Mid-Term Evaluation for Anti-FGM Project among the Maasai of the Southern Rift Region of Kenya

Background:
The purpose of this project is to mobilize local churches in the Southern region of Kenya to advocate for the rights of Maasai girls and women with a view to stop the practice of FGM and subsequent early and forced marriages. The Free Pentecostal Fellowship in Kenya has for many years implemented various mission and church development programs as well as social and humanitarian projects in partnership with the Pentecostal Foreign Mission in Norway (PYM).  The project targets the districts of Kajiado, Narok, and Transmara in Southern Rift Valley region of Kenya. It is estimated that the population of the Maasai in this region is more than 500,000 people. The region is vast and is endowed with natural game habitats which are home to the world famous Maasai Mara and Amboseli game parks. 

Purpose/objective:
The purpose of this evaluation was to assess the impact of the Anti-FGM project among the Maasai girls and communities in the Southern Rift Region of Kenya since its inception to 2014 and recommend the way forward with regard to the sustainability of the project beyond the project period of 2006 to 2016.

Methodology:
In preparation for the evaluation an internal project self-assessment was done early May 2014 in order to involve a larger number of project stakeholders in collecting information which will form part of the evaluation data.  The data collected was analyzed and used as secondary data to form part of the overall evaluation data and outcomes.  The Mid Term Evaluation was carried out by three consultants assisted by the project staff and resource persons at the project target areas, and the following data collection methods were used:
- Desk Review of Secondary data sources
- Group discussions/Focus group discussions
- Key Informant interviews (KII)
- In depth Interviews (IDIs)

(Key findings)
Recommendations:
Based on the evaluation findings it is recommended that:
a) In the next phase the project need to focus more on building the capacity of the church to own process of change and sustain it.
b) Awareness creation needs to be increased and sustained in the next phase of the project.
c) The community leaders need to be trained and encouraged to support the campaign against FGM
d) It is important that the project recognizes and works at the context based cultural opportunities and challenges in the implementation of anti FGM activities
e) It is helpful to identify model girls, women and leaders and use them to enhance the advocacy process
f) The capacity of the church need to be strengthened to facilitate village campaigns using the church members
g) Provide bursary for the girls who desire to complete their education once they have refused FGM
h) There is need to carry out more research on such areas as the reasons for the persistence of the practice, what appropriate communication strategy and role and contribution of the church and other stakeholders. This will enable the project to have evidence based action
i) Expand the coverage of the intervention: Currently, the anti FGM project clusters covers a small area that is inhabited by the Maasai community, there is need to up scale the project so as to cover the whole of Maasai inhabited areas.

Comments from the organisation, if any:
Response from the project leader:
The midterm evaluation contributed to the learning at all levels as outlined below;

a)  National level of FPFK
The leadership of FPFK at the Head Office learned that consistency and patience in implementing project associated with the cultural value change is slow and needs unwavering commitment.  They also learned that the church is an important and best suited institution to facilitate change as it is a permanent structure that allows for process based change.  It is also important that Anti-FGM need to be mainstreamed and made part of the organizational mandate for the ministry.  The leaders observed also that working with committed partners like PYM is very helpful as it understand the process of change especially the culture based change.

b) Staff and Key Resource person level
In this category the evaluation enabled the staffs and the field resource person to learn the importance of patience in facilitating developmental change.  They learned that for a project like Anti-FGM to succeed it needs commitment and consistency during the implementation with the involvement of all the key stakeholders like the community leaders, the parents of the girls and the administration including the law enforcement officers.  Going at the pace of the community is of critical importance from the beginning to the end. 

c) The community
The community has learned that it is important to account for the resources used in facilitating important change and people’s own development.  They also learned that change is inevitable and therefore there is need to anticipate useful and helpful change.

How the evaluation recommendations are being implemented and the plans for follow up:
A plan of action will be prepared to facilitate a systematic follow up of the evaluation recommendations.  The follow up will use a participatory approach.