Stronger health systems. Greater health impact. Strengthening M&E capacity of civil society organizations to improve the reach and quality of forOVC Management Sciences Health care and support services: Experiences from Lesotho Jabulani Mavudze, Megh Jagriti, Roselyn Kareithi, and Mathabo Pule March 2013 MSH Building Local Capacity Project 1 Background Information • Building Local Capacity for the Delivery of HIV Services in Southern Africa Project (BLC) • MSH project funded by USAID is working in six countries • In Lesotho, BLC gives small USAID funded grants to 12Management Sciences for Health CSOs to: • improve the coordination and delivery of the OVC 6 + 1 services • reach 25,5% OVC ( 46,585 OVC) and 15,972 caregivers by 2015 MSH Building Local Capacity Project 2 Problem Statement • Based on literature review and capacity assessment, OVC programming challenges: National CSOs and CBOs are the predominant OVC service providers The CSOs have weak M&E systems and capacity CSOs have limited funds Management Sciences for Health low OVC reach and poor quality of services weak coordination of OVC interventions at national, district and community levels MSH Building Local Capacity Project Total population 2,000,000 Children 1,072,974 (53%) OVC 182,000 (17%) 3 Methodologies and Strategies (Being) Used (1) Capacity Assessment • Administer capacity assessment tool • Documents and literature review M&E Tools Development • Data collection tools (Registration and Service Provision Forms) • Reporting tools (Monthly and Quarterly templates and reporting guidelines) Management Sciences for Health Training of CSO Staff • 30 individuals from 12 CSOs received formal training on importance of M&E, M&E tools, project indicators, data quality standards, data management, and reporting • Training was done together with Ministry of Social Development MSH Building Local Capacity Project 4 Methodologies and Strategies (Being) Used (2) Accompaniment • Supporting CSOs to train secondary caregivers • Monitoring secondary caregivers as they provide services Coaching Management Sciences for Health • Monthly and quarterly data verification and support visits • Spot checks MSH Building Local Capacity Project 5 Evidence of Success and Achievements (1) Dec-12 Nov-12 Oct-12 Sep-12 Aug-12 Jul-12 Jun-12 May-12 Apr-12 Dec-11 MSH Building Local Capacity Project Mar-12 186 0 Feb-12 • Jan-12 • Cumulative OVC and Caregivers Reached Improved data quality - only 60000 0,2% records in Dec 2012 53194 were discarded compared to 50000 12% in March 2012 40000 Overall, 53,194 OVC and 38578 caregivers reached against a 30000 target of 51,700 By December 2012, 23,5%Management 20000 Sciences for Health 16647 (42,739) of OVC in Lesotho 10000 reached against a target of 6826 25,5% by September 2013 OVC and Caregivers Reached • 6 Evidence of Success and Achievements (2) • • • • CSOs applying acquired M&E skills and knowledge Improved quality of services Improved data flow Reduced duplication of services MSH Building Local Capacity Project Some quotes from CSOs ‘’Well I believe it has brought about the importance of M&E within the organisation. Initial projects did not put much emphasis on it hence why there wasn't an M&E person . The emerging need and constant emphasis of M&E also contributed to quality service provision.” “Through the BLC project, my organization now has improved capacity to carry out quality monitoring and evaluation activities, not only within the BLC project, but now also within other in-house projects.” Management Sciences for Health 7 Challenges and Solutions • National CSOs and CBOs have few full-time staff; the majority are volunteers As a solution, BLC together with partner CSOs developed simple data collection tools in local language BLC provided long-term coaching support to CSO staff responsible for M&E activities Management Sciences for Health MSH Building Local Capacity Project 8 Lessons Learned • Prioritize institutional capacity building before service provision • With adequate M&E capacity CSOs can reach more OVC with quality services Management Sciences for Health effective capacity • Coaching and accompaniment are building approaches • Equal partnership with CSOs promotes ownership and mutual trust MSH Building Local Capacity Project 9 Conclusions Strengthening of monitoring and evaluation systems significantly contributes to increased quality of services and number of beneficiaries reached Management Sciences for Health MSH Building Local Capacity Project 10 Questions & Comments Management Sciences for Health MSH Building Local Capacity Project 11