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PSG. PROJECT SUPPORT GROUP. Using Participatory Evaluation Systems in Cross Cultural Settings Madri Jansen van Rensburg Louise Henderson Gareth Coats. Background: Project Support Group. Regional NGO working in 9 SADC countries
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PSG PROJECT SUPPORT GROUP Using Participatory Evaluation Systems in Cross Cultural Settings Madri Jansen van Rensburg Louise Henderson Gareth Coats
Background: Project Support Group • Regional NGO working in 9 SADC countries • Supports 43 partner organisations doing HIV prevention and mitigation work • Annual surveys conducted to assess impact on communities (Mitigation results reported)
Sample: Mitigation Surveys • Thembalethu – Jeppe’s Reef – Nkomazi (SA) • Thembalethu – Enkambeni – N. Swaziland • Hands@Work - Bairro Josina Machel – Gondola (Mozambique) • Hands@Work - Bairro 7 de Abril - Gondola (Manica Province) • Mpatamathu - Luanshya – Copperbelt (Zambia) • Mpatamathu - Chibwe (Ndola) - Border to DRC (Zambia) • Mangochi - Ntaja – Balaka District (Malawi) • Lesotho - Semonkong – Maseru rural district
Mixed methods • Mitigation surveys included both qualitative and quantitative methods for following reasons: • Funders’ request for personalised reports • To give voices to beneficiaries • To use methods that could be translated across cultural, language and country borders • To provide feedback to participants • To empower partner organisations in M&E • NB!!! It had to be cost effective!
Methodology • Two methods: • Quantitative: Quality of Life survey • Qualitative: Most Significant Change (MSC) method • A participatory qualitative method (MSC) was used to include participation of: • Project staff • Beneficiaries • Training of fieldworkers, recruited by partners
Quantitative: Quality of Life • Structured, standardised instrument: Quality of Life questionnaire. • Challenge: • Translated into the local language and back translated into English (Portuguese).
Qualitative: MSC • Narrative (“story telling”) • Setting domains • Participant level specified by partner • Steps: • Recruiting, “inviting” and preparing focus group participants • Selecting own MSC story (verifiable) • FGD: Narrating and voting by participants • Selected story documented • Translation Davies, R., & Dart, J: http://www.mande.co.uk
Results: Qualitative • Project site stories were more positive than control site stories • The MSC story selected in Lesotho contained more negative aspects and this is also reflected in the quantitative data.
Results: Qualitative(Common Themes) • Stories involved PLWHA experiences, attitudes and actions. • Support for PLWHA involved basic needs such as food, but also fulfilled other needs such as emotional support. • This support and acceptance changed the PLWHA outlook on life and the disease. • The community and PLWHA knowledge levels increased due to mitigation efforts by the project sites. • PLWHA positive attitudes made them disclose more easily and their involvement in the projects made an invaluable contribution.
Value of Mixed Methods • The qualitative information corroboratedwith quantitative surveys. • Confirming the results of the other methods and in capturing and describing nuances and details that would easily be lost. • Its real value for PSG was clearly the use across cultures and languages. • Context specific
Value of Mixed Methods (conti.) • Dissemination to all levels: • Satisfied the scientific needs of the scientific audience, • The need from donor organisations to have “hard evidence” as well as “personal pictures” • Direction to project staff • Feedback to and recognition of beneficiaries • The project sites commented on the value of the MSC method as a cost effective monitoring method.
Conclusions • The results suggested that the participatory methods (MSC) added value to and yielded similar results to the Quality of Life quantitative surveys. • The satisfaction on different levels: • Donors • Partner project sites • Beneficiaries • A combination of the two methods is recommended for evaluations from “Umbrella organisations”. • The participatory method was especially useful in monitoring and evaluation efforts in cross cultural settings.
Acknowledgement • Financial support • The Swedish Government through SIDA • The Norwegian Government • Dutch Government • PSG teams (RTAs, Admin, Finance, Research) • PSG Partner Organisations and field workers • ALL PARTICIPANTS