PIL supports accountability and effectiveness in inclusive health, education and livelihoods programming in Africa
Working towards improving the quality of life of persons with disabilities is a theme on which PIL has been working on since its inception. It was therefore both exhilarating and a privilege for us to accompany Humanity & Inclusion (HI) - one of the biggest international NGOs working in the disability field in the Global South - during 2021 and again in 2023.
Working on the Health, Education and Livelihoods in Africa: A Sustainable Approach (HELASIA) project, which was being implemented in Benin, Ethiopia, Madagascar, Mozambique and Rwanda, HI first contracted PIL to develop an accountability toolkit and guide. These tools - which were then used by project partners ranging from grassroots organisations of persons with disabilities (OPDs) to regional disability organisations including the Pan African Network of Persons with Psychosocial Disabilities (PANPPD) and the African Disability Forum (ADF), were also accompanied by an Easy-Read version of the guide. Asked whether the toolkit helped them a couple of years later, project partners confirm that it has enabled them to improve trust & collaboration, measure their progress, and make better plans. High praise indeed, given that this assignment was PIL’s first foray into the accountability domain!
We were very happy to then have the opportunity to conduct the final evaluation of HELASIA almost two years later. Taking once again a participatory approach, the team - supported by field experts gathering data in each of the five countries - evaluated the project regarding its implementation, inclusion, sustainability, efficiency and impact aspects. This led to a collaborative validating workshop where the evaluators - together with the project coordination and partners - co-created and validated recommendations for HI’s future work. Despite limited time and vast amounts of data, stakeholders across the board were happy with both outcome and process.