key focus areas

OtherWISE does not limit itself to one particular evaluation field. Instead, we apply the principles of evaluation, and our conceptual understanding of systems and issues, across many programme areas.

Areas in which OtherWISE has experience conducting monitoring and evaluation activities are listed below. We provide just a few examples of recent projects for each area:

• Advocacy and lobbying
  Funded by the Open Society Foundation, we designed and implemented a summative evaluation that focused on the organisation's advocacy programme and its potential. For this evaluation we particularly focused on the political impact of the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Task Force (SWEAT) in the local and national context.

• Public-Private Partnerships
  For UNESCAP we designed and implemented an evaluation to examine the impact of pro-poor public-private partnerships in Indonesia (electricity), Pakistan (bio-diversity), Sri Lanka (water) and Thailand (Health/HIV/AIDS). In this process we developed methodology and tools, analyzed findings, and wrote the final evaluation report. We then facilitated a workshop to present and discuss findings with relevant stakeholders (public and private sector) from each country.

• Women's empowerment
  For IDRC and BAIF India, we trained key non-profit staff on qualitative evaluation and led two evaluation teams in India to implement qualitative evaluations of rural livelihoods/women's empowerment programs focused on health, small business, and agriculture.
  
  We provided the leadership and evaluation methodology for the European Union initiative review the monitoring and evaluation system for the South African Police (SAPS) and the Internal Complaints Directorate (ICD) with respect to the police initiatives with women, gender and violence. The evaluation focused on the extent of the Domestic Violence Act’s implementation in South Africa.

• Small business and agriculture
  On behalf of the South African Institute for Entrepreneurship we designed an impact evaluation that focused on the impact of agricultural and small business training in three provinces. The work was preceded by a two day workshop that reviewed and redesigned the organisation’s monitoring sytem.

• Democracy and governance
  For USAID, we worked with the democracy and governance coordinator and their project partners in strategic planning and the development of useful indicators for a new multi-million dollar initiative in Madagascar.

• Environment and Global Climate Change
  We provided various training and monitoring and evaluation technical assistance to environmental programs funded by IDRC /Canada.

  For TRAFFIC we developed several evaluations for various environmental projects. This included the development of summative evaluations and process focused evaluations for different European Union funded projects. The resulting information has been used to continually inform and improve their programmes.

  Funded by the World Bank, we assisted in the development of a multi-layered (government, NGO and conservancy level) monitoring and evaluation system for community based natural resource management (CBNRM) in Namibia.

• Health and HIV/AIDS
  For the Policy Group, in partnership with Insideout, we conducted research by implementing 24 focus groups on HIV/AIDS stigma in South Africa and led a review of current economic and social indicators for HIV/AIDS stigma. The research results were used to develop indicators for programmes that aimed at influencing HIV/AIDS stigma in Southern Africa.

  Through an interactive process we developed a practical M&E framework and system for Educo Africa’s HIV/AIDS youth and caregiver program. We included formative and summative evaluation designs and approaches for assessing change at the individual and organisational level.

  We provided and led a six person evaluation team for the US National Academies African Science Academy Development Initiative (ASADI) funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation where we implemented formative and process evaluation. The 10 year initiative intends to improve use of evidence-based advice provided by African Science Academies with regards to HIV-AIDS and other social issues and is being implemented in 7 countries.

  For Bristol Myers Squib, we developed a formative evaluation that assessed the Namibian Women’s Network HIV/AIDS consortium.

  As part of a PEPFAR initiative, we developed a monitoring and evaluation framework and system, trained all staff and provided direct technical assistance to the Reproductive Health Unit/HIV/AIDS and the PeriNatal Reproductive Health Unit at Chris Hani Baragwaneth Hospital, Soweto.

• Orphans and Vulnerable Children
  Over a four year period, we worked with the Firelight Foundation’s African Orphan and Vulnerable Children’s programmes, in partnership with Insideout Research, to develop and conduct several trainings on various elements of community based monitoring and evaluation. We worked with small community based groups to develop non-jargon filled monitoring plans and provided technical assistance for report writing.

• CSI
  For the Shuttleworth Foundation and Greater Good South Africa, we designed and implemented a theory based evaluation that sought to determine the impact of a new model for engaging the public and corporate sector with the NGO sector in terms of giving. Using a mixed method approach, our Team determined the impact and lessons learned.

• Youth-at-Risk
  We refined evaluation tools and provided leadership for United Nations AIDS (UNAIDS/UNF) process and impact evaluation of HIV/AIDS programmes aimed at adolescent school and community-based programmes in Swaziland and Botswana.

  Funded by the Ford Foundation, we conducted various formative and summative evaluations that examined their various youth-at-risk projects, and provided monitoring and evaluation training to multiple organisations.

• Community strengthening
  For VSO, we trained various groups of volunteers that worked in a range of sectors on strategic planning, monitoring and formative evaluation.