Evaluation Report of Parkari Community Development Programme (PCDP)

Background: The Parkari people number approximately 1 million people and are predominately Hindu, living in the region of southeastern Pakistan towards the boarder of India. They are ethnic and religious minorities in their host country and have traditionally faced a host of social and economic disadvantages as a result.    

Purpose/objective: This was the third and final phase of the project, and the evaluation was intended to assess and verify achieved outcomes and impacts, project effectiveness and  project long-term sustainability

Methodology:

The following tools were employed during the evaluation:

1. Semi structured interviewing
2. Key informant interviews
3. Group discussions
4. SWOT Analysis
5. Direct observations
6. Visits to target areas and interviewing the beneficiaries
7. Reviewing of children’s work/copies
8. Reviewing of Minutes Registers (Animator/Cluster in Charge field records)
9. Reviewing of Materials (Education, Health care and Civil Society)
10. Review of available documentation and records
11. Analysis of information and discussion with the staff/Management/Board Members/donor

Key findings: Many of the initiatives taken by PCDP have yielded positive results and had a significant effect for the betterment of the community. PCDP is highly regarded by many members of the Parkari community, and the organization has earned the trust of both civil and governmental personnel benevolent towards their cause. More networking and partnerships should be a focus for the future, to help bolster PCDP and make them more aware of society engagements. The core staff of PCDP is largely qualified, having both valuable education and experience in their respective fields; however, there is a perceived hierarchy within the organization, wherein a high level of dependance exists between supporting staff and the senior staff. While not part of the core staff members, the animators, or leaders for the lower levels of the community network, are influential and integral to the successes of PCDP. The level of quality varies amongst both core staff and animators, which is an indication of the need for more training, instruction and follow-up. The Board of PCDP is diverse but needs to take a more active role with greater influence in the organization.

PCDP’s initiatives in the area of health has led to an increase in vaccination levels, greater awareness of the value of hygiene, safer pregnancies and births, and an overall positive development amongst the community. Regarding education, instruction in the mother tongue of Parkari students has paved the way for indigenous education. Girls and women are especially large benefactors in a culture that has historically overlooked their gender. The evaluation found that the quality of some of the schools needs to be improved. Schools need better facilities to accommodate learning, such as tables, access to clean drinking water and latrines. Lower student-teacher ratios, better teachers’ salaries, and more reliable attendance in schools and for adult literacy can all be improved to better foster a good learning environment.

PCDP needs to improve their sustainability and grow in their capacity and understanding of financial management. This can help ensure survival in the event that donor’s funding was to stop. Having a better fundraising strategy and general financial management need to be prioritized.

Recommendations:

• Programme Management Strategic Directions should be developed through the involvement of key stakeholders by conducting strategic planning exercise.
• Improvement of monitoring procedures and guidelines according to the project strategies and activities to ensure accountability and measurement of staff performance and project activities.
• PCDP needs to formulate a systematic and possibly extensive need-based trainings/capacity building/on job training opportunities for the entire staff including Animators/cluster in charge
• Expand and develop its networking linkages with like-minded organizations, networks and Government line departments to achieve the project goal and its objectives in an efficient manner.
• Focus and improve community mobilization strategy
• Forming plans to develop second-line leadership
• Forming and implementation of a fundraising strategy PCDP should seek a wider base of donors who are committed to ongoing or one-off support.
• The board structure should be re-assessed.

Comments from Digni: 

This evaluation was conducted in the final year of the third 5-year period of the Parkari Community Development Program in the Sindh Province of southeastern Pakistan. Digni perceive this evaluation to hold good quality and that it makes a valuable assessment of the strengths and impact of the current project as well as its shortcomings. A minor drawback of the evaluation is the lack of clarity of priority recommendations.       

Wycliffe has announced to Digni that they do not wish to apply for new projects with PCDP in Pakistan. This decision is justified by an overall assessment of the risks involved regarding the context, capacity and competence of local partner.