(introductory text...)

SESSION 1: What do we need to know?
SESSION 2: Records and Reports
SESSION 3: Prototype Record Keeping System
SESSION 4: Evaluating Activities with the Community

UNIT OVERVIEW

The first step in evaluation is to have clearly stated Objectives and work plans for a project. When we plan community nutrition projects, we are careful to describe all of the activities we want to carry out, the time frame for those activities and the results we expect to achieve by the end of the project. We also identify indicators of project progress, or the concrete observable facts that will tell us whether or not a project is having the desired results.

Evaluation tells all of us - the planners, the beneficiaries and the donors - if we have done what we planned to do, and if what we did has had the results we expected.

For the project manager (agency and community), evaluation is an on-going activity throughout the life of a project. It is the management function that helps us understand what worked, what did not work and why. By regularly evaluating our efforts, we learn important lessons that help us revise our plan of action in order to achieve the best possible results with the resources we have available.

For the project donor, evaluation tells (1) if the implementing organization has carried out the activities it proposed to carry out; (2) if those activities have achieved the results predicted; and (3) if the funding and resources for the project were managed correctly. Donors also use project evaluation to decide whether or not a project or agency is worthy of continued funding, and in some cases, whether or not the project strategy deserves support in other places.

In this series of sessions, we will review the basic principles of project evaluation. Participants will first develop a set of evaluation questions that they hope to answer at different stages of a project. They will also review methods for collecting information about project activities and results, focusing on specific information that is important for the management of community nutrition activities. The second session of the series discusses the collection of information and has participants compare monthly record formats. Guiding principles for the development of community records are given, although it is strongly suggested that managers enlist the help of experts to develop records and reports that meet the needs of their agency, the community and donors. The final session provides participants with practice, using information from hypothetical or actual projects to answer evaluation questions, to pinpoint problems and to develop further questions and methods for collecting supplementary information.

Session 1: What do he need to know? How can we find out?

Purpose:

In this session, trainees review the basic uses of evaluation and they list questions about community nutrition projects that evaluation can help to answer. They also identify the information needed to answer these questions and the ways of collecting it.

Time: 2 hours

Materials:

- Newsprint and marking pens or chalkboard and chalk
- Handout - "Hypothetical Project Information"
Note: Information from an actual project may be used instead.
- Handout - "Quest ions About Community Nutrition Activities.

Preparation :

- If you are using newsprint, prepare the chart shown in step 7 below.
- Make copies of the Handout - " Hypothetical Project Information."
- Make copies of the Handout - "Questions About Community Nutrition Activities."

Steps:

Part 1 - What do we need to know?

1. Ask the questions below one at a time. Encourage participants to brainstorm their answers. Write key phrases from participants' answers on separate sheets of newsprint together with each of the questions.

- What do we mean by evaluation? or evaluating a project?
- Who is interested in evaluation?
- Why do we evaluate projects and activities?

2. Talk briefly about the generally accepted definitions of evaluation, distinguishing between ongoing evaluation (monitoring) and final project evaluation.

Explain the management cycle (planning, implementation and evaluation) showing how evaluation leads to new and revised plans, based on lessons learned and changing circumstances during one complete management cycle. During the life of a project we may complete many management cycles.

Management cycle

3. Display the following questions and ask participants to keep them in mind during the rest of the unit. These are the general questions that evaluation can help us answer.

- Did we do the things we planned to do? If not, why not?
- Did the target group respond the way we thought they would? If not, why not?
- Did the nutrition and health of our target group improve?

4. Divide the participants into small groups (4-6 persons each) and inform them that they have been chosen as Project Evaluation Teams for a model community nutrition project. Give each participant a set of objectives and a work plan either from a hypothetical or from an actual project. Ask them to review these project materials individually. (Hypothetical project information is included.)

5. Ask each Project Evaluation Team to make three lists of questions they will ask at different times in the project implementation, to make sure the project is on target. The first list should be the questions they will ask each month; the second list should be those they will ask after six months of project activity; the third list should be those questions they will ask at the end of the project to find out if the project has been successful.

6. When groups are finished, have the first group display its list of monthly questions; the second, its list for evaluation at six months; and the third, its list of questions to be asked at the end of the project. When they have finished, ask the remaining groups to add questions they would ask that were not mentioned.

The facilitator should congratulate the evaluation teams, and tell the group they will be referring back to these lists during the rest of the session.

7. Choose several of the evaluation questions listed in each category, and transfer them one at a time to the first column of a chart like the one that follows.

Evaluation Question	Indicators/Information We Need to Answer this Question

8. Fill in the second column of the chart by asking participants to be specific about the information they must have to answer each question.

Example:

Evaluation Question	Indicators/Information We Need to Answer this Question
Have activities planned been carried out on schedule?	What was planned? When? What activities were carried out? When? Who attended? How many?

9. When you have finished listing the information needed to answer three or four questions, pass out the Handout "Questions About Community Nutrition Activities." Review it with the participants. You may wish to make up some exercises to demonstrate how certain information and indicators might be compared and used to answer evaluation questions.

Part 2 - How can we collect the information we need?

10. Review with participants the general methods and tools managers use to collect the information they need to monitor and evaluate the activities and results of community nutrition projects. Include a description of:

- Baseline survey
- Interviews with workers, leaders, beneficiaries
- Client records
- Community reports (monthly, quarterly, semester, etc.)
- Supervision reports
- Mini-surveys
- Meetings/discussion groups
- Existing records

11. Discuss the factors that affect the information we decide to collect and the methods we use.

- What do we need to know? Only information that we must have to guide the project and evaluate results should be included.
- How much money and other resources do we have for the evaluation component of the project?
- Who can collect and compile the information we need? If community workers cannot read and write, or if there are only a few supervisors with minimal transport, the amount and quality of information we can collect will be limited.

12. Add two more columns to the chart so it looks like this:

Evaluation Question	Indicators/Information Needed to Answer this	How Will You Collect It?	How Often?

Ask participants to help you complete the chart for the questions you worked on earlier. For each piece of information ask "How will you collect the information you need?" and "How often will you collect it?"

13. Individual Evaluation Plans - If there is sufficient time during the workshop, each trainee should be asked to use a chart, like the one above. Have the trainees identify the information and sources needed for their own projects. Trainers should be available at this time to assist the trainees.

HANDOUT

HYPOTHETICAL PROJECT INFORMATION

Nutrition Action in the Village of Ngamani

Background

In the village of Ngamani, the (community members, women's group, health committee, etc.) started a nutrition action project in June 1982. The village has about 500 families, with about 400 children under five years old.

The (women's group. committee. etc.) was helped by the (health worker. social development officer, agricultural extension worker) to understand more about the problem of malnutrition and what they could do to reduce the high level of malnutrition in the community. (She/He) helped the community to decide what kinds of activities they would try. Together they wrote a work plan and set targets for the first year.

They approached the (Ministry of _____, the Women's Bureau) with a letter telling about the nutrition problem in the community and what the group wanted to do to solve it. The (Ministry) promised $(_____) and a hand grain-grinding machine to help them get the project started.

The Ngamani village project has three components: regular growth monitoring and follow-up; nutrition and family planning education; and village production, sale and distribution of a weaning food supplement.

Project Objectives

By the end of the first year of the project, the (community. women's group. etc.) hopes to have accomplished the following:

1. Assessed (weighed/measured) the nutrition status of at least half of the 400 children under five in the community (three) times each during the first year.

2. Reached at least 100 families with each of their monthly educational activities.

3. Made and gave, or sold at a very reduced cost, weaning foods to each of the "high risk" children identified in growth monitoring. Each child will receive 2 kg of weaning supplement per month.

4. Made and sold about 50 kg of weaning food a month.

5. Increased the number of families practicing family planning.

6. Improved the condition of at least 75 percent of the "high risk. (malnourished) children they have helped.

Note: The project work plan is on the next page.

Work Plan - Year 1

Activity

Person Responsible

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

1. Train 6 volunteers from the group in nutrition 3-day workshop 1-day refresher

Health Worker

X

X

X

X

X

2. Train 8 volunteers from the group how to make and sell weaning food

Agriculture Worker

X

3. Buy 2 weighing scales

Chairman

X

4. Request hand grinding-mill

Secretary

X

5. Conduct growth monitoring every other month beginning month 1

Nutrition Volunteers

X

X

X

X

X

X

6. Make follow-up visits to high-risk children at least monthly

Nutrition Volunteers

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

7. Conduct nutrition/ family planning education session monthly

Nutrition Volunteers

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

8. Make and distribute weaning mix weekly and sell daily

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

XX

9. Meet monthly

All

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

HANDOUT

QUESTIONS ABOUT COMMUNITY NUTRITION ACTIVITIES

MONITORING AND EVALUATION	WHAT INFORMATION CAN WE USE TO ANSWER THIS QUESTION?
Growth Monitoring:
1) Has growth monitoring been carried out as planned in the community (i.e., at least once every _____ months )	- How many growth monitoring sessions have been carried out in this reporting period? Compare this number to the number planned.
2) Has growth monitoring reached most of the children 0-3(5) yrs in the community?	- What percentage of the total children 0-3(5) yrs. have been measured/weighed at least _____ times? Calculate:
Nutrition/Health Education:
1) Have group education sessions been carried out as planned?	- How many group education sessions have been carried out in this reporting period? Compare this number to your plan.
2) How many families have participated in nutrition education sessions?	- The average number of adults participating in group education sessions. Calculate:
3) If education is carried out in home visits, have home visits been carried out as planned?	- How may home visits were made during this period? Compare this to home visits planned.
Follow-up and Improvement of "High Risk" (Malnourished) Children:
1) How many of the "high risk" children found during growth monitoring have been treated according to your plan for follow-up of "high risk" cases?	- What percentage of "high risk" children identified have received: a. at least ___ home visits? b. growth monitoring at least ___ times per month? c. referral? d. weaning food supplements at least ___ times per month? (This depends on the plan for follow-up for each project.)
2) Have "high risk" children improved as a result of the project?	- What percentage of "high risk" children identified have improved, stayed the same or become worse during your project? Calculate:
	+100 (should equal)
Birth Spacing:
1) If the project supplies contraceptives, how many couples received contraceptives supplies from the project?	- How many of each contraceptive has the project distributed? To how many couples?
	- How many couple-years-of-protection can be attributed to the project?
2) Has the use of family planning methods increased	- Compare the number of family planning acceptors at the beginning of the project, to the number at different times during the project and at the end of the project.
Immunization:
1) Has the number of children with completed immunizations increased?	- Compare the number of children with complete doses of specific vaccines at the beginning and at the end of the project.
Breastfeeding/Weaning Practices:
1) What percentage of women are following the infant feeding guidelines of the project? For example: 0-5 months breastfeeding only, 5-24 months breastfeeding plus mixed solid diet.	- Compare percentage of infants 0-5 months who are breastfed only, to those given a bottle or bottle and breast.
	- Compare the percentage of children 5-24 months being fed according to the guidelines, to those being fed in other ways.
2) Has the project had any effect on the number of mothers breast and bottlefeeding?	- Compare at the beginning and at the end of the project, the percentage of infants 0-12 (24) months who are breastfed and not bottlefed.
	- Compare at the beginning and at the end of the project, the percentage of infants 0-12(24) months who are fed with a bottle.
Community Weaning Food Distribution:
1) How many families have benefited by the weaning food distribution (or sale)?	- Number of families receiving supplement for one or more children in each month. (Calculate percent of total number of families with children.)
2) What is the cost of the production and distribution of weaning food?	- Calculate: -Actual costs of raw materials, paid labor, equipment, transport and other costs =
	Total Expenditure
	- Total Expenditure minus Total Income from sales and donations =
	Net Cost or Profit
	- Net Cost or Profit divided by Number of Units produced (kilos, packages) =
	Net Cost Per Unit
3) Is the cost of the weaning food distribution to the community worth the benefit to "high risk" children?	- Calculate the number of "high risk" children receiving the weaning supplement who have shown improvement.
	- Divide the net cost of project to community by the number of "high risk" children improved = the Cost For Each Child Improved by the project.
	- What does the community think about the project? Are they willing to continue contributing their time and, perhaps, their funds to the project?

Session 2: Records and reports

One of the goals of a community nutrition project is to help the community understand its nutrition problems and the effects that its own action can have on these problems. To do this, the community must be able to collect and use information about its activities and results.

Purpose:

Trainees will discuss the types of information we need in order to monitor and evaluate community efforts. They will also discuss the constraints to community record keeping and some general guidelines for design of community records and reports. Different types of community reports will be examined and the strengths and weaknesses of each will be noted.

Time: 1/2 hour

Materials

- Trainer's Reference - Community Records and Reports"
- Handout - "Examples of Community Records"

Preparation:

Make sufficient copies of sample forms so that each small group will have a set.

Steps:

1. Introduction: Review the information that might be collected monthly or quarterly to assess community nutrition activities.

2. Make sure the list includes information about activities, about the nutrition status and improvement of women and children and about outside resources mobilized by the community.

3. Tell trainees that we are now going to decide on what kind of community record keeping system we need for our project. Ask trainees to close their eyes and try to think of themselves back in the villages or communities they intend to work with. Ask them to think of the community members, the skills they have and any problems they might have keeping records about nutrition activities. Ask them to open their eyes and write on a piece of paper a statement about the kinds of records and reports their communities could learn how to keep and use. You might have them finish the sentence:

"Community records must "

4. Now, ask several trainees to read their statements. Other members of the group may wish to comment. Write the statements on newsprint. Some examples include:

Community records must:

- be simple and easy to understand;
- be pictorial, in some cases;
- help the community volunteers follow up and evaluate improvement of malnourished children;
- record activities and participating families;
- help the community evaluate the effects of their efforts.

5. Tell trainees that every project must develop its own system for record keeping based on the needs and resources of the community, the managers/advisors and the funding agencies. Give small groups copies of three or four different community record forms with information filled in. Ask them to examine the records and list what they think would be the advantages and disadvantages of each type. Combine their observations, and point out any advantages and disadvantages that have not been mentioned.

6. Discuss why it is important to get outside assistance from an expert for the design of project records and reports. Make sure to mention the need to pretest reports and to train community workers and supervisors to complete and use them.

TRAINER'S REFERENCE

COMMUNITY RECORDS AND REPORTS

Designing Records and Reports

The design of records and reports is a highly technical area. For new projects, it is a good idea to enlist the help of an expert who can work with you to make sure everyone's needs for information are satisfied, including the community, the managing agency and the donor, if there is one.

For on-going projects, some type of record keeping system is usually in operation. You should ask yourself if that system is providing you with the information you need and, if it is not, how could you improve it? Again, an expert could be of great help. Remember that you must first decide what you need to know, so that an expert can help you decide how best to obtain the information.

Pretesting Records and Reports

In small action projects, it may not be possible to do extensive pretesting of records and reports. You can do the following, however, to make sure that records and reports are understandable:

- Make sure the format and language used in records and reports are familiar to the individuals who will use them.
- Have several community workers/volunteers use hypothetical information to fill in the records or reports.
- Explain to a group of community workers, supervisors, etc. how to complete records and reports. If they do not understand, make changes in your explanation until you are sure that it is understandable.

Training Community Workers to Complete and Use Reports

Adults learn by doing! First, make a list of the steps your trainees will have to complete to successfully maintain records and reports. Make sure that you explain each step in this process and any forms they will be expected to use. Then, conduct a practice session in which the trainees complete forms using either authentic or dummy data. They should first do this with assistance and then alone. Pinpoint any problems they have and work with them individually until you are satisfied that they have mastered all of the required steps.

HANDOUT

EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITY RECORDS

1. Individual records

Name :	Name :
Mother's Name :	Mother's Name :
Birth date :	Birth date :
	Date Registered :
Immunization :	1/83	weight 4.9 kg
		diarrhea
		mother taught to
		prepare ORS
	3/83	weight 5.0 kg
		slow growth
		counseled
	4/83	home visit
		child O.K.
Road to Health Chart	Child Clinic Record

These individual records can be kept by the mother as home-based records or by a community worker.

2. Community worker's activity record

Name		Month
Date	Activity	Comments
1/1/83	Weighing clinic in Matibo
	Weighed 17 children, nutrition
	education class for 10 mothers
1/4/83	Home visits - 5 families
1/5/83	Meeting with Chief about new
	dispensary
1/6/83	Distribution of weaning foods -
	15 kg distributed
1/7/83	Education meeting with youth club
1/10/83
etc.

3. Cumulative Family Record

Family :					Maternal/Child health and family planning register :
Village :					Health Worker :
Woman's Name :					Age :		Live births :		Living children :
Address :
DATE OF CONTACT :
Woman :			Repro. Status
			FP/Method
			Contraceptive
CHILDREN UNDER 5 :
NAME :			AGE :
	Nutrition		A/C
			Weight
	Immun :		Polio	1
				2
				3
			DPT	1
				2
				3
			Measles
			BCG
	Diarrhea :
		During last two weeks ?
		If yes, treated with ORS ?
NAME :			AGE :
	Nutrition		A/C
			Weight
	Immun :		Polio	1
				2
				3
			DPT	1
				2
				3
			Measles
			BCG
	Diarrhea :
		During last two weeks ?
		If yes, treated with ORS ?
NAME :			AGE :
	Nutrition		A/C
			Weight
	Immun :		Polio	1
				2
				3
			DPT	1
				2
				3
			Measles
			BCG
	Diarrhea :
		During last two weeks ?
		If yes, treated with ORS ?

Instructions :

Women :

Reproductive Status - Write one of the following : Breastfeeding, Pregnant, Family Planning, At Risk
Family Planning/Method - Write the method used

Children under 5 years - Complete one block foe each child in the family under 5 years old.

III - 2, 16

A/C = Arm Circumference - Write the child arm's circumference.
Weight - enter either the actual weight of the child or the nutrition classification of weight for age from the growth chart.
Immunization - At the time of registration, mark all vaccines that a child has taken. At every other contact, mark only new vaccines taken.
Diarrhea during last two weeks? - Write yes next to this question if the child has had diarrhea during the past two weeks.
Ask the mother how diarrhea has treated. If the mentions ORS, write yes next to the question "If yes, treated with ORS?"

Session 3: A prototype record keeping system

Purpose:

Trainees will review a record keeping system developed for use in community nutrition projects. The system can be simplified or expanded, depending on the need for information and the educational level of project workers.

Time: 1/2 hour

Materials

- Copies of "Prototype Record Keeping System"

1. Road to Health Chart
2. Family Record
3. Daily Activity Log
4. Community Report
5. Charts for Data Analysis
6. Summary List of Program Records and Reports

Steps:

1. Distribute the "Prototype Record Keeping System."

Explain that CEDPA has used this basic system in programs in Nepal and Kenya. The important characteristics of the system are:

- It is designed to collect only the information required to monitor and evaluate specific project objectives and activities.
- Each level of record keeping leads to the next.
- Records are designed to help the mother, worker and manager analyze and use the information on them to analyze and improve their efforts.

2. Review each element of the "Prototype Record Keeping System," beginning with the "Road to Health Chart." (The "Road to Health Chart" can be substituted for by a simple card on which arm circumference or weights are recorded.)

Discuss:

- Characteristics of each form
- Who completes it
- What is done with it
- Examples of how it is filled out and how information on it can be used to identify problems and progress

3. The final page of the " Prototype Record Keeping System" lists, in diagram form, the project's records and reports, by whom they are completed and who keeps or receives them. Review this with trainees.

4. Summarize: The record keeping system presented in this session focuses on documenting project activities and results. Each project should develop its own system for record keeping and reporting. This prototype system demonstrates the need for:

- Simplicity
- Limited data collection
- Data related to problems and interventions
- Collection and analysis of data by those who need it to make critical project decisions

HANDOUT

PROTOTYPE RECORD KEEPING SYSTEM

1. Road to Health Chart
2. Family Record
3. Daily Activity Log
4. Community Report
5. Charts for Data Analysis
6. Summary List of Program Records and Reports

1. Road to Health Chart

A Road to Health Chart with basic information about nutrition, immunization status and illness is completed for each child. This chart is put in a plastic envelope and given to the mother. The mother brings her children's cards with her to each growth monitoring activity.

Road to health chart

2. Family Record

Village health workers or volunteers keep a record on each family in their area. The information recorded on the card is directly related to the specific program's objectives.

For example, if prevention of diarrhea is a priority objective, information about the occurrence of diarrhea, distribution of ORS packets and home treatment may be routinely collected. For nutrition status, the measurements and cutoff points used by the program would be recorded, i.e., arm circumference less than 12.5, between 12.5 and 13.5, or greater than 13.5, or red, yellow, green.

The advantage of this type of family record is that it displays priority information about each child and mother in chronological order. We can see, at a glance, what has happened to the nutrition and immunization status of a child, the family planning acceptance of the couple, etc.

The Family Record can be printed on heavy paper and kept as a card. Or, it can be printed and bound as a register. A sample Family Record is illustrated on the following page.

2. Family record

Family :					Maternal/Child health and family planning register :
Village :					Health Worker :
Woman's Name :					Age :		Live births :		Living children :
Address :
DATE OF CONTACT :
Woman :			Repro. Status
			FP/Method
			Contraceptive
CHILDREN UNDER 5 :
NAME :			AGE :
	Nutrition		A/C
			Weight
	Immun :		Polio	1
				2
				3
			DPT	1
				2
				3
			Measles
			BCG
	Diarrhea :
		During last two weeks ?
		If yes, treated with ORS ?
NAME :			AGE :
	Nutrition		A/C
			Weight
	Immun :		Polio	1
				2
				3
			DPT	1
				2
				3
			Measles
			BCG
	Diarrhea :
		During last two weeks ?
		If yes, treated with ORS ?
NAME :			AGE :
	Nutrition		A/C
			Weight
	Immun :		Polio	1
				2
				3
			DPT	1
				2
				3
			Measles
			BCG
	Diarrhea :
		During last two weeks ?
		If yes, treated with ORS ?

Instructions :

Women :

Reproductive Status - Write one of the following : Breastfeeding, Pregnant, Family Planning, At Risk
Family Planning/Method - Write the method used

Children under 5 years - Complete one block foe each child in the family under 5 years old.

III - 2, 22

A/C = Arm Circumference - Write the child arm's circumference.
Weight - enter either the actual weight of the child or the nutrition classification of weight for age from the growth chart.
Immunization - At the time of registration, mark all vaccines that a child has taken. At every other contact, mark only new vaccines taken.
Diarrhea during last two weeks? - Write yes next to this question if the child has had diarrhea during the past two weeks.
Ask the mother how diarrhea has treated. If the mentions ORS, write yes next to the question "If yes, treated with ORS?"

3. Daily Activity Log

Workers, dispensaries/clinics keep a daily record of special project services and activities. At the end of each month, these daily records are used to complete the monthly report.

Example:

Date	Type of Activity	Description/Results

4. Community Report

Information for the Community Report is taken directly from family records and the daily activity log.

Nutrition Status	Village				Month
	1. Total children less than 5 years in village/area 2. Total children less than 5 years in area with growth card 3. Total children less than 5 years weighed/assessed this month 4. Total children gaining weight from last month to this month 5. Total children malnourished:
		Severe Moderate
	6. Total children receiving:
		Follow-up home visit Clinic referral/treatment Food supplement Vitamin A supplement
Diarrhea ORS	7. Total children with diarrhea this month 8. Total children treated with ORS
Immunization	9. Total immunizations given:
		Polio	1 2 3
		DPT	1 2 3
		Measles
		BCG
		Tetanus
Family planning	10. Total women of reproductive age in village/area 11. Total women using a family planning method:
		Pills Condom IUD Sterilization Natural Family Planning Breastfeeding (child < 6 mos.)
Inventory control	12. Item	Amount at beginning of month		Distributed	Received	Stock end of month
	Growth cards Vitamin A capsules Food supplements
Community activities	13. This month: (List individually) - growth monitoring sessions - education/demonstration sessions - special projects				Date	No. Attending

5. Charts for Data Analysis

Supervisors and managers keep information from village reports on separate charts in order to track progress and identify problems.

Charts can be made to compare activities and results in the same village over time. They can also be made to compare activities and results in several villages.

Examples:

1. Nutrition Status and Activities
			Months
	Total number of children in village
	Total number with growth cards
	Total number weighed/assessed each month (a) As a percent of total children (#1 above)(b)
	Total number gaining weight each month
	Total number malnourished each month
	Activities with malnourished/high risk:
		Home visits Clinic referral/treatment Food supplements Vitamin A supplements
2. Diarrhea Treatment/ORS
	Total children with diarrhea
	Total children with diarrhea treated with ORS
	Percent of cases treated with ORS		%	%	%
	(divide line 8 by line 7 and multiply X 100)

6. Summary List of Program Records and Reports

List of program

Session 4: Evaluating activities with the community

Purpose:

Trainees practice facilitating the evaluation of nutrition action projects with members of the community.

Time: 1 hour

Preparation:

Prepare three sets of role play cards: one for a group of 4-5 project facilitators, another for 4-5 observers and the other for the community members (the rest of the participants).

- Facilitators - The facilitators' role is to help the community members assess whether they have been able to carry out the activities planned, whether they reached the people they wanted to reach with these activities and whether there has been any change in nutrition status of young children as a result. (Do not forget to ask "why not?" if the answer is no.) Facilitators should use the information about the project from Sessions 1 and 3, remembering that their goal is for the community to identify problems, causes, possible solutions and courses of action.

- Community Members - Most community members know that their nutrition workers have been weighing children and visiting mothers. The community has been asked several times to contribute to the weaning food component of the project. They are satisfied with the work, but several do not understand why they should keep making contributions to help people who are too lazy to help themselves. One man is upset because his wife is spending too much time out of the home and not earning anything for what she is doing, etc. The nutrition volunteers are part of this group as well.

- Observers - The observers will note how the facilitators present themselves in the meeting and what materials they use to help the community members understand what has happened with the nutrition situation since they started with their project. Observers should note whether facilitators dominate or facilitate a discussion. What might the facilitators do differently?

Steps:

1. Explain that you will conduct a "mock" project evaluation meeting with members of the community.

2. Divide into three groups, assigning and explaining the roles of each group.

3. Give the groups 10-15 minutes to prepare for the role play, then begin.

4. When you have finished (15 minutes maximum) have representatives from each group comment on how they thought the evaluation meeting went. Ask: "Did the facilitators succeed in reaching their goals? How do you think the community members responded when asked to evaluate their own efforts? What did facilitators do to promote the participation of the community? What would you (facilitators) do differently the next time?"

Summarize the lesson and the unit.