VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBU #0200/01 0501603
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 191549Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0566
INFO MERCOSUR COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000200
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KWMN KPAO PHUM AID CDC COM TRSY AR
SUBJECT: Argentina: S/GWI Project Proposals
REF: 09 STATE 132094
Embassy Buenos Aires received two project proposals for the Small
Grants Initiative run by the Secretary's Office of Global Women's
Issues (reftel). The Embassy strongly supports the project
proposal entitled: "Argentina's Bicentennial: A Country of Healthy
Women." This project would be implemented by the Liga Argentina de
Lucha Contra El Cancer (LALCEC) with overall grant oversight
performed by the Embassy's Public Affairs Section (PAS). This
project was developed by LALCEC with input from our PAS and
Environment, Science, Technology, and Health (ESTH) offices. The
Embassy also supports the "Women's Leadership and Comprehensive
Social Development Program" of the "Kids of the Green Millennium"
Foundation, for which PAS would have grant oversight. The first
submission is verbatim from the proposal received. The second
required translation and editing as the initially-submitted
proposal was 20 pages and in Spanish. Both are available in
Microsoft Word versions upon request.
--------------------------------------------- -------------
A - "Argentina's Bicentennial: A Country of Healthy Women"
--------------------------------------------- -------------
1. Summary: A Country of Healthy Women was developed by Liga
Argentina de Lucha Contra El Cancer (LALCEC) with support from
Embassy Buenos Aires. Argentina has a low awareness rate of cancer
risks, the importance of early detection, and treatment
possibilities. Research has shown that a large percentage of
Argentine women say they "do not want to hear people talk about
cancer," and believe that "cancer is always a mortal disease." The
focus of this proposal is educating women about cancer detection
and treatment, empowering them to speak more openly about cancer,
and reducing smoking rates among young women.
2. Problem to be Addressed: A low level of awareness of cancer
risks, the importance of early detection, and treatment among
Argentine women, particularly young women. One out of four people
contract cancer at some point of their life. In the United States,
the cancer mortality rate has dropped significantly due to
sustained efforts to educate the population about cancer
prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, but Argentine women do not
have equivalent levels of awareness. Breast and uterine cancer are
first and second on the list of cancer mortality rates in Argentine
women. Lung cancer is fourth, caused partly by high rates of women
smokers. WHO statistics show that Argentina has among the highest
rates of female smokers in the world, with the highest rates in the
15-18 year age group (in this age group, the smoking rate is
actually higher among girls than boys).
3. Project Summary: The project consists of a nation-wide
program on cancer prevention and health education for Argentine
women, especially adolescents, utilizing both traditional outreach
method and new technologies and social media. The three focus
areas are: 1) breast cancer, 2) uterine cancer, and 3) tobacco and
cancer. LALCEC will administer the project with the assistance of
Embassy Buenos Aires. The program will be nation-wide, utilizing
LALCEC's pre-existing network of 144 representatives.
The primary challenge in Argentina is engaging the community on the
topics of cancer risks for women. Local research and studies show
that Argentine women do not want to talk about cancer, primarily
out of fear. Women assume that cancer is painful and untreatable
and therefore choose ignorance rather than vigilance. LALCEC and
Embassy Buenos Aires aim to create fresh, youth-focused programming
that encourage women to be more open about women's health issues,
addressing topics such as self-detection and what to do if they
suspect they have a tumor.
With health education not common in schools, LALCEC will reach out
to a young audience through school presentations and the use of new
media that communicates with them directly. The program will also
enhance outreach to the community at large and the medical
community to educate them about women's cancer prevention,
detection, and treatment.
The proposal includes scheduled workshops and lectures,
dissemination of information through the media, design of didactic
materials to complement outreach, video conferences between
Argentine and American cancer experts, and design of a new social
media campaign. The new media campaign will include use of
websites, blogs, on-line forums, Messenger, Facebook, Flicker, and
YouTube. The project will have a duration of one year.
4. Project Details: The four components of this projects are:
1) inform women and girls about cancer prevention and
treatment in 90 LALCEC branches;
2) design of a new-media campaign using websites, blogs,
on-line forums, Messenger, Facebook, YouTube, Flicker, and other
available new media;
3) design of training programs for the LALCEC's
representatives and volunteers who are responsible for doing
outreach to the communities; and
4) promotion of professional exchanges between cancer doctors
from Argentina and the U.S. using DVC technology.
Detailed explanation:
1) 90 of LALCEC's branches will be responsible for community
outreach. Each branch will organize one public lecture to the
community, three school presentations, six press interviews, and
regular dissemination of information via mail and e-mail.
2) Post will help LALCEC in its effort to reach a broader and
younger audience.
a) A revamped LALCEC website will include expanded
information, interactive chats, and on-line forums. Banners and
wallpapers with relevant messages will be available for free
download.
b) The campaign will include opening Facebook, YouTube, and
Flickr accounts. Argentina has over 6.5 million Facebook accounts
and 5.2 million YouTube accounts, making these among the most
effective tools for reaching a young audience. The campaign
Facebook page will include quizzes and interactive games. Public
events will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube for future viewing.
Links to such items will be distributed to LALCEC and Embassy
contacts (Embassy Buenos Aires already has 10,000 friends on
Facebook).
c) Pictures from activities will also be loaded into a public
Flickr gallery accessible from the LALCEC website.
d) Depending on available funding, LALCEC and the Embassy will
approach major cell phone companies in Argentina to design a text
messaging campaign, which could reach a potential audience of up to
10 million people.
e) LALCEC will hire a part-time intern solely dedicated to
managing new media campaigns and researching other new media
opportunities.
3) LALCEC will train over 200 volunteers at its annual
convention, who will be sent out to train other volunteers in their
communities. It will also hold training workshops at the 90
participating LALCEC branches, conducted by LALCEC doctors and
specialists.
4) The Embassy will organize quarterly DVCs between Argentine
and American specialists in the areas of cancer prevention and
treatment. With new technology, these DVCs can be transmitted to
doctors in four cities across the country, greatly increasing the
audience. The Argentine Health Ministry is in the process of
founding a National Cancer Institute, which the Embassy and NIH are
supporting. With these ties, the Embassy will be able to unite
LALCEC and the new Institute in cancer outreach opportunities.
5. Desired outcomes and performance measures:
1) Lectures and presentations (direct contact, through each of
90 branches): aim to reach 50 people/branch by lectures, 300
through school visits, and 200 through document distribution.
Total number of direct contacts: 49,500 people.
Evaluation: Registration of attendees, press reports.
2) New media campaign (indirect contact): Website: 500,000
visits/year; Facebook: 10,000 fans; YouTube: 5,000 viewers; text
messaging: 50,000 messages. Total indirect contact for the
campaign: 565,000. The self-sustaining nature of on-line resources
will allow this outreach to continue to reap benefits beyond the
one-year project.
Evaluation: Quarterly count of visits/hits, compilation of blog and
Facebook comments, and received e-mails.
3) Volunteer training program: 200 through annual national
conference, 1,000 through branch training programs.
Evaluation: Each participant will be evaluated by the doctors who
provide the training.
4) Cancer prevention/treatment DVCs: 80 participants in each
of four DVCs.
Evaluation: Registration of participants in the DVCs.
6. Detailed Budget:
(All amounts in USD)
Lectures and Presentations:
Public lectures: Honorarium for 90 speakers ($100/presentation):
$9,000
School presentations: Honorarium for 90 speakers, each visiting
three schools ($100/presentation): $27,000
Graphic design, printing services: $3,420
Press campaign/Advertising campaign: $12,000
Total: $51,420
New Media campaign:
Design services: $4,500
Web and online campaign: $2,500
Intern's salary for one year: $5,000
Facebook ad campaign $4,000
Total: $16,000
Training programs for volunteers:
Annual Convention Organization: $11,600
(Rental of venue, equipment, catering)
Information package production to distribute to branches: $970
Workshops audio/tech equipments: $970
Total: $13,540
DVCs between Argentine and American specialists in cancer
prevention and treatment:
Honorarium for speakers: $800
Admin costs for DVCs: $800
Meetings with doctors to promote DVC and campaign: $2,100
Graphic design/Information packages/DVD productions for doctors:
$3,000
Total: $6,700
Launching of campaign:
Representation costs for launch reception: $5,340
Program evaluation:
Development of measurement indicators and follow up: $2,600
Evaluation and measurements guide: $2,600
Quarterly Reports: $900
Final Report: $900
Total: $7,000
Total budget: $100,000
Matching funds: If State Department grant of $100,000 is approved,
LALCEC will contribute $55,400 that will be needed to implement the
communication strategy across its 144 branches. These matching
funds will be used to cover professional honorariums for the
training program, representational events to publicize the
campaign, and administrative costs to manage the grant.
TOTAL COST OF ONE YEAR PROGRAM: $155,400
To be covered by State Department: $100,000
To be covered by LALCEC: $55,400
7. Recipient Organization: Founded in 1921, LALCEC is the
leading Argentine non-governmental organization specializing in
cancer prevention, education, early detection and patient
assistance. LALCEC is headquartered in Buenos Aires and has 144
branches across Argentina which will participate in this project,
giving it a comprehensive national effect. LALCEC regularly
participates in regional and international networks, including the
International Union Against Cancer and the Association of
Iberoamerican Leagues Against Cancer; the experiences and materials
that result from this project can be shared for use regionally
through these networks. In order to demonstrate full transparency
to the organizations and individuals who support it, LALCEC hires
Deloitte to perform external audits. Mrs. Maria Ines Marchigiani
de Ucke is the President of the organization and has participated
in several State Department programs. Ms. Marchigiani de Ucke also
traveled to the U.S. in 2007 to participate in the White House
Conference of the Americas.
--------------------------------------------- ----------------------
--
B - "Women's Leadership and Comprehensive Social Development
Program"
--------------------------------------------- ----------------------
--
Introduction:
This program was designed by a multidisciplinary team of
professionals and specialists from the "Los Chicos del Milenio
Verde" Foundation (Foundation "The Kids of the Green Millenium"),
in cooperation with the Ministry of Production of the Province of
Buenos Aires; the Center for Communication and Gender, Department
of Journalism of the National University of La Plata; the
Directorate of Social Economy and Municipal Women's Council of the
Municipality of La Plata. The program was developed for
implementation in the municipality of La Plata (which includes: the
City of La Plata, which is the capital of the Province of Buenos
Aires, and the adjacent cities of Berisso, Ensenada, Magdalena,
Punta Indio and Brandsen. This region has a population of 754,389
inhabitants.)
Statement Identifying the Problem:
The particular region mentioned is a major urban area, though
mostly low income and with many people well below the poverty line.
For this particular reason, a great percentage of women are
undereducated and victims of domestic violence.
Project Description
The central idea of the project prioritizes, as one of its
strategic goals, the comprehensive development of women by
stimulating their potential through participation and organization
in the social, economic, political, and cultural life of their
communities and through the full exercise of their rights.
We believe that by creating opportunities for the emergence and
strengthening of women leaders, capable of formulating and
implementing policies for integration, with a wider reach from
grassroots organizations and through the transformational power of
women in our society, we can create a true democracy. For this
purpose, we will implement different projects:
--Promoting women's economic development. Business incubators with
a gender-oriented perspective - Bicentennial Fair - Virtual Fairs.
--Development of skills for using information technology resources.
--Prevention of gender-related domestic violence and assistance for
its victims.
--Training and education throughout our area of responsibility;
workshops for strengthening family relationships, prevention and
counseling of domestic violence.
--Promoting awareness of women's rights.
--Women leadership development in business, health, politics, and
culture.
--Promoting awareness and commemoration of women historical
contributions.
--Consolidation of a "Best Practices" database on multiple issues.
These projects will aim to restore the social and productive role
of women in the local community through effective and coordinated
involvement. Therefore, these projects will be implemented and
managed by a partnership between NGOs and the public and private
sector.
"Businesses Incubators with a Gender Perspective" Project:
(Gender dimension and local development)Summary
The "Businesses Incubators with a Gender Perspective" Project aims
to provide training for 2,250 underprivileged women, in order for
them to achieve economic autonomy by developing their own business
projects. This initiative will provide, through participation in
conferences, seminars, workshops, and gatherings, the opportunity
for women from poor neighborhoods to present their project ideas,
develop new ideas, develop the skills necessary to implement their
projects and see a successful outcome. It will also attempt to
increase women's awareness of their own individual abilities and
potential, and how to maximize them in order to generate a
productive, self-managed project that can provide economic autonomy
and a better quality of life. The project will constantly produce
materials resulting from the discussions and new proposals that may
arise from our workshops, in order to share the experience with the
community and to set precedent for public policies.
We will also develop a system to constantly monitor and evaluate
the program during its execution and development, and to keep track
of its application.
As a result, this tool will also provide up-to-date information
about the local development, gender perspectives, and employment
variables.
Giving projects a "gender perspective" means the particular ways in
which these projects or enterprises must be developed and managed
differently by women and men in order to be successful. This is
due to female entrepreneurs' unique needs, such as caring for their
children, family, and the elderly, and managing periods of
pregnancy and post-natal care.
We believe that women can and should be active citizens and agents
of change by committing to meaningful projects that will change
their own families, their communities, and society in general.
Understanding the complexity of women's issues and how they are
intertwined with all other society issues is essential in order to
avoid segregating them into a separate, isolated topic. This
proposal intends to attack and address this complexity in its
program.
The project aims to address the consequences of gender
discrimination and exclusion and seeks to reduce problems with
malnutrition, health, education, culture, and social development.
Most importantly, this project wants to empower women.
In addition, these trained women will be able to replicate the
wealth of knowledge acquired through organizing and starting up a
productive enterprise, helping to multiply the initiative's effects
in their communities. On the other hand, it will allow us to
produce and systematize statistical and referential information
useful for planning and designing other programs and projects for
the comprehensive development of women.
General Objetive:
To promote local development from a gender perspective, through the
development of productive start ups projects. Desired Outcome:
1. To relieve the existing social demand for start ups and its
development from a gender perspective.
2. To promote development from a local perspective focused on
gender.
3. To generate a project methodology with a gender perspective.
4. To develop productive and sustainable projects that have a
positive impact in economic growth and social thrust, reflected in
a better quality of life.
5. To develop methods for monitoring and evaluation.
6. To produce relevant data on gender and local
development/impact.
7. To develop a marketing and communication strategy to
effectively promote social issues.
8. To develop awareness programs for female entrepreneurs and
integration in vocational skills development.
9. To consistently increment entrepreneur quotas and consolidate
the program.
10. To promote and provide a business/entrepreneurial culture to
everyone involved.
11. To strive to create employment opportunities, wealth, and
social welfare through the creation of new start ups and
consolidation of existing ones.
12. To develop skills that will allow entrepreneurs to grow and
strengthen their business, in order to enter the economic
mainstream.
13. To offer a common space for information gathering, skills
development, networking, and access to multiple channels to offer
and promote their products.
14. To offer financial and credit options to that will support
growth of current small business and development of new ones.
Incubator model
The Incubator model will promote the development of existing start
ups through strategies of productivities, and of new projects by
identifying new, solid business opportunities that will allow
economic development.
Goals:
--2,250 women skilled in the development of start-ups/small
businesses.
--Available mentoring by four top business/entrepreneurial experts.
--Available tutoring by 30 advanced business/entrepreneurial
university students.
--Partnership with four Financial/Credit Institutions.
--Partnership with 20 product distribution chains for the
commercialization of product and services.
Stages:
The incubation process has three stages; all three stages will be
offered tutorial service and expert advice.
Pre incubation:
--At this stage, the new entrepreneur will learn basic business and
technological policies in order to define a structured idea. For
this process to work, courses, guides, and advice will be offered
to identify business ideas. At the end of this stage, the new
entrepreneur will be prepared with a structured business idea.
Incubation:
--The incubation stage begins once the entrepreneurs and their
ideas are approved. In this stage, there is also the possibility of
an entrepreneur with an already established idea to participate.
In the first scenario, the entrepreneur will participate directly
in the incubation process. In the second scenario, an entrepreneur
with an already established business idea will receive basic
technological training if needed, and the business idea will be
defined and managed in a formal way. If at least one of these
answers is negative, then the trained entrepreneur with their own
business project will initiate their own training process.
--Once the incubation process is finished, the entrepreneur will be
trained, will have a formal business plan, and will have
possibilities for sustainability.
Post incubation:
--In this stage, the entrepreneur is given support to let the new
business grow and consolidate, as well as having a business
diagnosis provided by a public or private organism. When this
stage is finished the entrepreneur will have two options. One is
to graduate and to continue working on their new business, while
the other would be to allow accelerated growth of their business.
Recipient Organization
The NGO "Los Chicos del Milenio Verde Foundation," is an
independent, non-profit organization whose principal mission is
environmental education by caring for the environment and by social
participation in activities that increase quality of life in the
population, ensuring the welfare of the planet now and in the
future. It supports safe environmental policies, conservation of
biodiversity, and proper use of natural resources.
This institution's goal is sustained through actions and policies
in: environmental education, communication, legislation, and
training; promoting citizens' commitment to care for the
environment; and by stimulating government responsibility in the
execution of coordinated activities between NGOs, the public and
private sector, and the community.
WEBSITE: www.fundaciondeloschicosdelmilenioverde.org
Budget:
Areas
Price
By unit
TOTAL
18 months
Supplies: (360 workshops x 18 Months) execution/monitoring &
evaluation/promotional equipment)
736.00
13,248.00
Awareness campaigns x 3
2,000.00
6,000.00
WEBSITE ($40 x mo/18mo) Design and maintenance
39.07
703.14
TRAINING HRS 5760 hrs. x $ 7.88 (360 workshops @ 16 hrs ea/mo
2,521.60
45,388.80
3 Seminars (Catering, Equipment rental -sound, projector, screen )
Manpower and Speakers
2,094..25
6282.73
Per diem and Transportation x18 mo
628.27
11,308.90
Publications, Copies x 18 mo
450.49
8,108.82
Administrative expenses
445.00
8,010.00
TOTAL
$99,050.39
MARTINEZ