The World Bank Report No: ISR12776 Implementation Status & Results Bangladesh Northern Areas Reduction-of-Poverty Initiative Project -- Women's Economic Empowerment Project (P114841) Public Disclosure Copy Operation Name: Northern Areas Reduction-of-Poverty Initiative Project -- Project Stage: Implementation Seq.No: 4 Status: ARCHIVED Archive Date: 18-Dec-2013 Women's Economic Empowerment Project (P114841) Country: Bangladesh Approval FY: 2012 Product Line: IBRD/IDA Region: SOUTH ASIA Lending Instrument: Specific Investment Loan Implementing Agency(ies): Key Dates Board Approval Date 27-Oct-2011 Original Closing Date 31-Dec-2015 Planned Mid Term Review Date 15-Apr-2014 Last Archived ISR Date 17-May-2013 Effectiveness Date 25-Mar-2012 Revised Closing Date 31-Dec-2015 Actual Mid Term Review Date 15-Jun-2014 Project Development Objectives Project Development Objective (from Project Appraisal Document) The development objective of the project is to facilitate access to employment opportunities in the garment sector for poor and vulnerable women from lagging areas of Bangladesh by providing information, technical and life skills training, transitional housing, and other support to adjust to urban life and formal sector employment. Has the Project Development Objective been changed since Board Approval of the Project? Yes No Component(s) Component Name Component Cost Component 1: Raising awareness and selecting candidates in the lagging region of northern 0.92 Bangladesh. Component 2: Establishing training centers with dormitories in the Export Processing Zones (EPZs) 32.53 located in Dhaka, Ishwardi, and Ka rnaphuli. Component 3: Providing initial training and on-going support to beneficiaries. 2.04 Component 4: Supporting coordination, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), and expansion. 4.30 Public Disclosure Copy Overall Ratings Previous Rating Current Rating Progress towards achievement of PDO Satisfactory Satisfactory Overall Implementation Progress (IP) Moderately Satisfactory Moderately Satisfactory Overall Risk Rating Moderate Implementation Status Overview The project became effective on March 26, 2012; but the revised DPP was approved by GOB in May 2012. The EOIs for all major packages were advertised only after the approval of Page 1 of 5 The World Bank Report No: ISR12776 the revised DPP; this meant significant delay in the commencement of civil works. Subsequently, implementation progress subsequently has been satisfactory. Civil Works on all three construction packages are progressing well. The dormitories and training center (DTC) at Dhaka EPZ is expected to be completed by February 2014, followed by the DTC at Ishwardi EPZ by April 2014 and DTC at Karnaphuli EPZ by May/June 2014. The supervision engineers appointed by the Bank are in close contact with the Supervision Engineering Consultant appointed by BEPZA and conduct bi-weekly field visits to each of the sites. The construction works and supervision of construction are both found to be efficient and of Public Disclosure Copy satisfactory quality. Since all the subsequent project activities are dependent upon the completion of the hostels and dormitories, for e.g. the recruitment of the girls from the sending areas, these too will be delayed. The project will be restructured by January 2014 to allow for extension of the cosing date. The baseline study for the Northern areas was supposed to be completed by March 25, 2013 (a year from effectiveness) as per the Financial Agreement; however due to delays on the Ministry side the Bank with Trust Funds contracted BRAC Institute of Development (BDI) to design the baseline study, establish the survey protocol and test the survey questionnaires; pilot the baseline study and prepare a baseline report as well as a Concept Note for the Impact Evaluation, which can be used by the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MOLE) to undertake a more detailed study starting from January 2013. This has been planned to coincide with the start of the design of the IEC campaign so that strategic linkages can be established early on between the baseline and key monitoring and evaluation indicators to be used for the length of the project. BDI has submitted the baseline inception report as well as preliminary findings based on field visits, and has tested the survey questionnaires within the March 25, 2013 deadline; the design of the Impact Evaluation Concept Note was completed in July 2013. The Feasibility Study for the determination of inclusion of the Uttara EPZ as a potential site for building a DTC was supposed to be completed by December 2012; however due to delays in preparing and advertising the TORs as well as completing the evaluation process for EOIs, the contract was awarded in August 2013. The Feasibility is expected to be completed by December 2013, but preliminary results and discussions show positive results. The Mid Term Review which was scheduled for June 2014 will be pulled up earlier to April-May 2014 to allow the Bank to consider Additional Financing for the fourth site at Uttara EPZ and accommodate additional costs of consultancies (if closing date is extended), machinery (where significant price escalation was noted) etc. The InterMinsiterial Committee and BEPZA's Board have approved the the Operational Policy for the CSR Fund which was crucial for the sustainability of the project and a condition of the Financial Agreement. However, BEPZA found that non-RMG factories contributing to the CSR fund were unwilling to contribute to the project. BEPZA has spoken to a number of RMG factories who are willing to contribute to the project as they will be potential beneficiaries of the project and will save considerable costs spent on training new workers. A separate CSR fund will be set up exclusively for the project by January 2014; MOUs are expected to be signed with factories by December 15, 2013. All major recruitments of key project staff at the PIU and PCU are completed. The detailed project implementation plan and the detailed procurement plan have been updated. A formal monthly Implementation Progress meeting is organized between MOLE, BEPZA, and the Bank task team to assess progress and agree on next steps. Locations No Location data has been entered Public Disclosure Copy Results Project Development Objective Indicators Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Number of women who receive training Number Value 0.00 0.00 10800.00 Date 26-Mar-2012 31-Dec-2015 Comments Too early to report Page 2 of 5 The World Bank Report No: ISR12776 Percentage of graduates who are formally Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 90.00 employed for at least 10 months of the year Date 26-Mar-2012 31-Dec-2015 following completion of their training. Comments Too early to report Public Disclosure Copy Difference in average level of net monthly Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 50.00 income of graduates, before and 1 year after Date 26-Mar-2012 31-Dec-2015 completion of their training Comments Too early to report Level of satisfaction with the project among Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 90.00 graduates (% who rank their satisfaction level Date 26-Mar-2012 31-Dec-2014 as three or higher on a five point scale) Comments Too early to report Intermediate Results Indicators Indicator Name Core Unit of Measure Baseline Current End Target Raising awareness and selecting training Number Value program candidates from the lagging region of Date northern Bangladesh. Comments Number of eligible applicants who apply for the Number Value 0.00 0.00 10800.00 training program Sub Type Date 26-Mar-2012 31-Dec-2015 Breakdown Comments Too early to report. 350 every three months Percentage of beneficiaries who complete the Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 95.00 three-month training offered by the program. Sub Type Supplemental Establishing training centers with dormitories in Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 90.00 the EPZs located in Dhaka, Ishwardi, and Date 26-Mar-2012 31-Dec-2015 Karnaphuli. Comments Too early to report Percentage of graduates who stay in the Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 95.00 project accommodation after completion of Sub Type Date 26-Mar-2012 31-Dec-2012 Public Disclosure Copy their training Breakdown Comments Too early to report Percentage of project beneficiaries who are Percentage Value 0.00 80.00 satisfied with the services offered by the Sub Type Date 31-Dec-2015 facilities (% who rank their satisfaction asthree Breakdown Comments or higher on a five point scale) Percentage of graduates who opt to pay for the Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 95.00 meal service provided by the project facilities Sub Type Date 26-Mar-2012 31-Dec-2015 Breakdown Comments Page 3 of 5 The World Bank Report No: ISR12776 Providing initial training and on-going support Percentage Value to beneficiaries. Date Comments Public Disclosure Copy Percentage of project graduates who are Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 100.00 offered formal employment within one month of Sub Type Date 26-Mar-2012 31-Mar-2014 graduation Breakdown Comments Too early to report Percentage of graduates who are satisfied with Percentage Value 0.00 0.00 90.00 the training program (% who rank their Sub Type Date 26-Mar-2012 31-Mar-2014 satisfaction as three or higher on a five point Breakdown Comments Too early to report scale) Percentage of graduates who are employed at Percentage Value 0.00 80.00 the senior operator level 18 months after Sub Type Date 26-Mar-2012 29-Dec-2017 graduating (i.e., they get promoted) Breakdown Comments Too early to report Data on Financial Performance (as of 26-Nov-2013) Financial Agreement(s) Key Dates Project Ln/Cr/Tf Status Approval Date Signing Date Effectiveness Date Original Closing Date Revised Closing Date P114841 IDA-50150 Effective 27-Oct-2011 04-Dec-2011 25-Mar-2012 31-Dec-2015 31-Dec-2015 Disbursements (in Millions) Project Ln/Cr/Tf Status Currency Original Revised Cancelled Disbursed Undisbursed % Disbursed P114841 IDA-50150 Effective XDR 18.20 18.20 0.00 6.37 11.83 35.00 Disbursement Graph Public Disclosure Copy Page 4 of 5 The World Bank Report No: ISR12776 Public Disclosure Copy Key Decisions Regarding Implementation The project became effective on March 26, 2012, and the revised DPP was approved in May 2012. Civil works for the construction of all three DTCs is progressing efficiently and is assessed as being of good quality. All major recruitments of key project staff at the PIU and PCU are either completed or are in the final stage of completion. BEPZA's Board has approved the CSR Fund which was a condition of the FA. The preliminary (pilot) baseline and Concept Note for Impact Evaluation has been completed. The detailed baseline study undertaken by MOLE will begin in January 2014 to coincide with the designing of the IEC. The Feasibility Study for inclusion of Uttara EPZ has faced multiple delays but is expected to be completed by December 2013. Restructuring History There has been no restructuring to date. Related Projects There are no related projects. Public Disclosure Copy Page 5 of 5