Resources

This booklet describes a participatory monitoring and evaluation system for grassroots livelihoods and micro-finance programs. It contrasts the traditional techniques used to monitor and evaluate credit programmes with those of the group-oriented internal learning system (ILS). It gives details of how ILS works, a five step process involving collecting information, assessing the direction of change, analysing the information, planning based on learning and the documentation of results. Throughout it emphasises the participatory, flexible, simple, and decentralised method of the ILS.

This is a 'primer' designed to assist program officers in the Peace and Social Justice program of the Ford Foundation in preparing their Program Officer Memorandum. It focuses on developing indicators that can be used to track and improve the contribution of the work that the Ford Foundation is making in the area of social change. The paper proposes ways for the Foundation to address the impact of its work, track change over time, and develop a better understanding of what does and does not work in order to achieve its desired goals. It outlines a learning cycle for the Foundation that includes establishing goals, developing indicators, gathering information, analysing results, and taking action, and this serves as a step-by-step process in which the Ford Foundation can monitor its work in the Peace and Social Justice program.

This book examines an approach to evaluation that enables citizens and professionals alike to jointly assess the extent to which the benefits of development are shared - and by whom. It provides a variety of articles from different authors, covering critical themes such as ethics, techniques, case studies, historic reflections, and invitations to action. It addresses the tensions and questions that emerge from the notion of participation such as who has the right to evaluate whom, does the language that makes up the participatory discourse itself limit the practice of participation, etc. It highlights the dangers of evaluations that claim to be participatory but are not, and offers ideas about working in a variety of new directions

This paper describes the field-test of the Twenty Points of Progress Programme (20PPP) presently being implemented by an NGO called Choice Humanitarian in Guanajuato, Mexico. This is a participatory methodology for systematically measuring and assessing the impact of village development programs, which is participatory in nature, has a specific commitment to community action planning and encourages network development between communities governments and NGOs. Having described the development and implementation of the programme it goes on to look at outcomes and lessons learned, concluding that the 20PPP provides a short, simple, inexpensive and flexible approach to measuring village progress and mobilising community action.

This article describes a new tool, the H-form (or Rugby Post form), to facilitate monitoring and evaluation exercises. The method is described in detail, as are options for developing it further, depending on the objectives of the exercise. This tool helps individuals and/or groups to record their own views and ideas in a non-threatening and open, yet structured, way which fosters individual expression as well as common understanding and consensus. The sequence and clear framework that the H-form provides keeps discussion focused, specific, progressive and can easily lead to action points. It is a method that can be used alongside other visual/recording tools.

An account of the process of a participatory evaluation carried out in Tabora, central Tanzania, for WaterAid, a UK based NGO. Information is offered on the preparations for the three day workshop which developed the methodology for the evaluation, the fieldwork carried out in four sites and the lessons learnt from the exercise.

This PLA series article describes the use of the original terms of reference in the evaluation of the Small Dam Rehabilitation Project in Zimbabwe. It discusses how this procedure provided the basis for a flexible and participatory approach to evaluation.