USAID’s Serbia Preparedness, Planning, and Economic Security (PPES) was a 5-year, $25 million project implemented to support municipalities in Serbia poorly equipped to handle crises, both human made and natural disasters and address unemployment and economic growth needs, particularly youth unemployment, in South Serbia and Sandzak. IBTCI was selected to provide a final evaluation of the PPES project. Field specialists provided a full review of all relevant documentation, including USAID/Serbia’s project deliverables and strategies, and development partners’ reports. IBTCI additionally conducted key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus groups with USAID staff, Serbian government officials, and various disaster preparedness workers, the youth population, and representatives of small and medium-size businesses. A total of 94 interviews were carried out nationally; an almost 19% sampling. In support of USAID’s youth unemployment and economic growth efforts, IBTCI conducted site visits to sixteen locations across Serbia, where 43 interviews with local businesses were conducted along with seven focus groups to identify attitudes regarding employment and the economy. Additional interviews were conducted in Sandzak with personnel at 12 companies involved in dairy, textiles and food processing. In South Serbia, IBTCI interviewed personnel at 11 companies with a focus on light manufacturing, shoe manufacturing, small-scale agribusiness and dairy industries and conducted one focus group on post PPES economic needs.
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