Capacity Strengthening in Project Cycle Management and Learning through Monitoring Evaluation and Accountability
“This training aims to answer the needs that we need. We hope that in this IDEAKSI process, it is related not only to developing innovation, but also to capacity building and organizational strengthening of each innovator team,” explained Debora Utami, YEU program manager.
In the “Community-Led Innovation Partnership” program supported by Elrha, Start Network, and ADRRN Tokyo Innovation Hub and funded by FCDO, YAKKUM Emergency Unit (YEU) initiated the CLIP IDEAKSI (Inclusion Action Innovation Ideas) has been started since January 2021.
The project cycle management training and learning through monitoring and accountability is held based on a need assessment for institutional capacity strengthening, project management and monitoring/monitoring and evaluation. In addition, there are several challenges in implementing innovation program work such as time limits in implementing activities, existing funding limits, and the possibility of replacing human resources.
"Project cycle management is very important, because it will guide us in carrying out activities so that they are relevant to our goals," Debora Utami restated.
The training activity, which was held on Wednesday-Thursday, 27-28 July 2022, ran in a hybrid manner, attended by 22 participants who attended in person, consisting of 12 male participants and 10 female participants, 7 of whom were people with disabilities. In addition, there were 13 participants from YEU staff in Palu, Central Sulawesi who took part online via Zoom consisting of 5 male participants and 8 female participants.
The management of this project and learning cycle begins by mapping events or activities that regularly occur or have been scheduled in the community, how they impact the program, mitigation strategies that need to be designed related to prevention and handling, and who is in charge.
Paidi from Ngudi Mulyo explained that socio-cultural activities that occur in the community are mandatory and should not be abandoned because they are related to customs. “Bersih Kali, for example, is an activity that has become a tradition in the management of water sources used in this mist irrigation/irrigation activity. There are some local cultural regulations regarding how to use water from the source.”
The participants then discussed again about the project design and innovation activities being conducted, by looking at the results of the identification of events, problems, and other influencing factors on the project journey and innovation activities later.
On the second day, participants discussed together how to measure the performance of projects and innovation activities and the two-days training was ended with session on knowledge management that would be important for monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and future learning.
One important note to keep in mind is that when making indicators in outputs and outcomes, they must be specific and clear, and measurable. To what extent can the program objectives be achieved? So it is necessary to consider each indicator to be achieved and what the evidence is, so that baseline or initial data and endline or end data of projects/innovation activities are needed.