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SESOTHO MEDIA AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDED INTERNAL MONITORING AND EVALUATION & PERFORMANCE EVALUATION WORKSHOP OF THE FINNISH PROJECT 12-13 AUGUST 2014 FACILITATED BY: MRS. LIMPHO MOKHOCHANE
SESOTHO MEDIA AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDED INTERNAL MONITORING AND EVALUATION & PERFORMANCE EVALUATION WORKSHOP OF THE FINNISH PROJECT
12-13 AUGUST 2014
FACILITATED BY: MRS. LIMPHO MOKHOCHANE
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1. BACKGROUND Sesotho Media and Development (SM&D) is a non-‐governmental organization, based in
Maseru, Lesotho. SM&D operate in all the ten districts of Lesotho. The vision for SM&D is
based on the belief that communication processes need to be put at the service of the poor
and other marginalized groups. Having had capacity building workshops the organization
improved their vision and mission to specifically target marginalized people as their
strategic audience. The improved programming also touched on change management as a
cornerstone of organizational growth.
SM&D has a long track record of successfully implementing screening programmes and
reaching a wide range of audiences through facilitated film screenings. Among others the
following issues are addressed by SM&D: Marginalization, Gender equality, HIV and AIDS,
SRH, Sustainable development, economic and social justice, good governance, wealth
creation and human rights. Through the following programmatic interventions the
organization has ensured that audiences have been enabled to challenge stigma and
discrimination, access services and resources and become change agents. This is further
achieved through a multitude of the following core services:
• Facilitated screenings (dialogues)
• Training of facilitators
The strategic approach used by Sesotho Media and Development is an interactive one that
engages audiences to make healthy choices about their lifestyle and this has enabled the
organization to be unique in the way it addresses the key issues. It is important to note that
the use of film as a communication tool has a highly visual impact with lasting benefits to
target audiences and the SM&D strategic framework through the FINNISH project and the
organization implementation interventions. The same films found within the SM&D
Resource centre addresses issues that differ from HIV, good governance, gender and food
security to mention a few.
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1.1 INTRODUCTION
“Human beings are at the centre of the concerns for sustainable development…Citizen
involvement is both an imperative and an opportunity, and volunteerism can be a highly
effective channel through which such action can be mobilized…” 1
This report presents the outcome of the training sessions of the Sesotho Media and
Development programme staff. It is a consolidation of the two-‐days training that was held
at the SM&D offices from the 12-‐13 August 2014. The report therefore will capture the
outcome of the two days beginning with the content sharing process and the actual training
of programme staff on the guided monitoring of performance especially looking at the
planned objectives versus individual programmatic targets. The Facilitator and team
introduced themselves during the morning session in a flexible manner. The Sesotho Media
and Development team was taken through steps on the objectives of the workshop and why
a local consultant was engaged to facilitate the guided monitoring process with the team.
The team took time to introduce themselves and reviewed where they have been in terms of
individual growth within the organization and organizational growth or milestones that
were encountered over the period that they have been in the organization. The staff looked
at the organizational past highlights, the challenges, achievements that were reached over
the period. The process that was followed was meant to assess the Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities and Threats that are facing the organization. The participants were able to
identify the S.W.O.T issues within their context.
The rational of the Guided M&E approach used the qualitative, introspection and
retrospection situational analysis approach to ensure that participants understand the
importance of monitoring as an ongoing process, and review past experience.
1.2 THE TRAINING OVERVIEW
Overall objectives
1 The Brussels Programme of Action –(2001 -2010)
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The overall objective of the training was to equip the program staff with key strategic areas to
enable them to implement their programs effectively and enable them to efficiently monitor and
evaluate the said programmes. The understanding for staff to link the strategic plan and the
performance targets was critical for individual program staff to track their performance and the
actual reach on targets. It is important to note at this stage that Monitoring and evaluation
concepts could not be addressed without going into detail on how objectives are measured. This
is where a gap was realized that the programme staff (except for the Executive Director) had
limited understanding on the link between programme objectives and monitoring the objectives.
This gap therefore made the Facilitator to cover in detail the strategic plan process to allow the
participants deeper understanding of how programmes related or contributed to the vision of the
organization.
The training team was aware that the end of the workshop should have reached the
following objectives;
1. Participants would have understood the importance of reflecting on their programs,
and highlight opportunities for improvement
2. To develop responsive and contextualized results -‐centered combination packages
for improved service delivery
3. To develop participants’ capacity to design outcome-‐based programs
4. To review program objectives and assess performance on targets.
2. OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS
This report will also highlight the process so that the steps that the participants followed
during the training are explained through the overview of the strategic plan framework process.
The process followed provided an overview of the methodology that was used to develop a
strategic framework for Sesotho Media and Development.
The process diagram below began the process with thorough analysis to allow deeper
understanding by participants.
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Figure 1.
A Guiding framework A Guiding framework
Vision mission and goals
External environment Internal environment
Level 1: External forces - Political, economic, social, demographics, population, etc
Status Quo:
Level 2: - Industry / sector (Adapt 5F Model), Donors, suppliers, competitors, new entrants, etc
Corporate status quo: 7s Model –Structure, staff, systems
Scenario planning Opportunities & Threats Strengths and weaknesses
Strategy Development
Various mechanisms to develop strategyFunctional strategySubsidiary strategies
Implementation & Evaluation
Analysis
The process outlined above provides for three major phases. The methodology also
recognised the difference between external factors over which the organization has limited
or no influence and internal issues over which it can exert some control.
The participants were given an opportunity to review their programme targets and map a
clear way forward on how best to monitor and evaluate the targets. The performance
management goals were discussed in detail so that sharing of lessons learnt during
implementation informs future scenarios of the programme. The Facilitator also shared the
key thematic areas that were addressed by the HIV/SGVB National strategic Plan 2011/12-‐
2015/16. The SWOT analysis that the participants discussed required consideration of
external opportunities and threats and internal strengths and weaknesses. This analysis
drew on the status quo and the scenario planning information. The Facilitator shared the
importance of linking the process of setting targets and goals with the development of an
implementation framework. Once key strategies have been developed the next step
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requires the development of subsidiary strategies. These are very important and provide a
link between strategic objectives and the implementation framework.
Table 1.1: SWOT analysis
Strengths
Weaknesses
• SM&D has a unique communication
approach and involves Target
audience when doing screenings
• SM&D allows for influenced decision
making from internal stakeholders
• SM&D staff is aware of SGBV issues
and capable of working with diverse
groups of people.
• The team has strength in working as a
group.
• Highly experienced team with
leadership and governance structure
• Use of technological gadgets
• Limited analysis on individual targets
• Limited knowledge on synergizing organizational
Vision and objectives
• Absence of a detailed work plan
• Rental space – no infrastructure (when discussing
the issue of owning space, participants felt that
space or land can be acquired at community
level)
• Limited Capacity building in writing Narrative
reports to funders
• Limited resources
• Multi tasking: Coping with the rapid growth of
the Film festival
Opportunities Threats
• The opportunity identified here was
that acquired land can allow the use of
the facility for different opportunities
Diversifying to other programmatic
areas
• Political instability
• No funding
• Limited resources including equipment
• Ending of current funding cycle
• Change in technological era – need to change
with the different equipment needs
The participants reached this successfully through sharing a status report from their perspective.
They also shared the current realities as follows;
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Current reality:
• Who is the target audience
• Who are the actors on the ground
• Other key partners/stakeholders
Once the participants were taken through the environmental scan process, participants worked
together in smaller groups and identified practicalities or realities on the ground where they
implement programmes.
• Provide an overview of the programmes, highlighting priority program areas and target
groups. They mentioned that their target audience included Youth, Men and Women and
the marginalized LGBTI community.
• They further reviewed the concrete steps needed to reach their future scenarios
• Review what needs to happen for them to still be on top as one of outstanding
implementers – The participants felt the importance of sharing lessons on effective
implementation as key to addressing both the gap of writing effective reports as well as
achieving focused results through their sessions. They had already felt that they had
limited information emanating from proposals and this hindered their progress on
program implementation. They also shared that when implementation happens, they did
not understand the importance of the direct link between the baseline study and the
actual objectives that are expected to be implemented thus making it difficult for them to
track indicators outlined in the project outline.
GAP ANALYSIS The important feedback from participants was realized during this session. The gap identified
was that through the Guided Monitoring and Evaluation process, critical skills in this area only
centred on one person being the Executive Director. The fact that skills are central to on one
key person poses a challenge for programme staff since the lack of capacity on their part affects
collection of data from communities. The programme staff is expected to train Community
facilitators who also are expected to effectively implement programmes and contribute to the
programme targets. This limitation creates a challenge in BCC programme implementation
once staff has limited Monitoring and Evaluation skills; the limited skills have a negative impact
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on collection of data as well as reporting. The coordination flow and linkages between the
Vision, Mission and Programme objectives creates a barrier that needs to be addressed by
empowering the programme staff with M&E skills as well as programme planning and
implementation skills.
Presentations
The different levels of behaviour change circle were explored with the participants. During the
presentation, use of participatory learning approaches was shared with the participants. It was
agreed that more focus should be given to the internal programme objectives and their
performance on individual and on the overall organization.
The process of linking vision and objectives, activities, results and the involvement of
stakeholders to enhance program implementation and community reach was done in a
simplified diagram below.
Diagram 1.
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3. Monitoring and evaluation
Participants did a reflection of the previous day activities during the morning session. The
facilitator shared the four basic steps required to develop and M&E framework. They were
mentioned as followed; • Align projects and activities with program goals or objectives
• Develop programme conceptual framework
• Identify information users and their needs (Programatic stakeholders)
• Outline key M & E questions and indicators and create an M & E framework.
On aligning projects and activities with programme goals, the Facilitator explained in
detailed how understanding the programme goals was of paramount importance. An
example of the FINNISH programme objectives was used, where participants unpacked
every key word in the objective so that the participants reached thorough understanding of
objectives. It was explained in practical terms and using practical examples that the core of
any M&E system is the goals and objectives of the programme to be monitored and
evaluated to achieve desired goals.
M&E Gap Analysis The gap analysis identified a challenge met by participants in understanding the objectives
as explained earlier. Once a common understanding was reached, participants further
unpacked how programme objectives are defined so that tracking those objectives is fully
realized. Participants further shared their challenges with understanding the technical
terms normally used during M&E sessions or during reporting. Some time was taken again
to enlighten participants on the explanation of the key words. There was an understanding
of what programme objectives are and what is meant when they are said to be SMART.
The participants were also taken through the stages of developing a logic model.
Using existing objectives that they are implementing.
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Steps followed to develop a logic model
Step 1: Problem identification
Step 2: Capacity/resources/Gaps inventory – based on baseline
Step 3: Define activities (addressing the objectives)
Step 4: If….then process
Step5: Arrange logic model components (Inputs, Activities, Short-‐term outcomes,
Intermediate outcomes, distal outcomes) the steps were shared with the participants to
make them understand how the implementation framework followed the same process.
Stakeholders Gap Analysis The participants were also exposed to critically assess their programme stakeholders and
share benefit each stakeholder is bringing towards the attainment of the programme goals.
The list of stakeholders has been shared as an annexure. It was thoroughly explained here
that analyzing partnerships and making sure that objectives are shared is the first important
step in stakeholder analysis. The participants agreed that they would have another session
after the workshop that will analyze each stakeholder. It was realized during this process
that formal working relationships has not been done making it a challenge to work
collectively on advocacy programmes. Some of the gaps identified were that at district level
SM&D has not introduced itself formally through the District Administration offices, police
officers and other government departments at district level.
4. LESSONS LEARNT FROM THE GAP ANALYSIS
• Participants shared that major inroads were not achieved in terms of adequately
empowering Community facilitators and ensuring that at community level, Sesotho
Media & Development has a strong existence.
• The lack in adequacies has also been attributed to lack of strong Monitoring and
Evaluation skills, which are key in achieving, desired skills as prior programmes were
mainly activity, based not result oriented.
• The mapping of community groups and target groups has not been well done.
• The project targets have to be clearly defined for each programme person so that
individual targets are spread throughout the team and each trainer and the
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Community facilitator reach a certain percentage of the targets. This will address the
reporting challenge that was said to be a critical challenge for the participants.
5. RECOMMENDATIONS The following are recommendations identified from the perspective of the Facilitator after
this two-‐day session.
• There is need for an intense M&E training for programme officers
• It is recommended that to guide the bigger vision of the organization and positioning
itself, the organization set out a simple strategic direction that will include target
audiences that are key to the SGVB/HIV National strategic plan 2011/12-‐15/16 to
synergize Sesotho Media and Development with other national priorities.
• To enhance on an already existing vision and governance tools, the organization
needs to plan a detailed facilitation trainings that will transfer skills of the Training
coordinators to the Community facilitators so that the roles and responsibilities are
clearly defined.
• Through the already existing networks the organization needs to use the wealth of
experience within the programme staff to document the work done by SM&D to share
as best practices.
• The skills identified, as a limitation should be central to the programme staff in order
to monitor and report adequately to the organization and to the Funder.
Evaluation
The team was highly appreciative of and happy about the following:
• Analyzing their programme stakeholders during implementation of their
programmes.
• Broadening their thinking beyond the current stakeholders but also to think of other
key stakeholders.
• Being empowered with planning tools
• They also identified their role within the National strategic goals.
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• Unpack the objectives and they felt that from the workshop they would review what
they have not been doing well and try to address that so that they are cost effective.
They further mentioned that planning & reporting has always been a challenge to them but
after this session it has been clarified on how to plan and report because a clear plan would
help address the needs of target communities.
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ANNEXURE 1
Table 2 – SM&D STAKEHOLDERS
1.She-hive
2.Matrix
3.SWAALES
4.Corridors of hope
5.GROW
6.SAFAIDS
7.LPPA
8.Sonke
9. Peace corps
10. Gender links
STAKEHOLDERS
COMMUNITY LEADERS – Chiefs, councilors, Church leaders
CHAL,D.A, DCS, CGPU,
UNFPA, Rehabilitation
officers, UNICEF, MIN of
Gender, FIDA, WLSA,
Health officers
SERVICE PROVIDERS
