Evaluering
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 externallyevaluated 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 nationalconsultant undertook a month long pre-assessment study of the projects beingimplemented 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 socialmobilization and strengthening of the primary groups and CBOs. Positiveachievements have also been made for improving the lives of poor farmers, FemaleSex Workers, Dalits and ethnic minorities.Advocacy and Networking has been prominent in LWF/Nepal's work, including onethnic minorities, Dalits and Bhutanese refugees. Viewed in the context of the verydifficult 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 thefollowing:• Capacity building and refresher training is required at different levels in theProject 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 plannedpackage so it functions as a sustained process as well as marketable product.• Mainstream Gender further, and actively pursue and strengthen its genderpolicy and ensure that the Gender Coordinator assumes pro-active role in allgender related issues as important component of the Empowerment Process.Comment from LWF/Nepal: Accepted. However LWF/Nepal has a robust GenderPolicy which is actively promulgated, we make periodic use of GEA (Genderassessment tool) in project design, our overall project coverage is gendersensitive.• LWF/Nepal advised to develop guidelines/criteria as part of phasing out strategyfrom local partnerships. Comment from LWF/Nepal: LWF/Nepal will review itsfuture partnering strategy as well as detailed arrangements which may lead tofurther significant change in how this relation is handled.