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Community activism

LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Governance and Democratization Processes in Kenya and the East and Central Africa Region

To enhance the capacity of the newly established Office of the Registrar of Political Parties in Kenya, the grantee organized study tours to Canada, Mexico and Ghana. While the tours were useful in raising awareness of participants, there was no plan for how new knowledge and recommendations should be incorporated into the organization. Study tours should have been part of a broader institutional capacity building effort that also provided follow-up activities.
Project Partner
Institute For Education In Democracy
Project Description
The main objective of the project was to strengthen the capacity grassroots organizations, and enhance the participation of citizens in governance to promote a democratic culture in Kenya and in eastern and central Africa. While some project activities were highly relevant and empowering to individual beneficiaries, others lacked follow-up. Among the project’s successes were the election observation trainings which had a multiplier effect with grassroots organizations. Following the workshop trainings, 12 observation groups were established to monitor the Kenyan election of 2013, all of which later obtained a long-term accreditation status as election observers. In general, the project was activity-driven which made outcomes and institutional impact difficult to assess. Project design showed some weaknesses, as several challenges that appeared during implementation could have been anticipated by the grantee beforehand. For example, the shortage of staff and a better coordination with the electoral timeline in Kenya could have ensured a smoother implementation.
Evaluation Date
May 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Strengthening Governance and Democratization Processes in Kenya and the East and Central Africa Region

A part of the project entailed translating sections of the ACE Electoral Knowledge Network website into Swahili. But there was already more than a decade’s worth of good materials developed in the region in local languages that could have been uploaded to ACE. Before investing in this effort, a needs assessment should have been done to see if the lack of ACE-type material in Swahili was a major constraint to the achievement of the project’s intended outcomes and to determine which topics, if any, should be translated.
Project Partner
Institute For Education In Democracy
Project Description
The main objective of the project was to strengthen the capacity grassroots organizations, and enhance the participation of citizens in governance to promote a democratic culture in Kenya and in eastern and central Africa. While some project activities were highly relevant and empowering to individual beneficiaries, others lacked follow-up. Among the project’s successes were the election observation trainings which had a multiplier effect with grassroots organizations. Following the workshop trainings, 12 observation groups were established to monitor the Kenyan election of 2013, all of which later obtained a long-term accreditation status as election observers. In general, the project was activity-driven which made outcomes and institutional impact difficult to assess. Project design showed some weaknesses, as several challenges that appeared during implementation could have been anticipated by the grantee beforehand. For example, the shortage of staff and a better coordination with the electoral timeline in Kenya could have ensured a smoother implementation.
Evaluation Date
May 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing the Capacity for Inclusive Local Governance through Synergies and Sustainable Linkages between Communities and Government in North Afghanistan

A major deficiency in overall management rested with the centralization of decision-making by ACTED Kabul. The project design had a “generic” quality to it, and it is apparent that operations managers in the field had no input into decision-making, including work and expenditure planning. The weakness of two-way communications at this level reduced the opportunity for the project to learn from experience and adapt operational plans accordingly.
Project Partner
ACTED
Project Description
Enhancing the Capacity for Inclusive Local Governance in Northern Afghanistan was generally effective as a training project, but its overall design was not well-aligned with the overall objectives specified. The project made a difference for the trainees who benefited from the course provided, but did not contribute much to the institutional results linked to enhancing inclusive local governance. The grantee was a well-known international NGO. This was strength in some ways, but may have been a weakness in others. The project design had a “generic” quality to it, suggesting a lack of attention to the specific needs in the project sites that were addressed. Further, the lack of engagement with the project by ACTED Kabul at a management level, along with the absence of decentralization of decision-making to the local level, undermined project effectiveness.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing the Capacity for Inclusive Local Governance through Synergies and Sustainable Linkages between Communities and Government in North Afghanistan

Other risks identified related to the attitude of local leaders, who might object to the focus of training on gender issues, and limited cooperation on the part of Afghan government at provincial and district level. Strong and effective preparatory work by the project and thorough advance consultations enabled the grantee to overcome these potential problems. It might be noted that early consultations included a meeting with other international non-governmental organizations and donor agencies active in the region, to allow the grantee to brief its peers on the project and its contents, and to avoid duplication. This also reduced the risk to project effectiveness and impact.
Project Partner
ACTED
Project Description
Enhancing the Capacity for Inclusive Local Governance in Northern Afghanistan was generally effective as a training project, but its overall design was not well-aligned with the overall objectives specified. The project made a difference for the trainees who benefited from the course provided, but did not contribute much to the institutional results linked to enhancing inclusive local governance. The grantee was a well-known international NGO. This was strength in some ways, but may have been a weakness in others. The project design had a “generic” quality to it, suggesting a lack of attention to the specific needs in the project sites that were addressed. Further, the lack of engagement with the project by ACTED Kabul at a management level, along with the absence of decentralization of decision-making to the local level, undermined project effectiveness.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing the Capacity for Inclusive Local Governance through Synergies and Sustainable Linkages between Communities and Government in North Afghanistan

Failure to translate learning materials form Dari to Pashto, and recruit a cadre of trainers capable of operating in the Pashto language in Afghanistan.
Project Partner
ACTED
Project Description
Enhancing the Capacity for Inclusive Local Governance in Northern Afghanistan was generally effective as a training project, but its overall design was not well-aligned with the overall objectives specified. The project made a difference for the trainees who benefited from the course provided, but did not contribute much to the institutional results linked to enhancing inclusive local governance. The grantee was a well-known international NGO. This was strength in some ways, but may have been a weakness in others. The project design had a “generic” quality to it, suggesting a lack of attention to the specific needs in the project sites that were addressed. Further, the lack of engagement with the project by ACTED Kabul at a management level, along with the absence of decentralization of decision-making to the local level, undermined project effectiveness.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing the Capacity for Inclusive Local Governance through Synergies and Sustainable Linkages between Communities and Government in North Afghanistan

While the project may have helped to encourage informal linkages across the three sets of stakeholders listed, there is little evidence of “enhanced mechanisms” or the ability of the project to “enable synergies”. Further, the activities designed to bring the stakeholders together after training was completed, the forums, seemed to add no significant value to the project, although, as suggested in the Final Report, they may have helped to build connections, and to bring new initiatives proposed at community and district levels to the attention of government officials in Afghanistan.
Project Partner
ACTED
Project Description
Enhancing the Capacity for Inclusive Local Governance in Northern Afghanistan was generally effective as a training project, but its overall design was not well-aligned with the overall objectives specified. The project made a difference for the trainees who benefited from the course provided, but did not contribute much to the institutional results linked to enhancing inclusive local governance. The grantee was a well-known international NGO. This was strength in some ways, but may have been a weakness in others. The project design had a “generic” quality to it, suggesting a lack of attention to the specific needs in the project sites that were addressed. Further, the lack of engagement with the project by ACTED Kabul at a management level, along with the absence of decentralization of decision-making to the local level, undermined project effectiveness.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Coalition against Poverty: Oil Revenue under Public Oversight

The project achieved its strongest results through producing significant research on regional business, government, and civil society. Anecdotal evidence suggests that project activities were effective in raising awareness among organized civil society in the regions, perhaps in part because of their great need for information and capacity.
Project Partner
Sange Research Center
Project Description
The project aimed to improve understanding of transparency and accountability in the governance of the extractive sector in Kazakhstan. The project emphasised understanding of the extractive sector’s impact on poverty, environmental vulnerability, labour conditions and rights, income and access to services. Activities focused on multiple stakeholders operating in five regions of Kazakhstan, with the goal of developing more transparent, accountable, and effective institutions that would expand citizen participation and promote more sustainable development. The project targeted areas where extractive industries are important economic actors and where civil society needs increased capacity or support to more effectively engage in governance. Project activities tackled the gap in access to usable outside information through research, analysis, and outreach. Collaborative learning tactics supported increased local engagement.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Coalition against Poverty: Oil Revenue under Public Oversight

The project’s original problem analysis and expected impact assessment were unrealistic. Project design and strategy underestimated structural and institutional resistance to reform in Kazakhstan, resulting in quite limited effects on formal institutions such as the national and local councils, and on official patterns of behaviour, such as decisions on social investment.
Project Partner
Sange Research Center
Project Description
The project aimed to improve understanding of transparency and accountability in the governance of the extractive sector in Kazakhstan. The project emphasised understanding of the extractive sector’s impact on poverty, environmental vulnerability, labour conditions and rights, income and access to services. Activities focused on multiple stakeholders operating in five regions of Kazakhstan, with the goal of developing more transparent, accountable, and effective institutions that would expand citizen participation and promote more sustainable development. The project targeted areas where extractive industries are important economic actors and where civil society needs increased capacity or support to more effectively engage in governance. Project activities tackled the gap in access to usable outside information through research, analysis, and outreach. Collaborative learning tactics supported increased local engagement.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing the Capacity for Inclusive Local Governance through Synergies and Sustainable Linkages between Communities and Government in North Afghanistan

The local background of the project’s trainers, and their understanding of traditional Afghan customs and perspectives, appears to have been a great asset in their approach to working with members of local communities.
Project Partner
ACTED
Project Description
Enhancing the Capacity for Inclusive Local Governance in Northern Afghanistan was generally effective as a training project, but its overall design was not well-aligned with the overall objectives specified. The project made a difference for the trainees who benefited from the course provided, but did not contribute much to the institutional results linked to enhancing inclusive local governance. The grantee was a well-known international NGO. This was strength in some ways, but may have been a weakness in others. The project design had a “generic” quality to it, suggesting a lack of attention to the specific needs in the project sites that were addressed. Further, the lack of engagement with the project by ACTED Kabul at a management level, along with the absence of decentralization of decision-making to the local level, undermined project effectiveness.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Country
LESSON

Lesson Learned: Enhancing the Capacity for Inclusive Local Governance through Synergies and Sustainable Linkages between Communities and Government in North Afghanistan

The needs of female trainees would have been better-served had ACTED proved able to recruit at least a few female trainers in Afghanistan ; none was hired.
Project Partner
ACTED
Project Description
Enhancing the Capacity for Inclusive Local Governance in Northern Afghanistan was generally effective as a training project, but its overall design was not well-aligned with the overall objectives specified. The project made a difference for the trainees who benefited from the course provided, but did not contribute much to the institutional results linked to enhancing inclusive local governance. The grantee was a well-known international NGO. This was strength in some ways, but may have been a weakness in others. The project design had a “generic” quality to it, suggesting a lack of attention to the specific needs in the project sites that were addressed. Further, the lack of engagement with the project by ACTED Kabul at a management level, along with the absence of decentralization of decision-making to the local level, undermined project effectiveness.
Evaluation Date
April 2013
Country