External Evaluation Report: ACAD’s Organizational Development Project (OD): “Tujenge kanisa”

Background

ACAD is a newly established NGO managing development projects related to the CELPA church in DRC. The main goal of the project is to strengthen CELPA and ACAD as civil society actors, with specific focus on gender and on financial management. Specific objectives include to develop, adopt and implement anti-corruption policy, financial routines, gender policy, ethical standards, and management manual; to improve mutual communication between CELPA and ACAD.

Purpose/objective

Overall objective: Assess whether the project is running and achieving results according to the plan.

Specific objectives and evaluation questions:

1. How and to what degree have project objectives been achieved so far? What are the project results? What have been possible obstacles?
2. To what degree have the project strategies been relevant with regards to achieving the objectives and to ensuring sustainability? How cost-effective have the project strategies/activities been?
3. What have been the project’s strengths and weaknesses? Assess if there are activities that should be prioritized more and/or activities that should be prioritized less?
4. What are the recommendations for a future organizational development project?

Methodology

The evaluation was carried out by two external consultants using participatory methods. It focused on three stages: the preparatory stage at the ACAD office, the onsite collection of qualitative and quantitative data in the field, and the analysis of the data. The methods included exchanges and semi-structured interviews, focus groups, interviews with stakeholders, evaluation questionnaire, SWOT-analysis, documentary review, comparison tables for project indicators.

Key findings

Planned activities have been carried out. All policy documents have been developed in a participatory manner and are being implemented. The workshops have improved church leaders’ knowledge and understanding of leadership and management and of gender (male and female leaders at regional and national levels). The project responded to actual needs and was relevant. The sustainability is strong, and the support of CELPA and the close collaboration with CELPA is one of the strengths. Other strengths include the valuing of women within the church. The resumption of the cooperation between the CELPA church and NPM has given rise to a new dynamic in CELPA.

Recommendations

• Include the Youth Work Office in the project
• Include the Women’s Department more formally and extensively in the project
• Reach out further to the grassroots / church districts with the trainings on leadership, management and gender
• Training on Christian leadership and gender in regards to the Bible
• Train leaders on peaceful management / transformation of conflicts
• Improve monitoring of longer-term project results
• Encourage income-generating projects at different levels

Comments from the organisation

We are not fully satisfied with the quality of the evaluation.