· Research, Measurement and learning
Supporting Intervention Effectiveness
At Vision Quest, we support our clients to develop the evidence base necessary for improved decision-making in complex and rapidly evolving contexts. Our team of world-class researchers develops and executes cutting edge research to provide insights that shape programs and influence public policy.
In our evaluation practice, have moved beyond the traditional monitoring and evaluation and instead support our clients to “measure” and “learn”. In order to track and report on progress and promote accountability and learning, we benchmark client tasks against global, regional, national and local standards.
At a global level, common indicators allow our clients to see their contribution to global causes like MDGs and SDGs. St regional levels, our clients can benchmark their performance against regional blocks like East African Community etc. At national levels, we support our clients to align their goals to national (relevant ministries) priorities and at local level, we help clients to be contextually appropriate in both their approach and implementation strategies.
Our Measurement and Learning approach is geared at providing tools to help our clients strengthen their implementation and documentation as well as use the data for decision making. The approach we use is:
- Logic modelslike logical frameworks or theories of change to demonstrate how their projects are working, what activities are contributing to outputs and how they all support the desired outcomes. They also help generate learning questions and planning objectives.
- Learning matricesto show explicit relationships between all factors that lead to project success and indicators and measures used to answer outcome questions. We use these matrices to develop effective data collection tools to inform project and institutional learning.
- Written productsand facilitated discussions, often used in combination, are geared toward timely, actionable learning among all stakeholders. These are informed by either logical frameworks and/or theories of change.
We use participatory approaches in the development and implementation of: theories of change, simulation models, reflection and practice of policy, qualitative methods, geographic information systems, data demand and use guides, advanced statistical methods and multi-sectorial engagement of stakeholders.
Vision Quest provides intervention monitoring, evaluation and learning support to our clients in the humanitarian and development sector in the Eastern Africa region. We support our partners to develop program baselines, conduct mid-term and end-line evaluations and impact studies.
Samples of assignments completed include:
UNWOMEN Somalia (2013): Baseline Survey for Somalia Country Programme and Strategic Note
UNFPA Somalia (2017): Evaluation of UNFPA Country Program – 2011- 2016.
UNICEF Somalia (2015): Somalia’s Nutrition Training Needs: Scoping Assessment
Danish Refugee Council – Somalia (2018): Study on Market Opportunities for Durable Solutions in Kismayo, Mogadishu, Dollow and Baidoa
Danish Refugee Council (2018): Integrated Emergency Response Assessment in Somalia
Danish Refugee Council (2015): ILDACS – End of project evaluation in Somaliland and Benadir (Mogadishu) Regions of Somalia
Mercy Corps (2012): Final Evaluation of School Environment and Education Development in Somalia Program. This was an integrated program with education, WASH and Health components
Adeso (2017) Empirical research on Compounding factors of chronic sequential shocks in Lower Juba, Somalia- STREAM Consortium – December, 2017- February, 2018
Millennium Water Alliance (2016): Kenya Resilient Arid Lands Partnership for Integrated Development (Kenya RAPID) Baseline Survey in Turkana, Garissa, Wajir, Marsabit and Isiolo Counties of Kenya. January, 2016- April, 2016
Kenya Resilient Arid Lands Partnership for Integrated Development (Kenya RAPID) Mid- term Survey in Turkana, Garissa, Wajir, Marsabit and Isiolo Counties of Kenya- May, 2018- August, 2018
WVI South Sudan (2016): Evaluation of Response to Upper Nile Emergency, South Sudan- November 2016
· Organizational capacity development Strengthening the Foundations of Effectiveness
We undertake a structured, focused approach to organizational development that begins with an analysis of the wider institutional environment and current organizational situation and capacity. We use standard organizational capacity assessment tools, SWOT and PESTLE methodologies. We then design tools, implement, evaluate and use learning to improve organizational issues of interest.
We have worked with Government departments, UN agencies, non-governmental organisations in the region to deliver organizational development solutions.
A sample list of organizational development work done in the recent past include:
UNWOMEN Somalia (2014): Institutional Capacity Assessment to Implement UN Women Programs in Somalia – CESVI, World Vision, COOPI, Caritas, SSW, SWDC, CED, OXFAM, ADESO, PSU, VSF Germany, ADRA among others
UNWOMEN Somalia (2013): Gender Responsive Budgeting – capacity building of actors on gender responsive national planning and budgeting.
UNWOMEN Somalia (2013): Gender assessment, mapping of women’s organizations and review of district development plans.
UNFPA Somalia (2012): Capacity development for the IPs on results based management, results based M&E, Resource management, HAP, Reporting, RH Commodity management- October, 2012- November, 2012
UNDP Somalia (2014): Capacity Development on Gender Mainstreaming, PCM, Gender Advocacy and Grant Management Skills for Gender focal points from across ministries as well as civil society who have been appointed to sit on the inter-ministerial coordination body established by the gender machineries in all three regions of Somalia- January, 2014- April, 2014
UNDP (2013): Developed a gender mainstreaming tool-kit for gender focal desks of government ministries departments and agencies- April, 2014- June 2014
UNICEF Somalia (THET) 2018: Developing a Capacity Development Paper Strategic Paper and Costed Action Plan for Nutrition Human Resource Development in Somalia- August 2017- January 2018
CARE Somalia (2015): Development of five (5) year Strategic Plan for the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism (MoEWT)- November, 2014- December, 2014
AERC (2017): IDRC – AERC Support to Somalia Capacity Building: Needs Assessment and Institutional Mapping- November, 2016- January, 2017
Save the Children (South Sudan) (2016): Review of the Regional Information Sharing Protocol of South Sudan UASCs in East Africa- June, 2016- July, 2016
· Third Party Monitoring
Supporting Factual Assurance
We support partners working in locations considered inaccessible to monitor program implementation. We utilize our extensive networks to gather information on behalf of organizations to monitor implementation progress, provide periodic program reports and advise on modifications to increase impact.
A brief list of our work conducting third party monitoring include:
Save the Children (2017): Independent Monitoring of Somalia drought 2017 – Cash Transfer and Medium Term – October, 2017- December, 2017
Save the Children (2017): Independent Monitoring of Sustaining Life Saving and Humanitarian Relief to Communities Affected by Drought in Somalia- October, 2017- December, 2017
Save the Children (2015): Third Party Monitoring – Humanitarian Assistance to Drought and Conflict Affected Populations in Somalia (ECHO HIP)
Save the Children (2015): Third Party Monitoring – Life Saving Humanitarian Relief to Communities Affected by Shocks in Somalia
·Integrated territory management
Towards Developing Sustainable Territories
Managing our environment is critical in ensuring that future generations enjoy a high quality of life. Towards this end, VQ provides an integrated suite of services including environmental management services, urban planning and landscape management.
Environmental Services: We support strengthening the discourse on identifying and creating measures to respond to negative impacts of human action and their influence on natural resources and ecosystems. Areas of our work include development of: Sustainable resource management plans; Environmental recovery plans; Sustainable energy solutions; Sustainable building solutions; Ecosystem management services; Social vulnerability assessments; Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA); and Chemical and waste management services.
Urban Planning: To support cities in developing countries meet the needs of their growing urban populations, VQ enables them to develop urban resilience, improve mobility, sustainably manage water and sanitation, waste solutions and energy. To do this we support in urban planning and design, upgrading of urban and informal settlements and adaptation to the adverse impacts of climate change.
Landscape Management: We support management of urban landscapes to address practical needs, while ensuring a sustainable ecosystem balance. Our services include;
- Integrated Landscape Management (IML) covers the assessment of landscape characteristics in its multiple dimensions towards the desired balance between the natural and human structures, processes and activities.
- Spatial Planning: influence the distribution of people and activities in spaces of various scales in order to improve the built, economic and social environments of communities.
We use Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Remote Sensing and Data Mining techniques to collect, and analyse of large amounts of data, required to obtain a comprehensive perspective of the landscape and create robust data collections that can help local, regional and national managers making informed decisions.
Sample of past work includes:
CARE International (2013: Environmental Impact Assessment for Somali girls education promotion programme (SomReP) in Somaliland, Somalia and South Central- September, 2013- October, 2013
World Vision International (2014): Environmental impact assessment on small scale irrigation project in Somalia- August, 2014- September, 2014
COOPI (2016): Hydrogeological Survey for Identification of 3NO. Dry Season Grazing Water Sources