Final evaluation report Widows project

FPFK`s Widows project period was 5-year (2017-2021), but it was granted an additional year 2022 due to the impact of Covid-19. The project targeted the widows in the 2 sub-counties Alego Usonga and Ugenya sub-County within the Siaya County in Kenya. The project’s overall objective was to empower the widows to live in dignity and freedom from harmful traditional practices. The widows were the main project participants, but the project also targeted youths, the local administrators, the religious leaders, the cultural elders, and the in-laws. The Widows project used training seminars and workshops to strengthen the widows’ capacity to resist rights violations and social abuse and in turn stand up for others. The widows were further capacitated on legal rights, psychosocial healing, and economic productivity.

Purpose/objective:

The overall objective is to ensure that widows in Nyambare area are empowered to live in dignity and freedom through three specific objectives:

i) Increased knowledge and skills for widows’ self-advocacy towards their freedom from harmful cultural practices.

ii) Establishment of support systems that enhance the welfare and cultural freedom of widows.

iii) Improved policy environment favourable for widows’ freedom from harmful cultural practices.

Methodology:

The OECD-DAC criteria for evaluation were applied to review the project while integrating Digni’s Empowerment Assessment across the various target groups. This was a cross sectional descriptive participatory evaluation employing mixed method approaches. Purposive sampling of respondent was done for qualitative data collection, and this included target community representatives from the two regions as well as stakeholders actively engaged in the project. Quantitative data was gathered from desk review and progress reports.

Key findings

• Relevance: The work with marginalised communities focusing on widows at the grassroots level in projecting the voice of these communities through local established groups was found to be consistent with FPFK’s mission. Review of progress reports and interviews during the evaluation also provide evidence that the project has to a greater extent reached the widows who are adversely affected and “crippled” by culture and traditional practices associated with widowhood. The project has bridged the gap in the social wellbeing of widows in Siaya County which is wanting due to lack of targeted sustainable interventions and policy gaps. Furthermore, the project’s Theory of Change and strategies remain appropriate to the needs of the participants, especially widows. The evaluation indicates significant contribution towards individual and community changes, with regard to skills, knowledge and access to rights as well as economic opportunities.
• Effectiveness: According to the review of progress reports, the project focused on building capacity of project participants on widows’ rights and responsibilities, inheritance and sexual rights, harmful cultural practices affecting widows, and widows’ property and succession rights. Additionally, sensitisation forums for widows, affected youths, local administrators and religious leaders were conducted on the rights and freedoms of widows. Over the project period, these initiatives have resulted in 386 widows being able to demonstrate knowledge in advocacy against the overall target of 342. Out of the set target of 213, 371 widows were also able to claim their rights. This is a great achievement towards empowering the widows to live in dignity and freedom, considering that at baseline only 6 widows were able to claim their rights. Furthermore, a total of 378 were able to stand up for not only themselves but also for other widows thereby demonstrating that their capacity has been built with the needed knowledge. The project has also contributed to 446 religious leaders, cultural elders, the youth and now the in-laws respecting the widows after the sensitization and dialogue forums over the implementation period.
• Efficiency: Review of project documents indicates that resources and inputs have been used in a good manner to achieve project results, overall project management principles have been followed, and project Advisory Committee has played its role in providing oversight at local level. The strategies and approaches employed especially capacity building, socio- economic empowerment, and local level advocacy have been effective in ensuring effective implementation.
• Risks and sustainability: The project design has put in place various strategies that will ensure continuation after project closure. For instance, capacity building component has led to more widows knowing their rights. Trained paralegals have also enhanced local level referral mechanisms that will continue beyond project period.
• Civil Society Strengthening: FPFK through the local and regional church structure as well as working with local community structures and CSOs has established strong partnership with potential to bring change at local level. In addition, involvement of in-laws and youths has laid the ground for and an enabling environment for engagement by the project participants. However, there is still a need to invest in capacity strengthening of the groups to ensure further effectiveness, efficiency and sustainability.

Recommendations:

The evaluation indicates that a continuation of the Widows project is needed as cultural practices are still deeply rooted in Siaya county. To increase knowledge and skills for widows’ self-advocacy towards their freedom from harmful cultural practices the evaluation has indicated several factors that still have to be worked on.

Comments from NPM:

FPFK has applied for a new project on widows in a larger geographical area to enable comparison of challenges. Experience and competence built up through Widows will be important for this new project. In NPMs opinion, the evaluators did a thorough job. The most important finding is that many widows have been given legal assistance and made aware of their rights. In addition, the families in laws’ attitudes towards the widows have changed, and public persons like chiefs and cultural leaders have stood up for the widows. NPM believe that what has been obtained so far will spread and inspire new Lou areas.

Comments from Digni:

The evaluation report responds to the questions posted in the Terms of Reference and provide useful insights for future project interventions. The evaluator has assessed the results of the project according to Digni’s Empowerment Assessment Tool in a sufficient way.