Endline Report
SHOUHARDO III Performance and Impact evaluation
This report evaluates the performance of the SHOUHARDO III project, which targets poor households in the char and haor (wetland) areas of Bangladesh and aims to address food and income insecurity, maternal and child health and nutrition, women’s and youth empowerment, as well as improve access to public services while building resilience capacities. This evaluation employs three methodologies: qualitative inquiry, pre-post comparison, and impact evaluation. The impact evaluation matches communities treated by SHOUHARDO III with untreated communities ex-post, using baseline stunting rates from the 2014 DHS dataset. The evaluation finds that the SHOUHARDO III project engaged more than 40% of households surveyed within target villages and successfully targeted poor and female-headed households. The analysis of baseline and endline statuses (pre-post analysis) of households in the SHOUHARDO III-targeted areas demonstrates that households from these areas improved across several indicators, including poverty levels, the nutritional status of women and children, women’s empowerment, and gender equity. From a qualitative standpoint, participants from areas where SHOUHARDO III appeared well-implemented offers insights into the potential of the interventions. The qualitative evaluation found mechanisms of change in several areas that can be built upon and enhanced. Qualitative findings show that the program succeeded in promoting multi-sectoral change at household and community levels. They also show that SHOUHARDO III effectively targeted services to the most food-insecure, Poor and Extremely Poor members of communities, and its multi-generational and gender-inclusive approach to its interventions facilitated community acceptance. From the impact evaluation, it is likely that we can credit SHOUHARDO III with improvements in women’s dietary diversity, women and children’s minimum acceptable diet, antenatal care access, and the increase in participation across several sectors. In addition, households in SHOUHARDO III villages experienced statistically significant differences in one resilience indicator, and households in program villages that experienced major shocks were better able to maintain their food consumption than similar households in comparison villages. However, the impact evaluation does not find meaningful differences between households in targeted communities and households in non-targeted communities in terms of women’s mobility and decision-making, children’s nutritional status (including child stunting and underweight status), children’s diarrhea, exclusive breastfeeding, household hunger, and improved use of health and nutrition services overall. Improvements in mostmeasured conditions in the SHOUHARDO III program areas appear to have been matched by similar improvements in non-program areas, suggesting broader forces may account for them. Ultimately understanding differences between program areas and non-program areas can help inform decisions about future chapters of the SHOUHARDO III program and other development food security programs to ensure the most effective programs for vulnerable populations. Understanding the dynamics and mechanisms of change and responses of participants to interventions can also inform future work. Salient findings are also important to highlight for action. The research team concludes this report with recommendations. Read More...
LIVELIHOODS FOR RESILIENCE ACTIVITY ENDLINE INTERMEDIATE RESULTS (IR) ASSESSMENT
The Feed the Future Ethiopia-Livelihoods for Resilience Activity (L4R) is a 6.5-year USAID project led by CARE, with the goal of improving food security for 97,900 chronically foodinsecure households in multiple Ethiopian regions. It aims to achieve resilient livelihoods through four main objectives. Zerihun Associates was contracted to and conduct an Endline Assessment using mixed methods, and managed data collection of the endline, ensuring quality through rigorous processes. Despite challenges, Zerihun Associates successfully gathered data from 1802 out of 1849 sampled households. However, the study faced limitations due to external factors, seasonal variations, and methodological inconsistencies, potentially impacting findings' comparability. Using both cross-sectional and panel data, the study reveals a mix of success and challenges.
Income
Devaluation of the birr during the project period, combined with rising inflation and cost of inputs, negatively impacted household’s net inflation-adjust income over time. While in unadjusted terms net incomes increased 154%, when adjusted for inflation, net incomes experienced a 19% decline among cross-sectional households from baseline to endline. At endline, there was an increase in the proportion of households earning income from crop and livestock production and transfers and other sources, but a decline in households earning income from off-farm and wage employment, compared to baseline. There was a slight increase in the average number of income sources per
household between baseline and endline (1.5 and 1.7 sources respectively).
Household Assets
The longitudinal analysis of household assets among both cross-sectional and panel data reveals a generally upward trend in overall household asset values and, particularly, in livestock assets over the period from the baseline to the endline. When adjusted for inflation, the overall asset value showed a 43% increase in the cross-sectional data and a 25% increase in the panel data. Livestock assets consistently played a pivotal role in this growth. This rise is particularly notable given the challenging economic conditions, including conflicts.
On-Farm livelihoods
The cross-sectional analysis on household livelihood activities, specifically focusing on Value Chain (VC) engagement, reveals a complex pattern of participation over time. Initially, there was a promising uptick in households engaged in at least one prioritized VC, increasing from 49.5% at baseline to 71.0% in Year 3. This was followed by a decline, reaching 45.9% by the endline. However, there was a slight increase in households engaged in two or more prioritized value chains between baseline and endline, increasing from 38% to 40%. Read More...
Income
Devaluation of the birr during the project period, combined with rising inflation and cost of inputs, negatively impacted household’s net inflation-adjust income over time. While in unadjusted terms net incomes increased 154%, when adjusted for inflation, net incomes experienced a 19% decline among cross-sectional households from baseline to endline. At endline, there was an increase in the proportion of households earning income from crop and livestock production and transfers and other sources, but a decline in households earning income from off-farm and wage employment, compared to baseline. There was a slight increase in the average number of income sources per
household between baseline and endline (1.5 and 1.7 sources respectively).
Household Assets
The longitudinal analysis of household assets among both cross-sectional and panel data reveals a generally upward trend in overall household asset values and, particularly, in livestock assets over the period from the baseline to the endline. When adjusted for inflation, the overall asset value showed a 43% increase in the cross-sectional data and a 25% increase in the panel data. Livestock assets consistently played a pivotal role in this growth. This rise is particularly notable given the challenging economic conditions, including conflicts.
On-Farm livelihoods
The cross-sectional analysis on household livelihood activities, specifically focusing on Value Chain (VC) engagement, reveals a complex pattern of participation over time. Initially, there was a promising uptick in households engaged in at least one prioritized VC, increasing from 49.5% at baseline to 71.0% in Year 3. This was followed by a decline, reaching 45.9% by the endline. However, there was a slight increase in households engaged in two or more prioritized value chains between baseline and endline, increasing from 38% to 40%. Read More...
Promoción del desarrollo económico rural en mujeres y jóvenes de la region Lempa (PROLEMPA)
El proyecto evaluado “Promoción del Desarrollo Económico Rural de la Mujer y la Juventud de la Región Lempa de Honduras – PROLEMPA, fue financiado por Asuntos Mundiales de Canadá – AMC; e implementado por un consorcio conformado por CARE Internacional (líder), CESO-SACO, SAJE Montreal Center, SOCODEVI y TechnoServe. Tuvo una duración de 5.5 años, de julio de 2017 a abril de 2023. El presupuesto asignado para la intervención fue $13.019.834; y se llevó a cabo en el Corredor Seco de Honduras, de manera específica en los departamentos de Intibucá, La Paz y Lempira, con cobertura de 25 municipios en total.
La evaluación final de PROLEMPA se realizó con base en los criterios de evaluación relevancia, eficiencia, efectividad, impacto y sostenibilidad; el análisis de los enfoques de género y empoderamiento de mujeres, y sostenibilidad ambiental; y la identificación de aprendizajes y buenas prácticas, dando respuesta a las preguntas de evaluación que guiaron el análisis, interpretación y emisión de juicios de valor. Se utilizó una metodología mixta (cualitativa y cuantitativa) con un abordaje participativo que ubicó a las personas en el centro del análisis y la reflexión sobre la gestión y agencia de su desarrollo. Se utilizaron fuentes primarias (productores y productoras de café, liderazgo de las organizaciones de productores, representantes de empresas exportadoras de café, Redes Municipales De Mujeres, Red Regional De Mujeres Lencas, representantes de Oficinas Municipales De La Mujer, Oficinas Municipales De Juventud, emprendedores y emprendedoras, empresas y actores del sector turismo, equipos técnicos de las organizaciones socias del consorcio y socias locales, entre otras. Read More...
La evaluación final de PROLEMPA se realizó con base en los criterios de evaluación relevancia, eficiencia, efectividad, impacto y sostenibilidad; el análisis de los enfoques de género y empoderamiento de mujeres, y sostenibilidad ambiental; y la identificación de aprendizajes y buenas prácticas, dando respuesta a las preguntas de evaluación que guiaron el análisis, interpretación y emisión de juicios de valor. Se utilizó una metodología mixta (cualitativa y cuantitativa) con un abordaje participativo que ubicó a las personas en el centro del análisis y la reflexión sobre la gestión y agencia de su desarrollo. Se utilizaron fuentes primarias (productores y productoras de café, liderazgo de las organizaciones de productores, representantes de empresas exportadoras de café, Redes Municipales De Mujeres, Red Regional De Mujeres Lencas, representantes de Oficinas Municipales De La Mujer, Oficinas Municipales De Juventud, emprendedores y emprendedoras, empresas y actores del sector turismo, equipos técnicos de las organizaciones socias del consorcio y socias locales, entre otras. Read More...
HATUTAN Endline Evaluation
In this report, we present findings from the endline evaluation of the HATUTAN (Hahán ne’ebé Atu fó Tulun ho Nutrisaun no Edukasaun or Food to Support Nutrition and Education) program. Running between 2018 and 2023, the program worked 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 program operated in 443 schools and communities within four of Timor-Leste’s most deprived municipalities, Ainaro, Ermera, Liquica, and Manatuto, supporting an estimated 105,967 target beneficiaries including school-aged children, teacher, school administrators, and community members. Key activities included support for the government-run School Feeding Program (SFP) and trainings targeting teachers, school administrators, and community members. Read More...
Learning outcomes, transition, & retention Stories of change from AGES project in Somalia
The Adolescent Girls’ Education in Somalia (AGES) project aims to improve learning outcomes and positive transitions
for 82,975 extremely vulnerable girls and female youth in South Somalia. In 2019-2022, AGES enrolled a total of 62,288
girls in formal primary education (including regular and special needs schools), accelerated basic education (ABE), and non-formal education classes (NFE). Each learning pathway is adapted to girls’ age range and needs, including flexible delivery and content. The project works with Ministries of Education (MOEs) to coach teachers on delivering subject content, adopting inclusive and gender-responsive practices, and providing remedial education where applicable. AGES also trains teachers and Community Education Committees (CECs) to routinely follow up on cases of absenteeism and dropout. Through AGES, girls who are frequently absent or facing temporary school closures due to attacks and natural disasters are provided with remote learning materials and remedial support. As of November 2022, 49% of the students reported receiving remedial support from teachers. Read More...
for 82,975 extremely vulnerable girls and female youth in South Somalia. In 2019-2022, AGES enrolled a total of 62,288
girls in formal primary education (including regular and special needs schools), accelerated basic education (ABE), and non-formal education classes (NFE). Each learning pathway is adapted to girls’ age range and needs, including flexible delivery and content. The project works with Ministries of Education (MOEs) to coach teachers on delivering subject content, adopting inclusive and gender-responsive practices, and providing remedial education where applicable. AGES also trains teachers and Community Education Committees (CECs) to routinely follow up on cases of absenteeism and dropout. Through AGES, girls who are frequently absent or facing temporary school closures due to attacks and natural disasters are provided with remote learning materials and remedial support. As of November 2022, 49% of the students reported receiving remedial support from teachers. Read More...
Building Opportunities for Resilience in the Horn of Africa (BORESHA) III Final Evaluation Report
Building Opportunities for Resilience in the Horn of Africa (BORESHA) III was the third phase of a five-year project funded by the European Union Trust Fund for Africa (EUTF). It was implemented between January and December 2022 with a three-month no-cost extension (NCE) to March 2023 at the time of evaluation. BORESHA's overall objective remained the same throughout the various phases: to promote economic development and greater resilience, particularly among vulnerable groups. The project activities, carried out in the Mandera Triangle (the area where Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia meet), are primarily a continuation and scaling of what was accomplished in BORESHA I and II, and take a community-driven approach to address the shared nature of the risks and opportunities facing vulnerable people and communities. Read More...
Development Initiative for Northern Uganda (DINU) End of Project Report
The Development Initiative for Northern Uganda (DINU) was a 38-month project implemented between January 2020 and February 2023, with an aim to improve food security, maternal and child nutrition, and household incomes for smallholder farmers in 11 districts of Kitgum, Katakwi, Kaabong, Karenga, Kotido, Moroto, Napak, Nabilatuk, Nakapiriprit, Amudat, and Abim. The project was implemented by a consortium led by CARE Denmark, alongside partners such as Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Gulu Agricultural Development Company (GADC), Dynamic Agro-Pastoral Development Organization (DADO), and Soroti Rural Development Agency (SORUDA). The project had three major outcomes: increased production of diversified food by both men and women smallholder farmers, enhanced market accessibility for these farmers, and improved nutrition and Family Planning services through gender-responsive community-based approaches.
The Project employed an Inclusive Market Development-Based approach, emphasizing economic gender equality, women empowerment, youth engagement, and community-based nutrition, while also focusing on the value chain. This strategy involved multi-stakeholder engagement and synergizing with existing government and development partner initiatives like DADO, CRS, and SORUDA. By implementing this approach, the project provided smallholder farmers with opportunities to enhance their incomes through the cultivation of high-value crops, such as sesame, cotton, soybean, and iron-rich beans. Additionally, measures were taken to ensure sustainability, including integrating activities into the government's PDM approach, building capacity among extension staff, and linking VSLA/SILC/YSLA/PMGs groups to financial institutions and agro input service providers.
A crucial aspect of the project was empowering women and youth, often marginalized in agriculture and rural development. Women were trained in Climate-Smart Agriculture and offered access to markets and finance through VSLA/SILC groups. Furthermore, Role Model Men were involved in raising awareness on gender-responsive actions, family planning, and women empowerment within smallholder farmers' households, fostering attitudinal changes towards gender equality and encouraging women to play an active role in agricultural production.
To achieve success, the project effectively engaged both public and private extension workers, disseminating information on Climate-Smart Agriculture practices to smallholder farmers and boosting production and income. Additionally, collaboration with Tillage Service Providers promoted entrepreneurship among youth and reduced manual labor burdens for smallholder farmers.
Read More...
The Project employed an Inclusive Market Development-Based approach, emphasizing economic gender equality, women empowerment, youth engagement, and community-based nutrition, while also focusing on the value chain. This strategy involved multi-stakeholder engagement and synergizing with existing government and development partner initiatives like DADO, CRS, and SORUDA. By implementing this approach, the project provided smallholder farmers with opportunities to enhance their incomes through the cultivation of high-value crops, such as sesame, cotton, soybean, and iron-rich beans. Additionally, measures were taken to ensure sustainability, including integrating activities into the government's PDM approach, building capacity among extension staff, and linking VSLA/SILC/YSLA/PMGs groups to financial institutions and agro input service providers.
A crucial aspect of the project was empowering women and youth, often marginalized in agriculture and rural development. Women were trained in Climate-Smart Agriculture and offered access to markets and finance through VSLA/SILC groups. Furthermore, Role Model Men were involved in raising awareness on gender-responsive actions, family planning, and women empowerment within smallholder farmers' households, fostering attitudinal changes towards gender equality and encouraging women to play an active role in agricultural production.
To achieve success, the project effectively engaged both public and private extension workers, disseminating information on Climate-Smart Agriculture practices to smallholder farmers and boosting production and income. Additionally, collaboration with Tillage Service Providers promoted entrepreneurship among youth and reduced manual labor burdens for smallholder farmers.
Read More...
Chomoka Savings Group Member Insights
Results from rapid surveys with 269 Chomoka members who use the Chomoka savings app to manage their group savings and record keeping from the Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLA). Some key results are:
* 35% said their quality of life was "very much improved"
* 30% spoke of investing in an existing business, and 16% investing in a new business.
* 36% said crop revenue very much increased, and 35% said crop production very much increased. Read More...
* 35% said their quality of life was "very much improved"
* 30% spoke of investing in an existing business, and 16% investing in a new business.
* 36% said crop revenue very much increased, and 35% said crop production very much increased. Read More...
Technologically Enhanced Agricultural Livelihoods (TEAL)
interviews, focus groups discussion with community women and men and relevant project stakeholders, and reflection with project team and partner. (2) Secondary sources included data from the desk review with the relevant project documents such as project reports, project MEL data, local reports, relevant policy and statistical data from the baseline study and MTR. The evaluation report is structured in three parts. Chapter 1: Introduction; Chapter 2: Findings (Demographic characteristics of the survey sample are showed in Section 2.1. Section 2.2 demonstrates the project outreach. Sections 2.3 to 2.8 give the evaluation criteria. PwD participation is covered in
sections 2.9 and sections 2.10 discusses how the Project contributes to preventing gender-based violence (GBV)); and Chapter 3: Conclusion and recommendation. The findings in the final evaluation report (are presented in Chapter 2) are summarized here:
● Project Outreach: The TEAL project has realized the plan in reaching out to the intended beneficiaries, in terms of numbers. At the endline, the number of direct beneficiaries is significantly higher than the target. The same goes for the number of indirect beneficiaries.
● Relevance: (i) The TEAL project complies fully with the approaches of CARE's WEE Framework; (ii) The approaches of the TEAL Project are consistent with the long-term orientations of Son La and Dien Bien and are considered a leverage to achieve the provincial economic development objectives; (iii) The Project is suitable for the needs of ethnic minorities and the needs of people with disabilities in many respects; and (iv) The TEAL project has found every creative solution to meet the needs of people with disabilities in the project.
● Coherence is assessed high when the project's intervention is not overlapped/duplicated with other similar interventions that takes place in the same location, target the same beneficiaries and aims for the same impacts. Project coherence is also considered high when it is implemented as a complemented to other interventions in terms of resources and approaches
● Effectiveness: Almost indicators are achieved, even some of them have exceeded the plan. However, there are still a few limitations, such as: the design of VSLA has not significantly contributed to the achievement of expected outcome 3 - EM women in the Arabica coffee value chain are financially included
● Impacts: The changes in women's agency are generated by contribution from TEAL intervention. The project also builds women's relationships with other actors in the specialty arabica coffee value chain by supporting a lead processing actor who is committed to inclusive business. An unexpected positive impact of the Project is to build a culture of enjoying local specialty coffee among the coffee-growers community. Another unexpected positive effect was noted. The TEAL Project has contributed to building a sustainable relationship between processing groups and leading coffee experts in Vietnam.
● Sustainability: (i) Both male and female project beneficiaries are highly available and committed to continue project's activities; (ii) At the end of project evaluation, two women-led processing groups (Ara-Tay Cooperative and CFCE) were able to understand the concept of fixed asset depreciation and formulate a plan on using profits estimated from business operations to replace existing equipment by purchasing new machinery at the end of the depreciation period; (iii) The large investment of the Project for Ara-Tay Cooperative and CFCE while the number of their satellites remains low indicates a risk of distribution of the project benefits in the long run if these two processors are not proactive in extending links to new satellite farmers; and (iv) The project has done a good job when introducing processing solutions that have less impact on the environment .
● Engagement of PwD: The stories shared by the participants in the final evaluation strongly illustrate PwD's engagement in the TEAL Project.
● Gender-based Violence: In recent times, it has been observed that the number of quarrels between husband and wife has been a lot decreased. Men are more aware that forbidding their wives to engage in social activities is also a type of violence. The Pearson's Chi-squared test shows that the correlation between participation in discussions about gender and gender inequality held by the TEAL Project and the change in social norm about domestic violence was statistically significant. Read More...
sections 2.9 and sections 2.10 discusses how the Project contributes to preventing gender-based violence (GBV)); and Chapter 3: Conclusion and recommendation. The findings in the final evaluation report (are presented in Chapter 2) are summarized here:
● Project Outreach: The TEAL project has realized the plan in reaching out to the intended beneficiaries, in terms of numbers. At the endline, the number of direct beneficiaries is significantly higher than the target. The same goes for the number of indirect beneficiaries.
● Relevance: (i) The TEAL project complies fully with the approaches of CARE's WEE Framework; (ii) The approaches of the TEAL Project are consistent with the long-term orientations of Son La and Dien Bien and are considered a leverage to achieve the provincial economic development objectives; (iii) The Project is suitable for the needs of ethnic minorities and the needs of people with disabilities in many respects; and (iv) The TEAL project has found every creative solution to meet the needs of people with disabilities in the project.
● Coherence is assessed high when the project's intervention is not overlapped/duplicated with other similar interventions that takes place in the same location, target the same beneficiaries and aims for the same impacts. Project coherence is also considered high when it is implemented as a complemented to other interventions in terms of resources and approaches
● Effectiveness: Almost indicators are achieved, even some of them have exceeded the plan. However, there are still a few limitations, such as: the design of VSLA has not significantly contributed to the achievement of expected outcome 3 - EM women in the Arabica coffee value chain are financially included
● Impacts: The changes in women's agency are generated by contribution from TEAL intervention. The project also builds women's relationships with other actors in the specialty arabica coffee value chain by supporting a lead processing actor who is committed to inclusive business. An unexpected positive impact of the Project is to build a culture of enjoying local specialty coffee among the coffee-growers community. Another unexpected positive effect was noted. The TEAL Project has contributed to building a sustainable relationship between processing groups and leading coffee experts in Vietnam.
● Sustainability: (i) Both male and female project beneficiaries are highly available and committed to continue project's activities; (ii) At the end of project evaluation, two women-led processing groups (Ara-Tay Cooperative and CFCE) were able to understand the concept of fixed asset depreciation and formulate a plan on using profits estimated from business operations to replace existing equipment by purchasing new machinery at the end of the depreciation period; (iii) The large investment of the Project for Ara-Tay Cooperative and CFCE while the number of their satellites remains low indicates a risk of distribution of the project benefits in the long run if these two processors are not proactive in extending links to new satellite farmers; and (iv) The project has done a good job when introducing processing solutions that have less impact on the environment .
● Engagement of PwD: The stories shared by the participants in the final evaluation strongly illustrate PwD's engagement in the TEAL Project.
● Gender-based Violence: In recent times, it has been observed that the number of quarrels between husband and wife has been a lot decreased. Men are more aware that forbidding their wives to engage in social activities is also a type of violence. The Pearson's Chi-squared test shows that the correlation between participation in discussions about gender and gender inequality held by the TEAL Project and the change in social norm about domestic violence was statistically significant. Read More...