Latest posts six columns

Country: Ethiopia Sector: Resilience, Humanitarian Response Background: During the prolonged drought period, a humanitarian consortium needed rapid socio-economic data to inform relief prioritization. The focus was on asset loss, income disruption, food security, and market functioning. Approach: We designed a high-frequency phone survey using a rotating panel of 1,000 households. The tool collected weekly data...

Country: Senegal Sector: Employment, Skills Development Background: A regional foundation working on youth development wanted to understand barriers to employment among out-of-school youth, especially in coastal towns affected by declining fishing incomes. The study aimed to identify training gaps and alternative livelihood options. Approach: We surveyed 600 youth aged 18–30 and conducted FGDs with jobseekers,...

Country: North Kivu, DRC Sector: Livelihoods, Conflict Recovery Background: An international NGO sought to evaluate the socio-economic recovery of conflict-affected households in North Kivu, focusing on livelihoods, market participation, and access to services. The goal was to design long-term reintegration programs for returnees and host communities. Approach: Using a mix of household surveys, focus groups,...

Country: Nairobi, Kenya Sector: Urban Development, Social Protection Background: The client, an urban poverty reduction initiative, aimed to map the socio-economic conditions of residents in Nairobi’s informal settlements to inform equitable budgeting and service provision. The study focused on areas with high population density, insecure tenure, and poor access to services. Approach: We conducted over...

Country: Kenya Sector: Health, Marginalized Populations Background: A public health NGO planned to extend primary healthcare services to nomadic pastoralist communities in Northern Kenya. To guide service design and deployment, they commissioned a needs assessment to map out health challenges, access barriers, and community preferences in these mobile populations. Approach: Our team adopted a mobile...

Country: Ghana Sector: Education, Youth Development Background: A donor consortium sought to launch a re-entry education program for adolescents who had dropped out of school, particularly in underserved rural districts. They required a needs assessment to understand the causes of dropout, the learning needs of adolescents, and feasible re-engagement pathways. Approach: We conducted surveys with...

Country: Malawi Sector: Agriculture, Livelihoods Background: Our partner planned to roll out a subsidized input distribution scheme targeting smallholder farmers affected by erratic weather and pest infestations. However, before launching, they needed clear data on what inputs were most needed, access barriers, and the local distribution ecosystem. We were brought in to conduct a robust...

Country: Kenya Sector: Employment, Urban Development Background: Our partner aimed to design a youth empowerment program targeting Nairobi’s informal settlements. However, there was limited data on what skills young people desired, what employers required, and what barriers existed. We were commissioned to conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to inform program design and stakeholder engagement. Approach:...

Country: South Africa Sector: Mental Health, Adolescents, Urban Health Background: An international NGO launched a program in Johannesburg and Cape Town to expand adolescent access to mental health services through school-based counselling, peer support clubs, and digital helplines. A monitoring system was needed to track usage patterns, identify service gaps, and evaluate early-stage outcomes. Approach:...

Country: Northern Kenya Sector: Health, Humanitarian Response Background: As part of a multi-agency health response in Dadaab refugee camps, the client sought real-time monitoring of outreach efforts to track service delivery, stock levels, and uptake of maternal and child health services across camp zones. Approach: We established a mobile-based data collection system integrated with a...

Country: Eastern Uganda Sector: Youth Empowerment, Livelihoods Background: A global NGO implementing a vocational skills programme for out-of-school youth in Eastern Uganda sought a mid-term evaluation to assess implementation fidelity, training relevance, and employment outcomes. The goal was to ensure the program remained on track and responsive to changing economic conditions. Approach: We deployed a...

Country: Mozambique Sector: Adolescent Health, Gender Background: A reproductive health program targeting adolescent girls needed third-party monitoring to ensure outreach quality, clinic accessibility, and service uptake. We were contracted to provide quarterly monitoring support over 18 months in Nampula and Zambézia provinces. Approach: We conducted spot checks in schools, youth centers, and health clinics. Interviews...

Country: Nigeria Sector: Youth Development, Employment Background: A major international NGO implemented a youth entrepreneurship program in northern Nigeria targeting unemployed youth. After the first year, a process evaluation was commissioned to understand whether the program was being delivered as planned and where improvements were needed. Approach: We reviewed training delivery logs, observed classroom sessions,...

Country: Uganda Sector: Capacity Strengthening Background: A donor consortium funding grassroots initiatives in rural Uganda needed to ensure that small NGOs could track and report on their results effectively. Many lacked basic M&E systems, leading to inconsistent data and poor visibility of impact. Approach: We designed and delivered a six-month mentorship program targeting 15 local...

Country: Ethiopia Sector: Health, Systems Strengthening Background: A major international health donor partnered with the national government to strengthen Ethiopia’s primary healthcare delivery. Our role was to provide third-party Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) over a 3-year period, ensuring timely feedback loops and accountability for all activities implemented across 5 regions. We developed a structured M&E...

Country: Kenya Sector: Livelihoods, Women’s Empowerment Background: An international NGO aimed to assess the long-term impact of its women-led Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) program on household resilience, asset accumulation, and gender relations three years post-intervention. Approach: We applied a contribution analysis method, tracing pathways between participation in VSLAs and observed outcomes. A mixed-methods...

Country: Ghana Sector: Education, Digital Inclusion Background: A global education foundation implemented a two-year digital learning project across 40 rural primary schools, providing tablets, e-learning content, and teacher training. The client commissioned an impact assessment to determine the program’s effects on learning outcomes, teaching practices, and digital literacy among pupils. Approach: We applied a quasi-experimental...

Country: Ethiopia Sector: Health, Youth Background: A coalition of partners launched a multi-platform sexual and reproductive health (SRH) campaign for adolescents, including radio messaging, school clubs, and peer educators. The evaluation aimed to assess awareness, behavior change, and service uptake. Approach: We surveyed 1,500 adolescents aged 13–19 and conducted FGDs with teachers, peer educators, and...