include:\n\n 1. Welcome Book\n\n Telephones\n Almost all sites have telecom centers with international long distance. Peace\n Corps/Ethiopia provides a telecommunications allowance. Cellular\n telephones are widespread in Ethiopia, although coverage varies across the country.\n You will have the option of purchasing a SIM card and phone during Pre-Service\n Training (PST); almost all current Volunteers have mobile phones.\n\n Computer, Internet, and E-mail Access\n Internet access is available at internet cafes in most towns and cities, but can be slow\n and costly, so most Volunteers use internet about once every few weeks. Designated\n computers in the resource center at the Peace Corps office have internet access, and\n you are welcome to use these when in Addis Ababa. Many Volunteers bring laptops\n for research, digital photos or entertainment, but as with any valuable item, there is a\n risk of theft or damage.\xe2\x80\x9d\n\n 2. From the Letter to Trainee family members\n\n Telephone Calls\n The telephone system in Ethiopia is relatively good. Service to the United States is\n somewhat reliable, phones exist in most towns and Volunteers can often plan to be\n at a phone on a certain date to receive calls from home on their cell phones. This\n usually works, but there are also innumerable factors that can make the best-laid\n plans fall apart. When calling Ethiopia you may often get voice recorded messages\n stating that the person you are calling is \xe2\x80\x9cout of the service area\xe2\x80\x9d, while this is often\n true, sometimes it is just a poor network connection which can be remedied by\n calling again. It is not uncommon to have to call 5-10 times before getting through.\n There is no voice mail service in Ethiopia, so please just keep trying to get through.\xe2\x80\x9d\n\n Post will continue to assess and implement the latest communication\n technologies as they become available in the local market.\n\n Documents included:\n Ethiopia Welcome Book \xe2\x80\x93 August 2010\n Ethiopia Family Letter \xe2\x80\x93 August 2010\n Status and timeline for completion:: August 2010\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\nRecommendation 11.0: That PC/Ethiopia work with the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa\nand pursue authorization from the government of Ethiopia to use high frequency radio\nunits as part of its communications system.\n\n Do Not Concur: Region agrees it is imperative to have a strong communication\n system in place to contact volunteers especially in the case of emergencies and outside\n of the existing cell phone network which is controlled by the Ethiopian government.\n However, Region does not agree that Post and the U.S. Embassy should pursue\n authorization of radio units from the government of Ethiopia. The Ethiopian\n government maintains tight controls over all communication systems and essentially\n has a monopoly.\n\n This monopoly is supported by the existing legal framework. To ensure continued\n bilateral US-Ethiopian relations, Post will continue to operate within the country\xe2\x80\x99s\n existing legal framework. Additionally high frequency radios are not foolproof.\n\n To address this need for back up emergency communications, Post purchased\n 15 Iridium Satellite phones in FY 10, issuing nine satellite phones to the PCV Wardens\n and utilizing 5 for staff use. Most recent PCV Warden training occurred on April 7,\n 2010, co-facilitated by the PCSSO. All PCVs Wardens were trained in their\n responsibilities as wardens, how to use the satellite phone and provided with written sat\n phone instructions.\n\n Documents included:\n Satellite Point of Contact (POC) Phone Numbers\n POC \xe2\x80\x9cWarden\xe2\x80\x9d Orientation (Power Point)\n Status and timeline for completion: unable to complete given legal\n restrictions\n\nRecommendation 12.0: That the Office of Safety and Security work with Office of\nGlobal Operations and the Africa Region to ensure that Volunteer safety and security\nrecommendations made in prior PCSSO and internal management assessment reports\nare addressed.\n\n Concur: From the recent April 2010 PCSSO report, Post has and continues to\n implement the PCSSO recommendations and the recommendations made\n by the Internal Management Assessment (IMA) team\xe2\x80\x99s report from November\n 2008. Documentation includes the December 2008 Status update from post on the\n IMA recommendations, and the Safety and Security Desk Officer (SSDO\xe2\x80\x99s)\n Tracking Sheet for the PCSSO Recommendations.\n\n Documents included:\n \xe2\x80\xa2 PCSSO Recommendation Tracking (Excel)\n \xe2\x80\xa2 IMA Status Report 2008\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\n Status and timeline for completion: Q2 2011\n\n\nRecommendation 13.0: That the country director ensure that trainees and Volunteers\nare adequately informed regarding their responsibility to report all safety and security\nincidents to post staff.\n\n Concur: Volunteers and trainees are consistently made aware of the importance of\n reporting all safety and security incidents. This messaging of reporting incidents\n begins in the three month long Pre-Service Training (PST), continuing through In-\n Service Trainings (ISTs) and is included in other official meetings and events with\n Volunteers. During site visits, staff also ask Volunteers about safety and security\n incidents or concerns.\n\n Communication about safety and security incidents is a two-way\n collaboration. As specific safety and security events approach, such as elections,\n Post reminds Volunteers to be pro-active and also report any safety and security\n concerns or incidents. Incident reporting is addressed in the PCV Handbook (pages\n 16-18).\n\n Additionally, every Friday, the Country Director notifies all Volunteers through\n emails with news including Friday updates on the latest safety and security\n information for the country.\n Documents included:\n CIRS Report \xe2\x80\x93 8-4-2010\n Ethiopia PCV Handbook 2010\n SSC email (Hishe Hailu) \xe2\x80\x93 Nov 15 2010\n \xe2\x80\xa2 SSC Incident Report \xe2\x80\x93 Oct 18 2010\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Weekly Update (Nov 12, 19, 26 and Dec 6, 2010)\n\n Status and timeline for completion: completed December 2010\n\nRecommendation 14.0: That the country director ensure that all safety and security\nincidents reported by Volunteers are entered into the Crime Incident Reporting\nSystem within three business days, or immediately for violent crime incidents.\n\n Concur: When Post\xe2\x80\x99s previous Safety and Security Coordinator (SSC) left Peace\n Corps, Post recognized it did not have enough staff trained to effectively support\n security-related tasks to enter Volunteer safety and security incidences into CIRS\n (Crime Incident Reporting System). Post has since conducted CIRS training for\n staff and is confident that between the various trained staff, it will ensure that all\n safety and security incidences are reported within three business days, or\n immediately for violent crime incidents.\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\n The Safety and Security Desk Officer (SSDO) conducted an analysis of the timeliness\n of Post entering CIRS data for 2010. Between January 1st 2010 and November 19th\n 2010, a total of 15 incidents were entered into the CIRS database by post. Of those 15\n reports, 14 were entered within three business days of the date the PCV reported the\n incident to post. The only report that fell outside of the requirements established in\n Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 Consolidated Incident Reporting Guide (page 3) was Incident #663-\n 2010720-10949, which was reported to Post by the Volunteer on July 14th and\n submitted via CIRS to HQ on July 20th.\n Documents included:\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Ethiopia Crime Statistics (PowerPoint)\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Ethiopia 2009 Crime Graphs (Excel)\n Status and timeline for completion: completed and continuous\n\nRecommendation 15.0: That PC/Ethiopia test its EAP annually to ensure that staff\nand Volunteers are adequately trained to respond in case of emergency.\n\n Concur: Post conducted an EAP test in April 2010. At that time, the PCSSO was\n visiting Post so his presence was used as an opportunity to conduct refresher training\n for staff and Volunteer Wardens. Post is due to conduct its next annual EAP test\n during the second quarter of 2011. Supporting documentation shows the results of\n the EAP test conducted this year.\n\n Documents included:\n Lessons Learned from Elections (email)\n Warden Training Session\n EAP \xe2\x80\x93 Warden Responsibilities (page 7 \xe2\x80\x93 PowerPoint)\n PCSSO Recommendations \xe2\x80\x93 April 2010\n\n Status and timeline for completion: May 2011\n\nRecommendation16.0: That PC/Ethiopia review its EAP and update any\ninformation as necessary, and that it provide updates to the U.S. Embassy\nannually.\n\n Concur: With the arrival of the first Environment Volunteers who will be placed in\n new and more rural sites, Post used this opportunity to update its Emergency Action\n Plan (EAP) to incorporate the new sites, the new consolidation points and the\n additional Volunteers issued satellite phones. The new EAP has also been\n distributed to RSO at the U.S. Embassy. Supporting documentation includes the\n newly revised EAP from November\n 2010.\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\n Documents included:\n\n Emergency Action Plan (EAP) \xe2\x80\x93 November 2010\n\n Status and timeline for completion: completed November 2010\n\n\nRecommendation 17.0: That the Office of Safety and Security assign a PCSSO to\ncomplete a country risk assessment.\n\n Concur: Post has requested a PCSSO visit for Q2 and the Office of Safety\n and Security has confirmed the PCSSO\xe2\x80\x99s availability.\n\n Documents included:\n PCSSO Recommendations Tracking Sheet (Excel)\n Approved PCSSO visit (email \xe2\x80\x93 Nov 22, 2010)\n\n Status and timeline for completion: end of Q2 2011\n\nRecommendation 18.0: That the post coordinate with the Office of the Chief\nInformation Officer to pursue alternative Internet options to help PC/Ethiopia meet\nminimum Internet bandwidth requirements.\n\n Partially Concur: OCIO has reviewed the situation and determined that Post is\n receiving the best connectivity given the currently available options. As new\n technology and different provider options emerge in Ethiopia, Post will continue to\n collaborate with the OCIO to find improved solutions.\n\n Documents included:\n Office of Chief Information Officer (OCIO) Assessment Results, Dated:\n November 2010\n\n Status and timeline for completion: completed November 2010\n\nRecommendation 19.0: That Africa Region and Office of AIDS Relief coordinate to\nprovide guidance to address PC/Ethiopia\xe2\x80\x99s PEPFAR funding scenario, including any\nguidance necessary to finalize a transition plan for the use of PEPFAR funds while\nmaximizing the expenditure of carryover funds.\n\n Concur: Africa Region, OAR and Post confirm that the requested guidance has been\n provided and a detailed action plan is on-going and underway. The plan to address\n spending and use of PEPFAR funds was developed in conjunction with Africa\n Region, OAR and Post. Post, Region and OAR develop annual \xe2\x80\x9croadmaps\xe2\x80\x9d to spend\n down these carryover funds. As such, a new or different plan from the existing\n agreed upon plan is unnecessary.\n\x0cAPPENDIX A\n\n PEPFAR funds can be used to enhance and grow any of post\xe2\x80\x99s HIV/AIDS responses\n where resources and opportunity exists and supports the agency\xe2\x80\x99s growth. While\n appropriated funds should support core Post functions, PEPFAR funds may be\n used on occasion to cover core functions specifically for entry/re-entry when\n addressing HIV/AIDS. Contributed PEPFAR funds should remain proportionate to\n Post\xe2\x80\x99s work across all sectors.\n\n The \xe2\x80\x9croadmap\xe2\x80\x9d (supporting documentation), comprises the following two\n action items:\n\n 1. Post requested and received approval from OAR and the PEPFAR Country\n Team to decline new funds for PEPFAR COP 10 and instead apply USD\n $1,415,700 of its carryover funds towards COP 10 activities.\n\n 2. Post requested and received approval from OAR to fund additional\n activities critical for improving Volunteer support. These additional activities,\n which were not previously included in the PEPFAR budget, are:\n\n Fully funding one of the Regional Volunteer Support Offices Funding a\n 10-day Volunteer perma-culture training and certification with these\n certified Volunteers conducting training-of- trainers to the entire\n Volunteer community\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Fully funding all HIV/Health Volunteers (Previously, PEPFAR funds\n were only approved to fund 75% of the HIV/Health Volunteers.)\n Funding a second HIV/Health Program Assistant, and\n Funding aUSPSC (or 3rd Country National) HIV/Health\n Technical Trainer for the next Pre-Service Training in May 2011.\n\n Documents included:\n \xe2\x80\xa2 PEPFAR IP 10-10-15 Approved\n \xe2\x80\xa2 ET Narrative Revised 10-10-15 Approved\n \xe2\x80\xa2 ET Revised Budget 10-10-15 Approved\n \xe2\x80\xa2 Memo Requesting Approval to use PEPFAR funds\n \xe2\x80\xa2 ET 10 PEPFAR IP 10-07-23 Final Approval\n \xe2\x80\xa2 ET10 PEPFAR Timeline 10-07-20 Final Approval\n \xe2\x80\xa2 ET10 Budget 10-07-20 Final Approval\n \xe2\x80\xa2 ET10 OrgChart 10-07-20 Final Approval\n \xe2\x80\xa2 ET10 PEPFAR Narrative 10-07-20 Final Approval\n \xe2\x80\xa2 PEPFAR Implementation Plan \xe2\x80\x93 July 24 2010 (email)\n\n\n Status and timeline for completion: Complete and ongoing\n\x0cAPPENDIX B\n\n\n OIG COMMENTS\n\nManagement concurred with 12 recommendations, partially concurred with six\nrecommendations, and did not concur with one recommendation. Based on the documentation\nprovided, we closed six recommendations: numbers 5, 7, 8, 13, 14, and 18. In its response,\nmanagement described actions it is taking or intends to take to address the issues that prompted\neach of our recommendations. Additionally, management has provided clarifications or has\nupdated information that is reflected in the final report. We wish to note that in closing\nrecommendations, we are not certifying that the region or post has taken these actions or that we\nhave reviewed their effect. Certifying compliance and verifying effectiveness are management\xe2\x80\x99s\nresponsibilities. However, when we feel it is warranted, we may conduct a follow-up review to\nconfirm that action has been taken and to evaluate the impact.\n\nThirteen recommendations, numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, and 19, remain open\npending confirmation from the chief compliance officer that the documentation reflected in the\nOIG Analysis below is received. See Appendix A for agency\xe2\x80\x99s response to the subject report.\n\n\n1. That programming staff include host country government and project partners in\nprogram advisory committee meetings with Volunteers and programming staff.\n\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Response: Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: To close this recommendation , please provide documentation\n demonstrating that host country government and project partners were included in the\n March 2011 PAC meeting for the Health sector or in other program advisory committee\n meetings.\n\n2. That prior to its next trainee input, PC/Ethiopia secure an agreement with its health\nsector partners which clearly states whether the post or its health partner assumes\nresponsibility for Volunteer housing.\n\n Agency Response: Partially Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: In its response, the post indicated that, as collaboration progresses and\n strengthens and as resources become available, ministries and host partner organizations\n may end up bearing Volunteer housing cost in whole or part. It also related plans to\n approach the ministry of health in an attempt to update the HIV/Health Sector MOU in\n approximately two or three years\xe2\x80\x99 time. To close this recommendation, please document\n the result of any future discussions with the ministry of health and partner organizations\n and other efforts to negotiate and secure their contribution toward Volunteer housing for\n that project sector.\n\x0cAPPENDIX B\n\n3. That PC/Ethiopia negotiate and secure an agreement, which clearly states whether or\nnot environment and education partners are to provide Volunteer housing as a host\ncountry contribution.\n\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Response: Partially Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: OIG recognizes the efforts made and progress post has achieved to date\n to address host partner housing responsibilities for its environment sector Volunteers.\n However, the post did not present a plan of action that addresses this recommendation for\n both the education and environment sectors. To close this recommendation, please\n document that discussions with the partner ministries include efforts to negotiate and\n secure host country contribution toward Volunteer housing for both project sectors.\n\n\n4. That PC/Ethiopia include steps in its site development plan to better ensure that\ncounterparts understand their role in supporting the Volunteer and the Volunteers\xe2\x80\x99 role in\nthe community.\n\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Response: Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: To close this recommendation, please provide post staff site visit notes\n from December 2010-January 2011 that detail steps taken during site development that more\n thoroughly address counterpart and Volunteer roles.\n\n\n6. That the post provide additional English language training to host country staff so they\nmay more effectively respond to Volunteer support needs, or in the event of an emergency.\n\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Response: Partially Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: As we noted in our report, limited English proficiency of non-native\n English speaking staff may inhibit post\xe2\x80\x99s response in an emergency and Volunteer\n support may suffer as a result of poor staff English speaking skills. To close\n recommendation six, please provide documentation showing an English tutor or\n alternative program was offered to non-native English speaking staff.\n\n\n9. That the country director finalize the post\xe2\x80\x99s process for responding to sexual assault\nincidents.\n\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Response: Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: (Note: the final report and recommendation 9 have been updated to\n reflect agency policy and guidance.) Peace Corps\xe2\x80\x99 Medical Technical Guideline 540 for\n Management of Sexual Assault includes guidance for conducting physical examinations\n of victims of sexual assault and for collecting forensic evidence useful during legal\n\x0cAPPENDIX B\n\n proceedings. Please document actions taken to confirm that the CD and PCMO are\n knowledgeable of and able to comply with the requirements of Technical Guideline 540.\n\n\n10. That PC/Ethiopia identify and establish a reliable, real-time means of communication\nwith every Volunteer.\n\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Response: Partially Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: In our report, OIG noted additional communications options are\n necessary to ensure a reliable communications system is in place for all Volunteers and\n staff to transmit or receive information in case of an emergency. The post has indicated\n in its response that it will continue to assess and implement the latest communication\n technologies as they become available in the local market. Please provide the results of\n post\xe2\x80\x99s annual testing of the adequacy and reliability of the in-country communication\n network and also document any efforts made to enhance communication systems.\n\n\n11. That PC/Ethiopia work with the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa and pursue\nauthorization from the government of Ethiopia to use high frequency radio units as part of\nits communications system.\n\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Response: Do Not Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: The agency did not concur with OIG\xe2\x80\x99s recommendation and provided a\n rationale for not pursuing authorization from the host government to use high frequency\n radios. OIG acknowledges that nine Volunteers and five staff were provided satellite\n phones in an effort to establish a more robust backup communications system. However,\n the response to the recommendation did not offer a plan of action to fully address the\n underlying problem we identified. Please provide the results of post\xe2\x80\x99s annual testing of\n the adequacy and reliability of the in-country communication network and also document\n any additional efforts made to enhance communication systems.\n\n\n12. That the Office of Safety and Security work with Office of Global Operations and the\nAfrica Region to ensure that Volunteer safety and security recommendations made in prior\nPeace Corps safety and security officer and internal management assessment reports are\naddressed.\n\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Response: Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: OIG acknowledges post has and continues to implement Volunteer safety\n and security recommendations made by the PCSSO and made by the Internal\n Management Assessment (IMA) team in a November 2008 report. Please provide\n documentation that IMA and PCSSO recommendations have been closed.\n\x0cAPPENDIX B\n\n\n15. That PC/Ethiopia test its emergency action plan annually to ensure that staff and\nVolunteers are adequately trained to respond in case of emergency.\n\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Response: Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: The agency indicated its plans to provide OIG the results of its next\n PC/Ethiopia communications test, planned for May 2011. Please provide the results of\n post\xe2\x80\x99s annual EAP test that demonstrates an effective combination of communications\n means is in place so that all Volunteers and staff may communicate in case of emergency.\n\n\n16. That PC/Ethiopia review its emergency action plan and update any information as\nnecessary, and that it provide updates to the U.S. Embassy annually.\n\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Response: Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: Please provide examples of updates made to the EAP to include\n information for and about environment sector Volunteers and an update to the listing of\n local medical facilities in regions where Volunteers are placed. In addition, please\n provide evidence the updated EAP was provided to the embassy RSO.\n\n\n17. That the Office of Safety and Security assign a Peace Corps safety and security officer\nto complete a country risk assessment.\n\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Response: Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: Agency indicated the Office of Safety and Security confirmed the\n PCSSO\xe2\x80\x99s availability to conduct a visit during the second quarter of fiscal year 2011.\n Please provide documentation reflecting that a country risk assessment was completed\n with the assistance of the PCSSO.\n\n\n19. That Africa Region and Office of AIDS Relief coordinate to provide guidance to\naddress PC/Ethiopia\xe2\x80\x99s President\xe2\x80\x99s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) funding\nscenario, including any guidance necessary to finalize a transition plan for the use of\nPEPFAR funds while maximizing the expenditure of carryover funds.\n\n Agency\xe2\x80\x99s Response: Concur.\n\n OIG Analysis: OIG is encouraged that the agency has partially addressed this\n recommendation by developing a plan for expenditure of approximately $2m of its\n approximately $4.2m carryover. To close recommendation 19, please provide a detailed\n plan for the expenditure of the remaining carryover.\n\x0cAPPENDIX C\n\n\n\n COUNTRY PROGRAM EVALUATION COMPLETION\n AND OIG CONTACT\n\n\nEVALUATION This country program evaluation was conducted under the\n direction of Jim O\xe2\x80\x99Keefe, Assistant Inspector General for\nCOMPLETION\n Evaluations, and by Senior Evaluator April Thompson\n Miller.\n\n\n\n\n Jim O\xe2\x80\x99Keefe\n Assistant Inspector General for Evaluations\n\n\nOIG CONTACT Following issuance of the final report, a stakeholder\n satisfaction survey will be distributed. If you wish to\n comment on the quality or usefulness of this report to help\n us improve our products, please e-mail Jim O\xe2\x80\x99Keefe,\n Assistant Inspector General for Evaluations, at\n jokeefe@peacecorps.gov, or call (202) 692-2904.\n\x0c REPORT FRAUD, WASTE, ABUSE,\n AND MISMANAGEMENT\n\n Fraud, waste, abuse, and mismanagement in government affect\n everyone from Peace Corps Volunteers to agency employees to the\ngeneral public. We actively solicit allegations of inefficient and wasteful\n practices, fraud, and abuse related to Peace Corps operations\n domestically or abroad. You can report allegations to us in several\n ways, and you may remain anonymous.\n\n\n\n\nMail: Peace Corps\n Office of Inspector General\n P.O. Box 57129\n Washington, DC 20037-7129\n\nPhone: 24-Hour Toll-Free: (800) 233-5874\n Washington Metro Area: (202) 692-2915\n\n\nFax: (202) 692-2901\n\nE-Mail: oig@peacecorps.gov\n\x0c"