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Monitoring and Evaluation | ||||||||
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Conventional monitoring As in other projects, monitoring can be done by using project records, such as financial statements (to monitor inputs) and administrative records (to monitor outputs). However, because the delivery of services to OVC often includes specially tailored interventions that are not the subject of routine monitoring (such as school attendance or health visits), it will probably be necessary to design new monitoring tools. These may include simple forms to be filled out by service providers on a regular basis – monthly or quarterly – as well as specific entries in the MIS (Management Information System) of the project. It is also advisable to conduct a yearly survey of beneficiaries (see section on consulting with children) and/or their immediate caretakers, which will serve to cross-check and complement the information already available on inputs and outputs. Questions should include the following topics:
If resources allow it, the survey could be accompanied by direct observation of beneficiary OVC to determine their overall well-being (emotional, mental and physical). This may be particularly important for younger children, who would not be able to answer questions. As an alternative to formal surveys, a respected community member, such as a retired teacher, could be hired to administer simple questionnaires once or twice a year. This approach could save money in data collection (and provide much welcome extra cash to a community member), but it would be necessary to provide thorough training and precise instructions, and the risk of biased responses would be greater than with outside interviewers. Participatory or community-based monitoring While conventional monitoring often is associated with “policing” local implementers and caretakers, participatory monitoring aims to develop a genuine local interest in improving the project through continuous observation, data recording and discussion. In most OVC interventions, some community-based, participatory monitoring is recommended, since local ownership may initially be weak and the monitoring process provides an opportunity to strengthen community buy-in and awareness of the OVC situation. However, community monitoring should be accompanied by external follow-up to provide training and back-up to communities and to monitor possible project leakages to non-OVC. Make a particular effort to find out whether OVC support channeled through caretakers or other local institutions is indeed benefiting the OVC. For instance, interventions that aim to support OVC households through transfers are at risk of ending up benefiting other household members rather than the OVC, while micro-credit and income generating activities supporting female caretakers have been reported to increase child labor demand as the benefiting households either start up small businesses or invest in other productive, and often child-labor demanding, assets. In short, you want to know whether your project :
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