March 27, 2006

APROSAR Continues to Use the Business Planning Program (BPP)

APROSAR is a community-focused Bolivian NGO that works with indigenous populations. Since it first participated in the BPP pilot in 2002 under the M&L Program, it has written and received funding for nine business plans, with a tenth plan awaiting final approval. As of March 2006, APROSAR has received $149,223 for the nine business plans from Dutch and Belgian donors, Fundación Inter Américana, and Louvain Développement. $120,000 for the tenth business plan is pending approval from the Fundación Altiplano. Funded business plans address various health priorities in the communities APROSAR serves including: extension of primary health care services through a mobile program; improving services provided by community health promoters; equipping an outpatient dental clinic; clean water projects in three municipalities; advanced training for community nurses; and developing human resources for community health programs in Sur Carangas province of the Department of Oruro. APROSAR requires that its staff know the BPP in order to promote new ideas that will strengthen the organization to meet its objective of active community engagement and improving the lives of its target population. APROSAR believes that the BPP methodology meets its needs, providing an alternative for the development of organizational planning processes and creating business plans with high social participation. An APROSAR staff member is a BPP facilitator, having participated in the delivery of the program to Nicaraguan NGOs in 2005. APROSAR is currently training the municipal team of Santuario de Quillacas in the methodology.