Projects

AWRAD and the World Bank recently partnered to perform an evaluation of the MDTF. The Trust Fund was established as an instrument to pool funds and harmonize interventions aligned with the PA priorities for infrastructure in the water, urban development and energy sectors across the West Bank and Gaza. AWRAD designed its methodology to assess the overall relevance, effectiveness and impact of 3 years of the PID MDTF program activities  implementation, and to derive recommendations for adjustments which would enable the program to achieve its objectives moving forward and to realize its vision and strategic direction.  well as. This was completed through the conducting of 50 in-depth interviews with key stakeholders, including representatives of donor countries, implementing agencies, World Bank staff, and Task Team Leaders (TTLs) responsible for various projects and 12 field visits to project sites. AWRAD’s findings were summarized in a final analytical report, which also assessedhow the PID MDTF structure and implementation tools coped with the rapid expansion of funds and donors following the 2014 war in Gaza.

AWRAD worked with the Ministry of Labor and Social Development in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to provide guidance and consulting experience in the development of indices and indicators related to social development. This consultancy was designed to inform the larger National Transformation Program recently launched. In the course of the project, AWRAD established indicators in the education, health, human development and poverty alleviation sectors. These were designed to benchmark and track efforts related to social equality, empowerment of marginalized groups, such as women and children, and improve quality of life. Currently, the indicators are being employed and tested within the Kingdom.

This endeavor is a five-year assignment informing the work of Global Communities in implementing its $100 million USAID-funded LGI. It consists of an evaluation of the multiple project interventions of the program and the hundreds of stakeholder communities involved.  It addresses the nuances of measuring and testing quality of life indicators, the importance of participatory approaches in both project implementation and evaluation, and the importance of incorporating evaluation findings into the feedback loops for on-going project design and implementation. The project began in 2011 with a baseline assessment, specifically designed for comparison over the five-year duration of the program established through questionnaires and focus groups. The central focus of this project is the   evaluation by the community of existing infrastructure across seven separate but related sectors, as well as interventions implemented by various partners. In 2014 AWRAD completed the mid-line evaluation, and produced a series of recommendations aimed at modifying programming and targeting. These were informed by critical disaggregation across age and income level to provide a nuanced view of community perceptions, and improve mechanisms for targeting. The most significant of these recommendations focused on improving the impact of infrastructure projects on marginalized groups, as well as fostering greater vertical engagement between central municipal government, local directorates and local municipalities and the constituents they serve. On-the-job training was conducted in citizen perception surveys and focus group implementation.

AWRAD has concluded the evaluation of the $16 million CRDP program managed by UNDP and funded by a group of European donors notably Sweden, Austria and the UK. The CRDP was designed to prevent the erosion of living conditions for Palestinians living in Area C and East Jerusalem, protect their land and property and prevent migration by enhancing their resilience. As part of the evaluation, AWRAD developed a comprehensive set of evaluation questions addressing relevance, performance management, management and coordination, impact, harmonization and alignment and future outlook.  AWRAD interviewed representative samples of all stakeholders including NGOs, CSOs, Palestinian government ministries and international donors   throughout the West Bank and East Jerusalem to assess and benchmark the achievements of the program to date. A mixed-methods approach was used incorporating qualitative and quantitative methods utilizing focus groups, in-depth semi-structured interviews and questionnaires as analytical tools.

AWRAD completed the midterm review of the five year $100 million program to assess progress against program objectives and to make recommendations for ways to improve program performance for the next period of implementation. Five areas were examined including performance management, current levels of beneficiary satisfaction, project processes, program organizational structure and the outlook for the future. A mixed method approach was used throughout. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with program staff, beneficiaries, Ministry of Local Government representatives, and USAID program managers, AWRAD produced a series of midterm program recommendations aimed at improving overall program delivery to achieve program objectives by the end of the project. This review was conducted in parallel with a midline assessment of program progress against baseline data. Data from this assessment was incorporated into the midterm review.

2011

The assessment aimed at determining whether the impact of CEP’s interventions differed depending on project type, location, and/or grantee type. It also examined the implications of CEP’s program design on programmatic procedure and impact, what effect existing constraints have on programmatic impact, evaluated the CEP mechanism’s capacity to cope with contextual challenges (across project types) and the comparative advantage CEP has in particular project areas and project types. Finally, it examined the relevancy of the CEP mechanism to its social and political context. These goals were accomplished through a mixed-methods research process, defined by survey questionnaires and in-depth interviews with program beneficiaries and other relevant stakeholders.

AWRAD carried out an evaluation of the Community Leadership Empowerment Program (CLEP) implemented by Creative Associates. The team conducted 12 focus groups with selected beneficiary organizations to gauge the impact on two primary objectives: supporting community level leadership and building community agency by increasing community participation through improvements to community spaces.

AWRAD, in partnership with the Belgian company Gruppo Soges SpA. and with support from the EC and TIM, conducted a midterm and a final evaluation of the €644 million Temporary International Mechanism (TIM) and its three windows (Emergency Services Support Program, Interim Emergency Relief Contribution and Social Allowances) according to the criteria of relevance, efficiency, effectiveness and impact. In conjunction with the evaluation, carried out by Mr. Francesco Badioli (Gruppo Soges SpA) and Dr. Nader Said (AWRAD), a survey of the TIM beneficiaries and a number of focus groups in the West Bank and Gaza where conducted to assess the impact of the TIM on their living conditions. The final evaluation was entrusted to the same team based on their positive performance in carrying out the midterm evaluation during 2007. 

AWRAD was contracted to conduct a final impact assessment of the Just Peace and Gender Equality Project co-implemented by WATC's and CARE International. The assignment was an assessment of the 2-year initiative across the West Bank and Gaza that focused on building the capacity of local grassroots activities to lead local initiatives and advocate for increased participation of women in the economic, social and political spheres. AWRAD’s evaluation targeted 30 communities involved in the project and the research team conducted 300 face-to-face interviews with marginalized women across each location. The research investigated five key thematic areas of interventions: socio-cultural gender norms, limited political participation of women, low public awareness limited civil society capacity, ineffective policy the effects of conflict occupation-related restrictions on movement and access. A final report was authored at the close of the research process, which included an analysis of the program in addition to lessons learned and recommendations. 

AWRAD recently completed the final impact survey study of the PNRMP program designed to assess the current physical and socioeconomic status of targeted households, assess beneficiaries’ experiences and perceptions, document successes, challenges and lessons learned and develop recommendations for future interventions. The research team developed a mixed-methods approach, predicated on a quantitative impact survey, in-depth interviews, focus groups, database analysis and field visits to beneficiary communities. Furthermore, the methodology was specifically designed to employ a control group, allowing comparisons to be made with the beneficiary community at the close of the project. At the close of the assignment, AWRAD authored a Final Impact Survey Report, analyzing triangulated data and proposing recommendations and lessons learned for future projects. A final workshop was also convened with PNRMP staff to present pertinent conclusions.

AWRAD completed a partnership with MDC to evaluate their Schools As Zones of Peace (SZoP) project. The goal of this project was to enhance resilience and provide safe and healthy educational environments for children and adolescents in some of the most marginalized and threatened Area C communities in the West Bank. AWRAD developed a mixed-methods approach, beginning with the analysis of a UN dataset, spanning multiple years, to determine which schools were most impacted by conflict and the various and multiple threats each endured. Simultaneously, the research team conducted a series of focus groups and interviews with students, parents, teachers, school employees and principals to identify the most pressing threats to a secure and health environment and collect recommendations for future planning. The AWRAD team authored a final, analytical report assessing the current circumstances faced by students and identified interventions and related actors to improve the educational environment. 

This gender assessment focused on two distinct gender gaps within local governance. Firstly the limited representation of women as elected officials in local councils and staff within LGUs and the MoLG. Secondly, gender disparities in the provision of municipal services. AWRAD developed a mixed-methods methodology to assess the extent both of these gender gaps and provided recommendations for how LGI could increase both accessibility of and uptake by women of these services through on-going programming and implementation.

AWRAD worked with PwY staff to develop three assessment indicators to establish the baseline for the program which targets youth between the ages of 14-29 to assess levels of 21st century competencies,  levels of participation and engagement,  and  gender  sensitivity.  AWRAD conducted a rapid assessment, a comprehensive and detailed literature review, and developed appropriate typology and definitions of these indicators and their unique circumstances within the Palestinian context. Additionally, AWRAD developed a framework to measure "21st century competencies" among youth in Palestine. AWRAD conducted a baseline, face-to-face survey of 2,900 Palestinian youth to measure these indicators. The results of both the quantitative and qualitative data collection were presented to leading IREX partners to ensure maximum comprehension and partner buy-in.  A series of recommendations and concerns to be addressed were prepared in a final report.

The BIA provided an independent evaluation of the involvement of marginalized groups in the development process in the targeted communities and the equitable distribution of the VNDP benefits, with particular focus on issues of impact of implemented activities on all project stakeholders including Joints Service Councils, District offices, and project support group members, social exclusion based on gender, vulnerability and social power. The assessment included surveys with direct stakeholders and community members in addition to in-depth interviews and focus groups. At the conclusion of the evaluation, AWRAD authored a report, complete with a series of recommendations for programming in the final phase of implementation, which could assist in meeting program goals and benchmarks.

This project was an assessment of the AMIDEAST - USAID project (American Scholarship Fund Project – ASFP). The evaluation touched on the relevance, effectiveness and impact of the project, with a specific focus on its efficiency - procedures, staffing, indicators, criteria and transparency. AWRAD utilized a multi-approach data collection and analysis methods, with a focus on existing databases and qualitative in depth interviews and case studies. AWRAD interviewed families, school directors and other staff in the various WBG regions. The analyses included a database file of 10,000 cases collected by AMIDEAST.

AWRAD partnered with Save the Children to carry out an evaluation of assignment of their five year $1.8 million EU-funded and EJ YMCA implemented rehabilitation program focusing on child ex-detainees. The central goal of this assignment was assessing the impact of the program on child ex-detainees, their families, and the broader communities, including educational institutions and decision-makers. The evaluation also assessed the program’s contributions to the monitoring and reporting system established under UN Resolution 1612 and the role this played in establishing an effective and efficient feedback loop. This research, and its results,  generated lessons learned from program design and implementation as well as providing actionable recommendations   for immediate and longer term changes to improve impact on the program beneficiaries. AWRAD adopted  a mixed-method approach to the evaluation, reviewing EJ YMCA’s detainee database, project records and reports and conducted  semi-structured interviews and focus groups with project stakeholders including direct beneficiaries, parents, program managers and staff, staff of educational  institutions (vocational and regular public schools) involved in the program and  PA institutions responsible for rehabilitation of ex-detainee children. Ethical considerations were integrated into all evaluation tools.

AWRAD was contracted by the Gruppo Soges SpA to conduct the final evaluation of the EC-funded EU Partnership for Peace (PfP) Programme on the basis of an independent assessment of the relevance, efficiency, effectiveness, sustainability and impact of the program. The evaluation was carried out on a sample of relevant projects implemented by Palestinian and Israeli civil society organizations in order to document lessons learned, particularly in relation to relevance and legitimacy, and to provide practical recommendations for the better design and implementation of future calls for proposals.

AWRAD partnered with Save the Children to conduct an evaluation of the PCARL program, an initiative to increase community and partner capacity in supporting vulnerable populations and strengthening resilience in 12 communities in Area C and 6 communities in the ARA zones of Gaza.  The program included activities in protection, livelihoods support and access to basic services. AWRAD evaluated the impact of PCARL activities across six domains, relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, impact and engagement with stakeholders, collecting data through a combination of survey questionnaires, interviews and focus groups. Following data collection and analysis, AWRAD authored a final report, assessing the performance of PCARL in building resilience across the six evaluation domains, offering conclusions and lessons learned and suggesting relevant, evidence-based recommendations.

AWRAD is contracted to implement M&E surveys of the EPJP project, which aims to strengthen the Palestinian justice sector by providing improved services and training to key stakeholders. AWRAD has completed a baseline assessment, and will conduct a midline and end line assessment across four years to measure a variety of indicators relevant to justice sector performance. To do this, AWRAD has designed a mixed-methods approach, utilizing questionnaires, interviews and focus groups, that will inform EPJP planning and strategy.

AWRAD has been contracted by AMIDEAST to perform the baseline and impact assessment and end-of-project evaluation of the interventions developed to support the 2014-2017 School Support Program. AWRAD will be working across the 14 educational directorates to evaluate AMIDEAST’s educational interventions. The objectives of these assessments are fourfold: (1) support the provision of transparent and accountable reporting on program results and outcomes, (2) evaluate the extent of SSP’s effectiveness in meeting its objectives and goals, (3) elicit successes and lessons learned to inform the design of future projects, and (4) enable a better understanding of how gender, school location, grade level and rate of community poverty impact student achievement and overall program effectiveness. The Baseline survey was completed in January 2015.

AWRAD conducted an assessment of public sector services, in partnership with EGP and various Palestinian ministries. The assessment determined the factors which impact public perceptions of satisfaction of the quality of services delivered, and how these levels of satisfaction differ across different categories of service users. AWRAD identified service delivery improvement priorities across ministries and benchmarked current ministry performance against customer needs and expectations. To accomplish this goal, AWRAD prepared two surveys: a nationally representative public survey and another targeted at end users of government services which measured perceptions across 25 services across six ministries. This survey generated a Public Service Sector Satisfaction Index (PSSSI), developed from key indicators, that provides ministries and EGP with program baseline benchmarks. 

The evaluation draws lessons and implications on the broader socio-political changes in the region and how they influence best practices in the field of development and democracy promotion. The evaluation adopted a participatory interactive approach using both qualitative and quantitative data gathering tools. The following issues were emphasized: organizational capacity building level and service delivery. The research process was conducted through survey questionnaires, distributed among direct and indirect beneficiaries of the implemented activities and focus groups targeting relevant activists, officials and other individuals. A final report was authored  explaining the major findings.

AWRAD implemented a series of evaluations to gauge the $20 million USAID-funded CPP’s on-going and cumulative impact on all beneficiaries. Over a three years period, AWRAD produced regular performance and impact data for learning, decision-making and reporting purposes. The assignment included the conducting of baseline and end-line surveys, thematic studies and periodic reporting. The thematic studies focused on gender and civic participation, youth and civic participation and promoting partnership and networking. Stakeholders included NGOs, CBOs, PA ministries and local government entities. A mixed method approach was adopted throughout.

Through this World Bank funded assignment, AWRAD evaluated the capacity building interventions under the third Palestinian NGO project (PNGOIII). The objective of this study was to measure the effectiveness of NDC’s capacity building interventions under PNGOIII in bringing NDC supported NGOs and NGO networks to a higher level of capacity through a review and assessment of the different types of assistance provided in achieving positive outcomes of the capacity building interventions. The team collected the data through desk review, 100 interviews in addition to focus groups and case studies.