END OF PROJECT EVALUATION 66 views1 applications

EVALUATION SUMMARY
Name of project: Partnership for Improved Child Health

Implementing Partners: Jireh Doo Foundation and Ohonyeta Care Givers

Project Start Date: September 2016 Project End Date: August 2019 Purpose of Evaluation: Evaluate the impact of the 3-year integrated community case management of childhood illnesses project in Benue State. Commissioning Organisation: Christian Aid UK Contact Person: Aniekan Udoh Proposed evaluation start date: 27th June 2019 Anticipated date for evaluation report: 31st July 2019

1. BACKGROUND
   Christian Aid (CA) is a UK-based international NGO, partnering with others to end poverty in Africa. At the heart of this vision is the transformation of the lives of people who live in poverty, empowering them to have a brighter future. Christian Aid works in more than 30 countries and has been operating in Nigeria since 2003. The Nigeria Country programme focuses on Community Health, Accountable Governance including humanitarian response and Gender.
   The Partnership for Improved Child Health (PICH) is a 3-year integrated Community Case Management (iCCM) project, funded by UKAid, aimed at contributing to the reduction of under-5 mortality in Benue State. The project aimed to increase knowledge of, access to and uptake of quality iCCM services and interventions in 4 Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Benue State. PICH is a partnership of the State government and civil society organisations, led by Christian Aid. Project intervention locations include Obi, Okpokwu, Konshisha and Kwande LGAs.
2. EVALUATION OBJECTIVE, SCOPE & INTENDED USE
   The purpose of the evaluation is to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of the project design, implementation process, Christian Aid’s engagements and partnerships with implementing partners and the government, achievement of planned results and objectives as well as lessons learned, proffering recommendations that will benefit the design of future similar interventions. The successful consultant will be required to conduct a secondary analysis of the NDHS report to determine if there has been a reduction in under 5 mortalities in Benue State especially in the project LGAs using the 2013 NDHS report as a benchmark. CA will share the results of the evaluation with relevant stakeholders such as DFID, INGOs, Government of Nigeria, Benue State Government, partners and beneficiaries.
   Specific objectives
   The study will aim, but not limited to:
   • Evaluate the degree to which the PICH project meets its goal of reducing under 5 mortalities in Benue State. • Determine the strengths (including innovations) and weaknesses of project design, implementation and accountability and draw lessons that will be used to improve on future interventions. • Report on unintended outcomes that have been achieved as result of the project, and to make appropriate recommendations. • Test for the scalability of project strategy and sustainability of project gains. • Determine the effects of harmful socio-cultural practices and norms on the health outcomes of households especially women and children in Obi and Okpokwu LGAs.

Evaluation principles
The OECD/DAC definition of evaluation has been adopted by all major development agencies internationally. Taken together, these criteria should provide the decision-maker with the essential information and clues to understand the situation and determine what should be done next. The consultant needs to suggest “evaluation methodology” that entails the following key indicators for assessing the overall results achieved by the project. The following questions will guide the evaluation:
• Relevance: This measures the extent to which the objectives of the project are consistent with beneficiaries’ requirement, country needs, global priorities and partners’ and donors’ policies.

• To what extent did the project achieve its objectives?
  • Were the activities and outputs of the project consistent with the overall goal? o Were the activities and outputs of the project consistent with the intended impact and effects?
  • Did the project respond to the gaps identified during the baseline assessment?
  • Did Christian Aid engage with the relevant stakeholders to promote the aims of the project?

• Efficiency (of planning & implementation): A measure of how economically resources/inputs (funds, expertise, time, etc.) are converted to results. This measures the outputs in relation to the inputs. It generally requires comparing alternative approaches to achieving the same outputs without compromising quality, to see whether the most efficient process was adopted (value for money).

• To what extent did the project ensure value for money? Was this justified? Were activities cost efficient?
• Were funds spent appropriately and objectives achieved on time?
• Were project activities implemented in the most efficient way compared to alternatives?
• To what extent was the strategy or project approach appropriate?
• How has the collaboration with stakeholders influenced the project?
• Were there changes or improvements made that affected the outcome of the project?
• What impact does the project duration have on the results achieved?

• Effectiveness: This measures the extent to which the project achieved what it set out to do. It describes the management processes and their appropriateness in supporting delivery of project objectives.

• What were the major factors influencing the achievement or non-achievement of project objectives?
• Have assumptions affected the project? How effective was the risk management process?
• To what extent did the project’s monitoring mechanism contribute to achieving project results?
• Assess the quality of project planning (situation and stakeholder assessment, selection of volunteers, health facility assessment, gender inclusion, personnel planning, etc).
• Assess the technical quality of the project implementation.

• Sustainability: This assesses the degree and potential to which project interventions or impact will continue once the project ends and what mechanisms are in place for that. It is the probability of long-term benefits.

• To what extent are the benefits of the project likely to be sustained over time? What role do the target beneficiaries play in the sustainability of project gains?
• What were the major factors that influenced the achievement or non-achievement of project sustainability? How could this have been improved?

  • Impact – Contribution to Change: This assesses the positive and negative consequences of the project activities, direct and indirect, intended and unintended.

• What has happened as a result of the project? (This would be supported by including any existing baseline information).
• What real difference has the project made to the beneficiaries?
• How many people have been affected? It is important to use disaggregated data for gender, age, disability and others as applicable.
• What was an effect that was not anticipated or expected?
• Were there also negative effects and consequences?
• How was the project perceived by the beneficiaries?
• METHODOLOGY
  The evaluation should combine a wide range of techniques (e.g. quantitative, qualitative, desk review of relevant project documents and other literature, secondary analysis of data), analytical tools and information sources to allow triangulation of information and ensure impartiality in assessing the effect of the response. We require a participatory approach where the evaluator engages relevant key stakeholders.
• CONSULTANCY PERIOD
  The consultancy shall last for a period of 4 weeks commencing from the 27th of June 2019.
• CONSULTANCY RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Define and develop a suitable methodology for this process with adequate consideration of the project context. • Take the lead in developing tools for the evaluation process and present them to Christian Aid for review and inputs. • Review project documents, past reports and other relevant literature. • Identify and train the data collection team including enumerators to help in data collection process. • Participate in and supervise data collection, ensuring accuracy and quality assurance throughout the evaluation process. • Compile and submit a draft report to Christian Aid to make inputs before a final copy will be produced and submitted. • Prepare and present summary of key findings and recommendations during the project close-out event. • Develop a comprehensive documentation of lessons learnt on the project vis a vis our implementation strategy (3-5 pages).
• DELIVERABLES An inception report written in English language submitted electronically. The report should include an interpretation of the tasks and clearly outline the approach (sampling framework, data collection strategy, outline of final report, ethical process, quality assurances process etc) and methodologies which will be used in the evaluation. Proposed methodologies should be inclusive and gender sensitive. • Develop and submit appropriate tools and instruments for gathering information. Questionnaires will be scripted onto a digital data collection platform, preferably KoboCollect. • Develop and share an enumerator training agenda and PowerPoint presentation of training content. • Submit soft copy of fully “cleaned” datasets of all collected data in two formats; Excel and SPSS or STATA format. • Develop and share a presentation of summary of key findings and recommendations. • Develop and share a draft evaluation report for review by Christian Aid and partners. • Submit final soft copy of evaluation report that is clear, simple, concise and free of jargon. The final report should be no longer than 30 pages including a 2-3-page executive summary. Background information should only be included when it is directly relevant to the report’s analysis and conclusions. Technical details should be confined to appendices, which should also include a list of informants, number of FGD sessions, KII and the evaluation team’s work schedule.
  Quality Assurance The consultant is responsible to ensure data validity, consistency and accuracy and to submit reports written in good Standard English. If these standards are not met, the consultant will, at his/her own expense, make the necessary amendments to bring the reports to the required standards.
• EVALUATOR’S EXPERTISE
  Christian Aid will engage the services of a consultant with a strong record of conducting public health research. The following will guide selection of the consultant for this assignment:
  • Demonstrable experience in conducting high quality, credible evaluations (examples required) and capacity to work collaboratively with multiple stakeholders. • Strong analytical skills and ability to clearly synthesise and present findings, draw practical conclusions and prepare well written reports in a timely manner. • Strong workshop facilitation skills • Experience using mobile data collection methods (ODK or other) • Demonstrable analytical skills • Good communication and diplomacy skills • Ability to work with Community Based Organisations • Excellent writing and presentation skills in English • Experience working with International NGOs • Availability for the period indicated
• BUDGET AND TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT Christian Aid will cover for the necessary accommodation and transportation costs incurred by the consultant according to our in-country rates where necessary. The consultant will submit a financial proposal covering all other expenses. Fifty percent (50%) of the consultancy fee will be paid upon the submission and approval of inception report while the balance payment will be made upon receipt of a SATISFACTORY final report. A 5% withholding tax will be deducted at source for individual consultancy and 10% for an organizational consultancy from the total cost of the consultancy fee.
  Management: The consultant will work with and report to Christian Aid Senior MEAL Coordinator who will provide the needed technical guidance
  Timeline for deliverables
  1) Draft report: by 31st July 2019
  2) Final report: 7th August 2019