School supported

Learning workshop

CESAL team

Objectives: Identify lessons learned and good practices to help improve education in relation to school management, coordination with decentralized and local authorities, pedagogical quality, and improvement of educational infrastructure and equipment.

Work done: The work was carried out with a Haitian expert in education and in close collaboration with the CESAL team. An update of the educational situation in Haiti was carried out, used as a reference to appreciate the lessons learned and good practices of the program. Interviews with the actors of the program at state and local levels were conducted, and two learning workshops with the CESAL team before and after the fieldwork. We analised: the theory of change; the selection of schools; intervention strategies and methodologies; the results achieved, efficiency and sustainability; the management model. For each of the lines of the program, we summarised the problems faced, the results achieved, the lessons learned, the good practices and recommendations for improvement.

Results: Study of systematization of learning, identification of opportunities for the program and recommendations.

Date: May - June 2019 

Vegetables producers

Discussion with producers

Workshop with producers

Objectives: To provide a comprehensive understanding of how horticultural crops are marketed in Anantapur district and how the marketing process can be improved for the benefit of smallholder farmers.

Work done: We collected and analysed information on horticultural production and marketing in the district and the country; we processed available data on small producers to characterize their profile. We elaborated the methodology of the study, focused on six crops. The collection of information consisted of a workshop with producers from 15 villages, 2 workshops with the RDT team, a field visits to peasant families in 8 villages, interviews with government officials and other institutions, a survey of 240 families, questionnaires to RDT field staff on local markets and telephone interviews with traders. We carried out the work in collaboration with an Indian expert in agriculture.

Results: Study on the commercialization of 6 horticultural crops, including: the analysis of the context; the analysis of marketing actors; the analysis of the production, consumption and marketing of each crop; conclusions and challenges for families; recommendations to face the challenges.

Date: March-May 2017 

Objectives: Identify the key elements of economic, political, cooperation, migratory and socio-cultural relations between Spain and Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria.

Work done: in collaboration with an expert researcher in the Maghreb, a document of some 60 pages was drafted exploring key issues in the relations between Spain and the Maghreb countries. Interviews were also conducted with several actors.

Results: 60-page document proposing strategic intervention areas and areas of possible added value for Oxfam Intermon.

Date: October to December 2014 

The foundations of our work

Purpose: To identify existing business support resources within the Oxfam confederation (number of staff, location and investment) and capture lessons learnt from current resource-sharing initiatives, to explore challenges and obstacles towards stronger collaboration among Oxfam affiliates.

Work process: We inventoried business support resources (that is, all positions related to Administration, Logistics, Finance, Human Resources, Fundraising and Information Technology) and ways of working s to enable a better understanding of how business support to program work in countries and regions is delivered across the Oxfam confederation. Information was gathered through: (a) questionnaires from 13 affiliates; (b) interviews to 18 stakeholders to explore their thoughts on resource sharing within a cost-effectiveness agenda; and (c) reviewing literature.

Results: A report was presented analysing business support figures globally, examining strengths and challenges in delivery of business support, and exploring what lessons can be learnt from existing shared support ventures.

Date: May to September 2013

Word cloud of Oxfam's OSP

Purpose: To conduct a comparative analysis of the current draft of the Oxfam Strategic Plan (OSP) with the Joint Country Analyses and Strategies in order to check the coherence of the final version of the OSP and the degree of alignment of country-level strategies with it.

Work process: This process involved (a) revision of 60 JCAS and 4 regional strategies , and (b) analysing the latest draft of the OSP.

Results: A 6 page analysis was produced and presented to the Oxfam Secretariat.

Date: February to March 2013

Global Program

Purpose: To inventorise Oxfam's global programs and propose a common definition of the term.

Work process: We compiled all of Oxfam's programs fitting under this concept, the program's evaluations and we analyzed the various understandings of the term. We also interviewed 15 staff involved in the formulation and management of global programs.

Results: We prepared a report mapping all global programs, proposing a unified conception of the term and identifying criteria for determining what qualifies as a global program. We also suggested next steps for the promotion of future global programs.

Date: November to December 2012.

Resources

Purpose: To identify Oxfam's program support resources and make recommendations for their alignment.

Work process: We set up a team with an Argentinian evaluator. We analyzed the program support structures and systems of 11 of the 17 Oxfam confederation members, through visits to a few of their offices, in-depth questionnaires, interviews and online surveys.

Results: We developed a detailed mapping of the strategies, visions and program development resources. We collected 285 examples of good practices (policies, tools, manuals) and made recommendations for harmonizing practices among members of the confederation.

Date: March to June 2012.

A joint vision

Purpose: Review and analyze global trends in 48 Oxfam Country Strategies

Work process: We designed a methodological process to review 48 Country Strategic Plans and extract common trends. This analysis was supplemented by interviews with 20 stakeholders to explore additional issues relating to Oxfam's role, its capacity for innovation and the concept of transformational development.

Results: Report analysing trends in Oxfam's Country Strategy papaers, as an input for the drafting of Oxfam's new Global Strategic Plan.

Date: October - December 2011

Interdependence

Purpose: To define OI's Partnership Policy in consultation with relevant OI staff.

Work process: In collaboration with a Canadian consultant, we revised relevant OI and international literature and developed a Discussion Paper on basic concepts and principles of partnership, in tune with current discussions on the issue. A consultation process began which involved over 50 OI staff. With their contributions and suggestions we developed a draft Partnership Policy which was submitted for analysis to OI's Program Directors and Lead Regional Managers.

Results: After a second round of consultations a Statement of Partnership Principles was finalized.

Date: December 2009-February 2010.

Workshop on cooperation policy

Objectives: Based on the lessons learned, support SETEM in the preparation of a draft cooperation policy.

Work done: A team made up of a baobab consultant and a facilitator was formed, and two participatory workshops were held with broad representation of theSETEM operating team.

Results: A draft of the SETEM cooperation policy was prepared.

Date: May, June and December 2010 

Purpose: To identify and draw up recommendations on development priorities and the expected outcomes of the Spanish EU presidency in 2010 for the Fundación Alternativas / Foreign Policy Observatory.

Work process: We interviewed various Spanish and European development actors involved in the Spanish EU presidency preparation. We also spoke to Ministries of Development and national NGO platforms to raise information concerning ODA figures, as well as the Swedish and Belgian presidencies' priorities. After going through the official documents and sector analysis studies, we produced a draft document which was reviewed with Fundación Alternativas' amendments and then approved.

Results: We presented the final document (3 parts: context, analysis, recommendations) to Fundación Alternativas, which shall use it as an input for its negotiation and lobby work with the Spanish government. It will also be distributed among the development actors.

Date: July 2009.

Detail of La Ceiba's community
house mural.

Purpose: To analyse the program's achievements after a decade of work.

Work process: We developed a methodology to analyze the effectiveness and pertinence of the program's policies and strategies. The work was carried out by analyzing documentation, making a trip to Cuba to interview Oxfam's partners, groups of beneficiaries, local experts, the Oxfam International affiliates who participate in the Cuba program, and delegates of other international NGOs and foreign aid officials.

Results: We submitted a report in which we studied the program's achievements and each partner's contribution towards them. We analyzed the following evaluation criteria: effectiveness, impact, relevance and sustainability, and we paid special attention to the progress made in gender mainstreaming. We made recommendations on the program's design and strategies, its implementation and Oxfam's partner strengthening capacity.

Date: October to December 2008.