Evaluation on the LWF Mozambique Country Programme 2004-2008

Background:
Mozambique and the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) have a long history together stretching over the whole period of the country’s independence, and starting even before that. From 1977 onwards the LWF was supporting internally displaced persons and returning refugees but already before the independence of Mozambique it was helping the Mozambique refugees in the neighbouring countries Tanzania, Zambia, and Swaziland. Over the years the work of LWF Mozambique has changed from emergency assistance to activities aimed at sustainable development. The goal today is to contribute to the improvement of health and quality of life by building strong household economies through improved food security, promotion of human rights and healthy lifestyles, and through enhanced capacity to manage the environment. Strategies include capacity development; emergency response and preparedness; empowerment of local community organizations; strengthening of civil society; facilitation and mediation; partnership and networking. The present LWF Mozambique Country Programme, elaborated in the Country Strategy for 2004-2009, includes three Integrated Rural Development Projects (IRDPs) in the Gaza, Sofala and Tete Provinces. In Maputo the Programme encompasses two urban projects, Human Rights and Health for Women project in Chamanculo as well as Prevention and Mitigation of Impact of HIV and AIDS Project in Xikheleni which has a strong component of capacity development of local partner, Comite Ecumenico de Desenvolvimento Social (CEDES). All the projects address the key strategic priorities of the Programme as established by the Country Strategy.

Purpose/ Objective:
The purpose of the evaluation is to assess the performance of the Mozambique Country Programme
during the years 2004-2008 of implementing the Country Strategy 2004-2009, and the objective is the reduction of absolute poverty among households and communities. Poverty, HIV and AIDS and lack of essential services are still problems far from having been solved.

Methodology:
The evaluation commenced with a planning consultation between the evaluation team and LWF Geneva and Mozambique through e-mail and telephone in order to reach a common understanding of the evaluation focus, methodology of the evaluation and field visit schedule. The direct beneficiaries, villagers and urban neighbourhood residents, make up the majority of the interviews. Separate discussions were held with various beneficiaries and stakeholders. In addition to the interviews and focus group discussions with the various beneficiaries and stakeholders, the evaluation is based upon a review of key available documentation and site visits to selected areas in Mozambique.

Key Findings:
On a policy level, the Programme has been relevant and in accordance with the prevailing policies of the
Government of Mozambique as well as with the values of the LWF, its donors and partners. The LWF Mozambique Country Strategy has been highly relevant in the context of Mozambique and deserves credit for it, especially as its implementation has coincided with the efforts that the Government and society at large have directed toward the same goal at the same time.

Recommendations:
the recommendations are divided in two, those on the Country Programme in general and on those
more specifically related to the strengthened capacity of the LWF Mozambique.
Country Programme and the role of LWF Mozambique
• the LWF should continue its support to Mozambique maintaining the poverty reduction and human rights perspective through contributing to the development of viable and sustainable households and communities with a focus on the most vulnerable.
• the role of the LWF Mozambique should increasingly be that of the facilitator and decreasingly of the implementer.
Capacity building and empowerment of communities and their organisations should be key activities in the Programme
implementation. Advocacy work should encompass increasingly the rights of the most vulnerable.
• co-operation and coordination with the decentralised structures of the local government as well as with other
organisations should be enhanced both at local and national level. Sharing the experiences with LWF Country Programmes could be increased.
Strengthened capacity of the LWF for programme implementation
• monitoring and reporting should be based on results verified by progress indicators. Serious attention needs to be
paid to development of progress indicators, collection of the base line data for individual indicators and training the project level staff to fully understand what a result is and how to catch evidence of achieved results.
• agreed timeframes for reporting should be observed.
• human resource and training plan based on training needs assessment for staff of LWF should be prepared.
• a clear policy on the means of transport needs to be elaborated defining what is the expected useful life-expectancy of the cars and motor cycles including a plan for renewing existing fleet.