Mid term Evaluation Report 2012; South Ethiopia Synod - Community Based Health Service Project (SES-CBHSP)

Background:
The South Ethiopia Synod – Community Based Health Service Project (SES-CBHSP) started its operation as a first phase project in 2010. The main components of the project are: Hiv/AIDS, Water, Hygiene and Sanitation and Family Planning. The project had an agreement to work with the district level water desk, health office and women and children’s affairs office. The project established a very good working relationship with the district offices; especially the involvement and engagement of the district women and children affairs office has been very good.

Purpose/objective:
The primary objective of the midterm evaluation is to analyse the result obtained by the project compared with the overall impact to the people in the target area and objectives of the project and draws the key lessons learned in order to help improve relevance, impact, sustainability, effectiveness and efficiency of the intervention in the target area.

The result of the assessment facilitates decision making regarding improvements to be made in current action and establish common and shared vision with partners and health authorities at District, Zone and Regional level including the project funder.

Methodology:
The midterm Evaluation was undertaken using the following methodologies:
• Desk document reviewing and analysis.
• Briefing by the project team.
• Field assessement (site visit)
• Consultation and interview with target groups.
• Discussion with district government officials.

Key findings:
Based on the field visit and conducted discussions, the following conclusions were drawn:
• The project did its effort in promoting awareness of the local community on the ownership and protection of disease.
• The project has made an effort in providing different trainings to capacitate communities and community facilitator groups.
• The project has done its best in improving the livelihoods of the local community in order to reduce the disease distribution in the area.
• The local community became more aware of HIV/AIDS and tested freely without any confusion or fear unlike it was done in the past.

Recommendations:
• Hiv/AIDS: the project should mainly focus on contributing to reducing new infection through awareness creation and community mobilization.
• The most at risk people – especially youth who do not have any job opportunity should be given more attention for awareness creation.
• The project should address People Living with Hiv/AIDS (PLWHA) – especially those who do not have income by providing them with start-up capital for IGA in order to minimize the spread and impact of HIV/AIDS.
• The project for the next period should focus on ensuring availability of HIV/AIDS Testing Kit, as there is extreme shortage.
• The project should include financial side during submission of plan and reports to all stakeholders.
• It is advisable if the project considers employing additional person as the size of the work and existing human power isn’t proportional.
• Quarter and annual reports should be submitted on time.

Comments from the organisation, if any:
The SES-CBHSP has been in operation since the beginning of 2010. The project has done a good work when it comes to sustaining the HIV/AIDS work - that the community and employees at local government line departments have contributed cash in kind and goods to care & support for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).