End term evaluation of the bondo/siaya household livelihood security (lok pachi) project

Background:
Bondo/Siaya household livelihood security project was initiated as a response to the social economic impacts of HIV and AIDS. The project was premised on the higher prevalence of both HIV and AIDS and poverty in the project area. The main objectives of the project were to economically empower the direct beneficiaries and members of their households and to help reduce HIV&AIDS stigma through enhanced advocacy, improved knowledge and access to psychosocial support services. Specifically, the project had two main objectives upon which all its activities were anchored while mainstreaming gender across project interventions. These were:-

1. To increase the economic capacity of the target community through improving access to credit from personal savings of up to about KES 8 Million portfolio among the 5,000 savings and lending group members in Siaya and Bondo Districts by 2009.

2. To increase HIV&AIDS Awareness among the 5,000 GS&L group members and their communities on HIV/ AIDS and gender to reduce stigma in Siaya and Bondo Districts by 2009

In order to meets its objectives the project employed three major strategies and activities. These were Group Savings and Loaning (GS&L) Methodology; Public Education on HIV&AIDS; and Partnership.

This study therefore sought to evaluate the impact the Lok Pachi project on the livelihood security of the populations in Bondo and Siaya in line with the project proposals.

Purpose/objective:
1. To assess the impact of Lok Pachi project on households livelihood security
2. To find out the role of Lok Pachi project on the levels of women empowerment
3. To determine the impact of the project on Knowledge, practice, and attitude towards HIV&AIDS
4. To determine the impact of Lok Pachi on households level of access to HIV&AIDS support services
5. To conduct a gender analysis of the organisation and outcomes of the Lok Pachi project
6. To document the efficiency, relevance, effectiveness and sustainability of the Lok Pachi Project

Methodology:
The study was conducted using a cross-sectional evaluation survey design that yielded both quantitative and qualitative data. The target population were households Group Saving and Loaning group members living in Siaya and Bondo districts within the catchments area of the CARE International in Kenya Lok Pachi project.

Key findings:
The Lok Pachi Household Livelihoods and Security project has been successful, as it managed to exceed its expected targets. The project received an overwhelming response from poor community members who formed more than 7,000 groups with over 35,000 members as compared to the targeted 5,000 groups with 25,000 members. However, this represents less than 10% of the 400,000 poor living in Bondo and Siaya.

The project and its approach were very relevant to the communities and their problems. The project set up the framework for operation and supported groups with instruments for recording their savings and loans transactions, leaving group members to decide on which group to join and what economic activities in which they wanted to engage. The project had no control over activities carried out by individual households, encouraging a high degree of self-determination for participants.

The project has helped community members of different groups to improve their living conditions. Members, especially women, acknowledged that the project contributed to their ability to put food on the table, own assets, increase their income, improve their health conditions (including those living with HIV and AIDS) and improve equity within households and the community at large.

The groups were also used as a vehicle for delivering various extension messages on both productive activities and social issues. The groups include HIV positive members and they have created awareness on HIV and AIDS, reduced stigmatisation of HIV-positive people and provided home-based care for orphans. This approach should be properly documented as “good practice”, recognised and adopted by the various government ministries and systematically extended to all permanent and particularly government institutions, which spend a lot of resources on extension services using traditional extension approaches with little success.

Recommendations:
1. The household livelihood security approach is an effective and efficient framework for project planning in a resource constrained communities. CARE International Kenya may consider using this approach in their future projects
2. The Lok Pachi model needs to be replicated elsewhere especially in addressing the socio -economic impacts of HIV&AIDS.
3. There is need to strengthen the linkages between the savings & loan groups and other partner organisation as a strategy for sustainability. This is likely to enhance the members’ confidence and thus enhance the retention of the project results and outcomes.
4. Effective mechanism needs to be identified and enforced to promote joint HIV testing of spouses and sexual partners. This may help reduce the levels of new infections and reduce the rate of re-infections.
5. There is need to enhance the HIV&AIDS advocacy within the community so as to strengthen the level of openness and thus reduce stigma. This will help improve the level of disclosure of status by people living with HIV.
6. Collaboration with health workers and media practitioners on issues relating to HIV&AIDS needs to be strengthened. This is largely because many participants indicated they received HIV&AIDS information through the media and health workers.
7. The savings & loan groups may require more guidance on loan repayment and debt collection strategies. These approaches must be reoriented to the groups’ settings.
8. As an exit strategy to Lok Pachi project CARE International Kenya may need to provide guidelines to the savings & loan on ways of follow-up training.

Comments from the organisation, if any: