Unity Chipfupa Pretoria, SA Date: 2 April 2009

Piloting the Household Vulnerability Index to Improve Targeting in WVI programmes in Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe SOCIAL PROTECTION AND TARGETING Unity Chipfupa Pretoria, SA Date: 2 April 2009

Structure • Background • Goal and Objectives of the project • Why WVI is interested in the HVI • The journey so far • About the HVI- the theory simplified • HVI-WVI data collection tools • Anticipated outputs • Work plan- key activities

Background As part of FANRPAN’s work on HIV and AIDS the organization is piloting the Household Vulnerability Index to Improve Targeting in WVI programmes in Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. The journey began in 2004 when FANRPAN, through support from SADC and EU, conducted a 7 country study which focused on the Impact of HIV and AIDS on Agriculture and Food Security. With support from Southern African Trust, there was a follow-up study in 2005-2006 that sought to develop an index known as the FANRPAN-Household Vulnerability Index (HVI). The HVI is able to quantitatively measure vulnerability introduced by HIV and AIDS on rural households and classifies households according to their different degrees of vulnerability

The HVI pilot project In February 2008, WVI in partnership with FANRPAN agreed to conduct operational research in Swaziland, Lesotho and Zimbabwe to evaluate the applicability of the HVI in WVI’s development programmes. • The goal of the project is to: apply the Household Vulnerability Index (HVI) to Improve Targeting in Food Aid Transfers in three pilot Area Development Programmes in Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.

Objectives of the pilot project • To develop and populate a comprehensive household vulnerability database in three ADPs in Lesotho, Swaziland and Zimbabwe. • To analyse household vulnerability in these areas by computing HVIs and ranking households on a vulnerability basis; and use this information to inform intervention programmes such as the input voucher programme • To assess the requirements for full institutionalization of the HVI tool and database in WVI programmes.

Why World Vision is interested in the HVI World Vision works to transform the lives of the world’s poorest children and their families As a development partner, World Vision is concerned about on-going developments in the global economy and how they will affect their work: Food prices and declining global food availability are major challenges climate change, need for bio-fuels, HIV and AIDS, poor government policies etc further complicate setting Communities where WVI work are dynamic and power, gender and hh, community and higher level priorities challenge equitable distribution of aid. As the biggest CSO, there is great opportunity to influence policy

The journey so far.. • Approach: The project is longitudinal in nature, with a minimum of two years required (Up to March 2010). • Preliminary country assessments were made in February 2008 • The project was launched at the visioning workshop in Swaziland in May 2008 • Three launch workshops in the three countries were conducted with stakeholders in the pilot communities • Data collection was completed in Swaziland in November 2008, will commence in Zimbabwe on the 6th of April 2009 and later in Lesotho.

The journey so far.. • Swaziland Data Collection • Started on the 18th of Nov and ended on the 19th of Dec 2008. • 30 enumerators mainly college and university students were trained on the HVI tools • Approximately 3330 households in Mpolonjeni ADP were interviewed • Data was also captured using PDAs. Since WV Swaziland is also implementing a GIS project, GPS points of the homesteads and important features such as infrustructure, natural resources, etc, were also taken during the field work. • Data cleaning is now in progress and before the end of the month we will have our first real results for Swaziland

What is the HVI? A detailed discussion of the HVI methodology and what is involved is given in the automated presentation given here. There is a prepared summarized presentation of the theory given here.

HVI data collection process Initially we needed to: • verify what data WV and partners are already collecting in the ADP. • review studies undertaken to inform development interventions in the area • With Communities, review the current targeting systems in the three ADPs building on their strengths and seeking to address/manage some of the challenges. • Develop a plan on how data collected will inform development interventions in areas Then…

HVI Data Collection Tool (ctd) We finalized specific HVI data collection tools to meet the different types of interventions that WVI implements as follows: Form A: A general household data card captures information that almost all interventions will need to know about a household before planning an intervention. This form is for all households in an ADP. This generic tool is divided into 5 sections • Demographic information • Productive assets ownership • State and use of natural assets • Financial assets and food consumption patterns • Social networks This form is updated annually, or at other regular intervals as required by managers. A draft of this tool is (given here). It is adequate for a generalized programme.

HVI Data Collection Tool (ctd) Form B1, B2, B3, etc: An intervention-specific data card which captures information that a particular intervention will need to know about a household or beneficiary. This specific tool is: • linked to the main household data by use of carefully developed ID system. • Does not need to collect data already collected by FORM A • include information on benefits received by beneficiaries over time • be updated regularly, tracking implementation of the intervention. • A draft sample of this tool is (given here)

HVI Data Collection Tool (ctd) Form C: A generic intervention-specific data card will be developed to capture information that a new particular intervention will need to know about a household or beneficiary. This tool will be used for those unique interventions that are not mainstream for ADPs. This specific tool will: • Be linked to the main household data by use of carefully developed ID system. • Not need to collect data already collected by FORM A • Will include information on benefits received by beneficiaries over time • May be updated regularly, tracking implementation of the intervention. • May have a definite beginning and end. • A draft sample of this tool will need input in from programme implementers

HVI Data Collection Tool (ctd) Form D: A semi-static data card developed to capture information at the ADP level. Information will be on general ADP profile data such as location, contact details, soils, geography, socio-economics and administrative boundaries. The form is: • linked to the main household data by use of carefully developed ID system. • No need to collect data already collected by FORM A • be updated once in a while, but a more regular sub-tool can be used to track market related statistics, e.g for food prices. • form the context for the ADP. • A draft sample of this tool is (given here).

So how will all these tools be linked? Database Structure FORM A and D data cards The areas of intersection will indicate which households/individuals have benefited from the intersecting interventions. A graduation system for beneficiaries is thus possible.

So what is the data collection structure? Database Structure

Database analysis and reporting The following analysis will be generated from the database: A: General: Contextual: Physical and environmental information, Key features and trends, Political, Social, Economic, Ecological, Infrastructure, Institutions Community Level: Social differentiation, Socio-political considerations, Institutional types, Spatial considerations, Livelihood systems Household Level: Livelihood resources: Physical, Natural, Social, Economic, Human Intra-household Level: Gender, Generational

Database analysis and reporting B: Basic analysis embedded within the database Household vulnerability indices (HVI) as food security proxy nutritional status, health status, education, poverty indicators (income, assets, social network) Vulnerability: Dynamic perspectives, Trends in household dynamics, Trends in livelihood strategies, Current vulnerability (snapshot) of individuals that are vulnerable,

Database analysis and reporting C: Programme design tools embedded within the database • Tweaking for sensitivity of HVI computations • Distribution lists for households/individuals that meet set HVI criteria • Comparison of HVI to community ranking or other targeting tools for checking for errors of inclusion or exclusion • Sampling for monitoring and evaluation (including for both beneficiaries and non- beneficiaries if required).

Anticipated outputs • Improved targeting • Community participation • Integration • Prioritizing • Evidence base • Impact assessment

Work plan • Planning • Database development • Instrument alignment • Further project design • Country launch • Developing data collection structure with communities input • Database design update • Data collection (Lesotho and Zimbabwe are at this stage) • Data entry and HVI generation (Swaziland is at this stage) • Reporting and publication • Report writing and publication • Policy dialogues on findings • Re-positioning and re-visioning Minimum duration: 2 years

Thank you

Unity Chipfupa Pretoria, SA Date: 2 April 2009