Project name: Evaluation of the Community Based Response component of the Global Fund Project
Client: Western Cape Provincial AIDS Council and Networking AIDS Community of South Africa (NACOSA)
Project duration: April – July 2008
Service: Evaluation, research

The Networking AIDS Community of South Africa (NACOSA), in partnership with the Department of Health and the Western Cape Provincial AIDS Council, contracted CREATIVE CONSULTING & DEVELOPMENT WORKS to conduct an evaluation of one of four components to the Global Fund Project, the Community Based Response to HIV/AIDS (CBR).

The CBR component aims at strengthening community-based responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic through community mobilisation. This is done through the establishment of Multisectoral Action Teams (MSATs) that coordinate HIV/AIDS and TB activities. The development of projects to address local effects of the epidemic is also a key objective.

The evaluation looked at the processes and outcomes achieved by the CBR component and the programme’s strengths and weaknesses. The methodology included:

•    Purposive sampling of the MSATs in the Western  Cape

•    A pilot phase

•    Focus group discussions with the MSATs and MSAT-funded projects

•    In-depth interviews with organisations

•    Analysis of the data collected

It was important for the evaluation team to utilise a number of research methods that would ensure the reliability and validity of the data collected. This sound methodological approach enabled the evaluation team to address the key research questions.

“In their planning of the evaluation, we found that the CREATIVE CONSULTING & DEVELOPMENT WORKS consultants were extremely professional, that they took care to fully understand the breadth and depth of the evaluation study that was required, and that they ensured that the planned fieldwork and data collection would provide the necessary information to address all of the requirements of the evaluation.” (John Frankish, Grant Programme Manager, Western Cape Global Fund)