Funded by

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC)

Evaluating the implementation of projects and the level of autonomy of Chadian partners

Groupe URD carried out 9 evaluation missions for the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Chad between June 2011 and March 2013. These evaluations focused on 9 national NGOs running regional development programmes that the SDC had implemented for more than 10 years.

At the end of these regional programmes, the teams who had been in charge of them established themselves as Chadian NGOs, and were given support by the SDC for a period of two years to help them increase in autonomy. The evaluations were part of this transitional phase.

Each evaluation focused on the degree of implementation of programmes and the autonomy of NGOs, in strategic and organisational terms. They included an organizational assessment and practical recommendations, with the aim of reinforcing the viability, sustainability and appropriateness of each programme, as well as the autonomy of each organisation. The evaluation of the management, implementation and monitoring of programmes included the degree to which objectives had been reached and the optimisation of resources, as well as the views of beneficiaries and local partners.

Seven of the NGOs were involved in the sectors of rural economies, basic education and community health, including cross-cutting issues of gender and governance. The two others were specialized in environmental protection programmes: reducing the silting of oases and improving the production of palm groves; and the protection of natural resources around the refugee camps in Wadi Fira. All these programmes aimed to contribute to poverty reduction by supporting community initiatives which made the most of the potential of each region.

Each mission was run by two evaluators: one Chadian consultant and one Groupe URD consultant. The methodology used throughout these evaluations was based on the following key principles: a participatory approach, with the trianglulation of information, an informative evaluation, transparent analysis, and an approach based on the 12 criteria of the Quality Compas.

The evaluation missions carried out.

The evaluations carried out in the field focused on the following partners:

  • BAPE, in the region of Wadi Fira (agro-pastoral environmental protection programme around the refugee camps).
  • BAIPE in the northern region of Ennedi (programme to stop the silting of oases and improve palm groves).
  • APDI, in the region of Moyen-Chari (programme related to the cultivation and production system, education, gender issues and health).
  • AIDER, in the region of Bahr El Gazal Chari (programme related to the cultivation and production system, education, gender issues and health).
  • MODEL, in the Logone river watershed (programme related to production systems, education, gender and health).
  • APIDEL in the Ennedi region (programme related to the rural economy, community education and primary healthcare and including the cross-cutting issues of gender and governance).
  • PDR, in the region of Wadi Fira (programme related to the rural economy, community education and primary healthcare, and including the cross-cutting issues of gender and governance).
  • ADRB (Association pour le Développement Rural du Batha), in the Batha region (regional development programme focused on the rural economy, education and health).
  • APRODID (Association pour la Promotion du Développement Intégré et Durable) in the region of Mandoul (programme related to the production system, education and health).

Carried out by

Blanche Renaudin

Researcher, evaluator and trainer (environment, 2010-15)

Bonaventure Sokpoh

Researcher, evaluator and trainer (2001-18)