Midterm
Lafaek learning media
The Lafeak Learning Media project puts local language, age-appropriate learning materials into the hands of children, parents, caregivers, and teachers in schools and households across Timor-Leste, with over 1 million magazines currently distributed nationwide each year and more than 6.5 million magazines distributed between 2007 and 2020. Read More...
RANO WASH Rural Access to New Opportunities in Water, Sanitation, And Hygiene Mid-Term Review Report
The $33 million USAID-funded Rural Access to New Opportunities in Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (RANO WASH) program seeks to increase equitable and sustainable access to WASH services to maximize impact on human health and nutrition and preserve the environment in 250 rural communes of Alaotra Mangoro, Amoron'i Mania, Atsinanana, Haute Matsiatra, Vakinankaratra, and Vatovavy Fitovinany regions of Madagascar. RANO WASH has three strategic objectives:
1) To support governance and monitoring at national, regional, and communal levels for sustainable WASH services;
2) To increase access to water and sanitation supply through supporting private sector capacity and public-private partnerships for sustainable water and sanitation supply across several regions in Madagascar; and
3) To increase good hygiene and sanitation behaviors by identifying and addressing multiple behavioral determinants.
The project was designed using the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) Collaborative Behaviors and is guided by a system strengthening approach that establishes the building blocks for sustainable delivery of WASH services. This report presents findings from the midterm review, which evaluated the project's performance from 2018 to 2020 across five criteria, benchmarked progress and contribution towards WASH building blocks, and assessed the effectiveness of the consortium team. Read More...
1) To support governance and monitoring at national, regional, and communal levels for sustainable WASH services;
2) To increase access to water and sanitation supply through supporting private sector capacity and public-private partnerships for sustainable water and sanitation supply across several regions in Madagascar; and
3) To increase good hygiene and sanitation behaviors by identifying and addressing multiple behavioral determinants.
The project was designed using the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) Collaborative Behaviors and is guided by a system strengthening approach that establishes the building blocks for sustainable delivery of WASH services. This report presents findings from the midterm review, which evaluated the project's performance from 2018 to 2020 across five criteria, benchmarked progress and contribution towards WASH building blocks, and assessed the effectiveness of the consortium team. Read More...
Impact Evaluation of the G-SAM Project in Ghana: Midline Report
USAID/Ghana’s Strengthening Accountability Mechanisms program (G-SAM) focuses on the district level of governance in Ghana, the Metropolitan, Municipal, or District Assemblies (MMDAs) democratically elected by residents. The following two activities are currently ongoing:
• Performance audits: The central government collects revenue and shares it with MMDA governments based on a revenue sharing formula. Prior to G-SAM, the Ghana Audit Service (GAS) conducted only a financial audit to ensure that this money was properly spent. Over the course of 2015 and with G-SAM funding, the GAS engaged in performance audits of 50 districts. In these audits the auditors went well beyond checking for receipts for purchases to assess the nature of project planning and contracting, the quality of service delivery outcomes and development
project outputs. This information has been used to develop citizen scorecards that were presented at district assemblies in April and May 2016; the scorecards are now being presented and discussed in public forums across the 50 districts.
• Civil society-led information campaign: Citizens struggle to hold their MMDA officials accountable, partially because they have very limited information about MMDA-level government budgets and activities. As such, a civil society-led effort under contract to CARE International and a coalition of Ghanaian CSOs has been conducting social audits on district capital projects and education and health service quality. This information will be used to develop citizen scorecards that will be presented and discussed in public forums over the course of the summer of 2016.
THE MIDLINE RESEARCH DESIGN
The G-SAM research design involves random assignment of 150 districts into one of three groups: a treatment group that has now received central government performance audits; a second treatment group that is now receiving civil-society led social audit; or a control group that will not receive either intervention. Given delays in the civil society organization (CSO)-led programming, this midline report only covers the 50 GAS performance audit districts and the 50 control districts. Moreover, while the baseline report provided data on citizen attitudes toward district governance and capital projects, the midline was carried out before any of the major citizen outreach efforts that will occur in both treatment arms in Summer 2016. The data collection only occurred among district administrators and politicians with the goal of determining if the GAS audits unto themselves, and without any significant citizen outreach, have had any effect on the planning, contracting and implementation of district capital projects.
Read More...
• Performance audits: The central government collects revenue and shares it with MMDA governments based on a revenue sharing formula. Prior to G-SAM, the Ghana Audit Service (GAS) conducted only a financial audit to ensure that this money was properly spent. Over the course of 2015 and with G-SAM funding, the GAS engaged in performance audits of 50 districts. In these audits the auditors went well beyond checking for receipts for purchases to assess the nature of project planning and contracting, the quality of service delivery outcomes and development
project outputs. This information has been used to develop citizen scorecards that were presented at district assemblies in April and May 2016; the scorecards are now being presented and discussed in public forums across the 50 districts.
• Civil society-led information campaign: Citizens struggle to hold their MMDA officials accountable, partially because they have very limited information about MMDA-level government budgets and activities. As such, a civil society-led effort under contract to CARE International and a coalition of Ghanaian CSOs has been conducting social audits on district capital projects and education and health service quality. This information will be used to develop citizen scorecards that will be presented and discussed in public forums over the course of the summer of 2016.
THE MIDLINE RESEARCH DESIGN
The G-SAM research design involves random assignment of 150 districts into one of three groups: a treatment group that has now received central government performance audits; a second treatment group that is now receiving civil-society led social audit; or a control group that will not receive either intervention. Given delays in the civil society organization (CSO)-led programming, this midline report only covers the 50 GAS performance audit districts and the 50 control districts. Moreover, while the baseline report provided data on citizen attitudes toward district governance and capital projects, the midline was carried out before any of the major citizen outreach efforts that will occur in both treatment arms in Summer 2016. The data collection only occurred among district administrators and politicians with the goal of determining if the GAS audits unto themselves, and without any significant citizen outreach, have had any effect on the planning, contracting and implementation of district capital projects.
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ASHAR Alo Project (Action for Supporting the Host Communities: Adaptation and Resilience)
ASHAR Alo (Action for Supporting the Host Communities: Adaptation and Resilience), meaning ‘Light of Hope’ in Bangla.
The project activities are focused on Jaliyapalong, Haldiapalang,Ratna Palong, PalongKhali union of Ukhiya Upzila and Dakshin Mithachari and Chakmarkul union of Ramu Upazila. CARE aims to strengthen host communities' resilience by enhancing community-based disaster risk reduction (DRR), upgrading infrastructure, and providing livelihoods opportunities across shelter, settlement, and WASH sectors. The project also responds to the urgent protection and gender-based violence needs in the host community. Activities are being undertaken in collaboration with government and community stakeholders and UN and NGO actors.
Cox’s Bazar is amongst the poorest districts of Bangladesh. In Ukhia, 33% of people live below the poverty line, and 17% below extreme poverty. This is linked to the region's poor land quality and high risk of natural disaster. Since the Myanmar refugee influx in the fall of 2017, over 902,984 refugees or 201,150 households (HH)s have settled in Ukhiya, and Teknaf.1 Despite limited resources, the local host community population welcomed the arriving refugees during the fall of 2017, sharing food, shelter, and supplies. However, the refugees’ extended presence has strained the community’s already scarce resources. Within the sub-region, Ukhia and Teknaf have been particularly affected, with 336,000 residents directly impacted by the refugee influx,2 leading to a deterioration of relations between these host community members and the refugees.
The region is highly prone to natural disasters; it experiences regular cyclones, floods, and landslides with triple global average precipitation3. Both individual homes and community shelters are weak and in disrepair. Over 40% of households do not meet Sphere standards; they are overcrowded, fragile and highly susceptible to damage and destruction by strong winds, rain, and flooding4. Land degradation, including the daily removal of over 700 metric tons of firewood from the area, has led to a loss of topsoil, coupled with the heightened risk of flash flooding, which has increased the potential destruction5. The accumulation of improperly disposed waste and poor pre-existing drainage systems aggravate these risks and increase the likelihood of damage to host communities6. Furthermore, community response plans and structures are ill-equipped to safeguard or offer substantive protection. [19 pages] Read More...
The project activities are focused on Jaliyapalong, Haldiapalang,Ratna Palong, PalongKhali union of Ukhiya Upzila and Dakshin Mithachari and Chakmarkul union of Ramu Upazila. CARE aims to strengthen host communities' resilience by enhancing community-based disaster risk reduction (DRR), upgrading infrastructure, and providing livelihoods opportunities across shelter, settlement, and WASH sectors. The project also responds to the urgent protection and gender-based violence needs in the host community. Activities are being undertaken in collaboration with government and community stakeholders and UN and NGO actors.
Cox’s Bazar is amongst the poorest districts of Bangladesh. In Ukhia, 33% of people live below the poverty line, and 17% below extreme poverty. This is linked to the region's poor land quality and high risk of natural disaster. Since the Myanmar refugee influx in the fall of 2017, over 902,984 refugees or 201,150 households (HH)s have settled in Ukhiya, and Teknaf.1 Despite limited resources, the local host community population welcomed the arriving refugees during the fall of 2017, sharing food, shelter, and supplies. However, the refugees’ extended presence has strained the community’s already scarce resources. Within the sub-region, Ukhia and Teknaf have been particularly affected, with 336,000 residents directly impacted by the refugee influx,2 leading to a deterioration of relations between these host community members and the refugees.
The region is highly prone to natural disasters; it experiences regular cyclones, floods, and landslides with triple global average precipitation3. Both individual homes and community shelters are weak and in disrepair. Over 40% of households do not meet Sphere standards; they are overcrowded, fragile and highly susceptible to damage and destruction by strong winds, rain, and flooding4. Land degradation, including the daily removal of over 700 metric tons of firewood from the area, has led to a loss of topsoil, coupled with the heightened risk of flash flooding, which has increased the potential destruction5. The accumulation of improperly disposed waste and poor pre-existing drainage systems aggravate these risks and increase the likelihood of damage to host communities6. Furthermore, community response plans and structures are ill-equipped to safeguard or offer substantive protection. [19 pages] Read More...
Regional project FAIR III “ For Active Inclusion & Rights of Roma Women in the Western Balkans III”
This intervention builds on extensive CARE’s expertise and experience in facilitating process related to women’s empowerment and gender equality across the globe and in the Balkan region. It also intends to scale up approaches and models that have proven successful over the last six years of the FAIR projects’ implementation (FAIR and FAIR II). The project seeks to empower Roma women and girls to be free and able to exercise their rights to live a healthy, dignified life free from violence, inequality and discrimination with support from their partners, families and communities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro. This will be accomplished through four output level results that need to be met for the longer-term changes to happen, they are inter-connected and mutually reinforcing since only in that way the outcome can be accomplished.
The first one (Output 1) refers to the enhanced capacities of Roma CSOs, youth and key community actors to practice and promote gender equitable, healthy and non-violent lifestyle with help of tested models and approaches. Under the second expected result (Output 2) Improved access to and provision of services for Roma, Egyptian (RE) women and girls (in particular on SRMH, GBV and Education) will be ensured through strengthening of the Roma CSOs and the existing participatory accountability community mechanisms. Output 3will enable three national-level Roma women networks to be active and contribute to the effective functioning of the regional Roma Women Balkans Network and its enhanced efforts towards Post 2020 EU Roma Integration Agenda. In the last expected result (Output 4), Roma women and girls, CSOs and Networks are part of the regional and global social movement initiatives promoting and advocating for gender equality and (minority) women’s rights. The project will directly target 26,150 people in total –aiming at 85% Roma and over 60% women and girls. Data collection under this project will be disaggregated by sex, age and ethnicity, whenever possible. Over20,000 people are expected to be reached in the three target countries through a series of promotional activities. Final Beneficiaries will include about 78,000 people in the 3 target countries based on the assumption that each target group person will reach out to at least 3 persons in his/her direct environment. [13 pages] Read More...
The first one (Output 1) refers to the enhanced capacities of Roma CSOs, youth and key community actors to practice and promote gender equitable, healthy and non-violent lifestyle with help of tested models and approaches. Under the second expected result (Output 2) Improved access to and provision of services for Roma, Egyptian (RE) women and girls (in particular on SRMH, GBV and Education) will be ensured through strengthening of the Roma CSOs and the existing participatory accountability community mechanisms. Output 3will enable three national-level Roma women networks to be active and contribute to the effective functioning of the regional Roma Women Balkans Network and its enhanced efforts towards Post 2020 EU Roma Integration Agenda. In the last expected result (Output 4), Roma women and girls, CSOs and Networks are part of the regional and global social movement initiatives promoting and advocating for gender equality and (minority) women’s rights. The project will directly target 26,150 people in total –aiming at 85% Roma and over 60% women and girls. Data collection under this project will be disaggregated by sex, age and ethnicity, whenever possible. Over20,000 people are expected to be reached in the three target countries through a series of promotional activities. Final Beneficiaries will include about 78,000 people in the 3 target countries based on the assumption that each target group person will reach out to at least 3 persons in his/her direct environment. [13 pages] Read More...
McGovern-Dole Food Fore Education Program HATUTAN – Midline Evaluation
The HATUTAN program (Hahán ne’ebé Atu fó Tulun ho Nutrisaun no Edukasaun or Food to Support Nutrition and Education) is a five-year initiative to build a partnership between schools and communities in order to improve literacy, learning, healthy, and nutrition for children and adults in Timor-Leste. The program works in partnership with the Government of Timor-Leste and development stakeholders to address two strategic objectives: improved literacy of school-aged children and increased use of health, nutrition, and dietary practices. The HATUTAN program is funded by the U.S. government through the Foreign Agricultural Service of the United States Department of Agriculture under the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program. The program is implemented by a consortium led by CARE International with Mercy Corps and WaterAid. The lead Timorese government partner is the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, Ministry of State Administration, and Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
To achieve these objectives, the program supports, among a variety of activities, the Government of Timor-Leste’s school feeding program (SFP) to fully operate in all basic education and preschools throughout the school year. Key project activities include strengthening and supplementing the government-sponsored SFP and building school capacity through trainings for teachers and administrators and provision of resource materials. Additionally, the HATUTAN program seeks to support farmers to boost the production of local produce to increase yields and help create sustainable sources of nutritious food for local schools. In addition to activities related to literacy and SFPs, HATUTAN seeks to conduct trainings related to nutrition, health, and other topics, and to promote gender equality and the reduction of gender-based violence.
This report presents the midline evaluation of the HATUTAN program, which began in early 2019. It is important to note that restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have had a substantial impact on program activities and target outputs and outcomes. In March 2020, HATUTAN field activities were halted, field offices were temporarily closed, and staff began to work from home due to a State of Emergency issued by the Government of Timor-Leste. This State of Emergency remains in effect to date, with varying levels of restriction on school activities, movement, and group gatherings. As a result, the HATUTAN program is behind schedule in terms of some major deliverables due to COVID-19. Read More...
To achieve these objectives, the program supports, among a variety of activities, the Government of Timor-Leste’s school feeding program (SFP) to fully operate in all basic education and preschools throughout the school year. Key project activities include strengthening and supplementing the government-sponsored SFP and building school capacity through trainings for teachers and administrators and provision of resource materials. Additionally, the HATUTAN program seeks to support farmers to boost the production of local produce to increase yields and help create sustainable sources of nutritious food for local schools. In addition to activities related to literacy and SFPs, HATUTAN seeks to conduct trainings related to nutrition, health, and other topics, and to promote gender equality and the reduction of gender-based violence.
This report presents the midline evaluation of the HATUTAN program, which began in early 2019. It is important to note that restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic have had a substantial impact on program activities and target outputs and outcomes. In March 2020, HATUTAN field activities were halted, field offices were temporarily closed, and staff began to work from home due to a State of Emergency issued by the Government of Timor-Leste. This State of Emergency remains in effect to date, with varying levels of restriction on school activities, movement, and group gatherings. As a result, the HATUTAN program is behind schedule in terms of some major deliverables due to COVID-19. Read More...
Evaluation a mi-parcours du Programme d’Amenagement du Delta Interieur du Niger (PADIN-II)
The Development Program of the Inner Niger Delta (PADIN-II) is the result of a request from the National Directorate of Rural Engineering (DNGR, for the Ministry of Agriculture) to respond to the planning guidelines of the Program. of Sustainable Development of the Inner Niger Delta (PDD-DIN). PADIN-II is designed by the NGO CARE and the DNGR, with the involvement of members of the Regional Committee for the Orientation, Coordination and Monitoring of Development Actions (CROCSAD) of the Mopti Region. This five-year program (2013-18) is funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands in Bamako. CARE-Mali is implementing it in 24 Communes in the Mopti Region. It is preceded by PADIN-I (2011-13) and the Food Security through Promotion of Irrigation project (SAPI 2007-11), for which CARE was also responsible. PADIN is therefore part of a history of the development and management of wetlands in the Mopti region. The report is 85 pages long. Read More...
Projet Ulu Gnala Se Toliya “Bonne Nutrition des Enfants Maintenant” Midterm Report
Le projet Bonne nutrition des enfants maintenant, qui vise à réduire les causes sociales de la malnutrition, est cofinancé par la Commission de l’Union Européenne et CARE. Il est mis en œuvre depuis mars 2008 dans 97 villages de quatre (4) communes rurales du cercle de Bandiagara sur le plateau dogon, au Mali. Il s’agit des communes de Bara sara, Djamnati, Dourou et Kendié. The report is 44 pages long. Read More...
Integrated GBV prevention and response to the emergency needs of newly displaced women, men, girls, and boys in Borno State, North-East Nigeria Midterm
Currently, 41 sites across 11 LGAs in Borno are in ‘high congestion’ status with 285,000 individuals above camp capacity resulting in the majority of individuals having no access to shelter and being forced to sleep in overcrowded shelters or outside. The provision of life-saving assistance to the most vulnerable persons of concern is hampered by a continuous unfavorable environment marked by conflict-induced insecurity and protracted displacement. Limited access to adequate services, particularly in newly accessible areas, continues to exacerbate protection risks to the affected population. The ECHO-GBV project is an 18 months’ project funded by ECHO being implemented in Bama and Ngala LGAs of Borno state to provide lifesaving GBV prevention and response services to newly displaced women, girls, boys and men and vulnerable host community members. The intended use of this evaluation is to: assess the performance of project indicators against set objectives, goals and targets, review Programme strategy and methods and inform learning; hence, the primary target of this report is the ECHO participants as well as staff [24 pages]. Read More...
Economic Strengthening for a Sustainable Return to Kosovo Midterm Report
Provision to the improvement of living conditions of IDPs and returnees from readmission process in Serbia and support to the sustainable return to Kosovo/Economic Strengthening for a Sustainable Return to Kosovo
The project “Economic Strengthening for a Sustainable Return to Kosovo”, being implemented over a period of 24 months, from July 11, 2018 to July 11, 2020. It is funded by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia and implemented in Serbia, specifically South Serbia, Pcinja District, the City of Vranje, and municipalities Vladicin Han, Surdulica, Bosilegrad, Trgoviste, Bujanovac and Presevo, by CARE and local CSO Nexus as a project partner, and municipality of Vranje, as the supporting project partner.
The overall goal of the project is to enable IDPs and returnees from the readmission process to exercise their full rights, supported by enabling migration policies and processes in Republic of Serbia. This wider impact is planned to be achieved through reaching the specific objective - to support the sustainable process of return to Kosovo, for IDPs and readmissions - persons returned to Republic of Serbia according to the Readmission Agreement in the process of reintegration. The Action was envisaged to provide actions to support a sustainable return of beneficiaries interested to move their households and businesses to Kosovo*. As the narrative interim report demonstrated, there were some alterations in the setup of the project as a result of external political circumstances, which influenced these activities.
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The project “Economic Strengthening for a Sustainable Return to Kosovo”, being implemented over a period of 24 months, from July 11, 2018 to July 11, 2020. It is funded by the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia and implemented in Serbia, specifically South Serbia, Pcinja District, the City of Vranje, and municipalities Vladicin Han, Surdulica, Bosilegrad, Trgoviste, Bujanovac and Presevo, by CARE and local CSO Nexus as a project partner, and municipality of Vranje, as the supporting project partner.
The overall goal of the project is to enable IDPs and returnees from the readmission process to exercise their full rights, supported by enabling migration policies and processes in Republic of Serbia. This wider impact is planned to be achieved through reaching the specific objective - to support the sustainable process of return to Kosovo, for IDPs and readmissions - persons returned to Republic of Serbia according to the Readmission Agreement in the process of reintegration. The Action was envisaged to provide actions to support a sustainable return of beneficiaries interested to move their households and businesses to Kosovo*. As the narrative interim report demonstrated, there were some alterations in the setup of the project as a result of external political circumstances, which influenced these activities.
Read More...