CMRA Final Evaluation of "Decentralised Response to HIV and AIDS in South Africa"

Project name: Final Evaluation of “Decentralised Response to HIV and AIDS in South Africa”
Client: Centre for Municipal Research and Advice
Project duration: November – December 2009
Service: Research, evaluation and report writing

To strengthen the capacity of South African municipalities to respond to the HIV and AIDS pandemic in South Africa, a project intervention entitled "Decentralised Response to HIV and AIDS in South Africa" was designed.

The Centre for Municipal Research and Advice (CMRA) was specifically established as a joint initiative by the International Cooperation Agency of the Association of Netherlands Municipalities (VNG-I) and the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) to implement this project.

At the end of the project, CMRA contracted CREATIVE CONSULTING & DEVELOPMENT WORKS to assess the process and key results. The objectives of the final external evaluation were:

• to assess the results achieved throughout the project period

• to assess project design and implementation (relevance, effectiveness, and efficiency)

• to assess the project implementation impact and sustainability

• to recommend elements on content and design for future programmes

• to learn and account to the donor in terms of the contractual obligations

A review of documents was done and a semi-structured interview guide and checklist was designed, based on information obtained. Intensive fieldwork was conducted, which consisted of interviews with key stakeholder and project informants in seven targeted municipalities.

Initial findings were presented and discussed with CMRA project management staff. Thereafter, a final report was written and submitted by CREATIVE CONSULTING & DEVELOPMENT WORKS. The evaluation’s findings and recommendations took into consideration the complex, relatively fluid, and highly challenging local government context within which the project was located. From the report CMRA can clearly see what has been achieved by the initiative and what to consider when undertaking future projects.