US embassy cable - 05MANAMA546

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANAMA 000546 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/PI, NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD 
ABU DHABI PLEASE PASS MEPI OFFICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, ECON, KMPI, KPAO, AMGT, AFIN, BA 
SUBJECT:  MEPI SMALL GRANTS MANAMA REPORT 
 
REFERENCE: STATE 58025 
 
1.  Following is Embassy Manama's report on FY 03 MEPI Small 
Grants: 
 
A.  The Mother Child Early Education Program, Bahrain Red 
Crescent Society, $24,989: 
 
Results and impact of the program:  Fifty low income mothers 
received training on how to teach basic skills to their pre- 
school children in the homes.  Without the MEPI small grant, 
these children would enter the first grade in 2006 at a 
significant disadvantage, perhaps never catching up to their 
peers.  The project also taught the mothers how to network 
with community groups such as social workers, public health 
professionals, and advocacy groups. 
 
Lessons learned: When mothers are empowered with the skills 
and education to foster successful growth and development 
with children at home and school, they can, through their 
own self-initiative, begin to remove the stumbling blocks 
that compel educational disadvantage. 
 
Potential for the program's activities to be replicated in 
the region:  There are no government-funded preschools in 
Bahrain and low income Bahraini families are not able to 
afford private preschools.  If other countries in the region 
do provide for preschool education in the public sector, it 
might not be a priority to replicate this project in those 
countries.  In countries that do not provide for preschool 
education, this project could be replicated. 
 
Capacity of the recipient organization to implement a larger 
grant:  The Bahraini Red Crescent Society implemented this 
project.  The organization is well run with a highly 
educated Director and a dedicated staff.  The organization 
could implement a larger project. 
 
Date the grant officially closed out:  Project will be 
completed on April 30, 2005, and all funds will be expended. 
 
B.  Trafficking in Persons Victim Abuse Assistance, $24,400: 
 
Results and impact of the program:  Eight GOB officials from 
the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Interior received 
training in assisting victims of trafficking in persons 
(TIP).  The implementer intended to provide similar training 
to volunteers of the Migrant Workers Group (MWG), an 
organization dedicated to helping TIP victims.  However, the 
parent organization of the MWG was dissolved by the GOB a 
few months before the implementer arrived in Bahrain and MWG 
members were unable to benefit from the small grant. 
EmbOffs and the implementer decided to set up a training 
program for assisting victims of domestic violence instead. 
More than twenty members of various women's groups 
participated in the training.  Both the GOB officials and 
the civil society participants were overwhelmingly positive 
about the training and said they would try to implement what 
they learned in their work. 
 
Lessons learned:  Interest in combating both trafficking in 
persons and domestic violence is on the rise in Bahrain. 
Many GOB officials and others, however, do not have 
experience in dealing with these issues.  Any support the 
USG can provide in this regard is welcome and appreciated 
here. 
 
Potential for the program's activities to be replicated in 
the region:  Trafficking and domestic violence are problems 
throughout the region and victim assistance training would 
be beneficial. 
 
Capacity of the recipient organization to implement a larger 
grant:  The Foundation for Global Leadership was very well 
received in Bahrain and post views it as a strong potential 
partner in future projects.  Given that it is a very small 
organization, however, it might not be capable of 
implementing a significantly larger grant. 
 
Date the grant officially closed out:  Project was completed 
on December 22, 2004 and all funds were expended. 
 
C.  Family Empowerment and Education Reform for Adolescents 
with Mental and Physical Handicaps, Al Rahma Center, 
$25,000: 
 
Results and impact of the program:  An American expert in 
special education evaluated Al Rahma's methodology and 
teaching practices in Bahrain's first-ever Center for 
teenagers and young adults with special needs.  Forty 
students are currently enrolled in the Center's activities 
and there are plans to increase that number as the Center's 
capacity expands.  As a result of the implementer's visit, 
the Center has a clearer sense of programmatic objectives 
and a concrete plan to link Bahraini professionals with 
their American counterparts.  Bahraini professionals working 
in this field are in need of written materials on the 
diagnostic process, family involvement, and the awareness 
for psychiatric needs in the populations. 
Lessons learned:  Those involved in the advancement of 
education for mentally and physically challenged citizens 
are eager to work with the U.S. on issues of civic 
responsibility and voluntarism.  The workshops conducted by 
the MEPI implementer on how to network and advocate with the 
GOB and other support structures for the rights and concerns 
of the developmentally disabled were well attended by Al 
Rahma staff, the Board of Directors, and the families of the 
students. 
 
Potential for the program's activities to be replicated in 
the region:  Working with children and youth with special 
needs is at the very early stages in the Gulf.  The 
activities undertaken at Al Rahma Center could be replicated 
in neighboring countries. 
 
Capacity of the recipient organization to implement a larger 
grant:  The Al Rahma Center could implement a larger grant, 
the Center's Board is very active and the Director is 
responsive. 
 
Date the grant officially closed out:  Project will be 
completed on June 30, 2005, and all funds will be expended. 
 
D.  Promoting Freedom of Speech and an Open Media in the 
Gulf, a student-run campus radio station, University of 
Bahrain, $24,939:  The Mass Communications Department at the 
University of Bahrain submitted a written request on April 
4, 2005, asking for a no cost extension due to unforeseen 
delays in the construction and hard-wiring of the 
University's Media Center, which will house the radio 
station. 
 
Amount of funds expended to date:  No funds have been 
expended since the grant is for the purchase of equipment 
and training for students on how to operate the equipment 
and product radio programming.  Other than the construction 
delays mentioned above, there are no further obstacles 
likely to prevent the completion of the project.  Post's 
MEPI working group has approved the extension until June 30, 
2006. 
 
MONROE