"The perspective that informs this important book is that every evaluation of a capacity development effort should itself contribute to the capacity development effort and ultimately to the organization’s performance. This is a revolutionary idea in evaluation. With the idea have come the question
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s: Can it be done? And, if it is done, what will be the consequences? This book elucidates and deepens the idea, shows it can be done, and examines the consequences, both intended and unintended, of engaging in capacity development evaluation." (Foreword)
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"Serbian media assistance programs reflect two approaches to media development. Though they occasionally created friction, the differing approaches produced positive results. The goal of USAID’s Office of Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) was to fund programs and media outlets that could dissemin
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ate messages pushing immediate political change. USAID/OTI characterized its activities as “pushing the reform agenda.” This approach contrasted with but complemented that of USAID’s Bureau for Europe and Eurasia (USAID/E&E), which supported long-term, sustainable media development projects. While USAID/E&E’s projects contributed to the short-term goal of regime change in Serbia, they were also designed to aid the democratic transition that followed. Despite—or perhaps because of—this dynamic tension, the overall USAID program was very successful. Democratic elements in Serbia received— and still have—the media tools to effect democratic change. NGOs, media outlets, and democratic activists also received the topical programs and emergency infusions funded by USAID/OTI and USAID/E&E. Two years after the fall of Milosevic, personnel and basic media infrastructure remain in place to serve the ongoing democratic transition and broaden coverage of issues in public discourse." (Executive summary, page xi-xii)
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"1. Filled an Important Supporting Role to Indigenous Civil Society: Centre Lokole work supported indigenous civil society, providing them with information and services that enabled them to be more effective and informed in their work. This is important as it reinforces the sustainability of indigen
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ous agencies. Further consideration should be given to providing open and equal access for all local groups. 2. Developed a Highly Popular and Effective Radio Medium: The radio soap opera Jirani Ni Ndugu is the jewel in the Centre Lokole crown. This radio programme is highly popular and effective, with what appears to be a dedicated listenership that takes to heart many of the messages of the programme. Not all the radio programmes have avid followings however and further consideration needs to occur as to the strategic purpose these shows make. 3. Programming Initiated a Multiplier Effect: The results of CL programming went beyond those directly engaged participants. Independent initiatives resulting from engagement in a CL activity or project were clearly visible." (Executive summary)
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"USAID’s Latin American Journalism Project (LAJP), which focused on journalistic standards and practices in Central America from 1988 to 1997, was the Agency’s first major media initiative. The project stemmed from an assessment and conference, and a proposal by Florida International University
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(FIU), that concluded that educational and training programs carried out over the long term would have a positive impact on journalism throughout the region. As designed and implemented by FIU, the project provided training to nearly 7,000 participants on different aspects of journalism. When funding lapsed in 1997, the Agency passed the torch to the Center for Latin American Journalism (CELAP), a private, self-supporting institution that continues to provide journalism training in Latin America. As a part of its global assessment of media assistance, USAID’s Center for Development Information and Evaluation (CDIE)1 evaluated the achievements, impacts, and limitations of the LAJP and CELAP programs in October 2002." (Executive summary)
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"USAID media-related assistance to Russia totaled over $44 million during the June 1992-September 2002 period. Television-focused funding absorbed $22.4 million; projects focused mainly on the print media accounted for just over $7 million; and funding for the media sector as a whole was over $14.5
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million. In addition to direct institutionbuilding activities, USAID provided assistance for using media for special purposes, such as holding elections and preventing domestic violence. While these two projects may have increased local media skills and capabilities, it was not their primary intention. USAID Russia's major partner in the broadcast media was Internews, which received $18.1 million. Although undertaking various activities to promote independent media in Russia, Internews's primary focus was to assist emerging, independent regional television stations. With dynamic leadership and innovative program strategies, Internews has become one of the most prominent media NGOs in the Russian Federation." (Executive summary)
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"It probably does not need saying again, but the media market in BiH is a mass. Not just because there are too many outlets fighting for an audience and seeking all too little available money, but because noone knows much with any accuracy. So claim and counter claim for audience share, coverage, ci
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rculation and advertising revenues contribute to the general prevailing atmosphere of suspicion and distrust. Undoubtedly many outlets will fail in the next few years, and it will be a challenge for all those who care about Bosnia to ensure those that do fail are not those who are making a genuine contribution to society. Ten years ago there was chaos in the media, and a great many of the outlets were pernicious; this was followed by a period of anarchy in which anyone could do what they liked – some of what blossomed then was reasonable, much was not. Now, there is some sort of stability. The electronic media is highly decentralised but print remains, in the main, centralised in the two entity capitals. There are a number of decent organisations close to sustainability. We believe support should continue to be focused on those who are, and who are also demonstrating, and continue to demonstrate, a genuine contribution to building democracy, to promoting open debate, and to helping to hold government, institutions and all centres of power, to account." (Conclusions, page 26)
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"An internal evaluation of the African Journals Online (AJOL) project following the first three years of the full programme, aimed at discovering the overall impact of AJOL and how the service might be improved. The main objectives of the evaluation were to find out (i) whether the results of resear
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ch published in African journals were becoming more widely known and used, and, (ii) whether the journals had benefited, either through increased income from subscriptions or other ways from exposure in AJOL." (Hans M. Zell, Publishing, Books & Reading in Sub-Saharan Africa, 3d ed. 2008, nr. 1973)
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"Taking 14 radio serial dramas from around the world shows that many aspects of the way they are organised are not replicable: what works in one context would just not work in another. This is because of the very nature of pro-social media projects: they depend so much on the personal contacts of th
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e producers, and the specific needs and tastes of the target audience. A successful model for one country may well not work in another, simply because there are so many variables. Having presented this caveat, the following is a list of replicable features gleaned from the 14 projects studied. More detail about how these features work in practice can be found in each case-study. The features have been selected because they either show up strongly across all projects, have been singled out by project-holders as the key to their success, or because they seem to have the potential for translating across countries and sectors." (Recommendations, page 21)
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"Although it relies heavily on reliable information and long distance communication, the humanitarian community has never taken the lead in developing technologies that are particularly suited to its needs. Over the last decades it has greatly profited, however, from technological innovations in tel
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ecommunications and information technology. Besides, a number of applications has been developed that are particularly aimed at the humanitarian community. In particular static products that don’t need to be frequently updated, such as maps, training materials et cetera, have been widely disseminated: the development of this kind of products has become an important aspect of disaster preparedness. Recommendation: Under the heading of disaster preparedness humanitarian organisations should continue to develop information products that can easily be used under a variety of field conditions. Donors, including ECHO, should (continue to) provide funding for such projects. The sharing of these IT tools should be encouraged: as a matter of fact, a culture of sharing information and IT among humanitarian organisations should be promoted." (Executive summary, page 3)
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"As part of its strategy to build the capacity of Angolans in conflict prevention and resolution, the Centre for Common Ground in Angola (CCG) contracted the services of a team of experts, most of who were officers from Instituto Nacional de Estatística (National Institute of Statistics) to carry o
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ut an opinion poll aimed at assessing the impact of two soap operass produced by it. The two-pronged quantitative and qualitative research is intended to find out the impact of the production and broadcast of two soap operas, Vozes Que Falam and Coisas Da Nossa Gente, which themes aspire to promote wholesome relationships among all Angolans." (Introduction)
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"Since 1995, Search for Common Ground (SFGC), a US non-profit organization based in Washington, DC, has implemented a program in Burundi with the goal of reducing ethnic conflict and encouraging reconciliation. To this end, SFGC currently runs four in-country programs: Studio Ijambo, an independent
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radio production studio in which twenty-one ethnically diverse journalists work together to produce accurate and unbiased radio programming designed to promote reconciliation and eased ethnic tensions; the Womens’ Peace Center, a forum for unifying and strengthening civil society and promoting democratic processes; the Youth Project, a cooperative project which brings together ethnically mixed youth leaders from throughout Bujumbura and Bujumbura Rurale, as well as organizes other peace-building projects for youth; Integration Initiative: This new project maximizes the synergies among and around SFGC projects as they expand both geographically and in scope. SFGC has commissioned an independent evaluation of its work in Burundi, pursuant to its various grant agreements and as a part of it commitment to carry out regular in-depth assessments of its work." (Introduction)
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"UNESCO’s involvement with the books programme started off as general in character, becoming focused in the 1990s on country-specific circumstances, culminating in the publication of the practical guide, The National Book Policy. Numerous actions were initiated and implemented under the programmes
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and include: the elaboration of national policies taking into account the concerns of both the public and private sectors; training; publication of guidelines; and the promotion of the value of reading by initiating activities on the occasion of World Book and Copyright Day – activities, which come under the two central themes: Books for All and Towards a Reading Society. The evaluation set out to assess “UNESCO in relation to the book” and thus was concerned with the Organization’s activities (policies, strategies and procedures relating to the production and dissemination capacities in the book and other cultural industries and to the promotion of culture, with special attention given to the sphere of children) during 1990-1997. The World Decade for Cultural Development (1988-1997) was used as a general frame of reference, together with the third Medium-Term Plan (starting in 1990)." (UNESCO website, 02.02.2011)
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