Post –Project Study
McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program in Timor-Leste HATUTAN Sustainability Study Liquica
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has supported Timor-Leste through the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Initiative since 2018. The McGovern-Dole funded Hahán ne’ebé Atu fó Tulun ho Nutrisaun no Edukasaun/ Food to Support Nutrition and Education program – HATUTAN - supported 455 schools and surrounding communities in four of Timor-Leste’s most disadvantaged municipalities: Ainaro, Ermera, Liquica, and Manatuto. Between 2018 and 2023, HATUTAN reached 431,244 students, out of whom 109,065 received school meals.
HATUTAN’s final evaluation show that the integrated intervention has achieved remarkable results, including:
-A gain of 4.8 percentage points in literacy scores, over and above the comparison group.
-A major reduction in teachers’ use of traditional practices: the proportion of students who spent the class copying from the board declined by 15 percentage points over and above the comparison group, while the proportion of students repeating after the teacher declined by 25 percentage points; and
- A major improvement in infant feeding practices, reducing by 13.6 percentage points in the proportion of mothers feeding formula to babies under six months of age.
In 2023, the schools14 in the municipality of Liquica – 101 in total, out of which 35 receiving the full intervention15 - graduated out of the program following demonstrated improvements in school management, SFP delivery, increased use of participatory teaching practices and reduction in negative teaching practices, and improvements in hygiene and sanitation. Among other results, the final evaluation showed that 91% of the schools in Liquica had reading corners in grade 2, compared to HATUTAN’s 65% average; the average attendance rate reached 78%, compared to a 64% average; and teacher attendance rate reached 85%. The second phase of the program has continued to support schools in Ainaro, Ermera, and Manatuto since 2023, and expanded operations to Oé-cusse in 2024. Read More...
HATUTAN’s final evaluation show that the integrated intervention has achieved remarkable results, including:
-A gain of 4.8 percentage points in literacy scores, over and above the comparison group.
-A major reduction in teachers’ use of traditional practices: the proportion of students who spent the class copying from the board declined by 15 percentage points over and above the comparison group, while the proportion of students repeating after the teacher declined by 25 percentage points; and
- A major improvement in infant feeding practices, reducing by 13.6 percentage points in the proportion of mothers feeding formula to babies under six months of age.
In 2023, the schools14 in the municipality of Liquica – 101 in total, out of which 35 receiving the full intervention15 - graduated out of the program following demonstrated improvements in school management, SFP delivery, increased use of participatory teaching practices and reduction in negative teaching practices, and improvements in hygiene and sanitation. Among other results, the final evaluation showed that 91% of the schools in Liquica had reading corners in grade 2, compared to HATUTAN’s 65% average; the average attendance rate reached 78%, compared to a 64% average; and teacher attendance rate reached 85%. The second phase of the program has continued to support schools in Ainaro, Ermera, and Manatuto since 2023, and expanded operations to Oé-cusse in 2024. Read More...
Adolescent Girls’ Education in Somalia (AGES) Post Project Evaluation Summaries
The Adolescent Girls’ Education in Somalia (AGES) project is an ambitious six-year initiative (2018-2024) funded by FCDO and USAID, which sought to enable 83,925 ultra-marginalized girls and female youth living in conflict-affected areas of Somalia to access quality education responsive to their needs. AGES combines the provision of three education modalities with financial literacy, youth savings groups, life skills, mentorship, and girl-led civic action. AGES enrolled a total of 90,698 girls in education, including 21,945 in primary education; 1244 in formal special needs schools; 13,276 in accelerated basic education (ABE); and 54,233 in non-formal education classes (NFE). This series of briefs highlights results on different components of results from the post-project evaluation.
Additionally, The Adolescent Girls’ Education in Somalia (AGES) project worked to improve learning outcomes and positive transitions for 90,698 extremely vulnerable girls and female youth in South Somalia. AGES research showed that vulnerable girls’ limited self-confidence and voice hinders participation in class, with a negative impact on learning, particularly among girls with disabilities and displaced youth. To address this barrier, AGES
formed school-based clubs known as Girls’ Empowerment Forum (GEF). Through the GEF, vulnerable students participate in activities to develop leadership skills with support from mentors and are linked to resource
persons within the community. They are trained to act as peer mentors within their schools and community, reaching out to other girls to provide support, and engaging in joint advocacy and action. GEF participants
work together to develop plans to address issues of their choice through girl-led action. GEF mentors and peer mentors are also trained on psychosocial first aid, providing support to those affected by shocks. In 2020-2024, AGES established 911 Girls’ Empowerment Forums with a total of 9,110 members. The GEFs were connected through 18 district-level networks. Read More...
Additionally, The Adolescent Girls’ Education in Somalia (AGES) project worked to improve learning outcomes and positive transitions for 90,698 extremely vulnerable girls and female youth in South Somalia. AGES research showed that vulnerable girls’ limited self-confidence and voice hinders participation in class, with a negative impact on learning, particularly among girls with disabilities and displaced youth. To address this barrier, AGES
formed school-based clubs known as Girls’ Empowerment Forum (GEF). Through the GEF, vulnerable students participate in activities to develop leadership skills with support from mentors and are linked to resource
persons within the community. They are trained to act as peer mentors within their schools and community, reaching out to other girls to provide support, and engaging in joint advocacy and action. GEF participants
work together to develop plans to address issues of their choice through girl-led action. GEF mentors and peer mentors are also trained on psychosocial first aid, providing support to those affected by shocks. In 2020-2024, AGES established 911 Girls’ Empowerment Forums with a total of 9,110 members. The GEFs were connected through 18 district-level networks. Read More...
TATWEER “Livelihood Security and Civil Society Strengthening in the OPT.”
TATWEER was implemented from May 2009 - April of 2015 utilizing partnerships with three Palestine NGOs (Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem (ARIJ), Economic and Social Development Center of Palestine (ESDC), and New Farm Company (NFC). The project was implemented to help devastated farmers begin to regain food security in the Jenin and Tubas regions. This research seeks to understand and assess the sustained post-project outcomes and impacts both achieved and unintended of the TATWEER as a food security enabler among Palestinian households. CARE Palestine, CARE USA, and partners used mixed methods for this post-project sustainability study. Read More...
Post Program Sustainability Assessment of Women’s Economic Empowerment in Yemen
Rebuilding livelihoods is of key importance in fragile settings that experienced intense (man-made or natural) shocks causing distribution of household’s capacities to thrive. As CARE has defined its objective to contribute to the reduction of gender inequality and create equal opportunities for both men and women, it is a natural aspect of their work to integrate Women’s Economic Justice (WEJ) also in locations marked by long-term fragility. CARE does not only want to rebuild livelihoods, but it also wants to contribute to building a more inclusive economic system, where both men and women can benefit from and contribute to economic growth. Working in such fragile settings however, dominated by ongoing violence, destruction and the prioritization of humanitarian aid, requires a conscious adjustment of our vision and approach for WEJ. Several teams and programs, among them CARE Yemen and CARE Northeast Syria, have been piloting and learning about supporting WEJ in fragile settings. It is crucial for organizational growth and learning that these pioneering efforts are documented and further analysed. This has been the objective of the forthcoming publication Women Economic Justice Review in Fragile Settings (by the Regional Applied Economic Empowerment Hub). Read More...
Study on the sustainability of GRAD structures and outcomes
This study conducted by PDCR aims to better understand the sustainability and functionally of the processes and elements of GRAD-I as well as the different actors and structures supported and established by the project. And as such this report will focus on VESAs, household/value chains, agro-dealers, FEMAs/Cooperatives, micro-franchise, multi-stakeholders platform and access to finance after the project ended and will cover the period from December 2016 until September 2019.
Background
The Graduation with Resilience to Achieve Sustainable Development (GRAD) project (hereafter referred to as the project) was a five-year USAID-funded project which began in December 2011 and ended in December 2016. Its strategic objective was to graduate a minimum of 50,000 chronically food-insecure households from the Ethiopian Government’s (GoE’s) Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP). Additionally, it aimed to increase each household’s income by $365 by the project’s fifth year in 16 Woredas in Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR). During the implementation of the project combined “push” and “pull” model into a complete and integrated package of interventions and within this model the project at times established and/or the above-mentioned actors.
Methodology
Accordingly, desktop reviews of relevant documents including the project final evaluation, suitability and exit plan as well as a variety of reports were undertaken. The study team collected quantitative and qualitative information from 330 VESAs, 1,066 households, 188 saleswomen, 21 agro-dealers, 31 FEMAs/cooperatives. Furthermore, it consulted with representatives from multi-stakeholder platforms groups, Woreda FSTF, MFIs/RuSACCOs and participating wholesalers linked to the project.
Key findings:
VESAs:
56% of the VESAs established and supported by the project are still active as members were able to benefit from their membership, improve their saving and loan management, improve loan repayment mechanisms, were able to share out on time and at critical times, have structured and transparent management committee. These groups develop their members’ social capital, have a strong sense of trust, have benefited from their family’s support. The active VESA have reasonable membership size, common interest and have managed receive continued support.
42% of the VESAs established are inactive as members lost confidence and the interest right after the project ended. Members did not clearly understand the value of the VESAs, some faced internal conflicts, others such as the groups in Sidama and Gurage Zones were affected by drought and security issues. Overall, the inactive VESAs have received less support especially those established in the later part of the project. On a positive side, in Tigray few groups dissolved their VESAs as there was no needed since they now have started saving at banks and can access credit from MFIs.
2% of VESAs have transformed into RuSACCOs. Those who managed to this transformation was encouraged by some of their members who already were also member to a RuSACCO. The VESAs were not encouraged due to RuSACCO’s principle that supported individual membership to join already established RuSACCOs; and groups would rather retain their VESA as they feel they have full control and do not want to lose their social capital.
Active VESAs were formed on a voluntary base and were given adequate briefing about the purpose of the group. In contrast, the inactive VESAs members were mainly selected and groups were formed by project staffs.
Active VESAs remained together and have not sought to split into smaller groups as they value the social capital created within the group and prefer to work as a one team. Dissimilarly, 53% of the currently inactive groups did separate to form smaller groups, mainly due to internal conflicts, dissatisfaction regarding members selection methods and lack of management skills amongst the leadership.
Across all study areas, all VESAs were found have bylaws and in the case of Tigray and Amhara regions, some groups internally agreed and have amended their bylaws articles related to saving amounts, loan repayment mechanisms and interest rates reflecting their needs.
Active VESAs have successfully built social cohesion, capital, are a safe and fertile environment for training, social and cultural norms discussion platforms that may impede development drives and contribute to food security (e.g. gender inequality, infant feeding practices, etc.).
On average 61% of the active VESAs have been able to increase their savings size while only 13% reporting a decrease. Those who reported a decrease was directly associated to their inability to save as family expenses have escalated and they were unable to generate more income in order to save.
In all the study areas, the groups have paid share out every year in May and June. Their average value of liquid savings during the last share-out was 28,282 Birr with an average group share out of 1,444 Birr ($51) and an internal loan size of 26,649 Birr.
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Background
The Graduation with Resilience to Achieve Sustainable Development (GRAD) project (hereafter referred to as the project) was a five-year USAID-funded project which began in December 2011 and ended in December 2016. Its strategic objective was to graduate a minimum of 50,000 chronically food-insecure households from the Ethiopian Government’s (GoE’s) Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP). Additionally, it aimed to increase each household’s income by $365 by the project’s fifth year in 16 Woredas in Tigray, Amhara, Oromia, and Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR). During the implementation of the project combined “push” and “pull” model into a complete and integrated package of interventions and within this model the project at times established and/or the above-mentioned actors.
Methodology
Accordingly, desktop reviews of relevant documents including the project final evaluation, suitability and exit plan as well as a variety of reports were undertaken. The study team collected quantitative and qualitative information from 330 VESAs, 1,066 households, 188 saleswomen, 21 agro-dealers, 31 FEMAs/cooperatives. Furthermore, it consulted with representatives from multi-stakeholder platforms groups, Woreda FSTF, MFIs/RuSACCOs and participating wholesalers linked to the project.
Key findings:
VESAs:
56% of the VESAs established and supported by the project are still active as members were able to benefit from their membership, improve their saving and loan management, improve loan repayment mechanisms, were able to share out on time and at critical times, have structured and transparent management committee. These groups develop their members’ social capital, have a strong sense of trust, have benefited from their family’s support. The active VESA have reasonable membership size, common interest and have managed receive continued support.
42% of the VESAs established are inactive as members lost confidence and the interest right after the project ended. Members did not clearly understand the value of the VESAs, some faced internal conflicts, others such as the groups in Sidama and Gurage Zones were affected by drought and security issues. Overall, the inactive VESAs have received less support especially those established in the later part of the project. On a positive side, in Tigray few groups dissolved their VESAs as there was no needed since they now have started saving at banks and can access credit from MFIs.
2% of VESAs have transformed into RuSACCOs. Those who managed to this transformation was encouraged by some of their members who already were also member to a RuSACCO. The VESAs were not encouraged due to RuSACCO’s principle that supported individual membership to join already established RuSACCOs; and groups would rather retain their VESA as they feel they have full control and do not want to lose their social capital.
Active VESAs were formed on a voluntary base and were given adequate briefing about the purpose of the group. In contrast, the inactive VESAs members were mainly selected and groups were formed by project staffs.
Active VESAs remained together and have not sought to split into smaller groups as they value the social capital created within the group and prefer to work as a one team. Dissimilarly, 53% of the currently inactive groups did separate to form smaller groups, mainly due to internal conflicts, dissatisfaction regarding members selection methods and lack of management skills amongst the leadership.
Across all study areas, all VESAs were found have bylaws and in the case of Tigray and Amhara regions, some groups internally agreed and have amended their bylaws articles related to saving amounts, loan repayment mechanisms and interest rates reflecting their needs.
Active VESAs have successfully built social cohesion, capital, are a safe and fertile environment for training, social and cultural norms discussion platforms that may impede development drives and contribute to food security (e.g. gender inequality, infant feeding practices, etc.).
On average 61% of the active VESAs have been able to increase their savings size while only 13% reporting a decrease. Those who reported a decrease was directly associated to their inability to save as family expenses have escalated and they were unable to generate more income in order to save.
In all the study areas, the groups have paid share out every year in May and June. Their average value of liquid savings during the last share-out was 28,282 Birr with an average group share out of 1,444 Birr ($51) and an internal loan size of 26,649 Birr.
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POST-PROJECT LEAD IMPACT ASSESSMENT “INTEGRATING SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY INTO DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION
The project "Integrating Social Accountability in Education for Development" (LEAD) is a social accountability project understood as the continuous process of improving collaborative relationships, compliance with commitments made, and accountability between institutional actors and citizens in order to contribute to participatory governance in the education system. The LEAD project ran from October 1, 2014 to September 30, 2018. It was funded by the World Bank's Global Partnership for Social Accountability (GPSA). It aimed to improve the performance of the education system not only within schools but also at the provincial (DPMEN1) and regional (AREF2) levels. During this period, the project was piloted in 50 schools between the region of Marrakech- Safi (Province of Al Haouz) and Casablanca- Settat (Prefecture of Sidi Bernoussi). Read More...
POST PROJECTSUSTAINABILITYSTUDY OF SETU (SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC TRANSFORMATION OFTHE ULTRA POOR)
POST PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY STUDY OF SETU09CARE Bangladesh implemented (2009-2015) Social and Economic Transformation of the Ultra Poor (SETU), under the EEP/SHiREE program funded by former UKaid from the Department for International and the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation in four districts: Ranpur, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat and Nilphamari of the Northwest region of the country that is severely affected by seasonal food insecurity. The design of SETU was structured around CARE's Criteria and threshold of calculating multidimensional poverty livelihood opportunities; social inequalities playing out different forms of exploitation, dependence, discrimination, and marginalization; and weak governance at all levels resulting in lack of participation of extreme poor and poor people in Union Parishad and local development processes.This PPS study of SETU aims to assess how and to what extent the graduation model sustains in later years; and the factors that determine sustainability or lack thereof in the same population group. The study followed the same area and sample (418) households of SETU’s end evaluation study and included 95% of households who graduated and 5% of HH who have not graduated. Read More...
Sustainability of impact-strengthening the Dairy value Chain (SDVC) Final Report
Strengthening Dairy Value Chain (SDVC) Project was one of the first Value Chain Development (VCD) programmes of CARE Bangladesh, it had its roots in focusing extensively in supporting farmers through provision of organizing, training and technically supporting farmers. SDVC-II had a more market led focus and a more facilitative approach. It worked across the dairy value chain, ranging from Livestock Health Workers (LHWs), Input sellers, Milk Collectors, BRAC Dairy, and others. This study aimed to measure long-term sustainability of impacts through Market Systems Development Approach. The study focused on capturing the sustainability of the project’s interventions, 5 years after the project had closed.
SDVC built household resilience, improved livelihoods, and helped chronically food insecure households increase their income and dairy consumption. The project focused on implementing change through a set of interventions namely:
• Improving Productivity
• Increasing Access to Inputs
• Increasing Access to Markets
• Improving the Policy Environment
• Supporting Use of Technology and Data
The study adopted the AAER (Adopt, Adapt, Expand, Respond) framework1 for capturing systemic change. The study found that after five years of project completion, substantial linkages remain, and functions continues to serve the poor in a systematic manner. Where we found that market actors such as Livestock Health Workers, Retailers, Collection points continue to function strongly. Similarly, we found that BRAC dairy continues to source milk from collection points, where smallholders supply roughly 70-80% of the milk. Other processors were also found to utilise the collection points in terms of sourcing milk. BRAC intends to replicate the dairy hub model with the use of Digital Fat Testing Devices in the southern part of Bangladesh as well. All processors like PRAN, Milk Vita, Rangpur Dairy were also found to have been sourcing from the established collection points.
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SDVC built household resilience, improved livelihoods, and helped chronically food insecure households increase their income and dairy consumption. The project focused on implementing change through a set of interventions namely:
• Improving Productivity
• Increasing Access to Inputs
• Increasing Access to Markets
• Improving the Policy Environment
• Supporting Use of Technology and Data
The study adopted the AAER (Adopt, Adapt, Expand, Respond) framework1 for capturing systemic change. The study found that after five years of project completion, substantial linkages remain, and functions continues to serve the poor in a systematic manner. Where we found that market actors such as Livestock Health Workers, Retailers, Collection points continue to function strongly. Similarly, we found that BRAC dairy continues to source milk from collection points, where smallholders supply roughly 70-80% of the milk. Other processors were also found to utilise the collection points in terms of sourcing milk. BRAC intends to replicate the dairy hub model with the use of Digital Fat Testing Devices in the southern part of Bangladesh as well. All processors like PRAN, Milk Vita, Rangpur Dairy were also found to have been sourcing from the established collection points.
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Looking at the Chivi WASH Project 4 Years Later
Four years after the close of the Chivi WASH Project in 2017 in Chivi North, CARE conducted an “ex-post” evaluation in March 2021 to see which aspects of the project, were sustained. The evaluation focused on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH); specifically: open defecation status, latrine coverage, and access to an improved water source. The evaluation also inquired about attitudes towards leadership roles of women and girls, and whether COVID-19 lockdowns affected water and sanitation services. Read More...
POST PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY (PPS) STUDY FOR VISTAR-II PROJECT
CARE Nepal and Handicap International implemented a community-based disaster risk reduction project called VISTAR-II in Kailali, Dadeldhura, Kanchanpur, and Dang districts under the DIPECHO-VIIII cycle. This project was for a period of 22 months from March 1, 2015, to December 31, 2016. The project aimed to strengthen the resilience of communities and institutions to natural disasters through building leadership and management capacities from the community level to the national level. After five years of the VISTAR-II intervention, a Post Project Sustainability Study was carried out in two randomly selected intervention districts, namely Kailali and Kanchanpur. out of the four districts. Read More...