Midterm Evaluation Report 2012; Amaro Synod - Community Based Health Service Project (AS-CBHSP)

Background:
The Amaro Synod – Community Based Health Service Project (SWS-CBHSP) started its operation as a first phase project in 2010 with the over goal of contributing towards improving the health condition of the target community. The main components of the project are: Water and Sanitation, Hiv/AIDS 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 and been implementing the work in 6 PAs of Amaro District in Gedeo Zone.

Purpose/objective:
The midterm evaluation is mainly intended to assess the performance against the agreed plan and other procedural and technical issues of the project and provide the outcome of the evaluation to the relevant stakeholders, government and the implementing agency EECMY-DASSC and NLM for better performance and enhance learning.

By and large, the objective of the evaluation is to determine the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and impact of Amaro Synod community based health service Project by examining the implementation of planned project activities, outputs and outcomes against actual results.

Methodology:
During the assessment to collect relevant and necessary data and information the evaluation team has used the following methods:

• Held discussion with the project management and staffs at the project office in Kelle town, Matsa congregation Assembly whole.
• Reviewed the project document as well as periodical reports of the project
• Held discussion with the project beneficiaries, community members, Key informant interview, focus group discussion and meetings were made to discuss with these groups of people and
• Discussion was made with the concerned District Administration and district line department representatives.

Key findings:
Norwegian Lutheran Mission (NLM) and the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus Development and Social Services Commission (EECMY-DASSC) have used innovative project approach to improve health status of community. Especially in water sanitation and hygiene essential functions through provision of training and construction and expansion of clean water among needy community and implement the HIV/AIDS prevention, control and care program among communities. The project contributed to improving family planning service at household level and Scale up the capacity of women through facilitating different experience sharing and training. The overall intervention was found promising to extend the existing effort. Generally, the project has achieved significant changes in the community as a result of project staff commitment, good net-working and cooperation between the project staffs at all level, local administration and other stake holders too.

Evaluation team have found that financial utilization against each budget line witnessed that the budget allocated by 70 % program cost and 30% administration cost. However the budget allocated in such away the budget has not been fully and effectively utilized.

Recommendations:
Based on the field assessment and discussions held with project staff and beneficiaries the review team recommends the following for further improvement.

 The effort made by the project with regard to Water sanitation, hygiene through provision of training and construction and supplying clean water was very encouraging and made the community to improve healthy conditions and improve quality of life. But the communities are still explaining the project has to sustain at least for the coming two years because there is no other stakeholders supporting the WASH in these intervention area. Hence the branch office have not full capacity to take these activities due to resource constraint and not planned for project phase out, hence stake holders and concerned bodies has to give emphasis over.
 The team observed that the project purchased some office equipment essential for the project operation, besides water installation among the community to solve the problem and has to take these activities in the future. 
 The team also observed that there is big behavioral change on HIV/AIDS prevention, control and care programs and access to family planning Service .A lot of awareness raising programs, Material support to Anti AIDS clubs was provided, but the beneficiaries are expressing their fear if the project will be phase out there is no still other body who take responsibility over. Hence concerned body has to give attention.
 The project also Scale up the family planning service. However, the implementation was still delayed due to some reasons from project side and there were limited experience sharing for staff, if trend continues there might be challenge for the project input management.
 The project team have found that budget utilization against each budget line witnessed that the budget allocated by 70 % program cost and 30% administration cost. However the budget has not been fully and effectively utilized. The project needs to improve budget allocation and expense accordingly.
 Generally the project contributes a lot of changes in the attitude of people against family planning service and HIV/AIDS prevention and personal hygiene and sanitation.  Still a lot of challenges are there to enhance the service, in the community hence the team recommend that the project and other concerned bodies has to look the existing gap and encourage the community  more capacitated  to  independently promote the service themselves.   

Comments from the organisation, if any:
The AS-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).