Focusing on real needs of target communities
In my experience of designing and evaluating development projects, I keep returning to one question: how effectively do these initiatives and investments reach their target communities?
There seems to be a trade-off between the ease and predictability of solutions and their actual impact. This is particularly true in contexts such as Africa where reaching many of the “legitimate” intended beneficiaries is relatively difficult and expensive. It is therefore tempting to opt for band-aid fixes instead of real and courageous solutions that are sustainable.
Reflecting on my time on a selection panel for a School-to-Work programme in West Africa, I noticed three issues:
As part of the application process, applicants submitted a three-minute video about their suitability. One applicant, inappropriately dressed and conversing casually, was initially deemed unfit. However, I argued that his lack of formality was precisely why he needed the programme: “This is exactly why he hasn’t been able to get a job,” I said. “This programme is designed for people like him.” As a result, we agreed to not only select the “best” entries, but also those who clearly needed the intervention.
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Today, many interventions still opt for the path of least resistance when pursuing impact. It is startling to see how eligibility criteria can become the very barrier that excludes and limits applicants, whether due to disabilities or socioeconomic limitations. It is therefore no surprise that developmental dividends are rarely accrued to the public.
My experience in designing, implementing and evaluating development interventions has taught me a different approach: truly impactful design starts with adopting the viewpoint of the intended beneficiaries, understanding the experiences that have shaped their perspectives, and co-creating solutions that empower those at the bottom of the pyramid to catalyse the change they want to see in their world.
In our work in the Evaluation for Development practice at Genesis Analytics , we are constantly leveraging our diverse experience, data and evidence to shift the narrative and practices of clients and other stakeholders within the ecosystem. We do so in a way that enables deeper, more systemic and context-responsive interventions in the Young World.
We recognise that rethinking development approaches and shifting from superficial to real impact is a marathon and not a sprint. While we acknowledge the difficulty and risks that come with this approach, we consider it the only option as the dividends trump the cost. We are constantly fine-tuning our approaches and partnerships to enhance the availability of more inclusive development programmes. It is our aspiration that in time, all development interventions will be truly responsive to the real needs of their target communities.