Thread:Impact Assessment of BDS and Training Programmes (2)

Impact assessment in the light of youth entrepreneurship

Thank you very much for this wonderful and interesting topic, am joining late as usual but i think can still contribute on the intro before i could zero in into today's discussion. BDS approaches for me were interesting looking at what is obtaining on the ground in Zambia especially in the light of FSIP Programs from government, Cash transfer project that people in Eastern province are being given by DFID and HELP Age,constitutes one such initiative that corresponds to traditional approach. People are never consulted in the design, development and implementation of the program. This kind of initiative often, is not appreciated by the beneficiaries because often they do not owner the program. They just passive recipient of development or change and not drivers of that development, initiative or that change. As such sustainability of the project is compromised. Immediate the project funds are exhausted and the project closes, everything just falls to pieces. This is happening in Zambia and thus, though in other perspective impact is said to be there, in reality it is money invested in the drain. However, this is not to say market driven projects are not implemented there are and though not in favour of the developing interprenuers, let me not talk much it is a missed topic. Back on today's topic measuring impact especially in the light of the current enterprise in Zambia. Measuring impact is one important and integral part of any program that is implemented whose input is money(funds). Many donors and funders would want to know how they money was spent, and what was achieved in respect. However, measuring impact can only be done if measures are put in place before the program or business is designed. Indeed one needs to know the six element of effectiveness managent coined as COPIPO, You need to understand context where are you,( baseline and situation analysis), understand the planning, where do you want to be or go, develop management plans, work plans, monitoring plans and sustainability plan e.t.c. Input is another aspect, what do you need to get there,,,staff and financial resources,,is it enough, then one needs to look at Output, what did we produce in the implementation process. Then one need to look at what was the Bold textoutcome, what did we achieve in-terms of our objectives.

Now all these aspects are suppose to be put in place way before implementation then design indicators which should be able to capture all the above aspect.. You need to tell the owners of the money how mach impact was realised and this can only be realised through a robust Monitoring and evaluation plan that has provisions for evaluations ,,midterm, diagnostic impact or just the most important one and critical the end of project evaluation to which baseline survey should serve as comparing point to where the project or program is and impact achieved so far... Sorry i will add more later Regards