DRAFT

TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR

Evaluation of DRC’s integrated area based programme in Somaliland
1. Sept. – 31 December 2005

Background:
DRC has conducted rehabilitation activities in Somaliland since 1998 in order to build up the
capacity of the country to receive returning refugees in a peaceful manner. Different approaches
have been applied throughout the years, but since 2002 the main emphasis has been on
integrated rehabilitation of rural communities, whereby a range of activities, including physical
rehabilitation, income generation, and institutional capacity building have been focused within a
limited number of districts.

The basic idea is to compensate for the weak government structures in Somaliland by supporting a
process whereby the economic and social/institutional capacities are strengthened in selected local
communities.

Apart from the integrated approach, the DRC programme in Somaliland has components that
provide direct humanitarian support to IDP’s as well as supporting a process whereby the
traditional leaders revise the traditional law and practices.

In April and May 2005 an internal review was conducted of the entire programme. It is an important
recommendation in the internal review to carry out an in depth evaluation of the impact of the
integrated approach in Daarbuduq and Garadag Districts where DRC has had a presence during
the past 3 – 3.5 years.

As a unique feature DRC in Somaliland has an independent monitoring unit. This unit has existed
for approximately two years and has collected extensive information on the individual projects. The
evaluation shall be based on the existing resources and expertise from within the unit combined
with support from an external consultant. The evaluation exercise shall further contribute to
building the expertise and functions of the existing monitoring unit to enhance its contribution to the
quality of DRC’s work in Somaliland.

Based on the experience from the evaluation exercise the existing monitoring systems shall be
further developed to include an actual monitoring plan for the collection and processing of relevant
data that can feed back into the planning of activities within the integrated areas. Apart from
contributing to further increase the capacity of the programmes monitoring unit this will also feed
into DRC’s overall strategic priority for 2005-06 to upgrade the organisations capacity within
monitoring and evaluation of impact.

Thus the two main tasks for the evaluation exercise in Somaliland during the period from 1
September to 31 December are:

1. Conduct an evaluation of impact of DRC’s activities in the integrated areas

2. Establish a monitoring system to be applied in new integrated areas, which can also inspire
other components within the DRC programme in Somaliland as well as other programmes in
East Africa.

Evaluation of impact of DRC’s activities in the integrated areas

The immediate objective guiding the integrated approach is as follows:

Within a period of 3,5 years, integrated social and economic rehabilitation activities and initiatives have been
effectively promoted, managed and sustained by local authorities and communities in selected districts.

For this immediate objective the following indicators were selected:

 90% of physical structures implemented by DRC are managed and sustained by local
authorities and communities by end of DRC presence in the community.
 Majority of community members in target communities express increasing recognition of
improved capacity among community leadership until end of DRC presence in the community.
 Majority of community members expresses recognition that programme activities have
improved general conditions in the community.
 Larger population increase after 3,5 years in DRC target communities than in similar, but non-
target communities.
 Number of students in lower primary schools in DRC target communities has tripled after 3,5
years of DRC presence.
 80% of members of revolving funds can show diversification, increase, or expansion of
economic activities one year upon repayment of loan.
 50% decrease in number of waterborne diseases after one year in communities where DRC
has provided safe drinking water.

Objective of the evaluation:

The overall question that DRC seeks to answer through the evaluation is:

Is the integrated approach as implemented by DRC in Somaliland a viable strategy??

To shed light on the overall question the following main questions should be the turning point for
the evaluation exercise:

1. What direct effects1 can be documented as a result of DRC’s interventions in the integrated
areas?

2. Do the various components within the integrated approach actively support one another?

3. Can synergies2 created from the various components be observed?

Through collection of information on the indicators as outlined above it is believed that these
questions can be partially answered. Other types of information may also be needed.

Below are the main tasks believed to form the core of the evaluation:

Tasks:

- Assess available data at Hargeisa and field office level, as compiled by the monitoring unit.
- Each of the indicators for immediate objective 1 as well as for the outputs under immediate
objective 1 shall be assessed for its appropriateness in measuring the impact of the objective.
- If indicators are inappropriate or missing for a full measurement of impact they shall be
corrected or included/excluded.
- An approach to collecting data for each of the appropriate indicators shall be developed,
including both qualitative as well as quantitative data.
1
Direct impact is understood as the effects for those beneficiaries directly targetted through DRC’s activities.
2
Synergies are understood as wider effects that are not direct result of DRC’s activities.
- Questionnaires shall be developed.
- Field work with DRC staff and enumerators.
- Compilation and processing of collected data through the use of SPSS statistic programme.

Development of methods and process for collection of information

The method and process for collection of information shall be developed locally with support from
DRC’s monitoring and evaluation focal point in Cph.

In order to conduct an independent and objective evaluation the collection of information shall be
conducted jointly by DRC staff and independent enumerators. For reasons of objectivity it is
important that DRC staff do not collect information in their areas of normal assignment.

Development of a DRC monitoring system

The second main task of this exercise is the development of an appropriate DRC monitoring
system.

It is believed that from the evaluation of the impact of DRC’s programme in the integrated areas
the existing indicators will be further refined.

Based on advice from the DRC evaluation and monitoring focal person from Copenhagen and
based on appropriate indicators, as identified from the evaluation exercise, a baseline and
monitoring system, and plan, shall be developed for new areas.

When this is done the baseline information shall be collected in the identified area(s).

A simple database for storing of information and data shall be developed and placed under the
monitoring unit.

Allocation of time for the two tasks

The evaluation of impact is important and crucial for the further development of DRC’s programme
in Somaliland. The development of an appropriate monitoring system is however equally important
as it will be used not only in Somaliland, but serve as an inspiration for other of DRC’s programmes
in the region.

The allocation of time between the two tasks should therefore be equal.

A rough outline of time is envisaged to be:

Evaluation
1. September – 15 October. Development and implementation of the evaluation
15. October - 20. October. Writing of the report
22-23. October. Presentation of the evaluation at workshop in Hargeisa (participation from Nairobi,
Puntland, Belet Weyne)

Monitoring system
25 October – 5 December. Development of a monitoring system, including collection of baseline
information in new areas of intervention.
6 Dec – 15 Dec. Writing of the baseline report and monitoring system
16-17 Dec presentation of the baseline data and monitoring system (Participation from Nairobi,
Puntland, Belet Weyne)
Supporting documents
- Final report 2003 – 2004
- Application 2004 – 2006
- Logframe 2004 – 2006
- Terms of reference for Internal review 2005
- Internal review report 2005