External Evaluator

1. BACKGROUND

• Action Against Hunger Egypt in partnership with RAED has been implementing the project “GRASP Egypt” - Grassroots Socioeconomic Programme for Local Communities Development Clusters in Egypt. The implementation of the project is in Luxor, and the project is funded by the European Union.

• GRASP Egypt aims to contribute to the overall improvement of lives and socio-economic conditions among the population living below both the national and extreme poverty lines by empowering the local civil society to become owners of their own development interventions and contributing to synergies between social safety nets and civil society actions implemented within the project in Upper Egypt.

• GRASP Egypt efforts focus on a multidimensional- and multi-sectorial micro-projects (MPs) funding scheme implemented by grassroots organizations (GROs) in three districts (Esna, Luxor, and Armant) in Luxor governorate. The micro-projects are to improve basic social services, contributing to increased access to food, sources of income, productive resources, vocational training, health, and environment, focusing not only on improving the general socio-economic conditions, but also on empowering women, youth, persons with disabilities and specific village profiles. It aims to cover main socio-economic gaps, adding another layer of livelihoods resilience to households and communities. Furthermore, coupling MPs with social safety nets and local authorities’ contributions will enhance development of targeted districts and villages according to cluster and comprehensive approach, more specifically to reduce the “charity approach” and improve coordination among themselves and governmental safety nets.

• 2.2. Objectives of the Evaluation

• The overall objective of this independent final evaluation is to assess the outputs and deliverables of the project according to the project plan. Under the umbrella of Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Development Assistance Committee (OECD/DAC) evaluation criteria the evaluator will assess the results and early impact of the project.

Specific Objective:

• 1- Relevance
• In general: The extent to which the objectives of a development intervention are consistent with beneficiaries’ requirements, country needs, global priorities and partner’ and donor’s policies (OECD/DAC).

• 2- Effectiveness
• In general: The extent to which the development intervention’s objectives were achieved, or are expected to be achieved, taking into account their relative importance. Note: Also used as an aggregate measure of (or judgement about) the merit or worth of an activity, i.e. the extent to which an intervention has attained, or is expected to attain, its major relevant objectives efficiently in a sustainable fashion and with a positive institutional developmental impact (OECD/DAC).

• 3- Efficiency
• In general: A measure of how economically resources/ inputs (funds, expertise, time, etc.) are converted to results (OECD/DAC).

• 4- Impact
• In general: The positive and negative, primary and secondary long-term effects produced by a development intervention, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended (OECD/DAC).

• 5- Sustainability
• In general: The continuation of benefits from a development intervention after major development assistance has been completed. The probability of continued long-term benefits. The resilience to risk of the net benefit flows over time (OEDC/DAC).