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EMERGENCY FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM: FINAL EVALUATION REPORT
This report provides the results of the final evaluation of the Emergency Food Security Program (EFSP) implemented in twelve districts within the four regions of Sool, Sanaag, Galgaduud and Mudug that was conducted during July and August 2019.
Over and above the program performance parameters, the beneficiaries overwhelmingly indicated that the program had had significant positive impacts. The program was considered timely as it was delivered when beneficiaries were getting into months of food insecurity. When asked whether the cash transfer had improved their livelihoods, 93% of the household survey respondents reported that their livelihoods had improved, mainly in terms of improved purchasing power (93%), ease of meeting their basic needs (78%), better social status (22%), better and more recognition (17%), taking children to school (14%), access to healthcare (9%) and in other (non-described) areas (7%). In the household survey, 94% of the respondents received three cycles of the correct amount, whilst 5% who were targeted under the Rapid Response Fund (RRF) received two cycles enabling households to purchase their preferred foods, at least 25Kg of rice, 25Kg of sugar, 25kg wheat flour, 3kg of cooking oil, 10kg of pasta and some vegetables.
The program had a positive impact on the 52,299 households enrolled. The programme resulted in a reduction of distress coping strategies, with an average rCSI of 12.8 reducing from 20.4 at the program baseline. This supports the effectiveness of the program in enabling the beneficiaries to reduce the number of negative coping strategies that they were previously employing in order to meet basic household needs. In addition, as planned, all the households used the cash transfer to meet their basic needs, with 97% of them using the cash transfer to purchase food for the household, indicating that the cash intervention has directly contributed to the enhancement of the household food security during the drought. Trend analysis shows that throughout the program there was a downward trend of the rCSI scores, while there was an increase of household dietary diversity index to 20.4 compared to the baseline of 12.8. Similarly, an analysis of household hunger shows that in general the beneficiaries were experiencing little to no hunger, with only 13% experiencing moderate hunger and 86% of households experiencing little to no hunger. This again indicates that the programme has achieved positive outcomes.
While the evidence suggests that the program generated a number of positive impacts, across many domains, demonstrating effective and efficient implementation, and that the beneficiaries used the cash as per the original objectives of the program, households continue to faces challenges in their capacity to fully recover from the impacts of conflict and drought. Increasing the scale of interventions and developing additional holistic livelihood strategies for the target areas, creating linkages with market-based interventions and improvement in access to water, education and healthcare, experimenting with graduation models combined with local savings (VSLAs) were among some of the areas identified for improving future programming. A more detailed description of these recommendations is provided towards the tail end of the report. Read More...
Over and above the program performance parameters, the beneficiaries overwhelmingly indicated that the program had had significant positive impacts. The program was considered timely as it was delivered when beneficiaries were getting into months of food insecurity. When asked whether the cash transfer had improved their livelihoods, 93% of the household survey respondents reported that their livelihoods had improved, mainly in terms of improved purchasing power (93%), ease of meeting their basic needs (78%), better social status (22%), better and more recognition (17%), taking children to school (14%), access to healthcare (9%) and in other (non-described) areas (7%). In the household survey, 94% of the respondents received three cycles of the correct amount, whilst 5% who were targeted under the Rapid Response Fund (RRF) received two cycles enabling households to purchase their preferred foods, at least 25Kg of rice, 25Kg of sugar, 25kg wheat flour, 3kg of cooking oil, 10kg of pasta and some vegetables.
The program had a positive impact on the 52,299 households enrolled. The programme resulted in a reduction of distress coping strategies, with an average rCSI of 12.8 reducing from 20.4 at the program baseline. This supports the effectiveness of the program in enabling the beneficiaries to reduce the number of negative coping strategies that they were previously employing in order to meet basic household needs. In addition, as planned, all the households used the cash transfer to meet their basic needs, with 97% of them using the cash transfer to purchase food for the household, indicating that the cash intervention has directly contributed to the enhancement of the household food security during the drought. Trend analysis shows that throughout the program there was a downward trend of the rCSI scores, while there was an increase of household dietary diversity index to 20.4 compared to the baseline of 12.8. Similarly, an analysis of household hunger shows that in general the beneficiaries were experiencing little to no hunger, with only 13% experiencing moderate hunger and 86% of households experiencing little to no hunger. This again indicates that the programme has achieved positive outcomes.
While the evidence suggests that the program generated a number of positive impacts, across many domains, demonstrating effective and efficient implementation, and that the beneficiaries used the cash as per the original objectives of the program, households continue to faces challenges in their capacity to fully recover from the impacts of conflict and drought. Increasing the scale of interventions and developing additional holistic livelihood strategies for the target areas, creating linkages with market-based interventions and improvement in access to water, education and healthcare, experimenting with graduation models combined with local savings (VSLAs) were among some of the areas identified for improving future programming. A more detailed description of these recommendations is provided towards the tail end of the report. Read More...
WASH support to IDPs & host communities in Dohuk & Ninewa
CARE, REACH and Harikar solicited support from GAC to support their WASH intervention in four IDP camps (Chamishko, Essyan, Mamrashan and Sheikhan) and in host community collectives (Ardawan, Ba’adre, Kalakchi, Mahate and Ayas) in Dohuk and Ninewa from January 2017 to December 2019. The project also had an emergency response component in November 2017 in three neighbourhoods of West Mosul (Al-Mansour, Al-Jawsaq and Wadi Al-Hajar). The purpose of the final evaluation is to assess the post intervention situation in the targeted areas against baseline indicators. Furthermore, the study looked at the effectiveness and efficiency of the intervention to reach the expected outcomes. The study also considered criteria such as coverage and appropriateness to evaluate the quality of the intervention. Finally, the evaluation looked at some of the impacts of the intervention.
The final evaluation concludes that CARE, REACH and Harikar reached most of the expected targets during the project implementation. The evaluation team is confident that with the intervention of CARE, REACH and Harikar men, women, boys and girls have improved access to safe water supply (Outcome 100) and to safe sanitation facilities (Outcome 200) in the IDPs camps and also to some extent in the host communities. The evaluation team can also report that IDPs have had improved access to hygiene supplies in 2017 and 2018 thanks to the hygiene voucher system set up by CARE, REACH and Harikar (Outcome 300). Men, women, boys and girls also have improved access to information about hygiene as well as gender and protection both in the IDP camps and host communities (Outcome 300 and 500). The evaluation team collected mixed results however concerning the increased capacity of community actors, local NGOs & local authorities to provide timely WASH assistance to vulnerable IDPs and host communities that meet the differing needs of women & girls (Outcome 400). Due to the volatility of the context and the limited financial capacities of local authorities, the intervention failed to identify a strong exit strategy where local authorities would take over the services provided by CARE, Harikar and REACH with the support of GAC. Read More...
The final evaluation concludes that CARE, REACH and Harikar reached most of the expected targets during the project implementation. The evaluation team is confident that with the intervention of CARE, REACH and Harikar men, women, boys and girls have improved access to safe water supply (Outcome 100) and to safe sanitation facilities (Outcome 200) in the IDPs camps and also to some extent in the host communities. The evaluation team can also report that IDPs have had improved access to hygiene supplies in 2017 and 2018 thanks to the hygiene voucher system set up by CARE, REACH and Harikar (Outcome 300). Men, women, boys and girls also have improved access to information about hygiene as well as gender and protection both in the IDP camps and host communities (Outcome 300 and 500). The evaluation team collected mixed results however concerning the increased capacity of community actors, local NGOs & local authorities to provide timely WASH assistance to vulnerable IDPs and host communities that meet the differing needs of women & girls (Outcome 400). Due to the volatility of the context and the limited financial capacities of local authorities, the intervention failed to identify a strong exit strategy where local authorities would take over the services provided by CARE, Harikar and REACH with the support of GAC. Read More...
Somalia Resilience Program Third Party Monitoring: Midline Assessment
The Somalia Resilience Program (SomReP) is a consortium of seven international non-governmental organisations (INGOs). The aim of the consortium is to enhance the resilience of vulnerable households and communities in Southern Somalia against cyclical shocks and stressors. The program’s activities focus on securing livelihoods and increasing adaptive capacities of communities and households in Somalia.
Overall, positive developments from the baseline was noted for most of the indicators analyzed in this report. Most of these positive developments could be attributed to different programme interventions. The attribution was tested through statistical correlation analysis and by synthesizing programme documents and the data collected at various stages throughout the project. The food security status of the respondents had improved, both in terms of food consumption and coping strategies. For example, the proportion of the respondents categorized as having an acceptable level of the Food Consumption Score (FCS) had increased from 48.5% in the baseline to 80.4% in the midline. The income of the respondents had also improved with both a significantly higher average income as well as more diversified income being reported. Those respondents that were part of a savings scheme as well as those that had received cash distributions through Cash for Work (CfW) or Unconditional Cash Transfers (UCT) reported higher FCS than those who had not. Respondents that had received cash distributions were also positively associated with higher incomes. As such, it is recommended that both VSLA and cash programming interventions should be sustained and if possible scaled-up. It is worth noting that livelihoods were still largely climate sensitive, with day labour in agriculture being the most common and important livelihood strategy, especially for male respondents. This implies that most people are still highly vulnerable to climatic shocks, such as drought. Read More...
Overall, positive developments from the baseline was noted for most of the indicators analyzed in this report. Most of these positive developments could be attributed to different programme interventions. The attribution was tested through statistical correlation analysis and by synthesizing programme documents and the data collected at various stages throughout the project. The food security status of the respondents had improved, both in terms of food consumption and coping strategies. For example, the proportion of the respondents categorized as having an acceptable level of the Food Consumption Score (FCS) had increased from 48.5% in the baseline to 80.4% in the midline. The income of the respondents had also improved with both a significantly higher average income as well as more diversified income being reported. Those respondents that were part of a savings scheme as well as those that had received cash distributions through Cash for Work (CfW) or Unconditional Cash Transfers (UCT) reported higher FCS than those who had not. Respondents that had received cash distributions were also positively associated with higher incomes. As such, it is recommended that both VSLA and cash programming interventions should be sustained and if possible scaled-up. It is worth noting that livelihoods were still largely climate sensitive, with day labour in agriculture being the most common and important livelihood strategy, especially for male respondents. This implies that most people are still highly vulnerable to climatic shocks, such as drought. Read More...
Somalia Resilience Program Third Party Monitoring: Baseline Study
The Somalia Resilience Program (SomReP) is a consortium of seven Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), the activities of which aim to enhance the resilience of vulnerable households and communities in Southern Somalia against cyclical shocks and stressors. This report serves as the baseline for the Third Party Monitoring (TPM) of SomReP in two districts in South and Central Somalia: Afgooye and Baidoa. The TPM study is undertaken by Forcier Consulting on behalf of SomReP, with the aim to rigorously monitor the progress and outcomes of the program.
The data indicates that resilience differed among livelihood groups (agro-pastoralist, pastoralists, and peri-urban), between women and men, and across seasons. This means that program approaches should take these differences into account when targeting groups for various interventions. For instance, people in peri-urban areas tended to have less diverse diets, while pastoralists tend to engage in more severe and frequent coping strategies. Out of the different livelihood types, pastoralists were also the most likely to report no access to risk transfer or sharing. Further, women tended to have less diverse incomes than men and incomes tend to be lowest in the dry season of Jilaal, the season in which most agriculture-related work was replaced with unskilled work. These findings indicate that women should be more frequently targeted for income diversity interventions, and pastoralists should be targeted with interventions that aim to increase social safety nets, such as risk sharing.
Capacities to deal with stressors in both the short and long-term were low across the targeted areas. Natural resource management (NRM) was poor in both districts and in and across communities. Sustainable access to natural resources is an important factor in ensuring long-term resilience and should therefore receive more attention across the communities. Response capacities were also absent across the communities. Only 9.7 of all respondents said their community had a community-based early warning system in place. Further, only 5.7% of the respondents said community initiatives existed that aimed to access support from sub-national and national institutions and authorities to respond to and cope with the recurrent shocks and stressors. Hence, moving forward, the program should ensure a focus of combined approaches to achieve improvements in system-wide resilience. Read More...
The data indicates that resilience differed among livelihood groups (agro-pastoralist, pastoralists, and peri-urban), between women and men, and across seasons. This means that program approaches should take these differences into account when targeting groups for various interventions. For instance, people in peri-urban areas tended to have less diverse diets, while pastoralists tend to engage in more severe and frequent coping strategies. Out of the different livelihood types, pastoralists were also the most likely to report no access to risk transfer or sharing. Further, women tended to have less diverse incomes than men and incomes tend to be lowest in the dry season of Jilaal, the season in which most agriculture-related work was replaced with unskilled work. These findings indicate that women should be more frequently targeted for income diversity interventions, and pastoralists should be targeted with interventions that aim to increase social safety nets, such as risk sharing.
Capacities to deal with stressors in both the short and long-term were low across the targeted areas. Natural resource management (NRM) was poor in both districts and in and across communities. Sustainable access to natural resources is an important factor in ensuring long-term resilience and should therefore receive more attention across the communities. Response capacities were also absent across the communities. Only 9.7 of all respondents said their community had a community-based early warning system in place. Further, only 5.7% of the respondents said community initiatives existed that aimed to access support from sub-national and national institutions and authorities to respond to and cope with the recurrent shocks and stressors. Hence, moving forward, the program should ensure a focus of combined approaches to achieve improvements in system-wide resilience. Read More...
Building Resilience Among the Crisis Affected in Jordan
The Building Resilience among the Crisis Affected in Jordan project falls under CARE Jordan’s Urban
Protection Program that aims to provide labor market linkages and improved access to vulnerable Syrian
refugees and host community Jordanians in targeted urban areas in Jordan. The expected outcomes of
the project include:
1. Improved access to the labor market for the most vulnerable refugees.
2. Increased access for refugees and host communities to market linkages and economic
resilience.
3. Expanded opportunities for dignified employment for refugees in new sectors.
One of the two outcome indicators was achieved for the project. Outcome 1 indicator achieved a total
of 24.2% average-for which the target was 20%- for those who reported improved access to the labor
marker and when disaggregated by sex, males reported a slightly higher access at 26.1% while females
reported 20% on average. Read More...
Protection Program that aims to provide labor market linkages and improved access to vulnerable Syrian
refugees and host community Jordanians in targeted urban areas in Jordan. The expected outcomes of
the project include:
1. Improved access to the labor market for the most vulnerable refugees.
2. Increased access for refugees and host communities to market linkages and economic
resilience.
3. Expanded opportunities for dignified employment for refugees in new sectors.
One of the two outcome indicators was achieved for the project. Outcome 1 indicator achieved a total
of 24.2% average-for which the target was 20%- for those who reported improved access to the labor
marker and when disaggregated by sex, males reported a slightly higher access at 26.1% while females
reported 20% on average. Read More...
Taking Enterprise Development for Women Empowerment to Scale
To enhance the opportunity for engagement of women in the workforce, CARE Jordan, in collaboration with H&M and CARE Netherland, is implementing the program, Taking Enterprise Development for Women Empowerment to Scale. The project falls under the strategic Sustainable Development Program of CARE Jordan, which aims to provide support and address the needs of individuals and host communities in Jordan, focusing specifically on gender barriers, combatting gender-based violence, economic empowerment, and inclusive participation.
Phase I of the program (Khatwa Skills Project) set the foundation for the program by providing support for women by establishing more formal networks for them to be able to rely on their entrepreneurial journey, such as SLA groups (Savings and Loan Groups). Additionally, the Khatwa Skills Project also provided targeted vocational training to help facilitate business idea generation and central bazaars, where women could sell their goods.
This is Phase II of a 3 year (1 April 2017-31March2020) program that will follow up on the Khatwa Skills Project by providing additional vocational and financial training to women, supporting the existing SLA Groups so that women netrepreneurs have greater access to funding for their enterprises. Phase II will also provide support for women-led MSMEs and establish women’s economic group activities that will focus on developing the skills of women and female youth. Phase II of the program aims to directly target 380 vulnerable Jordanian women living in Jordan with the
primary objective being to seek to empower women and youth through the development of successful business models, including micro and small enterprises, recycling enterprises, and group businesses, often to be developed within the context of VSLAs. These models will be scaled up through targeted initiatives in awareness raising and further developing the involvement and initiatives of role models. Additionally, approximately 5,800 women, men, boys, and girls will be indirectly targeted through the program. Read More...
Phase I of the program (Khatwa Skills Project) set the foundation for the program by providing support for women by establishing more formal networks for them to be able to rely on their entrepreneurial journey, such as SLA groups (Savings and Loan Groups). Additionally, the Khatwa Skills Project also provided targeted vocational training to help facilitate business idea generation and central bazaars, where women could sell their goods.
This is Phase II of a 3 year (1 April 2017-31March2020) program that will follow up on the Khatwa Skills Project by providing additional vocational and financial training to women, supporting the existing SLA Groups so that women netrepreneurs have greater access to funding for their enterprises. Phase II will also provide support for women-led MSMEs and establish women’s economic group activities that will focus on developing the skills of women and female youth. Phase II of the program aims to directly target 380 vulnerable Jordanian women living in Jordan with the
primary objective being to seek to empower women and youth through the development of successful business models, including micro and small enterprises, recycling enterprises, and group businesses, often to be developed within the context of VSLAs. These models will be scaled up through targeted initiatives in awareness raising and further developing the involvement and initiatives of role models. Additionally, approximately 5,800 women, men, boys, and girls will be indirectly targeted through the program. Read More...
Zimbabwe OFDA Baseline 2018
CARE International in Zimbabwe is implementing a 12-month OFDA funded project in Gwanda and
Beitbridge district of Matabeleland South Province. The area is characterized by extensive farming ,where
livestock production is domineering and small grains production is the gateway to maintaining food
security levels. The current funding opportunity through OFDA aims to address the immediate agricultural
and financial needs of the most vulnerable households to recover from: the impact of successive drought
years, erratic rainfalls, mid-season dry spells, and prevent potential food insecurity. The declining
macroeconomic conditions and lack of development at the national level have compounded the impact
of the droughts and hindered recovery resulting in negative coping strategies as the majority of vulnerable
households are selling productive assets (mainly livestock) through the previous season and consequently
ad libitum before the coming farming season. Read More...
Beitbridge district of Matabeleland South Province. The area is characterized by extensive farming ,where
livestock production is domineering and small grains production is the gateway to maintaining food
security levels. The current funding opportunity through OFDA aims to address the immediate agricultural
and financial needs of the most vulnerable households to recover from: the impact of successive drought
years, erratic rainfalls, mid-season dry spells, and prevent potential food insecurity. The declining
macroeconomic conditions and lack of development at the national level have compounded the impact
of the droughts and hindered recovery resulting in negative coping strategies as the majority of vulnerable
households are selling productive assets (mainly livestock) through the previous season and consequently
ad libitum before the coming farming season. Read More...
Personal Advancement and Career Enhancement in the Community
Overall, P.A.C.E project has empowered all participating female migrant in terms of agency and created solidarity and platforms for them to speak out about their interests.
Firstly, the project has enhanced 412 female urban migrants’ personal agency through 280 training sessions on life-skills with three previous core P.A.C.E. modules – 1) communication; 2) problem solving and decision making; and 3) time and stress management and one new module on financial literacy to support women to save and manage their finances. This module also supports the implementation of two village savings and loans (VSLAs) in the target locations.
Secondly, the project has successfully established two VSLA groups in 2 locations and improved female urban migrants’ financial inclusion by increasing their access to savings and loans. While it took time for the targeted groups to build their trust within the group and with the model, hence, the process of forming VSLA group only happened near the end of the project; they have all acknowledged that VSLA is an effective tool for financial management.
Thirdly, the project has created useful platform and increased opportunities for female urban migrants’ to come together to discuss issues that collectively affect them and raise their voice, not only through the training sessions but also with the VSLA meeting, which will continue to be held monthly. Many participants who were not used to speak up have shown remarkable changes with their newly equipped skills. They have successfully applied their new knowledge and skills in their daily life for better life, work and relationship management. Read More...
Firstly, the project has enhanced 412 female urban migrants’ personal agency through 280 training sessions on life-skills with three previous core P.A.C.E. modules – 1) communication; 2) problem solving and decision making; and 3) time and stress management and one new module on financial literacy to support women to save and manage their finances. This module also supports the implementation of two village savings and loans (VSLAs) in the target locations.
Secondly, the project has successfully established two VSLA groups in 2 locations and improved female urban migrants’ financial inclusion by increasing their access to savings and loans. While it took time for the targeted groups to build their trust within the group and with the model, hence, the process of forming VSLA group only happened near the end of the project; they have all acknowledged that VSLA is an effective tool for financial management.
Thirdly, the project has created useful platform and increased opportunities for female urban migrants’ to come together to discuss issues that collectively affect them and raise their voice, not only through the training sessions but also with the VSLA meeting, which will continue to be held monthly. Many participants who were not used to speak up have shown remarkable changes with their newly equipped skills. They have successfully applied their new knowledge and skills in their daily life for better life, work and relationship management. Read More...
STORIAN BLONG YUMI PROJECT EVALUATION
The purpose of this evaluation is “to assess whether or not the Community Scorecard (CSC) approach as adapted to Vanuatu through the Storian Blong Yumi pilot (SBY) project offers a viable model for community-centred social accountability in Vanuatu and to document lessons from the pilot for future application”.
The Storian Blong Yumi project (SBY) tested the Community Scorecard approach for the first time in the Pacific, applying the CSC to Sexual and Reproductive Health services delivered by Vanuatu MoH health facilities serving 4 communities in Tafea Province.
The Storian Blong Yumi pilot of the CSC model in Vanuatu demonstrated results in the following areas, most strongly in the first two areas:
Stimulating dialogue between service providers and communities and overcoming social taboos to open up discussion within the community on SRH issues. Across all groups, including young men, who were the group that proved most difficult to engage, participants valued the process of community discussion. This dialogue appears to have been the basis for establishing better understanding and relationship between service providers and community members. This in turn seems to have laid the foundations for increased access to services by community members and responsiveness by service providers.
Increasing awareness of the SRH services available within their local health facility. Across groups of older and younger men and women in all locations people were aware of what family planning and STI services were available to them and what the role of the health staff were. in all locations, people who participated in the evaluation were more aware of what family planning and STI services were available to them and what the role of the health staff were. Men in all locations reported that they didn’t previously know what happened in the health centre regarding SRH, but now they have a better understanding. Read More...
The Storian Blong Yumi project (SBY) tested the Community Scorecard approach for the first time in the Pacific, applying the CSC to Sexual and Reproductive Health services delivered by Vanuatu MoH health facilities serving 4 communities in Tafea Province.
The Storian Blong Yumi pilot of the CSC model in Vanuatu demonstrated results in the following areas, most strongly in the first two areas:
Stimulating dialogue between service providers and communities and overcoming social taboos to open up discussion within the community on SRH issues. Across all groups, including young men, who were the group that proved most difficult to engage, participants valued the process of community discussion. This dialogue appears to have been the basis for establishing better understanding and relationship between service providers and community members. This in turn seems to have laid the foundations for increased access to services by community members and responsiveness by service providers.
Increasing awareness of the SRH services available within their local health facility. Across groups of older and younger men and women in all locations people were aware of what family planning and STI services were available to them and what the role of the health staff were. in all locations, people who participated in the evaluation were more aware of what family planning and STI services were available to them and what the role of the health staff were. Men in all locations reported that they didn’t previously know what happened in the health centre regarding SRH, but now they have a better understanding. Read More...