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ENSURE Project Outcome Monitoring Survey Report
Enhancing Nutrition Stepping Up Resilience and Enterprises (ENSURE), originally was a 5 year project which was supposed to end in June 2018 but was extended to February 2020. It is funded by USAID and is implemented in six districts in Manicaland and Masvingo Provinces by a consortium led by World Vision. The other consortium members are CARE, SNV, SAFIRE and ICRISAT. World Vision is the implementing lead in Buhera, Chipinge and Chimanimani Districts of Manicaland Province, while CARE is the implementing lead in Bikita, Chivi and Zaka Districts of Masvingo Province. The project aims to cushion vulnerable and food insecure Zimbabweans in the target districts. The main thrust of the project is to empower and capacitate poor, rural households in the targeted districts to become more food secure. The geographical scope of the ENSURE project was carefully selected to involve agro-ecological zones 4 and 5 where food insecurity is high and covering a total of 66 wards of which 32 wards are in Manicaland Province and 34 are in Masvingo Province. The ENSURE project is anchored on three main thematic areas namely maternal and child health (SO1), agriculture and economic development (SO2), and resilience (SO3). Gender is included as a cross cutting objective which has been embraced in this project in order to increase equity in access to resources among men and women. [44 pages] Read More...
Improving Agricultural Production and Improved Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Drought Affected Populations in Masvingo Province (MERP)’ Project
In September 2018, Care International in Zimbabwe (CIZ) commissioned Keeptrack Consultants to conduct an End of Term Evaluation (EOTE) of the USAID-OFDA funded ‘Improving Agricultural Production and Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Project (MERP) in Bikita, Chivi and Zaka districts of Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe. Initially implemented from 2016-2017 in response to the El Nino induced drought, the project was granted a cost modification for the period 2017-2018 in order to respond to La Nina induced flooding. The extension came with an expansion of coverage from 15 wards initially to 18 wards in the same target districts in the final year. The goal of the project was, ‘To provide immediate assistance and recovery to drought affected populations in Masvingo Province through asset (livestock protection), access to water sanitation and hygiene as well as agricultural production. Project activities were aligned to three sectors namely Agriculture and Food Security Sector, Economic Recovery and Market Systems Sector and the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Sector.
According to the Terms of Reference (TOR), the purpose of the end of term evaluation was to assess and provide reliable end-line information on project performance against set parameters. The evaluation was also expected to include an analysis of appropriateness, timeliness, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability. [57 pages]
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According to the Terms of Reference (TOR), the purpose of the end of term evaluation was to assess and provide reliable end-line information on project performance against set parameters. The evaluation was also expected to include an analysis of appropriateness, timeliness, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability. [57 pages]
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State of Practice: Savings Groups and the Role of Government in Sub-Saharan Africa
Savings Groups are community-based financial service providers that deliver basic financial services to millions of members in underserved markets worldwide. Traditionally, the promotion of Savings Groups has been led by national and international NGOs and a large extension network of community-based trainers. In recent years, governments across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have deepened their engagement with Savings Groups, recognizing the potential of the community-based microfinance model to contribute to national financial inclusion strategies and development agendas. This state of practice report provides a comprehensive overview of government interventions in the sector across Sub-Saharan Africa. In 2018, the authors conducted an extensive desk review and interviews with 46 government representatives from 22 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. This report identifies and describes 74 government initiatives in the Savings Group sector, across 20 countries1 in Sub-Saharan Africa. [64 pages] Read More...
Integrated Shelter and Protection Improvements Programme Evaluation Summary
The programme contributes to building resilience by:
• Increasing access to infrastructure through upgrading housing units and implementing neighborhood building and street upgrades;
• Increasing the knowledge of the residents about protection issues through supporting relevant interactive performances and delivering awareness raising sessions for adults and children;
• Improving the health of the residents through upgrading housing units, neighborhood building and street upgrades and running awareness raising sessions.
Further investigation is required to confirm if the programme contributes to building resilience by:
• Increasing community cohesion through establishing the neighborhood committees and running awareness raising sessions;
• Increasing connectivity between residents and external stakeholders through introducing the neighborhood committees to the municipality and CSOs. Read More...
• Increasing access to infrastructure through upgrading housing units and implementing neighborhood building and street upgrades;
• Increasing the knowledge of the residents about protection issues through supporting relevant interactive performances and delivering awareness raising sessions for adults and children;
• Improving the health of the residents through upgrading housing units, neighborhood building and street upgrades and running awareness raising sessions.
Further investigation is required to confirm if the programme contributes to building resilience by:
• Increasing community cohesion through establishing the neighborhood committees and running awareness raising sessions;
• Increasing connectivity between residents and external stakeholders through introducing the neighborhood committees to the municipality and CSOs. Read More...
Evaluation of the Integrated Shelter and Protection Improvements Programme for Syrian Refugees and Host Communities in Tripoli, Lebanon
Since 2015, Care International in Lebanon (CIL) and its local partner Akkarouna, have provided shelter, water and sanitation, and protection assistance to vulnerable Syrian refugees and Lebanese host community members in Tripoli and Beirut as part of its Integrated Shelter and Protection Improvements programme for Syrian Refugees and Host Communities (the ‘programme’). The programme is on going – with phase IV continuing from September 2018 to September 2019 – and is funded by the US Government’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM).
The aim of this evaluation is to ‘provide guidance to CARE Lebanon and its partners in order to learn from experiences, strengthen capacities and identify opportunities for increased integration of sectoral approaches as a pathway towards greater effectiveness and sustainability’. There are two objectives to the evaluation, firstly an assessment of Phase III of the programme (completed from September 2017 to August 2018); secondly a contribution analysis evaluation of Phases I, II, and III of the programme (from 2015 to 2018) in order to develop a theory of change. Fieldwork to collect primary data- interviews, focus groups and direct observation- was carried out in September 2018. This was combined with an extensive literature review in order to triangulate the data and refine the findings. [66 pages] Read More...
The aim of this evaluation is to ‘provide guidance to CARE Lebanon and its partners in order to learn from experiences, strengthen capacities and identify opportunities for increased integration of sectoral approaches as a pathway towards greater effectiveness and sustainability’. There are two objectives to the evaluation, firstly an assessment of Phase III of the programme (completed from September 2017 to August 2018); secondly a contribution analysis evaluation of Phases I, II, and III of the programme (from 2015 to 2018) in order to develop a theory of change. Fieldwork to collect primary data- interviews, focus groups and direct observation- was carried out in September 2018. This was combined with an extensive literature review in order to triangulate the data and refine the findings. [66 pages] Read More...
Promoting Land Rights for Ethnic Minority People in Vietnam
This evaluation is considered an external assessment that serves both accountability and learning purposes. The methodology employed is qualitative, and the evaluation scope covers five dimensions i.e. relevant, effectiveness, impact, sustainability and efficiency in consideration of the evaluation standards of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development/Development Assistant Committee (OECD/DAC).
The combination of various approaches was used to guide the preparation and implementation of the evaluations. That includes right-based, result-based, process-outcome, goal free, performance audit, need-based, participatory and independent approaches.
Key informant interviews (KIIs), Focus Groups, Group Interviews, Case Studies, field observations and Desk Reviews were key data collection methods. Triangulation and cross checking were the key techniques to consolidate and ensure the rigour of findings. Field studies were conducted in Hanoi, Lao Cai, Quang Binh and Kon Tum. In total, 57 informants participated in the evaluation representing village communities, LandNet, local authorities, CSOs, policy makers, and project holders. Informants representing different stakeholders were selected after desk review and consultation with project holders. [45 pages]
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The combination of various approaches was used to guide the preparation and implementation of the evaluations. That includes right-based, result-based, process-outcome, goal free, performance audit, need-based, participatory and independent approaches.
Key informant interviews (KIIs), Focus Groups, Group Interviews, Case Studies, field observations and Desk Reviews were key data collection methods. Triangulation and cross checking were the key techniques to consolidate and ensure the rigour of findings. Field studies were conducted in Hanoi, Lao Cai, Quang Binh and Kon Tum. In total, 57 informants participated in the evaluation representing village communities, LandNet, local authorities, CSOs, policy makers, and project holders. Informants representing different stakeholders were selected after desk review and consultation with project holders. [45 pages]
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Abdiboru Project Improving Adolescent Reproductive Health and Nutrition through Structural Solutions: Midterm Report
The Abdiboru project aims at improving the life’s of very young adolescent girls’ (10-14 years of age) specifically their sexual and reproductive health and nutrition through structural solution in West Hararghe zone, Oromia, Ethiopia.
The different combination of interventions are implemented by CARE Ethiopia: Arm 1(the Double-combination arm) combines individual and structural/government level interventions; Arm 2 (the Triple-combination arm) combines interventions at individual, structural/ government level, and community levels; and Arm 3 (the delayed intervention arm) serves as a control arm until it receives the better of Arm 1 or Arm 2 intervention in the final year of the project.
This midterm assessment was designed to gather evidence on the progress and lessons learned in the first half of the project life. This assessment pulled data from various sources that are part of the monitoring and evaluation system of the project, including mini-qualitative assessment, baseline qualitative and quantitative studies, sectoral office data, monitoring data, lite qualitative study and the mid-term assessment study. [43 pages]
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The different combination of interventions are implemented by CARE Ethiopia: Arm 1(the Double-combination arm) combines individual and structural/government level interventions; Arm 2 (the Triple-combination arm) combines interventions at individual, structural/ government level, and community levels; and Arm 3 (the delayed intervention arm) serves as a control arm until it receives the better of Arm 1 or Arm 2 intervention in the final year of the project.
This midterm assessment was designed to gather evidence on the progress and lessons learned in the first half of the project life. This assessment pulled data from various sources that are part of the monitoring and evaluation system of the project, including mini-qualitative assessment, baseline qualitative and quantitative studies, sectoral office data, monitoring data, lite qualitative study and the mid-term assessment study. [43 pages]
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Soybeans for Smallholder Farmers Cultivation Practices Cargill PROSPER
Despite initiatives undertaken by some national and international organizations towards creating an enabling environment for soybean smallholders, most of such initiatives have been deficient in evaluating proper and improper current farming practices, which could have contributed to further reforming of this cultivation. Therefore, CARE International adopted the idea of preparing a study to measure and evaluate practices of soybean cultivation in the governorates of Minya, Beni Suef and Dakahliya. By using criteria and indicators of the reality and specificity of the soybean sector in Egypt, helping monitor and measure the form and degree of practices in order to identify problems, in such practices, suffered by smallholders and to find solutions that best suit them. [53 pages] Read More...
Knowledge, Attitude, And Practice (KAP) Study Under TARINA
The TATA-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition has been awarded a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to promote nutrition–sensitive food system in India that enhances the availability and affordability of diverse, high quality and nutrient rich foods for the rural poor; through the project known as Technical Assistance and Research for Indian Nutrition and Agriculture (TARINA). CARE India has been the implementing partner under TARINA for the project activities in Odisha across 72 villages in two districts i.e. Kandhamal and Kalahandi. The project commenced on November 2015 and is ongoing. Now that the project has reached its midline, CARE India intended to understand and assess the changes (desirable and undesirable) and impacts (positive and negative) of intervention made so far through conducting a Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (KAP) study so that based on its recommendations, course correctional steps/actions can be taken to strengthen and maximize the positive impacts in the remaining years. The key objective of this study is to establish the impact of TARINA strategies on crop diversification and improved kitchen garden practices on diet diversity through technical assistance under TARINA project through assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of farmers. [64 pages] Read More...
Towards Improved Economic and Sexual Reproductive Health Outcomes for Adolescent Girls (TESFA) Project Baseline Qualitative Study Report
Operational in Ethiopia since 1984, CARE’s involvement into sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and maternal, newborn and child Health (MNCH) programming began in 1995 with the Family Planning and HIV/AIDS program. Since that time, CARE has gained expertise in the design and implementation of family planning and MNCH programs in Ethiopia by piloting innovative approaches, social analysis and action, village saving and loan association, mobilizing communities, encouraging behavior change communication, and engaging with government and local organizations etc. CARE Ethiopia's experience working with stakeholders at various levels to develop and implement sustainable family planning and MNCH activities, combined with global leadership in SRH, MNCH and HIV/AIDS equips CARE with the unique skills to tackle enduring and emerging issues that affect the health and wellbeing of women, men and children of Ethiopia. [64 pages]
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