Mid-Term Evaluation Report 2006 – LWF/Nepal (MTE-report)

Background

LWF/Nepal has worked in Nepal since 1984, both on development with main focus in the West, and since 1992 on relief and rehabilitation among Bhutanese refugees and host communities in the East. The LWF/Nepal-programme last was externally
evaluated in 2001.

Purpose/objective

To review progress achieved and constraints encountered during the current strategic planning phase of LWF/N, and to provide advice and practical recommendations for LWF/N to consider in developing the next phase of the strategic plan.

Methodology

The Mid-Term Evaluation was an external evaluation. Prior to the MTE, a national
consultant undertook a month long pre-assessment study of the projects being
implemented by LWF/Nepal. In addition, the MTE assessed relevant reports, financial statements and guidelines.

Key findings

The overall assessment of the performance of LWF/Nepal vis-à-vis its Strategic Plan (2003-2007) is positive. Notable progresses have been made in areas of social
mobilization and strengthening of the primary groups and CBOs. Positive
achievements have also been made for improving the lives of poor farmers, Female
Sex Workers, Dalits and ethnic minorities.
Advocacy and Networking has been prominent in LWF/Nepal's work, including on
ethnic minorities, Dalits and Bhutanese refugees. Viewed in the context of the very
difficult political and conflict situation, the achievements of these major activities are commendable.However, juxtaposed against these achievements are the some over ambitious goals set out in the 4 priorities of the Strategic Plan. The Empowerment Processes has still fair distance to cover before it becomes a sustained development. The advocacy and networking has to be further internalized and systematized.
The conflict in previous years left limited space for constructive engagement in working on the conflict. Beyond staff training in Do No Harm methodologies, support was given to local peace-building initiatives in Kailali, and transparency of partners and LWF/N was increased. LWF/N further supported local NGOs to distribute local summarised translations of the various peace agreements and constitutional changes.

Recommendations

The mid-term evaluation came up with a number of recommendations, including the
following:
• Capacity building and refresher training is required at different levels in the
Project in order to build capacity of CBOs and Primary Focus Groups.
• Ensure that production groups of farmers are linked to local market systems,
seeds and other support mechanisms including MF or S&C as a well planned
package so it functions as a sustained process as well as marketable product.
• Mainstream Gender further, and actively pursue and strengthen its gender
policy and ensure that the Gender Coordinator assumes pro-active role in all
gender related issues as important component of the Empowerment Process.
Comment from LWF/Nepal: Accepted. However LWF/Nepal has a robust Gender
Policy which is actively promulgated, we make periodic use of GEA (Gender
assessment tool) in project design, our overall project coverage is gendersensitive.
• LWF/Nepal advised to develop guidelines/criteria as part of phasing out strategy
from local partnerships. Comment from LWF/Nepal: LWF/Nepal will review its
future partnering strategy as well as detailed arrangements which may lead to
further significant change in how this relation is handled.