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Rwanda

Project: Promoting democratic and human rights values among Rwandan youth
Evaluation Date: February 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

An unplanned beneficial outcome of the project was that it enhanced some young people’s participation in economic development and income-generation activities. Some of the participants interviewed referred to other activities they engaged in subsequently to the training, including small lending schemes. A number of the young people in Bugesera who joined a district-administered vocational training scheme felt that the debating skills they acquired through the project helped them be selected for that scheme.

Theme: Youth engagement

Rwanda empowerment, training, youth

Project: Promoting democratic and human rights values among Rwandan youth
Evaluation Date: February 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project empowered a number of Rwandan young people who became aware of past abuse and were able to seek assistance. This was significant in the Rwandan context where silence about past abuses is widespread. As a result, the project’s ability to encourage young people to “break the silence” was a notable achievement. However, subsequently it is important that the organization be prepared to direct young people to a range of NGOs that can provide tailored support, including legal and socio-psychological.

Theme: Youth engagement

Rwanda genocide, human rights, youth

Project: Promoting democratic and human rights values among Rwandan youth
Evaluation Date: February 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

A project team made up of the grantee’s Executive Director and the Project Director was responsible for project management, while relevant board members provided strategic direction. The team was widely appreciated by project participants and trainers for its willingness to engage with them and its pro-active approach to dealing with young people’s concerns and needs. The quality of project management was also visible in how the grantee dealt with the political sensitivity of the issues raised.

Theme: Youth engagement

Rwanda management, politics

Project: Promoting democratic and human rights values among Rwandan youth
Evaluation Date: February 2014
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The grantee used an explicit strategy to promote human rights concerns with youth which it called “internal influence”. This consisted of conducting non-public advocacy, so as to avoid antagonizing the authorities by airing concerns openly.

Theme: Youth engagement

Rwanda advocacy, authorities, politics

Project: Promoting the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance
Evaluation Date: June 2012
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

A thorough inventory of the websites of six participating national NGOs was disappointing. Only one referred to the project, and then only in a brief summary identifying UNDEF as the funder. More worrisome, none of the websites made reference to the African Charter at all. This suggests that the empowerment that undoubtedly occurred was more an empowerment of individuals than an empowerment of institutions. It also underscores the point that most (not all) African democracy NGOs are focused on national issues.

Theme: Community activism

Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa democracy, regional

Project: Promoting the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance
Evaluation Date: June 2012
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

A thorough inventory of the websites of the six participating national NGOs was disappointing. Only one referred to the project, and then only in a brief summary identifying UNDEF as the funder. More worrisome, none of the websites made reference to the African Charter at all. This suggests that the empowerment that undoubtedly occurred was more an empowerment of individuals than an empowerment of institutions. It also underscores the point that most (not all) African democracy NGOs are focused on national issues.

Theme: Community activism

Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa capacity, institutions

Project: Promoting the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance
Evaluation Date: June 2012
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project empowered individuals more than institutions. Much of this empowerment occurred in the context of international travel and meetings financed by the project (including CIDA funding). It is likely that impacts would have been greater had there been more funds available to finance in-country activities.

Theme: Community activism

Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa institutions, sustainability, travel

Project: Promoting the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance
Evaluation Date: June 2012
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The sustainability of the project will depend on continued political will both of the governments involved but also of the African Union who would need to put in place monitoring and enforcement mechanisms.

Theme: Interaction with government

Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa network, political will, sustainability

Project: Promoting the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance
Evaluation Date: June 2012
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

Too much money was spent on travel and meetings so the amount available for in-country for advocacy activities was reduced. This might have accounted for the high number of planned in-country activities that were not implemented. Additional funds spent in-country would have leveraged what the project achieved and, by increasing impact, would have increased efficiency as well.

Theme: Community activism

Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa budget, impact, travel

Project: Promoting the African Charter on Democracy, Elections, and Governance
Evaluation Date: June 2012
Report: [report link]

Lesson Learned:

The project focused on process strengthening rather than outcome achievement. This is notable given many applicants tend to promise to over-deliver.

Theme: Community activism

Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa outputs, process

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