External evaluation Small Grants project – Basmeh & Zeitooneh (Shatila, Bourj al Barajneh, Tripoli)

The objective of the evaluation is to:

• Assess the overall quality of the project, its accomplishments, and results.
• Extract lessons learned and recommendations on the implementation aspect.
• To identify the gaps within the project for future reference.
• Recommendations on future planning and design of the project.

Basmeh & Zeitooneh was founded in September 2012 by a group of Syrian volunteers committed to serving refugees in Lebanon. While initially focusing on short-term emergency relief, the organization now implements an extensive range of programmes that aim to allow refugees to move beyond a state of victimhood and dependence and empower them to become productive members of society. Currently, B&Z runs centers in six areas: Shatila, Bourj al-Barajneh, Nabaa, the Bekaa Valley (Bar Elias), Abu Samra (Tripoli) and Qubbeh (Tripoli).

Available documentation:

• Project proposal, work plan and annexes
• Budget and financial reports
• Market study 
• Reports, including the final report
• Reports issued by the monitoring and evaluation unit
• Small grants first applications
• Business plans were done by the trainees
• Training curriculum and other documentation
• Attendance sheets for trainees
• Grades awarded  and beneficiaries’ database at all levels

2/ Project presentation

 Lebanon hosts over 1.5 million Syrian refugees alone. Most refugees especially women and youth can be involved in long-term capacity building chances and be given an opportunity to promote development roles in society.  

The majority of the beneficiaries targeted are women since during times of peace, and increasingly during times of war, women are more vulnerable to discrimination, poverty and social exclusion especially within patriarchal societies. The economic empowerment and capacity-building of women during times of displacement can have a persuasive role on the present situation of women during displacement and beyond.

The project aims at contributing to the economic empowerment of Syrian/Palestinian-Syrian/ Palestinian-Lebanese refugees, and the host community in Lebanon and reducing their vulnerability by facilitating their access to entrepreneurship classes and financial grants, allowing them an opportunity to accrue an independent source of income and increasing their decision-making power as well as their independence.

The target beneficiaries of the program are Syrian/Palestinian-Syrian/ Palestinian-Lebanese refugees and Lebanese between the ages of 18 and 55. The program is prioritizing enrollment for females, where 75% of the targeted beneficiaries are women whereas 25% are men.

Partners

Cafod and SCIAF

Secours Catholique - Caritas France 

D&P

SDC

Stakeholders

Security committee at the camps/ Community

Community-based organizations

Public Committee

People who live in the camp

3/ Evaluation objectives

Objectives of the project:

1. To contribute to the economic empowerment of Syrian/Palestinian-Syrian/ Palestinian-Lebanese refugees and the host community in Lebanon, in order to prepare them to invest in the lasting, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth of their countries and to facilitate their achievement of gender equality.

 2. To reduce the vulnerability of Syrian/Palestinian-Syrian/ Palestinian-Lebanese refugees and the host community by facilitating their access to entrepreneurship classes and financial credit, allowing them an opportunity to accrue an independent source of income and increasing their decision-making power as well as their independence. Also, to break down traditional gender roles which confine females to the home and hinder their ability to become independent, autonomous, and constructive members of society.

3. To mitigate the pre-existing tensions between the host community and Syrian/ Palestinian-Syrian/ Palestinian-Lebanese refugees by immersing both in collaborative academic and economic ventures.

Goals of the project:

 1. To immerse Syrian, Palestinian-Syrian, Palestinian-Lebanese refugees and the host community in entrepreneurship courses, in order to allow them an opportunity to invest in their economic potential and to empower them with the basic skills necessary for them to run successful small businesses.

 2. To allow Syrian, Palestinian-Syrian, Palestinian-Lebanese refugees and the host community to have an access to credit so that they can generate their own businesses and access to an independent source of income thus reducing their vulnerability and poverty, while simultaneously promoting their independence and enhancing their decision-making power.

Activities of the Project:

• The selection and assessment of participants
• Business development training program
• Proposal development and market research
• Start-up grants
• Program monitoring, evaluation and risk mitigation

The evaluation will be using the 5 DAC criteria, and answering the related questions:

• Relevance:  The extent to which the project is suited to the priorities and policies of the target group, recipient and donor and to what extent it responds to the needs of the local market.

And Appropriateness of the design to reach project objectives, by answering the following questions:

- Was the business training relevant to the needs of the participants?

- Were the small grants distributed useful and sufficient to generate sustainable economic activities?  

  (compared to other types of support, for example, micro-credit, or larger grants?) 

- Was the follow-up provided by B&Z suited to the needs of the recipients?

• Effectiveness:  a measure of the extent to which the project attains its objectives.

              Assess to what extent the expected results have been achieved, and if progress has been made towards the

achievement of the project's specific objectives.

1. To what extent or if the project participants are economically empowered by the project.

2. To what extent the vulnerability of Syrian/Palestinian-Syrian Refugees and Palestinian-Lebanese refugees and the host community is reduced after starting their own projects.  Did they accrue an independent source of income and did their decision-making power increase as well as their independence?

3. Did their knowledge increase and are they able to run their business?

4. Are the pre-existing tensions mitigated between the host community and Syrian/ Palestinian-Syrian - Palestinian - Lebanese refugees by immersing them all in collaborative academic and economic ventures?

5. How did the situation and needs of, and challenges facing, women and men differ, with a view to eliminating inequalities, as well as to promoting gender equality during the project?

• Efficiency: a measure of the output- qualitative and quantitative-in relation to the inputs.

             Resources allocation informed and timely action, and related to project objective intended?

1. Were activities cost-efficient?

2. Was the program or project implemented in the most efficient way compared to alternatives?

       3. Are the human resources adequate for the project?

• Sustainability: To what extent will the project activities continue after donor funding has ceased. To what extent will the benefits of the project continue after it has ended? What effects of the project will last after the end of the action (on the participants to the training, on the grants recipients, on the local community)?
• Impact: The positive and negative changes produced by the project, directly, or indirectly, intended or unintended. This involves the main impacts and effects resulting from the activity on the local social situation.

1.What concrete differences has the activity made to the beneficiaries?

2.How many people have been affected?

3.Are there any unexpected or unexplained consequences to this project?

Recommendations

The report should formulate concrete recommendations for future similar projects, particularly on the following points:

• How effective was the selection criteria for assessing the applicants?
• Does the training need any modifications in terms of the content and/or the duration?
• Does the grantee selection process need improvement?
• Do the business plans that the participants were requested to fill need improvement?

• Do the participants need more guidance in developing the final business plan and in the process of conducting market research?
• What are the best follow-up tools recommended?
• Does the project need amendment in Design?
• Identify lessons learned and make recommendations for the future.

Methodology

A participative approach is favored, whereby the above-mentioned stakeholders are interviewed on the activities in which they are involved.

The evaluation will follow the following methods:

1. Desk review
2. Field visits, focus groups discussions and interviews with key stakeholders (project team, participants, partners)

The overall evaluation will take up to 30 - 38 working days

4/ Evaluator(s)

Profile

 The evaluation will be carried out by one External Evaluator meeting the following requirements:

- 5 years of proven experience in evaluating development projects especially in complex situations.

- Knowledge and prior experience in evaluating livelihood, small and medium enterprises and entrepreneurial programs in Lebanon and/or in the region

- A sound understanding of gender issues, Participatory evaluation approaches. 

- Prior experience and have a track record of writing constructive evaluation reports in English

- Fluency in written and spoken English and Arabic.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The selection will be based on the following criteria:

- Clear proposal outlining the methodology of the evaluation, evaluation plan (including dates) and financial plan including the total amount required for this evaluation

- Meet the minimum requirements (as stated in evaluator’s profile) 

Expected documents and deadlines

• The draft evaluation report, in English, 15 -20 pages length without annexes. Estimated second week of April.
• Second draft third week of April.
• A final evaluation report and final presentation to all parties (incl. findings, conclusions & recommendations), estimated Last week of April - 27th of April.

Resources:

Fee for consultancy days, including preparation and site visits etc...