Somalia
Somali Girls Education Promotion Program Transition (SOMGEP-T) Midline
Despite ongoing efforts, learning outcomes in Somalia remain among the lowest in the region, particularly for girls. Boys and girls contend with different gender and social norms that tend to undermine their ability to stay in school, study and advance from grade to grade. Girls in Somalia are living in an environment undergoing deep transitions in social and gender norms, where traditional norms expecting women to primarily care for children in the home and assume responsibility for household tasks, and placing little value or emphasis on education for women coexist with new roles for women as entrepreneurs, heads of household and main breadwinners at home, thus increasing demand on girls’ education. Since the time of the baseline, rural-rural migration has increased, predominantly as a result of economic hardship that has persisted among households that have been most heavily affected by drought. At the level of national government, MoE personnel tend to change frequently, leading to lack of continuity over time, but there is also increased funding for educational initiatives. It is in this context that CARE International launched SOMGEP and, following its successful completion, continued its programming through Somali Girls’ Education Promotion Project – Transition (SOMGEP-T). The project, which began on May 1 2017 and is expected to close on October 31 2021, builds on evidence from SOMGEP and seeks to further address barriers and challenges Somali girls face related to attendance and learning outcomes. At proposal stage, the project was expected to reach a total of 27,146 marginalised girls; calculations based on up to date enrolment data indicate that the project is estimated to reach 27,722 in-school girls across 148 primary schools and 53 secondary schools in 22 target districts in Somaliland, Puntland, and Galmudug, as well as 5,140 out-of-school girls in the same locations.
SOMGEP-T aims to bring about sustainable improvements to the learning and transition outcomes of marginalised Somali girls. To address barriers and the causes of marginalisation, the SOMGEP-T Theory of Change (ToC) focuses on four key outputs: (1) Improved access to post-primary options, (2) Supportive school practices and conditions for marginalised girls, (3) Positive shifts on gender and social norms at community and individual girl level, and (4) Enhanced MoEs’ capacity to deliver quality and relevant formal and informal education. Outputs are expected to contribute to the achievement of the project’s four intermediate outcomes of attendance, retention, improved quality of teaching, and life skills development, which will in turn contribute to the long-term goals of improving learning outcomes, boosting transition rates, and ensuring the sustainability of changes brought about by the project.
The SOMGEP-T evaluation uses a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design, involving a longitudinal panel of girls with a non-randomly assigned comparison group. The present study describes the results after four months of exposure to the intervention for in-school girls and presents the baseline findings for girls attending an alternative learning program (ALP). The midline sample comprises 63 schools, with 32 intervention schools and 31 comparison schools, plus 32 ALP sites (17 shared with the midline sample, 15 unique to the ALP sample). The primary findings from the evaluation are summarised below. Read More...
SOMGEP-T aims to bring about sustainable improvements to the learning and transition outcomes of marginalised Somali girls. To address barriers and the causes of marginalisation, the SOMGEP-T Theory of Change (ToC) focuses on four key outputs: (1) Improved access to post-primary options, (2) Supportive school practices and conditions for marginalised girls, (3) Positive shifts on gender and social norms at community and individual girl level, and (4) Enhanced MoEs’ capacity to deliver quality and relevant formal and informal education. Outputs are expected to contribute to the achievement of the project’s four intermediate outcomes of attendance, retention, improved quality of teaching, and life skills development, which will in turn contribute to the long-term goals of improving learning outcomes, boosting transition rates, and ensuring the sustainability of changes brought about by the project.
The SOMGEP-T evaluation uses a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design, involving a longitudinal panel of girls with a non-randomly assigned comparison group. The present study describes the results after four months of exposure to the intervention for in-school girls and presents the baseline findings for girls attending an alternative learning program (ALP). The midline sample comprises 63 schools, with 32 intervention schools and 31 comparison schools, plus 32 ALP sites (17 shared with the midline sample, 15 unique to the ALP sample). The primary findings from the evaluation are summarised below. Read More...
Somali Girls Education Promotion Project Transition (SOMGEP-T) Endline Evaluation
The Somali Girls’ Education Promotion Project – Transition (SOMGEP-T), funded by UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and USAID, was implemented from 2017-2022 in rural and remote areas of Somaliland, Puntland, and Galmudug, reaching an estimated 20,000 girls and 10,000 boys directly and another 20,000 students through indirect benefits. The implementation of SOMGEP-T followed on the successes of SOMGEP (2013-17, funded by FCDO), with a particular focus on enhancing learning outcomes and transition rates for marginalised adolescent girls. SOMGEP-T was implemented by a consortium formed by CARE International, ADRA, local women’s rights network NAGAAD, and local non-governmental organisations HAVOYOCO (a youth-led committee) and TASS. The project’s activities were conducted in close collaboration with state- and national-level Ministries of Education, responding to priority areas identified in state and Federal-level sector development plans.
SOMGEP-T used a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design for impact measurement. The endline evaluation sample included 69 primary schools, split between 37 intervention and 32 comparison schools. Additionally, a pre-post evaluation design was used to assess progress on accelerated education programming. Data collection took place in an additional 32 Alternative Learning Programme (ALP) centres and 35 Accelerated Basic Education (ABE) centres, which are located in the same communities as SOMGEP-T intervention schools. In total, the endline sample included 1,802 girls and their households, 965 of whom were re-contacted from the baseline and interviewed successfully. The endline data collection took place in December 2021.
Learning
A few key findings emerged from the learning analysis. Firstly, although improvements were observed in numeracy, Somali literacy, English literacy, and financial literacy amongst girls in intervention schools, these improvements were also simultaneously observed in girls in comparison schools. Secondly, learning improvements occurred largely within the first two years of the programme, prior to the ML2 evaluation – a finding which can largely be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting long-running school closures that occurred between the ML2 and endline evaluations.
At the endline, it became evident that SOMGEP-T had a much larger impact on learning among a few specific groups of ultra-marginalised girls, especially those marginalised along multiple overlapping axes, such as girls from relatively poor or pastoralist households who were out-of-school at the baseline, girls with physical disabilities, and the lowest-performing students at the baseline. For instance, girls from pastoralist households who were out-of-school at baseline gained an average of 10.8 percentage points in Somali literacy, over and above the comparison group. A similar, but less stark, pattern was observed in average numeracy scores (3.9 percentage points over and above the comparison group). In both cases gains among this subgroup were larger than among other out-of-school girls or pastoralist girls who were already in school when the programme started. Read More...
SOMGEP-T used a mixed-methods, quasi-experimental design for impact measurement. The endline evaluation sample included 69 primary schools, split between 37 intervention and 32 comparison schools. Additionally, a pre-post evaluation design was used to assess progress on accelerated education programming. Data collection took place in an additional 32 Alternative Learning Programme (ALP) centres and 35 Accelerated Basic Education (ABE) centres, which are located in the same communities as SOMGEP-T intervention schools. In total, the endline sample included 1,802 girls and their households, 965 of whom were re-contacted from the baseline and interviewed successfully. The endline data collection took place in December 2021.
Learning
A few key findings emerged from the learning analysis. Firstly, although improvements were observed in numeracy, Somali literacy, English literacy, and financial literacy amongst girls in intervention schools, these improvements were also simultaneously observed in girls in comparison schools. Secondly, learning improvements occurred largely within the first two years of the programme, prior to the ML2 evaluation – a finding which can largely be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting long-running school closures that occurred between the ML2 and endline evaluations.
At the endline, it became evident that SOMGEP-T had a much larger impact on learning among a few specific groups of ultra-marginalised girls, especially those marginalised along multiple overlapping axes, such as girls from relatively poor or pastoralist households who were out-of-school at the baseline, girls with physical disabilities, and the lowest-performing students at the baseline. For instance, girls from pastoralist households who were out-of-school at baseline gained an average of 10.8 percentage points in Somali literacy, over and above the comparison group. A similar, but less stark, pattern was observed in average numeracy scores (3.9 percentage points over and above the comparison group). In both cases gains among this subgroup were larger than among other out-of-school girls or pastoralist girls who were already in school when the programme started. Read More...
SOMALI RELIEF AND RECOVERY PROGRAM-SRRP
Due to repeated climate shocks, continued conflict, and protracted displacement mean that Somalia remains one of the most prolonged humanitarian crises in the world. Over 4.2 million people, including 2.5 million children are estimated to need humanitarian assistance and protection in 2019. Significant displacement and destitution driven by the 2016/17 drought and protracted conflict have left more than 1.5 million people across Somalia facing acute food insecurity through June 2019 with 903,100 children under the age of five are likely to be malnourished in 2019 including 138,200 who are likely to be severely malnourished. Women and children like in many other instances of conflicts represented the majority of the 2.6 million people displaced across the country.
The Somalia Relief and Recovery Project-SRRP's main goal was to address the most urgent and basic needs of drought-affected communities in Bari, Galgaduud, Lower Juba, Mudug, Sanaag, Hiraan, and Sool regions that have been severely affected by the recurrent drought crisis. In particular, the project aimed to improve access to safe water and hygiene in drought-affected communities, provide temporary employment opportunities, deliver treatment services for acutely malnourished children and pregnant and lactating women, provide basic health services, and protection services. The project also aimed at improving coordination through the Somalia NGO consortium to a concert and coordinate efforts to adequately address the recurrent humanitarian challenges in Somalia. Read More...
The Somalia Relief and Recovery Project-SRRP's main goal was to address the most urgent and basic needs of drought-affected communities in Bari, Galgaduud, Lower Juba, Mudug, Sanaag, Hiraan, and Sool regions that have been severely affected by the recurrent drought crisis. In particular, the project aimed to improve access to safe water and hygiene in drought-affected communities, provide temporary employment opportunities, deliver treatment services for acutely malnourished children and pregnant and lactating women, provide basic health services, and protection services. The project also aimed at improving coordination through the Somalia NGO consortium to a concert and coordinate efforts to adequately address the recurrent humanitarian challenges in Somalia. Read More...
END LINE REVIEW FOR HBCC PROJECT: INCLUSIVE COMMUNITIES: CHANGING BEHAVIORS TO RESPOND TO COVID-19
The end-line survey was commissioned by CARE International in Somalia to assess the overall change outcomes of the COVID-19 Hygiene Behavior Change Campaign as per the project’s theory of change and to identify key lessons learned for the campaign that could inform future strategies. The project was implemented through an extensive mass media, digital and interpersonal hygiene promotion information, and messaging campaign in communities and institutions supported by the provision of water supply and handwashing kits and infrastructure as well as provision of relevant Personal Protective Equipment-PPE, as per the context. Read More...
EMERGENCY FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM-EFSP II
This end-of-project evaluation study was carried out between August and September 2021. The overall purpose of the evaluation was to assess the extent to which the program had achieved its strategic objective of improved food security for drought-affected households in the target locations. This included the use of the OECD- DAC criteria, more specifically Relevance and Appropriateness, Efficiency and Effectiveness as well as the project’s impact on the community. Read More...
Somalia Resilience Program (SomRep) Endline Assessment
The Somalia Resilience Program (SomReP) is intended to enhance the resilience of vulnerable households and communities in Southern Somalia against cyclical shocks and stressors. SomReP is a consortium of seven international non-governmental organisations (INGOs). The program’s activities focus on improving livelihoods and increasing adaptive capacities of communities and households in Somalia.
On behalf of SomReP, Forcier Consulting is conducting Third Party Monitoring (TPM) of the program in two districts in South Central Somalia: Baidoa, Bay Region and Afgooye, Lower Shabelle Region. This document represents the initial main findings of the end line of the TPM. The end line report will report trends in program results after the program’s completion. Further, the status of the indicators will be compared to the baseline and midline values.
The data collection for this midline study was collected in August 2019. All data was collected, cleaned, and analysed by Forcier Consulting. Analyses compare midline and baseline data to end line results to identify trends among the results. This report follows the structure of the midline and baseline assessments, which was conducted by Forcier Consulting in 2017 and 2018.
A total of 1,590 program beneficiaries were surveyed, including 58% female and 42% male respondents. Respondents were sampled in urban/peri-urban, pastoral, agro-pastoral, and IDP livelihood zones. The vast majority of respondents were household heads, with an average age of 37 years. A large majority of participants had attended madrasa only (70%), and the average household size was 4.3 members.
Overall, the findings are positive for many program areas, however conditions varied over the period of the study; there was some recovery from the very severe 2016/2017 drought in 2018, but deterioration into 2019. These poor conditions created challenges for program beneficiaries. As a result, the analyses in the end line study show some mixed results. One limitation of the study is that the negative effects of the drought cannot be differentiated from the positive effects of the program. Read More...
On behalf of SomReP, Forcier Consulting is conducting Third Party Monitoring (TPM) of the program in two districts in South Central Somalia: Baidoa, Bay Region and Afgooye, Lower Shabelle Region. This document represents the initial main findings of the end line of the TPM. The end line report will report trends in program results after the program’s completion. Further, the status of the indicators will be compared to the baseline and midline values.
The data collection for this midline study was collected in August 2019. All data was collected, cleaned, and analysed by Forcier Consulting. Analyses compare midline and baseline data to end line results to identify trends among the results. This report follows the structure of the midline and baseline assessments, which was conducted by Forcier Consulting in 2017 and 2018.
A total of 1,590 program beneficiaries were surveyed, including 58% female and 42% male respondents. Respondents were sampled in urban/peri-urban, pastoral, agro-pastoral, and IDP livelihood zones. The vast majority of respondents were household heads, with an average age of 37 years. A large majority of participants had attended madrasa only (70%), and the average household size was 4.3 members.
Overall, the findings are positive for many program areas, however conditions varied over the period of the study; there was some recovery from the very severe 2016/2017 drought in 2018, but deterioration into 2019. These poor conditions created challenges for program beneficiaries. As a result, the analyses in the end line study show some mixed results. One limitation of the study is that the negative effects of the drought cannot be differentiated from the positive effects of the program. Read More...
Endline Evaluation: Every Voice Counts Somalia
Overall, we have found that the EVC program has made progress toward its goal of making governance processes in fragile settings more inclusive and effective. Using a mixed methods approach consisting of extensive desk review and qualitative and quantitative data collection, we evaluated the effectiveness, impact, efficiency, relevance, and sustainability of the EVC program in relation to the project. Community members (both male and female youth and adults) in Puntland and South West State were given telephonic perceptions surveys in order to understand how their perceptions of the role of women and youth in governance, awareness of their rights, and transparency and accountability of authorities had changed over the course of the project. Respondents were also asked open ended questions to gain a deeper understanding of how the EVC project contributed to the outcomes outlined in the theory of change. Remote KIIs with local authorities, first and second tier CSO members, CARE Somalia and Nederland project staff, Ministry Officials in Puntland and South West State, and other CARE partner organizations (RNW media and the Hague Academy for Inclusive Governance) were also conducted. The evaluation took place from April – October 2020.
Overall, we found that progress has been made in relation to all of the outcomes outlined in the ToC, particularly with regard to the outcomes under Domain 2: Capable Civil Society Organizations and Domain 4: Effective Spaces for Dialogue and Negotiation. [97 pages] Read More...
Overall, we found that progress has been made in relation to all of the outcomes outlined in the ToC, particularly with regard to the outcomes under Domain 2: Capable Civil Society Organizations and Domain 4: Effective Spaces for Dialogue and Negotiation. [97 pages] Read More...
Galdogob and Bursalah Stabilization and Economic Development Initiative
Through the project activities mainly VSLAs, vocational training and infrastructure projects, beneficiaries in the project location of Galdogob and Bursallah have realized improved access to financial services (savings and loans) as well as improved livelihood opportunities especially for vulnerable groups in the community mainly the youth and female members of the community.
Through successfully facilitating dialogue between communities from Galdogob and Bursalah, conducting reconciliations dialogues between clan/tribes, conducting forums for women empowerment and participation in decision-making, engaging youth in peer-to-peer dialogues and peer networks, conducting dialogues between the community and the Puntland Government and conducting talk shows and engaging the media, the project has realized increased collaboration between community members and government in local development and conflict management and also enhanced trust between community and government.
In addition, enhanced civic education-conflict management skills of community members have equipped the community with the necessary skills to address conflicts between clans in Galdogob and Bursalah while installation of solar street lights Galdogob/ Bursalah and construction and equipping of Galdogob police station were identified as important connectors between community members as well as between community members and the government through ensuring common use of resources and improving governance outcomes such as safety and security, trust and access to services. [37 pages] Read More...
Through successfully facilitating dialogue between communities from Galdogob and Bursalah, conducting reconciliations dialogues between clan/tribes, conducting forums for women empowerment and participation in decision-making, engaging youth in peer-to-peer dialogues and peer networks, conducting dialogues between the community and the Puntland Government and conducting talk shows and engaging the media, the project has realized increased collaboration between community members and government in local development and conflict management and also enhanced trust between community and government.
In addition, enhanced civic education-conflict management skills of community members have equipped the community with the necessary skills to address conflicts between clans in Galdogob and Bursalah while installation of solar street lights Galdogob/ Bursalah and construction and equipping of Galdogob police station were identified as important connectors between community members as well as between community members and the government through ensuring common use of resources and improving governance outcomes such as safety and security, trust and access to services. [37 pages] Read More...
CARESOM RAPID GENDER ANALYSIS AUGUST 2021
This RGA aimed to gather gender-related information especially gender roles, responsibilities, barriers, misconceptions, social norms, policies, and support systems available for survivors of Gender-Based Violence. The analysis covers five geographical areas within Somalia (Somaliland, Puntland, Galmudug, South West and Banadir) comprising 10 regions and 20 districts. This analysis employed both a qualitative and quantitative assessment using desk reviews, household questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions(FGDs), key informant interviews (KIIs), and individual stories. In total, 2,437 households were interviewed (72.5% female and 27.5% male) while 51 FGDs and 26 KIIs were conducted. The assessment was conducted within CARE Somalia Program areas and households were randomly selected while FGDs and KIIs participants were purposively selected based on gender, age, availability, location and knowledge of topics under investigation. Data was collected by 36 enumerators (16 females and 20 males) using KOBO Collect and analysed using SPSS, PowerBI and Excel. The findings have been presented using graphs, tables, maps, descriptive and inferential statistics. Below are the key findings and recommendations from the assessment. [50 Pages] Read More...