Evaluation Learnings Search

Learning Description

There is room for improved communication about project results and strategies. Another lesson learned is that there is a need to better communicate project results and strategies. Firstly, the evaluators noted that the project's technical progress reports are extensive but primarily descriptive, lacking critical analysis. As a result, they do not effectively showcase the project's achievements in terms of tangible results. Furthermore, it was observed that merely reading the project document, the technical progress reports and the project´s communication material does not suffice to fully grasp the project's orientation and strategy. The project exhibits some notable features, including a strong participatory approach, a focus on capacity building and skills transfer to project partners, and a commitment to generating ownership and sustainability of the project amongst key stakeholders. Despite these positive attributes, the project's implementation strategy, results, and orientation towards sustainability remain somewhat unclear. Moreover, the project partners do not necessarily understand the bigger picture of the project, beyond the activities in which they are directly involved.

Learning Description

Monitoring plan, communication and sustainability strategies. The development of a monitoring and evaluation plan, a sustainability and exit strategy, and both complemented by a communication plan, represents noteworthy, good practices in project management. Developing a monitoring and evaluation plan is a beneficial practice that promotes continuous monitoring of project progress and evaluation of its results and impacts. Developing a sustainability and exit strategy is important to ensure that the benefits and results of a project are sustained and evolve after the project has concluded. Finally, designing and implementing a communication plan enhances the visibility of the project, engages stakeholders, and garners public and private support for the project's initiatives. The project employed specific good practices to ensure stakeholder involvement and ownership, including early and continuous engagement through consultations, inclusive planning workshops, the establishment of a stakeholder advisory committee, capacity-building, joint implementation teams, and transparent communication channels. These practices contribute to ensure the project's alignment with local priorities as well as responsiveness to stakeholder needs.

Learning Description

Attention to the occupational safety and health needs of the most vulnerable workers. Attention to the most vulnerable workers remains a significant challenge to the project. The project's current focus on large exporting companies restricts its scope, limiting its results and impacts on gender equity and inclusion. This leads to less attention for medium and small producer groups, which often employ the most vulnerable workers. This lesson emphasizes the need to refocus the project to ensure balanced support for different types of producers in the chili pepper and tomato value chains and to implement specific measures addressing the occupational safety and health related needs of the most vulnerable workers.

Learning Description

The use of the holistic approach. Unlike many projects, She Thrives approached the problem of child labor from multiple angles. The project recognized from the outset that child labor is an issue caused by multiple interconnected factors, and attempts to address child labor should also address these factors. That is why She Thrives addressed not only the children who are engaged in or are vulnerable to child labor but also the household members through one or more of its interventions. For example, whereas adult women are engaged in Village Savings and Loan Associations and income-generating activities, adolescent girls and boys are participants of technical and vocational training and apprenticeships. Additionally, out-of-school children attended the accelerated education program and now most are in regular schools. Apart from building the participants' agency and developing their self-esteem and confidence through building their capacity, the project has worked on relationships between men and women. Because of this work, there is better understanding and communication within the participant households, which facilitated healthy communication among household members. She Thrives also attempted to improve the structures and policies by engaging the relevant government ministries and offices from federal to district levels. The success of She Thrives, the evaluation team understands, stems from the project’s use of the holistic approach that helped to address child labor from multiple angles. This promising practice should be shared with other projects for scaling up/replication.

Learning Description

Working with implementing partners with rich and relevant experience. An additional good or promising practice is the fact that the She Thrives project recruited two implementing partners, one in Oromia (Ilu Women Children Integrated Development Association) and another in the South Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region (Reach the Needy-Ethiopia) which implement interventions of the project. The partners have been implementing projects for a very long time in Oromia and the South Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region and have rich experience. Because of their presence in the two regions for a long time, they are well-known and trusted by the communities. The implementing partners have assigned one officer in each district who oversees the project’s activities within the district and one staff member in each ward, who are very close to the project participants. The participants have at least one person representing the project in their ward, and they can easily communicate with the project staff about anything, including questions they have and challenges they face. That promoted good communication and understanding between the project and the communities and created a good atmosphere that made smooth implementation of the project possible. The evaluation team found this a promising practice that could be shared with other projects.

Learning Description

Implementing partners do not need to have all the expertise internally or to conduct all the interventions aimed at improving capacities and behaviors themselves. Instead, relying on trained experts from civil society organizations and government agencies can be both more efficient and more effective. Save the Children Federation and the CACAO project understood and have implemented this approach, and it allows the project to promote numerous behavioral changes both central and complementary to the main outcomes. It is especially helpful when those experts are deeply familiar with the local context. It is also helpful when resources permit those experts to have regular contact with community participants, which has been a challenge for the CACAO project. Nevertheless, the practice of enlisting supporting agencies and actors, fortifying their skillsets to ensure cohesion with the project goals, and providing support for them to impact communities has been a promising practice with the CACAO project.

Learning Description

Importance of working on people’s mindsets. Examining the changes observed in the saving behavior of the participants and the changes recorded in other areas (e.g., better family communication, the reduced burden of women and girls and the understanding of men and boys that they can do at least some household chores to support women and girls), one can observe how working on individuals’ mindsets is very instrumental. In addition to challenging and changing longstanding beliefs and social/gender norms, the project boosted adolescents’ self-esteem and self-confidence through leadership and life skills training. The participants have witnessed the changes in their behaviors resulting from the training on soft skills. This is an important lesson that other projects can learn from.

Learning Description

Saving. In both Gedeo and Ilu’Ababor, the project successfully introduced the practice of saving among the participants, and the participants themselves consider this as the most important behavior they gained from the She Thrives project. In the past, the common belief that “a poor person cannot save, saving is what wealthy persons can do” was predominant in the communities. Accordingly, the participants have never tried to save money. Thanks to the She Thrives project, every participant, adolescents and adults alike, has started saving from their meager income. The project has been instrumental in changing the participants’ attitudes toward saving and instilling the belief that anyone can save for a better future.

Learning Description

Private sector engagement. Engaging the private sector is crucial for the sustainability and scaling of project interventions. By involving businesses and employers, projects can create more job opportunities, enhance market linkages, and ensure that economic growth benefits the wider community. Private sector engagement also helps in advocating for and implementing child labor standards, ensuring that businesses contribute positively to social and economic development.

Learning Description

Team unity and dedication. The unity and dedication of the project team are critical factors in achieving project goals. A cohesive team that works well together can overcome challenges more effectively and is more likely to innovate and adapt to changing circumstances. Team spirit and collective commitment enhance the overall efficiency and impact of project activities.