Association for the Development of Pakistan

Omar Biabani · Posted: Wed Mar 30, 2005 2:36 pm Post subject:

I was just going over the cost breakdown of the equipment needed against the proposal and got a little confused.

Here is the budget detail as given to us in the proposal

Equipment:

It includes
1) experiment boards (trainers)
2) 6 multi meters
3) 6 power supplies
4) digital components
5) 2 digital oscilloscope (25 MHz)
6) 1 RF signal generator
7) Programmers
8 ) Tools
9) TV trainers
10) Radio Trainers etc

The cost breakdown we have received have a few things missing and some quantities do not match, Here is the new list as uploaded today. Changed quantities are shown in red.

Oscilloscope 25 MHz
Korean origin (no name of company mentioned)
Quantity: 4 (originally 2)
Cost: Rs. 100,000

TV Trainer
Quantity: 1
Cost: Rs. 90,000

Trainer Board
Electronic 2000 model 2000 (local made)
Quantity: 4
Cost: Rs. 48,000

Power Supplies
Korean origin (no name of company mentioned)
Quantity: 4 (originally 6)
Cost: Rs. 40,000

Signal Generator
Leaders LSG – 16
Quantity: 2 (originally 1)
Cost: Rs. 14,000

Programmer
Electronic 2000
Quantity: 4
Cost: Rs. 8,000

TOTAL: Rs. 300,000

Missing Items : 6 multimeters, Radio trainers, Tools and digital components.

I absolutely believe that whatever equipment is purchased will only go towards improving the lab but shouldn't we, as a donor group, have ironed out these details before hand? Is there a lesson here for us to make sure that an itemized list of things/equipment/services etc is in our hand before we go into the voting phase? Its only fair to all constituents working hard on a project.

Dont get a wrong message here at all. Who says we have reached perfection. This message has nothing to do with this particular project and everything to do with making sure we improve our process the next time we reach this far in the game - or else we are not really making progress as a group. Am I the only one feeling this way or you guys share this sentiment as well ?

Danish Saleem · Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 11:09 am Post subject:

Few things:

1. What Mubarik posted ( Science Labs), is it related to this project?

2. I would like to echo Bilal's opinions as to the level of expertize required to benefit from these equipments. We do have some Elec Engs on board, please comment.

3. Can we do a background check on prices? I can ask my friends in karachi to find out. What about used equip?

4. Can we find this equip here and for much less ( or free) and send it there? ( Of course keeping the shipping cost and conversion problem in mind) Just wanted to through it out there to see if it is at all possible. I will check on ebay.

Mubarik Imam · Posted: Thu Mar 31, 2005 1:14 pm Post subject:

Omar, I agree with you, we should have looked at the lists more carefully I guess. I don't know why 4 oscilloscopes are essential for example. I actually didn't pay enough attention to the quantity listed earlier. In the future we can do closer due diligence.

Danish, science labs are a different project, I just listed them as a reference for labs in rural areas and for equipment costs etc. Sorry for the confusion.

Tasneem Zahir · Joined: 14 Feb 2005 Last Visit: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 12

Dear ADP members,

I am copying below the e-mail that was sent out to AL to inform them about our conditional decision to fund AL along with our queries/concerns (forwarded to me by Tarim). I am also posting their reply. Note: the revised budget was in tabulated form but the format has changed while posting.

Take Care
Tasneem

E-mail sent out on behalf of ADP:
Dear Basarat Kazim & Rabia Khan,

Congrats. ADP has approved a funding of $3,000 for AL.
However, this offer is conditional and the funds will
be transferred only if the following queries/concerns
are dealt with. Please make sure you go through these
carefully and provide us with the answers as soon as
possible.
Best Regards
Tasneem

- why did the list of equipment change from the
proposal to the detailed budget. We really need to
understand what is actually needed within the $3k
we're giving.

- Does $3k of equipment have use until the remaining
$3k is raised? Or is it part of a comprehensive
program that requires all the equipment? If so, we'd
like to make our $3k contingent on raising the rest of
the money.

- What specific equipment would AL purchase with our
$3k if piecemeal purchasing is ok?

- What is the goal of having the new equipment (cater
to more girls than last year's lab, teach them skills
they couldn't learn before, something else?). This
will help us understand the kind of metrics needed to
measure impact of our funding tranche.

- What metrics does AL suggest?

We'll eventually require AL to sign a contract that
specifies the uses of the funds, outlines what they
are required to provide in return (some kind of
reporting on impact, detailed receipts and actual
budget etc).

Reply from AL:
Dearest Tasneem,

Thank you for you support and effort.

It was about time that we needed new equipment not only because we wanted to expand our programme but also of the revisions we made in the curriculum. Being a non-profit organisation major resources of earnings are grants from donors and I was amazed and somewhat shocked that raising funds for this programme would be such an uphill task.

I thought assisting a science programme would be a very normal and right thing to do. That is why you can not imagine my appreciation for this funding by ADP.

Now coming to queries/concerns raised by ADP:

We had been trying to raise the funds for the last 12 months, the detailed budget contained the edited version of the original list which was prepared when we were foolishly optimistic and had the figure of $8k for the streamlined and expanded programme. I forgot to cross out the items when I send the proposal to you.
The answer to the next 3 queries is,

The detailed budget incorporated the revisions made last fall, which still had expansion as a major goal. The expansion had two levels,

1. An increase in the number of students. At the moment 13-15 students are enrolled in each class, it was planned to increase the number to 25 per class requiring more materials.

2. New topics were introduced and for that we needed new equipment.

Proposed changes will be

1. We shall forgo the expansion for this year and continue with the present number of students and thus adjust to to the new figure.

2. We can not compromise on the curriculum, the curriculum is planned and designed by qualified persons, they hold doctorate degrees in physics and computer engineering from U.S.A and Sweden and one is doing her doctorate in electronics. The curriculum is designed to

- increase the understanding of science concepts of middle school girls

- increase middle school girls’ career awareness of science related fields.

- teach them skills to help them earn income by becoming technicians.

Remember we are talking of girls who do not have opportunities available or access to such opportunities. Quality education provided by private schools is beyond their reach. The public school system lacks the infra structure to impart such education. We provide the transportation free of cost; we provide the training free of cost. Our programme offers modern education to those students who would otherwise be unable to have access to such learning. The need for expanding access to modern quality learning is critical for these students in order to be better equipped for challenges posed by global information and technology based economy.

So the revised budget may be as following:

ITEM
COMPANY/MAKE
PRICE (Rupees)
QUANTITY
TOTAL

Oscilloscope 25 MHz,
Korean origin (no name of company mentioned)
25,000
1
25,000

Trainer Board
Electronic 2000 model 2000 (local made)
12,000
2
24,000

Programmer
Electronic 2000 (local made)
2,000
2
4,000

Signal Generator
Leaders LSG – 16
7,000
2
14,000

Power Supplies
Korean origin (no name of company mentioned)
10,000
2
20,000

TV Trainer
Not available in the market, to be made on order locally
90,000
1
90,000

TOTAL
177,000

Regarding metrics we have an evaluation criteria, involving internal evaluation of students against the targets set for each term, plus the behavioral changes in confidence level, punctuality etc. In the next summer we plan to have more comprehensive metrics designed for us.

I appreciate your support as it coincides with the beginning of the new year which I am glad we shall be starting with a new well-strengthened electronics programme.

Rabia

Justin Stone · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 9:04 am Post subject:

From the comment below, it sounds like they need to raise the full $6k to implement. Is that correct?

"2. We can not compromise on the curriculum, the curriculum is planned and designed by qualified persons, they hold doctorate degrees in physics and computer engineering from U.S.A and Sweden and one is doing her doctorate in electronics."

If this is the case, it would be very sad if they're not able to raise the difference from other sources.

In terms of measuring impact, I wonder if an 'exit interview' with the students with questions about interest and investment in science would be revealing...

~Justin

Tasneem Zahir · Joined: 14 Feb 2005 Last Visit: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 12

Justin,
I think AL would have preferred to receive 6k instead of 3k. However, since we have our financial constraints, I think 50% will be better than 0%. From Rabia Khan's e-mail it seems that they wanted to restructure/expand their electronics club by updating the curriculum and increasing the student number. We are providing them with the funding to buy equipment to update the curriculum. As far as their ability to increase student number goes, I am hoping that our investment will allow them to build electronic kits, models etc (reference Nadia and my conversation with the electronics instructor) to generate cash that can be utilized to buy more equipment, so they can teach more students. Also, as ADP becomes better known in the NGO/donor circles, other associations/individuals may become interested in funding AL's electronics club.
The exit interview idea is really good. I will forward it to AL.
Regards
Tasneem

Justin Stone · Posted: Mon Apr 04, 2005 1:14 pm Post subject:

Thanks. It sounds like the goal of increasing the number students was based on the $8k budget - already not among the options.

What I want to find out is whether they can apply the $3k towards a partial implentation (and if so, does it stand in it's own as a project), or will they be largely on hold until they raise another $3k from elsewhere.
Rabia's e-mail leads me to beleive the latter is true. Is that right?

Thanks,

Justin

Tasneem Zahir · Joined: 14 Feb 2005 Last Visit: 22 Oct 2006 Posts: 12

Justin,
They will not be on hold. As soon as the funds are transferred, they will buy the new equipment and start teaching the updated curriculum. I think the updated curriculum and increase in student no are two mutually exclusive parts of the restructuring/expansion of the AL electronics club project. At our next meeting, I will ask them if there are any possible ways of increasing student numbers with the given resources.
Best Regards
Tasneem

Justin Stone · Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2005 2:46 pm Post subject:

Thanks. Her language was confusing to me. It sounded like they backed off from $8k to $6k to drop the expansion component and focus on improvement. Is it clear what will be the impact of a $3k program, if they don't collect an additional $3k from elsewhere?

~Justin

Adnan Khalid · Posted: Wed Sep 28, 2005 1:51 pm Post subject:

I have uploaded copies of 4 receipts from the equipment purchase for this project on the website on this project's page at http://developpakistan.org/Default.aspx?tabid=64
The files are only visible to members (login required).