SUPPORTING ENABLING ENVIRONMENT

FOR DEVELOPMENT (SEED)Implemented by Search for Common Ground Nepal

Social Welfare CouncilMid Term Evaluation Report Presentation

(January 2013 – May 2016)

MTE Study Team…

• Kishor Pradhan, Expert/Team Leader

• Sushma Khadka, SWC, Team Member

• Shova Pokharel, MoWCSW, Team Member

• Sudip Dahal, Financial Expert

Project Background…• SFCG entered into a General Agreement (GA) with the

Social Welfare Council (SWC) to work in Nepal in 2006, which has been renewed twice in 2009 and 2013.

• Currently SFCG operates in Nepal under the General Agreement 2013 and the Project Agreement (PA) titled ‘Supporting Enabling Environment for Development (SEED)’ effective for 5 years from 4 January 2013.

• SFCG Nepal’s activities in Nepal are focused around four thematic program areas of: Youth participation in development; Women empowerment and development; Media in development; and Leadership in development.

Project Goal and Objectives…

The overall goal of the SEED project is to support an enabling environment for development in Nepal.

Four specific objectives are to:

• To build the local capacity of key actors (media, local government, youth and women) in supporting an enabling environment for development;

• To provide seed grant support to Community Based Organizations (CBOs) for community development project;

• To provide technical support to local organizations for production and broadcast of awareness raising and behavior change media programs; and

• To foster a culture of leadership, dialogue and collaborative problem solving to address Nepal’s social and development challenges.

Financing Arrangement…

• The total estimated budget for the SEED project for 5 years was NRs. 199,054,531.00 or USD 1,895,757.00.

• Financing or funding source for the project was sought from multiple donors for separate thematic activities.

• In the PA with SWC it was mentioned that funding would be sought from 8 donors.

• Details regarding financing arrangement and compliance is presented later separately by the Finance Expert.

• Explore level of progress/changes made and analyze the achievements of goal and the objectives;

• Evaluate the project effectiveness and scope of institutionalization of the project;

• Explore the cost effectiveness of the project activities;

• Identify the target and level of achievements as specified in the project agreement;

• Explore the coordination between the project line agencies in the project districts;

• Explore the financial compliance as per the the project agreement;

• Examine the financial regularities/disciplines in accordance with the prevailing rules and regulations; and

• Assess the good lessons to be replicated in other projects and aspects to be improved in the days ahead.

Objectives of MTE…

MTE Methodology/Approach… • Participatory: The study approach was participatory in the sense that the diverse

stakeholders from SFCG, SEED project activity partners NGOs, participants of in the activities, government line agencies and other service providers took part in the evaluation processes.

• Consultative: The study was consultative as the related SFCG personnel, national and local level partners in the districts and various other stakeholders of the projects were consulted in collecting information and data.

• GESI: The study tried to evaluate GESI diversity of the SEED project’s activities in terms of nature of participation in its various activities such as trainings, recipient of seed grants, dialogues etc.

• Thematic, Objective, Target Achievement, and Result Framework: The study approach was based on the framework of the project’s thematic areas, objectives and target achievements. The approach has tried to quantify objectively the achievements of the project against the targets as far as possible in terms of results.

Instruments/Tools for Data Collection…

• Generic checklists in line with the framework of SEED project’s theme, objectives, and targets were developed for the consultation and data collection processes.

• Literature reviews: Various related project documents such as project agreements, progress reports, data bases, income tracking reports, M&E reports, finance statements and reports were reviewed.

• KIIs: Key informant interviews were conducted with key informants from SFCG, partner NGOs, participants of training activities, line agencies, and others.

• FGDs: Focus Group Discussions were conducted with various stakeholders of the project such as the youth groups, women groups, and radio program listeners’ group. Altogether 6 FGDs were conducted and details of which are presented under Section III Data Presentation and Analysis.

• Project/Field Site Visits: Project/Field visits in the eastern cluster’s four districts of Dhanusha, Mahotari, Saptari, and Siraha were conducted. Besides organizing the key consultations, FGDs, in-situ and participatory observations of the project activities and beneficiaries were conducted.

Key Analysis/Findings…• To date the target achievements specifically under the (Project Target) PT: Youth participation in

Development and PO 1 & 2 in average has been only 25%; under the PT: Women and Girls Empowerment and PO 1 & 2 it has been 80%; under the PT: Media in Development and PO 1 & 3 has been in average 79%; and, under the PT: Leadership in Development and PO 1 & 4 the target achievement has been 83%. The overall target achievement has been 66%.

• Though the target achievements in average of 66% and cent percent and excess achievements in some themes (such as under media in development’s TV program; seed grant support to conflict affected women; leadership in development’s) by 41 months of the 60 months (January 2013 – December 2017) of the project life is notable and reasonable, in some of the thematic activities such as in youth participation in development the momentum of activities needs to be increased in order to achieve the target by the end of the project.

• The target achievement of 25% only under the youth participation in development theme has been relatively weak. Achievements under specific activities under this theme, viz, youth leadership development training has been only 26%; seed grants to youth groups has been only 26%; and youth led community activities has been only 19%.

• Similarly, the target achievements under the media in development theme for the two activities or component of producing radio and TV program have been completed. But the capacity building activity of providing training to journalists has been only 44%.

Contd…

• Regarding the youth participation there were responses that the perception of the youth regarding the state and vice versa has changed; youths earlier divided along geographical identity lines have united, more organized to be engaged in development; and political leadership respects the independent role of youths’ in development. But there is a lack of tangible, quantifiable, empirical evidences, and data to support these.

• Most of the CLS and LEY trainees consulted demanded refresher training and one FGD demanded rather than general leadership training more specific existing problem solving leadership trainings. In general need for leadership trainings to be able to implement community level development activities in the rural areas was emphasized. One respondent opined that the SEED activities to youths have been more confined to urban municipality areas.

• The seed grants of NRs. 5000 - 50,000 have been given to women and youth groups through official invoices issued

by SFCG, for formalizing such monetary transaction a proper and legal means is observed to be of imperative. • The informal youth groups formed after the CLS and LEY trainings have received the small grants and their

expectation is that the size of seed grants would be increased by the project so that the youth groups can implement larger community development activities.

• Gender wise participation of women in key activities of the project such as CLS has been around 40%. It may be improved by having criteria in organizing such activities that ensures increased participation of women. Since the young women’s social/development and political leadership issues vary from men’s leaderships issues, and are influenced by various social and cultural factors, in addition to the mixed gender leadership trainings, separate leadership training activities focused on specific women leadership issues and challenges can attribute to improving youth women’s leadership. This may apply for leadership development of youths from marginalized communities such as Dalits and Janjatis.

Contd…

• Regarding the Sangoor radio program the listerners’ group said that it was interesting in the beginning but later it tried to address too many issues and could not give a clear information and message. Need for radio programs that give information on the issue/problem (like drug use by youths) and a clear message from every episode.

• Lack of consistency is observed in organizing, documenting, and reporting the D-PAC and C-PAC meetings.

• Discrepancies have been observed in the budget management, expenses, and partnerships, which are not in compliance with the PA with SWC.

• Regarding funding and financial management the SEED project, as per the PA with SWC the project had budgeted for NRs. 199,054,531 for five years (January 2013 – December 2017). As of carrying out the MTE (May 2016) the project has overspent by NRs. 80,179,700 or about 40% more. Given that the overall target achievement of the project has been around 66% and budget overspent by 40% this needs to be sorted by SFCG with SWC. To be discussed later in details by the Finance Expert.

• While reviewing the partner organization contracts, we observed instances of agreement done beyond the PA period with three partner organizations that are not the partner organizations as per the signed PA.

• As per the GA and PA regulations SFCG is required to inform SWC and make amendments in the PA in case of any changes in the project budgets or activities, or partnerships.

• There has been a delay in undertaking the SEED project MTE. It should have taken place around mid of 2015.

This may have been due to the earthquake in Nepal in April 2015.

Contd…

Recommendations…• Amend the changes in the project budgets/donors, activities, partners; By

whom: SFCG and SWC; By when: November 2016.

• Organize C-PAC field visits for 2016; By whom: SFCG and SWC; By when: December 2016.

• Improve/Speed up the implementation of activities that have to date achieved less than 50% target; By whom: SEED project management and project cluster offices; By when: December 2017.

• Organize C-DAC and D-PAC regularly and undertake proper documentation; By whom: SEED project management and project cluster offices; By when: December 2017.

• Revise the budget of the project and keep it updated donor, theme, activity, partner wise; By whom: SEED project management and project cluster offices; By when: December 2016-2017.

Thank you!

Questions?

Observations?

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