Results: Projects in Action

The World Bank has strengthened emphasis on working with government, communities, and other partners to ensure that support benefits Paraguay's overall development.  The following are some examples where assistance has resulted in a positive impact on the ground.

Education | Rural Development |  Transportation | Water and Sanitation 

Education

The Secondary Education Improvement Project (US$24.5 million) sought to improve the  coverage, quality and efficiency of lower secondary education in Paraguay. Besides surpassing the expected 10 percent gain in test scores for mathematics, the progression rate of students moving from grade 7 to grade 8 increased from 82 percent in 1995 to 94 percent in 1999, and the share of students repeating grade 7 declined from 2.4 percent in 1999 to 1.3 percent in 2001.The project also supported the free provision of 1.67 million textbooks for all grade 7-9 students in mathematics, science, Spanish and Guaraní, and social studies. In addition, 29,360 teachers and school directors were trained, and about 2,950 new classrooms were built under the project.

 

Rural Development
When the Land Use Rationalization Project (US$29 million) began, Paraguay did not have a reliable map base of the country.  The aim of the project was to create a geographic information system that could be used by policy makers to survey land use as well as help citizens and farmers manage their property.
As a result, the project developed a modern map system of the Eastern region and lower Chaco using digital aerial photo-based maps, and a computerized system to store, manipulate, and print the digital map base. Paraguay now has one the best geographic information systems in the Western Hemisphere, which is already being used for road design, farm planning, and water management.  

 

Transportation

The Eight Highway Project (US$65 million) supported the improvement of nearly 200 km of key roads linking southern and northern access to Asunción, which significantly reduced congestion and improved safety. The project also contributed to the completion of the Asunción Transportation Master Plan for the next 20 years, and to the final designs to improve drainage conditions along the Ytay and Lambaré creeks. In addition, the Ministry of Public Works and Communications strengthened its managerial capacity and incorporated an environmental awareness unit.

 

Water and Sanitation

The Third Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project (US$23 million) improved rural health and productivity by expanding the provision of water and sanitation services to rural populations, particularly of women and children. The project supported the construction of 181 water systems that now provide chlorinated water through house connections and public stand posts, and the distribution of 3,500 latrine slabs.

Overall, the project benefited about 265,000 rural people, including dispersed rural inhabitants and indigenous settlements. Improvement in health status arising from reduction of intestinal disease morbidity lessened the prevalence of infant mortality in rural areas.

For more information on World Bank assistance to Paraguay, including lending breakdown and project reports, see:
Proposed Projects 

All Projects

 

 

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