Supporting “Local” Evaluation from a Distance: conversation with local evaluators in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Nicaragua and Burkina Faso.
Roundtable | Hybrid
-
Organized by:
Nuru
- In partnership with: The Ray Marshall Center
About the Event
In international development evaluation, a shift towards localization challenges traditional practices dominated by large organizations. Our roundtable explores insights from local evaluators in Ethiopia, Nigeria, Nicaragua, Burkina Faso, and Texas-based organizations. We aim to define 'local' evaluation and showcase transformative changes led by local voices. Ian Schwenke of Nuru and Thomas Boswell from the University of Texas advocate for empowering local evaluators, highlighting the benefits of contextual expertise. We address barriers to local leadership in evaluation, advocating for recognition and support. Additionally, we discuss remote capacity-building strategies and promoting local expertise to aspiring evaluators. Our presentation offers a fresh perspective, fostering a future where local voices drive evaluation methodologies.
Speakers
| Name | Title | Biography |
|---|---|---|
| Ian Schwenke | MEL Advisor | Ian Schwenke is the MEL Advisor for Nuru International, leading work on the methods, approaches, and support for evaluations across the Nuru Collective. Ian holds a MA in international development from Georgetown University in DC, and has spent his career working with NGOs in East and West Africa. |
| Thomas Boswell | Social Science Researcher | Thomas Boswell focuses on international development and impact evaluation, employing quantitative and qualitative methods to study socioeconomic outlooks and recovery from external shocks, managing projects in Nicaragua and across Africa. Thomas holds an MA from the LBJ School of Public Affairs. |
| Tatek Amataw | Nuru Ethiopia MEL Manager | Tatek, from Sheger Ethiopia, boasts nearly 20 years in program management and monitoring for ICRC, IFRC, British Red Cross, GOAL Ethiopia, Comic Relief, Cordaid, and Nuru-supported programs and projects. Tatek holds a BSc in Applied Mathematics. |
| Bless Jima | Nuru Nigeria MEL Manager | Bless Jima is the Nuru Nigeria MEL Coordinator. With a Masters' in Computer Science, Bless applies her skills in NW Nigeria with local communities to effectively monitor and evaluate programs. Bless leads large evaluation initiatives with USAID, GIZ, and other programs. |
| Souleymane Ouedraogo | Nuru Burkina Faso MEL Manager | Souleymane holds an MA in monitoring and evaluation in Ouagadougou, where he currently serves as the MEL manager for Nuru Burkina Faso, working on several large interventions with smallholders. Souleymane has prior experience with CNFA in the region working on local and multilingual evaluations. |
| Fatima Cerda | La Isla Network Technical Coordinator | Fatima Cerda is the LIN Technical Coordinator for Adelante Initiative and Prep4Change, managing surveys and logistics, she has 7 years of data collection experience in the field. Fatima holds a MA in Occupational Health and supports programs’ evaluation in Central America. |