savings groups
DEVELOPPEMENT ECONOMIQUE ET SOCIAL DES FEMMES A TRAVERS LES ENERGIES RENOUVELABLES AU SAHEL (SENEGAL, MALI ET NIGER) – DESFERS »
Ce rapport final de l’étude de base et cartographie des activités génératrices de revenue (AGR) dans le cadre du Projet «DEVELOPPEMENT ECONOMIQUE ET SOCIAL DES FEMMES A TRAVERS LES ENERGIES RENOUVELABLES AU SAHEL (SENEGAL, MALI ET NIGER) – DESFERS» reflète les informations recueillies et analysées au Mali, au Sénégal et au Niger. Il établit les éléments de base qui permettront de réaliser de manière adéquate le suivi du projet au niveau des résultats et objectifs.
Le répertoire et l’analyse financière des AGR féminines permet de déterminer le type d’AGR pouvant bénéficier d’un accès à l’énergie renouvelable dans le but d’améliorer leur production, productivité, efficacité de leur processus de transformation, systèmes de vente de leurs produits.
Les deux parties (répertoire et analyse) aident à identifier les AGR ayant des activités liées ou potentiellement liées à court et moyen terme, à l’utilisation et à la commercialisation des produits liés et/ou issus de l’énergie renouvelable.
Les informations recueillies mettent à jour également aussi bien les AGR qui utilisent ou peuvent utiliser l’énergie renouvelable ainsi que des actions préalables dont ont pu bénéficier les AGR et les membres des groupes d’épargne et crédit mutuel (EPC), comme les formations techniques, cours d’alphabétisation, développement de plan d’affaire, etc.). Read More...
Le répertoire et l’analyse financière des AGR féminines permet de déterminer le type d’AGR pouvant bénéficier d’un accès à l’énergie renouvelable dans le but d’améliorer leur production, productivité, efficacité de leur processus de transformation, systèmes de vente de leurs produits.
Les deux parties (répertoire et analyse) aident à identifier les AGR ayant des activités liées ou potentiellement liées à court et moyen terme, à l’utilisation et à la commercialisation des produits liés et/ou issus de l’énergie renouvelable.
Les informations recueillies mettent à jour également aussi bien les AGR qui utilisent ou peuvent utiliser l’énergie renouvelable ainsi que des actions préalables dont ont pu bénéficier les AGR et les membres des groupes d’épargne et crédit mutuel (EPC), comme les formations techniques, cours d’alphabétisation, développement de plan d’affaire, etc.). Read More...
Mawe Tatu Rapport Etude de Base
Cette étude évalue un programme de développement néerlandaise nommé "Mawe Tatu" (M3), qui vise à l’amélioration de la gestion économique des ménages; à la réduction de la violence basée sur le genre à travers des relations plus égales entre femmes et hommes ; et à la réalisation de comportements de santé sexuelle et reproductive plus sains dans huit territoires dans les provinces du Sud et du Nord Kivu de la RDC. Le programme Mawe Tatu combine pour la première fois une approche de micro finance pour accroître la participation des femmes dans l'économie des ménage avec des interventions favorisant l'égalité entre les sexes à travers la
réduction de la violence basée sur le genre et l'amélioration des droits de santé sexuelle et reproductive des femmes. L’étude examinera les changements dans la participation économique des femmes, la prévalence de la violence basée sur le genre, et la prise de conscience des droits sexuels et reproductifs Read More...
réduction de la violence basée sur le genre et l'amélioration des droits de santé sexuelle et reproductive des femmes. L’étude examinera les changements dans la participation économique des femmes, la prévalence de la violence basée sur le genre, et la prise de conscience des droits sexuels et reproductifs Read More...
Mawe Tatu English Summary of Endline Evaluation
This summary presents key findings of the endline study contucted to evaluate the effectiveness of the "Mawe Tatu" (M3) program in North and South Kivu Provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The M3 project was implemented to improve the household economy of vulnerable groups, to reduce gender-based violence through improving equity in gender relations; and to improve sexual and reproductive health among women, men, and youth.
Guiding questions included:
1. Did the household economy, and the socio-economic situation of women improve as a result of the introduction of VSLAs?
2. Did men get successfully engaged to support women’s economic autonomy, to reduce gender-based violence, and to support women in their decisions about their sexual and reproductive health?
3. Were young women and men empowered to take healthy decisions for their sexual and reproductive life?
Full evaluation (in French) here: http://www.careevaluations.org/evaluation/mawe-tatu-evaluation-finale-phase-i-et-etude-de-base-partielle-phase-ii/ Read More...
Guiding questions included:
1. Did the household economy, and the socio-economic situation of women improve as a result of the introduction of VSLAs?
2. Did men get successfully engaged to support women’s economic autonomy, to reduce gender-based violence, and to support women in their decisions about their sexual and reproductive health?
3. Were young women and men empowered to take healthy decisions for their sexual and reproductive life?
Full evaluation (in French) here: http://www.careevaluations.org/evaluation/mawe-tatu-evaluation-finale-phase-i-et-etude-de-base-partielle-phase-ii/ Read More...
MAWE TATU Évaluation Finale Phase I et Étude de base partielle phase II
Ce rapport est le livrable final de l’évaluation finale phase I du projet Mawe Tatu et l’étude de base phase II du projet.
Pour rappel, Mawe Tatu est un projet financé par le gouvernement néerlandais (de Décembre 2015 à Mai 2019) et mis en oeuvre dans les provinces du Nord-Kivu et du Sud-Kivu. L’objectif général du programme est que, d’ici 2019, les femmes, les hommes et les jeunes (hommes et femmes) des cinq territoires concernés du Nord-Kivu et du Sud-Kivu deviennent des acteurs clés dans la promotion de relations plus égales entre hommes et femmes qui empêchent les VBG(Violences basées sur le genre), favorisent une meilleure gestion économique des ménages et des comportements plus sains en matière de santé sexuelle et reproductive (tels que la planification familiale, dans une perspective trans-générationnelle).
Trois résultats contribuent à atteindre cet objectif :
• 23 900 femmes, organisées en associations villageoises d'épargne et de crédit (AVEC) et en réseaux AVEC (RAVEC), améliorent leur statut social et économique et influencent la promotion et l'application de leurs droits,
• 10 000 hommes adoptent des attitudes et des comportements qui contribuent à améliorer les relations de pouvoir et à réduire la violence sexiste,
• 24 655 filles et garçons développent des relations saines et travaillent ensemble pour promouvoir l'égalité des sexes.
Les responsabilités des organisations sont liées aux trois résultats du projet et sont définies comme suit :
• CARE Nederland était responsable de la gestion des contrats et du contrôle de la qualité
• ADJ était responsable du résultat 1 relatif à l’autonomisation des femmes,
• COMEN était responsable du résultat 2 et de la partie du résultat 3, centrée sur les hommes et les garçons s'engageant dans une masculinité positive et luttant contre la violence sexiste.
• CARE RDC était responsable de la partie du résultat 3, axée sur l’éducation sexuelle complète (CSE), et
• Swiss TPH en charge du suivi et de l'évaluation ainsi que de la recherche opérationnelle Read More...
Pour rappel, Mawe Tatu est un projet financé par le gouvernement néerlandais (de Décembre 2015 à Mai 2019) et mis en oeuvre dans les provinces du Nord-Kivu et du Sud-Kivu. L’objectif général du programme est que, d’ici 2019, les femmes, les hommes et les jeunes (hommes et femmes) des cinq territoires concernés du Nord-Kivu et du Sud-Kivu deviennent des acteurs clés dans la promotion de relations plus égales entre hommes et femmes qui empêchent les VBG(Violences basées sur le genre), favorisent une meilleure gestion économique des ménages et des comportements plus sains en matière de santé sexuelle et reproductive (tels que la planification familiale, dans une perspective trans-générationnelle).
Trois résultats contribuent à atteindre cet objectif :
• 23 900 femmes, organisées en associations villageoises d'épargne et de crédit (AVEC) et en réseaux AVEC (RAVEC), améliorent leur statut social et économique et influencent la promotion et l'application de leurs droits,
• 10 000 hommes adoptent des attitudes et des comportements qui contribuent à améliorer les relations de pouvoir et à réduire la violence sexiste,
• 24 655 filles et garçons développent des relations saines et travaillent ensemble pour promouvoir l'égalité des sexes.
Les responsabilités des organisations sont liées aux trois résultats du projet et sont définies comme suit :
• CARE Nederland était responsable de la gestion des contrats et du contrôle de la qualité
• ADJ était responsable du résultat 1 relatif à l’autonomisation des femmes,
• COMEN était responsable du résultat 2 et de la partie du résultat 3, centrée sur les hommes et les garçons s'engageant dans une masculinité positive et luttant contre la violence sexiste.
• CARE RDC était responsable de la partie du résultat 3, axée sur l’éducation sexuelle complète (CSE), et
• Swiss TPH en charge du suivi et de l'évaluation ainsi que de la recherche opérationnelle Read More...
Pilote d’Apprentissage sur la réplication des AVEC (VSLA multiplier Learning Pilot)
Pour mieux comprendre l’effet multiplicateur des modèles de réplication de FaFa Wa, une proposition pilote d’apprentissage a été soumis au fond flexible des départements Programs et Operations Internationales (IPO) et Programme pour le Partenariat et l’Apprentissage (Program Partnerships and Learning : PPL) et a obtenu un avis favorable.
Ce pilote d’apprentissage a pour but de comprendre :
1. L ‘ampleur (%) de l’effet multiplicateur des FaFa Wa sur la composition des groupes et les résultats découlant de la participation des VSLA après la fin des projets ;
2. La performance de groupements après la fin des projets (positive ou négative) ;
3. L’effet multiplicateur du modèle de réplication de l’initiative ‘’Bombe des Catalyseurs’’ sur la composition des groupes, et les résultats découlant de la participation des FaFa Wa.
Read More...
Ce pilote d’apprentissage a pour but de comprendre :
1. L ‘ampleur (%) de l’effet multiplicateur des FaFa Wa sur la composition des groupes et les résultats découlant de la participation des VSLA après la fin des projets ;
2. La performance de groupements après la fin des projets (positive ou négative) ;
3. L’effet multiplicateur du modèle de réplication de l’initiative ‘’Bombe des Catalyseurs’’ sur la composition des groupes, et les résultats découlant de la participation des FaFa Wa.
Read More...
Kore Lavi Safety Net Beneficiary Resilience Assessment
As part of its mandate, the Kore Lavi program has developed and established a food voucher-based social safety net model for the poorest households in conjunction with the Haitian Government – through the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor (MAST). This Resilience Assessment contributes to a stronger understanding of the current food security and resilience situations of the most vulnerable program beneficiaries.
Based upon the data collected, the social safety net members – which is considered as the study sampling universe – are mainly affected by Illness, death and drought, respectively. The experiences shared by the respondents also revealed that they often face several types of shocks and stressors simultaneously.
The food voucher had a very positive impact and helped a lot during each key moment: before the shock or stressor affected the respondent, immediately after, sometime after and now. In the different stories that were shared, a certain number of respondents mentioned that they have no other means to ensure their food security - other than the Kore Lavi food vouchers. With regard to the food vouchers indirect contribution, it is important to highlight that 59% of
respondents used the money they saved to pay school fees and 28% to pay medical fees. 36% save it in their Village Saving and Loans Association (VSLA). Yet, there is also an emerging group that used the money to invest in agricultural endeavors and start-up income generating activities.
When comparing the three main types of assets (personal, social and physical-financial resources), it could be observed that especially vulnerable respondents tended to rely on social resources. Generally, the respondents used more negative coping mechanisms that compromise their food security like eating less or less preferred meals per day (58%), reducing expenditures related to household needs (32%), producing charcoal (33%), reducing agriculture production area (20%) and livestock (19%) or selling assets.
The study identified that 22% of VSLA members followed resilient pathways versus 16% of non VSLA respondents. In almost all the signifier questions, there were found small differences between both groups, but not as much as it was initially expected by the Kore Lavi team. Read More...
Based upon the data collected, the social safety net members – which is considered as the study sampling universe – are mainly affected by Illness, death and drought, respectively. The experiences shared by the respondents also revealed that they often face several types of shocks and stressors simultaneously.
The food voucher had a very positive impact and helped a lot during each key moment: before the shock or stressor affected the respondent, immediately after, sometime after and now. In the different stories that were shared, a certain number of respondents mentioned that they have no other means to ensure their food security - other than the Kore Lavi food vouchers. With regard to the food vouchers indirect contribution, it is important to highlight that 59% of
respondents used the money they saved to pay school fees and 28% to pay medical fees. 36% save it in their Village Saving and Loans Association (VSLA). Yet, there is also an emerging group that used the money to invest in agricultural endeavors and start-up income generating activities.
When comparing the three main types of assets (personal, social and physical-financial resources), it could be observed that especially vulnerable respondents tended to rely on social resources. Generally, the respondents used more negative coping mechanisms that compromise their food security like eating less or less preferred meals per day (58%), reducing expenditures related to household needs (32%), producing charcoal (33%), reducing agriculture production area (20%) and livestock (19%) or selling assets.
The study identified that 22% of VSLA members followed resilient pathways versus 16% of non VSLA respondents. In almost all the signifier questions, there were found small differences between both groups, but not as much as it was initially expected by the Kore Lavi team. Read More...
Kore Lavi Title II Program Haiti – Midterm Evaluation
This reports presents the findings, conclusions and recommendations related to the Kore Lavi mid-term evaluation.
DESCRIPTION OF KORE LAVI. Kore Lavi’s Theory of Change holds that positive and lasting transformation must happen within interrelated domains: (1) where the effective social safety net programming and complementary services reach the most vulnerable populations and protect their access to food while building self-reliance; (2) that achieve breadth and depth in behavior and social change needed to tackle under-nutrition among vulnerable women and children; and (3) that institutionalize accountability, transparency and quality of delivery for mutually reinforcing social protection programs under the leadership of MAST.
EVALUATION METHODOLOGY. The evaluation employed three data collection methodologies: document review, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions.
PRIMARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS.
At the time of the MTE, Kore Lavi had completed data collection in 16 communes demonstrating the ability to adapt and innovate to address the initial data quality problems that existed at the beginning of the program.
In terms of its implementation on the ground, the food voucher scheme is operating well in identifying voucher recipients and enrolling them in the program, distributing food to beneficiaries via paper or electronic vouchers, recruiting and managing the network of collaborating vendors, enforcing policies governing the scheme and overseeing operations. Food received by beneficiary households from both paper and electronic vouchers is inevitably shared with non-household members, including neighbors and even strangers. The VSLA scheme has effectively provided a mechanism by which large numbers of vulnerable women and men living in program communities can save and access small loans at reasonable interest rates to invest in their businesses or children’s education or for other purposes.
SO3 social behavioral change communications interventions are, on the whole, well designed and well implemented. Care Groups, moreover, appear to be an effective methodology for mobilizing women and communicating critical SBCC messages. Community health agents and Lead Mothers play a critical role in SO3 activities. While they are, for the most part, doing a good job and are satisfied with their roles, they also have a number of legitimate concerns related to the lack of monetary compensation and reimbursement for expenses incurred. The program has done a good job identifying and reaching the targeted women and infants.
Kore Lavi has taken a holistic approach to gender integration from design to implementation and has made a conscious and good faith effort to integrate gender considerations in each of the four program SOs.
Kore Lavi has prioritized information management and has demonstrated a clear institutional interest in improving knowledge and learning.
Read More...
DESCRIPTION OF KORE LAVI. Kore Lavi’s Theory of Change holds that positive and lasting transformation must happen within interrelated domains: (1) where the effective social safety net programming and complementary services reach the most vulnerable populations and protect their access to food while building self-reliance; (2) that achieve breadth and depth in behavior and social change needed to tackle under-nutrition among vulnerable women and children; and (3) that institutionalize accountability, transparency and quality of delivery for mutually reinforcing social protection programs under the leadership of MAST.
EVALUATION METHODOLOGY. The evaluation employed three data collection methodologies: document review, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions.
PRIMARY FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS.
At the time of the MTE, Kore Lavi had completed data collection in 16 communes demonstrating the ability to adapt and innovate to address the initial data quality problems that existed at the beginning of the program.
In terms of its implementation on the ground, the food voucher scheme is operating well in identifying voucher recipients and enrolling them in the program, distributing food to beneficiaries via paper or electronic vouchers, recruiting and managing the network of collaborating vendors, enforcing policies governing the scheme and overseeing operations. Food received by beneficiary households from both paper and electronic vouchers is inevitably shared with non-household members, including neighbors and even strangers. The VSLA scheme has effectively provided a mechanism by which large numbers of vulnerable women and men living in program communities can save and access small loans at reasonable interest rates to invest in their businesses or children’s education or for other purposes.
SO3 social behavioral change communications interventions are, on the whole, well designed and well implemented. Care Groups, moreover, appear to be an effective methodology for mobilizing women and communicating critical SBCC messages. Community health agents and Lead Mothers play a critical role in SO3 activities. While they are, for the most part, doing a good job and are satisfied with their roles, they also have a number of legitimate concerns related to the lack of monetary compensation and reimbursement for expenses incurred. The program has done a good job identifying and reaching the targeted women and infants.
Kore Lavi has taken a holistic approach to gender integration from design to implementation and has made a conscious and good faith effort to integrate gender considerations in each of the four program SOs.
Kore Lavi has prioritized information management and has demonstrated a clear institutional interest in improving knowledge and learning.
Read More...
Village Savings and Loan Associations as Economic Drivers
Exploring impacts of Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) at micro level to understand their potential to contribute to the Tanzanian economy
Savings-led microfinance innovation aims to improve access to financial services in remote areas, especially among women. CARE International has been the leading innovator in the field and has initiated Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) programmes across Tanzania. CARE aims to increase members in Tanzania to 8 million by 2025 with the vison to help improve the national economy. CARE thus commissioned SFTZ to carry out a study that investigates the potential of VSLA contributions to local and national economies.
METHODS. The study was implemented in six villages in Mufindi district, Iringa region; four of which were assigned as treatment and two as control. Treatment villages had 9 to 15 NGO-facilitated VSLAs, and control villages had only two comparable VSLAs.
RESULTS. Analysis of the data at the village level did not provide evidence that VSLA initiatives have contributed to large-scale economic growth except for one risk mitigation sub-indicator. A number of issues hindered the village-level comparison: First, microfinance savings groups were also present in control villages. Secondly, the penetration of savings groups within all treatment villages was low (below 30%, except for one village).
However, at the household level, VSLA membership showed significant impacts on a number of micro-level measures of economic growth. VSLA households had higher household savings, drew on VSLA savings to overcome negative impacts of household shocks, attained greater food security and more diverse diets, achieved better agricultural and business outcomes, and enjoyed greater economic status. Although these differences cannot be directly attributed to the VSLA programme without before-and-after comparisons with a meaningful control group, the positive household impacts suggest that a VSLA programme scaled to a high density within each village could have a positive impact
on the local economy. Read More...
Savings-led microfinance innovation aims to improve access to financial services in remote areas, especially among women. CARE International has been the leading innovator in the field and has initiated Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLA) programmes across Tanzania. CARE aims to increase members in Tanzania to 8 million by 2025 with the vison to help improve the national economy. CARE thus commissioned SFTZ to carry out a study that investigates the potential of VSLA contributions to local and national economies.
METHODS. The study was implemented in six villages in Mufindi district, Iringa region; four of which were assigned as treatment and two as control. Treatment villages had 9 to 15 NGO-facilitated VSLAs, and control villages had only two comparable VSLAs.
RESULTS. Analysis of the data at the village level did not provide evidence that VSLA initiatives have contributed to large-scale economic growth except for one risk mitigation sub-indicator. A number of issues hindered the village-level comparison: First, microfinance savings groups were also present in control villages. Secondly, the penetration of savings groups within all treatment villages was low (below 30%, except for one village).
However, at the household level, VSLA membership showed significant impacts on a number of micro-level measures of economic growth. VSLA households had higher household savings, drew on VSLA savings to overcome negative impacts of household shocks, attained greater food security and more diverse diets, achieved better agricultural and business outcomes, and enjoyed greater economic status. Although these differences cannot be directly attributed to the VSLA programme without before-and-after comparisons with a meaningful control group, the positive household impacts suggest that a VSLA programme scaled to a high density within each village could have a positive impact
on the local economy. Read More...
Mid-Term Strategic Review of the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity
CARE commissioned a Mid-Term Strategic Review (MTSR) of the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity to formulate recommendations for the remaining life of the project to increase effectiveness in achieving sustainable impact. The Livelihoods for Resilience Activity is being implemented in 27 Woredas in the three regions of Tigray, Amhara, and Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples and is just over the midway point in its five-year life from December 5, 2016, through December 3, 2021. The purpose of the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity is to reduce food insecurity and increase resilience for 97,900 chronically food insecure households that are enrolled in the fourth cycle of the Government of Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP4), enabling them to graduate with resilience from the PSNP4.
The MTSR for the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity was a formative evaluation exercise intended to provide guidance on ways to improve the effectiveness of the program in achieving intended impact.
Relative to the four global learning questions for the MTSR (see page 4), the MTSR found that the model that the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity is implementing is effective for achieving graduation with resilience, but because frontline delivery is constrained by the number of staff, their technical capacities and the degree of supervision and support that they receive, interventions are not always going deeply enough to ensure behavioral change. The program is empowering women both economically and socially through the VESA platform, but there are significant variations between regions; and outside of the VESA, there is some evidence to suggest that women’s empowerment has not yet been well incorporated, especially in value chain participation and MFI linkages. Progress is certainly being made in transferring ideas and knowledge to PSNP counterparts, but that has not yet translated into practice mainly because of resource constraints. Key approaches that need to be added or strengthened in the coming two years include expanding frontline delivery capacities, expanding efforts to ensure that strategies and approaches are well understood by implementation staff at all levels in all partners, ensuring that women’s empowerment is included in all approaches by all partners, and looking for new ways to facilitate access to jobs, either through self-employment or wage employment, for youth from PSNP households.
The Livelihoods for Resilience Activity is already doing some very nice work in starting to achieve sustainable impact. The project has strong potential to be recognized as a “great” project if it can make some adjustments.
Read More...
The MTSR for the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity was a formative evaluation exercise intended to provide guidance on ways to improve the effectiveness of the program in achieving intended impact.
Relative to the four global learning questions for the MTSR (see page 4), the MTSR found that the model that the Livelihoods for Resilience Activity is implementing is effective for achieving graduation with resilience, but because frontline delivery is constrained by the number of staff, their technical capacities and the degree of supervision and support that they receive, interventions are not always going deeply enough to ensure behavioral change. The program is empowering women both economically and socially through the VESA platform, but there are significant variations between regions; and outside of the VESA, there is some evidence to suggest that women’s empowerment has not yet been well incorporated, especially in value chain participation and MFI linkages. Progress is certainly being made in transferring ideas and knowledge to PSNP counterparts, but that has not yet translated into practice mainly because of resource constraints. Key approaches that need to be added or strengthened in the coming two years include expanding frontline delivery capacities, expanding efforts to ensure that strategies and approaches are well understood by implementation staff at all levels in all partners, ensuring that women’s empowerment is included in all approaches by all partners, and looking for new ways to facilitate access to jobs, either through self-employment or wage employment, for youth from PSNP households.
The Livelihoods for Resilience Activity is already doing some very nice work in starting to achieve sustainable impact. The project has strong potential to be recognized as a “great” project if it can make some adjustments.
Read More...