VSLA
RESET II Project Promoting Resilient Livelihoods in Borana Final Report
Purpose: The purpose of this end line evaluation is to assess the achievements, constraints and lessons learnt and to produce sufficient evidence to show how the project performed against its overall objective. Overview of the project: Funded by the European Union (EU) through its European Union Trust Fund (EUTF) with a total budget of Є6,586,291, the Promoting Resilient Livelihoods in Borana RESET II Project was implemented by a consortium of CARE Ethiopia, Oromo Self Help Organization (OSHO) and Action against Hunger (AAH). The project focused in the geographic area of Arero, Miyo, Dire, Moyale, Dillo and Dhas districts in the Borena Zone within the Oromia region. The overall aim of enhancing the resilience of 100,000 PSNP beneficiaries, reducing irregular migration through improved access and coverage to provision of WASH, health and nutrition services, diversifying and increasing livelihood opportunities and incomes, improving Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) capacity, enhancing research and knowledge management systems as well as reducing barriers to women empowerment, the project begun implementation October 2016 and end in December 2020. CARE’s Pastoralist Resilience Casual Model (PRCM) using proven CARE’S Village Saving and Loan Associations (VSLA), Climate Vulnerability and Capacity Assessment (CVCA), Social Analysis and Action (SAA), Participatory Scenario Planning (PSP) and AAH’s as well as Assisting Behavior change (ABC) methods and approaches were utilized throughout the project. Read More...
Enquête Trimestrielle pour le Rapportage du Plan de Mesure de Performance Projets “OLAM VSLA” & “TOUTON VSLA”
Dans le cadre de cette enquête trimestrielle, la méthode d’échantillonnage utilisée est le sondage aléatoire systématique stratifié au premier degré. La taille de l'échantillon de l'enquête trimestrielle des projets OLAM VSLA et TOUTON VSLA a été calculée et s’établit à 339 membres de VSLA. [7 pages] Read More...
Post Project Sustainability Study Report: Berchi- Claiming Rights – Promoting Gender Equality: Women’s Empowerment and male engagement for gender transformation in post conflict and chronically food-insecure setting of Ethiopia” (2013-2015)
he project Berchi – “Be Strong!” in Amharic, fully named “Claiming Rights - Promoting Gender Equality: Women’s empowerment and male engagement for gender transformation in post-conflict and chronically food-insecure settings of Ethiopia” was an Austrian Development Agency (ADA)- and CARE Austria-funded project and was implemented during the period of 2013 to 2015. Its strategic objective was to empower chronically food insecure women so that they can achieve sustainable livelihood security in the Ebinat and Simada districts of South Gondar Zone within the Amhara Region of Ethiopia.
The purpose and scope of the study is to assess the impact and sustainability of these outcomes after the project has ended. These results are compared with outcomes from the end line evaluation. Furthermore, this study is tasked with assessing the extent to which the key project results and social norm changes have been sustained after the project was phased out. Read More...
The purpose and scope of the study is to assess the impact and sustainability of these outcomes after the project has ended. These results are compared with outcomes from the end line evaluation. Furthermore, this study is tasked with assessing the extent to which the key project results and social norm changes have been sustained after the project was phased out. 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...
Endline Survey of Cocoa Sustainability Initiative (CSI) II
This report is on the consultancy assignment to conduct an end line survey of Cocoa Sustainability Initiative (CSI II), a partnership between CARE International and General Mills Foundation (GMI). A team of consultants from GIMPA Consultancy and Innovation Directorate (GCID), conducted the survey within the period of four weeks in December 2020 across twenty communities in the Asikuma Odoben Brakwa District.
The project is targeted at improving the livelihoods of individuals in cocoa-growing communities and optimizing cocoa production through climate change adaptation. The initiative which started in 2017 and ended in August, 2020 is aimed at promoting gender equity, building farmer resilience to mitigate the impact of climate change and strengthen local capacity to initiate and own the process of development in cocoa-growing communities.
Some major significant change stories include increased yields, high adoption of good agricultural practices, improved access to financial service and improved financial decision making by women. [66 Pages] Read More...
The project is targeted at improving the livelihoods of individuals in cocoa-growing communities and optimizing cocoa production through climate change adaptation. The initiative which started in 2017 and ended in August, 2020 is aimed at promoting gender equity, building farmer resilience to mitigate the impact of climate change and strengthen local capacity to initiate and own the process of development in cocoa-growing communities.
Some major significant change stories include increased yields, high adoption of good agricultural practices, improved access to financial service and improved financial decision making by women. [66 Pages] Read More...
COVID-19: Impacts, Attitudes, and Safety Nets in Haiti (April 2021)
In April 2021, CARE conducted interviews with savings group members and leaders to understand their experiences of COVID-19, and how it was changing their lives. The survey included 364 women and 175 men, for a total of 539 respondents. This follows a survey done in June 2020 to understand what was happening at that time for members of savings groups. The surveys covered Artibonite and Grand Anse.
COVID-19 continues to have important impacts for women and men in savings groups. In general, men and women in these groups were reporting similar challenges across the sample. 86% of women and men are reporting impacts in their livelihoods, and 98% of people say that COVID-19 is affecting their ability to save. 64% say they can’t meet family needs and hunger has gone up. 90% of people are reporting that COVID-19 is impacting their social lives. More women than men report that Gender Based Violence has gone up. While women are more likely to have lost influence in the household than men (39% compared to 33%), men are more likely to report that they lost social status in the community (48% compared to 43%). Read More...
COVID-19 continues to have important impacts for women and men in savings groups. In general, men and women in these groups were reporting similar challenges across the sample. 86% of women and men are reporting impacts in their livelihoods, and 98% of people say that COVID-19 is affecting their ability to save. 64% say they can’t meet family needs and hunger has gone up. 90% of people are reporting that COVID-19 is impacting their social lives. More women than men report that Gender Based Violence has gone up. While women are more likely to have lost influence in the household than men (39% compared to 33%), men are more likely to report that they lost social status in the community (48% compared to 43%). Read More...
Evidence Review of Women’s Groups and COVID-19: Impacts, Challenges, and Policy Implications for Savings Groups in Africa
It has been more than a year since COVID-19 lockdowns began, and economic recovery is a top priority for governments, donors, and international financial institutions (IFIs) worldwide, including in sub-Saharan Africa. Targeted investments that increase community resilience and spur economic growth will mitigate some of the negative economic consequences of this crisis. Investment in women’s economic resilience and social support is para- mount, considering that the crisis may reverse recent progress in gender equality. Around the world, women’s groups, such as self- help groups, savings groups, and health groups, play an important role in communities; evidence shows promise in their role in promoting women’s empowerment and economic outcomes. They encompass many models, but all bring women together around a shared purpose, such as financial inclusion, livelihoods, health, and women’s rights.
This brief focuses on one specific type of women’s group in sub-Saharan Africa: savings groups. Savings groups are a common form of women’s group and serve as a reliable mechanism for people in sub-Saharan Africa to save money. Members of savings groups pool small weekly savings into a common fund, which members can then borrow against, creating opportunities for investments and women’s empowerment. Savings groups show mixed, but promising, results in improving economic and social outcomes. This brief, written by a consortium of researchers and practitioners, presents emerging evidence from studies in diverse African contexts— with a deep dive into Nigeria and Uganda—on how COVID-19 has affected savings groups and how these groups have helped mitigate the pandemic’s negative consequences in sub-Saharan Africa.
This report is 23 pages long. Read More...
This brief focuses on one specific type of women’s group in sub-Saharan Africa: savings groups. Savings groups are a common form of women’s group and serve as a reliable mechanism for people in sub-Saharan Africa to save money. Members of savings groups pool small weekly savings into a common fund, which members can then borrow against, creating opportunities for investments and women’s empowerment. Savings groups show mixed, but promising, results in improving economic and social outcomes. This brief, written by a consortium of researchers and practitioners, presents emerging evidence from studies in diverse African contexts— with a deep dive into Nigeria and Uganda—on how COVID-19 has affected savings groups and how these groups have helped mitigate the pandemic’s negative consequences in sub-Saharan Africa.
This report is 23 pages long. Read More...
Integrated GBV prevention and response in Northeast Nigeria Endline Report
Context The ECHO-GBV prevention and response is an integrated GBV and livelihood project which was implemented as an entry point for CARE Nigeria into GBV-standalone initiatives. The project was funded by European Commission Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) under the supervision of CARE France. The project anticipated to provide direct service to displaced vulnerable women, men, girls, and boys and vulnerable host community members in Bama and Ngala, majority of the project participants were women and girls and indirectly benefits to the larger community. The intervention was anticipated to reach a total of 7,832 project participants. The global objective of the project was to contribute to the protection of the lives of vulnerable women, men, girls, and boys most affected by the crisis in northeastern Nigeria. The specific objective of the project was to enhance the access of newly displaced, vulnerable women, men, girls, and boys to life-saving GBV prevention and response services through coordinated, principled humanitarian support and community-based prevention activities. The project had six expected results:
• R 1. GBV prevention, care, and response services available and accessible to newly displaced individuals and vulnerable host community members at risk of or affected by GBV.
• R 2. Awareness, knowledge, and application of humanitarian principles and SEA prevention and response principles improved among humanitarian actors and security forces.
An end-line study was conducted as a part of the project monitoring and evaluation strategies and framework to review its projects before, during, and after the post-implementation phase. The endline was conducted by CARE Nigeria in August 2020 [31 pages]. Read More...
• R 1. GBV prevention, care, and response services available and accessible to newly displaced individuals and vulnerable host community members at risk of or affected by GBV.
• R 2. Awareness, knowledge, and application of humanitarian principles and SEA prevention and response principles improved among humanitarian actors and security forces.
An end-line study was conducted as a part of the project monitoring and evaluation strategies and framework to review its projects before, during, and after the post-implementation phase. The endline was conducted by CARE Nigeria in August 2020 [31 pages]. 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 Final Report
Under the European Commission Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (ECHO) funding with support of CARE France, CARE Nigeria to implement a Gender Based Violence in Emergencies project. The project was implemented in Bama and Ngala Local Government Areas (LGAs) – Northeast, the goal of the project was to contribute to the protection of the lives of vulnerable women, men, girls, and boys most affected by the crisis in North-eastern Nigeria. The evaluation survey showed that beneficiaries in both intervention LGAs were aware of GBV issues and referral pathways facilitated by the project. There was an increase in the awareness of beneficiaries from the mid-term evaluation; as more respondents were more likely to make a report on GBV related incidences (i.e. sexual violence, sexual exploitation, domestic violence, sexual harassment, and forced marriages). Based on analyzed evaluation data, of the total number of beneficiaries interviewed, the following project activities were most effective in increasing beneficiary GBV knowledge e.g. Use of GBV champions - 87.5% (Ngala 32.9% and Bama 54.6%), Sensitization activities – 91.5% (55.5% in Bama and 36% in Ngala) and provision of livelihood assistance – 66.8% (43.5% in Bama and 23.3% in Ngala).
At the final evaluation, awareness amongst beneficiaries was greater in Bama than Ngala; as project-driven sensitization activities emerged as the predominant means by which beneficiaries were informed of GBV issues and accompanying referral pathways by the project. In spite of CARE Nigeria not having an on the ground presence in Ngala at the time of the final evaluation study (i.e. due to the lack of funding for GBV interventions since August 2020); interviewed beneficiaries remained knowledgeable of GBV issues and referral pathways. [122 pages] Read More...
At the final evaluation, awareness amongst beneficiaries was greater in Bama than Ngala; as project-driven sensitization activities emerged as the predominant means by which beneficiaries were informed of GBV issues and accompanying referral pathways by the project. In spite of CARE Nigeria not having an on the ground presence in Ngala at the time of the final evaluation study (i.e. due to the lack of funding for GBV interventions since August 2020); interviewed beneficiaries remained knowledgeable of GBV issues and referral pathways. [122 pages] Read More...