An independent evaluation of the first phase of Sierra Leone’s post Ebola recovery programme has ensured its successes, challenges and lessons learned will inform planning and delivery of the second phase of the recovery process.
The Early Recovery phase focused on activities in four key sectors – health, education, social protection and the private sector –intended to have an immediate positive effect on Sierra Leone’s population. Freetown-based Dalan Consultants were commissioned by the President’s Recovery Priorities’ delivery team, to conduct their own nationwide assessment of the outputs and outcomes of Early Recovery initiatives.
The evaluation process mainly focused on getting feedback from the beneficiaries of the Early Recovery initiatives, but the opinions of other stakeholders such as key donors, religious, traditional and community leaders and service providers amongst others, were also sought.
Explaining the rationale for the independent evaluation, Mr Saidu Conton-Sesay, the Chief of Staff, who is leading the delivery team said: “Evaluation is a very powerful instrument for accountability – the responsibility and answerability of institutions for delivering on their mandate. Beneficiary participation was key to planning the Early Recovery phase. Ensuring beneficiary participation in the evaluation gives us the opportunity to take a hard and honest look at what has worked well, what did not work well and, most importantly, why- so that we can address these issues in the second phase of the President’s Recovery Priorities.”
Dalan researchers covered a sample of three chiefdoms in the districts of Bo and Moyamba in the South, Kono and Kailahun in the East, Port Loko and Bombali in the North and the Western area both urban and rural.
The final report from the independent evaluation will be published here on the President’s Recovery Priorities website www.presidentsrecoveryprioties.gov.sl.