Democratic Republic of Congo

2012 L'Equipe - Final Evaluation Report

Since conducting the baseline research for L’Equipe (The Team) in July 2010, L’Equipe Season One (12 episodes) was aired from The 27th August 2010 to the 31st March 2011 on Digital Congo, a national wide broadcasting station. Local broadcasters (18) started a month later and aired the series until late April 2011. Season Two (7 episodes) was aired at RTNC a National wide broadcasting station form the 3rd October 2011 to early January 2012.  Local broadcaster (10 TV station aired in the same period).   SMS quiz around the 7 seven episodes has been organized with the national wide broadcaster, and mobile cinema screenings were organized in different parts of the country.

L’Equipe DRC Logframe (see Appendix A) had four major areas of focus: 1) improved citizen involvement with governance; 2) improved knowledge, attitude and behavior related to the themes addressed in the drama; 3) improved government response to issues addressed in the drama; and, 4) improved civil society and media response to the same issues.  Accordingly, the research team attempted four final evaluation research methods to measure the achievement of these objectives:  1) a public citizen survey; 2) key informant interviews with government and civil society officials; 3) assessment of outreach activities; and, 4) cases of change and transformation due to the effect of L’Equipe.

The results of the final evaluation show that L’Equipe in the DRC has succeeded indeed in transforming the attitudes and actions of citizens.  The results of this final evaluation have shown, quantitatively more than qualitatively, that the TV drama influenced the views and attitudes of many.  This became evident via comparative analyses of the results for those who watched the drama, those who did not watch, and those who responded at the baseline stage.

Read the Key Findings [English]

Read the Evaluation Report [English]

2012 Project PEAR + (Phase III) – Final Evaluation Report

SFCG has been part of the Unicef PEAR + project since 2009. The last phase of the PEAR project (phase III, June 2011 – May 2012) aimed at applying the scenario of a "deepened increase of conflict sensitivity". SFCG's goals were the following:

• raise "conflict sensitivity" at the same level as the other intervention sectors (WASH, Education, Health and Protection) and;

• establish "conflict sensitivity" as a transversal dynamic, integrating the various aspects of each of these sectors.

Globally SFCG's work was evaluated as efficient and relevant. It reinforced capacities (local capacities and capacities of the partners) in conflict analysis, "conflict sensitivity", peace building and in cohesion and reconciliation.

Read the Key Findings [English]

SFCG fait partie du projet PEAR+ d'UNICEF depuis 2009. La dernière phase du projet PEAR (phase III, juin 2011 – mai 2012) visait à mettre en œuvre le scénario d'une "sensibilité aux conflits en profondeur". Les objectifs de SFCG étaient donc de faire de la « sensibilité aux conflits » :

• un pilier à part entière du programme, au même titre que les 4 autres secteurs d'intervention (WASH, éducation, santé et protection) et,

• une dynamique réellement transversale qui intègre les différents aspects de chacun des 4 secteurs.

Globalement le travail de SFCG a été efficace et pertinent en ce qu'il a renforcé les capacités locales et celles des partenaires de PEAR dans l'analyse des conflits, la « sensibilite aux conflits », la construction de la paix et dans la cohésion et la réconciliation.

Lire le Rapport Final [Français]

Lire les Principaux Résultats [Français]

2012 Summary Report on the Project "Integration Messages on Health" with the C-Change Programme

SFCG has recently completed a USAID funded project with the C-Change programme at Family Health International on the integration of messages focusing on malaria, TB, maternal and child health, HIV and water and sanitation. The messages are broadcast via a series of radio spots, and episodes from the radio series, Mopila, and the television series, The Team. The evaluation organisation, EXPERTS, carried out an evaluation of the programme in Kasai Occidental, Kasai Oriental, South Kivu and Katanga, speaking to a total of 4,000 people across the four provinces. The results were a positive indication of SFCG’s listenership and the reach of its programmes. More than 50% of the people surveyed had been exposed to one of SFCG’s programmes, the most popular of which is the radio series, Mopila, a series which follows a humoristic taxi driver. The study also shows positive feedback regarding the programmes on health that were developed with C-Change.  81% of the respondents who heard the C-Change programmes reported that they were ready to change their behaviour regarding washing their hands before eating and preparing food, as opposed to only 70% of those respondents who had not listened to the programmes. The survey reported that messages regarding the importance of using mosquito nets and taking children with a fever to a health centre as soon as possible, were among the most popular received and were well understood and appreciated.

Lire le rapport de synthèse [Français]

2012 DRC Programme Evaluation

Search for Common Ground commissioned Channel Research to conduct an evaluation with the principal objective of strengthening their strategies for their work in the country. The OECD-DAC criteria of effectiveness, efficiency (in terms of cost-efficiency), and the sustainability of the programmes were used in evaluating five sample projects that SFCG selected. The evaluation also required a study of SFCG-DRC’s learning capacity, which included a comprehensive review of the existing monitoring and evaluation system. Five projects were included in the evaluation covering a range of donors, tools (including radio, participatory theatre, reconciliation events, organisation of Tribunaux d’Expression Populaire, and mobile theatre) and thematic topics such as violence against women, good governance, and security sector reform.

Although not representative in the strict sense, the diversity of the projects selected enabled the evaluation team to make general conclusions and recommendations of the work that SFCG is conducting in the DRC.

Findings:

• Overall, the evaluation team found that the SFCG-DRC’s implementation of project activities is largely effective. In most of the projects assessed, SFCG-DRC achieves the objectives.  Project activities that draw on SFCG’s standard approaches are particularly well executed (media programmes, participatory theatre, mobile cinema, reconciliation events).

• SFCG-DRC is also able to work at a fast pace, which can be a key success factor for good results in a fast changing conflict context. The effective intervention following the 2009 outbreak of violence in the Equateur province is a good example in this regard.

• When it comes to complex multi-objective programmes involving new methodologies (e.g. EU-project involving the “Bulletin de Score”), there is room for improvement in the areas of project management, partnerships with local actors, and the application of tools to achieve the desired outcome results, and increased capacity of human resources.

• The capacity of the SFCG-DRC team and its presence in the field are strong assets of the organisation. At present the expertise is still largely focussed on media programming and less on new and upcoming intervention areas (e.g. police reform, good governance).

• SFCG-DRC has good relationships with local organisations although more attention and resources should be devoted to building local capacities and empowering local actors to carry out implementation.

• SFCG-DRC is applying good practice in certain testing and monitoring activities which is recognized by donors. However, more can be done to move beyond the current emphasis on measuring changes in knowledge and attitudes as a result of beneficiary participation to assess the wider results at programme level. SFCG-DRC should do more assessments at the outcome (“effets directs”) and impact level.

In conclusion, the evaluation found that SFCG-DRC has unique capacities for peacebuilding and governance programming in DRC. Over the past ten years the organization has established a good presence and reputation in many parts of the country. To consolidate these achievements and to adapt to new contextual and donor requirements, the organization should consider shifting from its current project focused, fast implementation mode to a more strategic, programme level mode.

Lire le rapport final [Français]

Lire les annexes [Français]

2011 Kesho Ni Siku Mpya - Lobi Mokolo Ya Sika "Tomorrow Is A New Day" Project Evaluation

"Tomorrow is a New Day" project, funded by the Dutch government, reaches soldiers of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and civilians to improve civilian protection, fight impunity, and restore military-civilian relations.

Specific objectives include:

• Raising awareness: Fostering an increased awareness of human rights, conflict transformation principles, and the Military Code among the target brigades.

• Fighting Impunity: Contributing to the fight against impunity by engaging the FARDC in denouncing violations, monitoring cases before military courts, and implementing an effective media outreach strategy.

• Collaboration and Solidarity: Improving military-civilian relations by garnering mutual respect and an understanding of human rights, via joint cultural, sporting, dialogue, collaborative action, and income generating activities.

In order to determine the impact of "Tomorrow is a New Day" and relationship between civilians and the FARDC, in 2010, SFCG conducted surveys held in-depth discussions via focus groups, and spoke with marginalized groups and select segments of society in key informant interviews. The evaluation tracked military-civilian relations in 16 locations in Ituri, North Katanga, North Kivu, and South Kivu, as well as the opinions of a sampling of soldiers deployed there. The results indicate positive transformational impacts of SFCG activities in the region.

Read the Key Findings [English]

Read the Evaluation Report [English]

2011 "Emergency program for the Cholera prevention" - External Evaluation

In 2011, SFCG implemented the OXFAM GB cholera prevention emergency program by producing a series of radio spots and programs in the provinces of Equateur, Bandundu and the city-province of Kinshasa. The goals of this four months program (July 25th – November 25th, 2011) was to provide the population with quality information about cholera prevention and to promote positive attitudes and changes towards the prevention of this epidemic. This external evaluation report from December 2011 shows to which extent the SFCG radio programs and spots have contributed to meet the targets. The evaluation concludes that overall, the population exposed to the media has observed significant positive changes and attitudes that contributed to limit the epidemic in their household.

Read the Key Findings [English]

2011 "Project d’urgence de prévention du choléra" - Evaluation externe

En 2011 SFCG a mis en place le projet d'urgence de prévention du choléra  d’OXFAM GB en produisant une série de spots et émissions radio dans les provinces de l’Equateur, du Bandundu et la ville-Province de Kinshasa. L'objectif de ce projet de quatre mois (25 juillet  - 25 novembre 2011) était de fournir à la population des informations de qualité sur la prévention de choléra et de promouvoir des attitudes et des changements positifs quant à la prévention de cette épidémie.  Cette évaluation externe de décembre 2011 indique dans quelle mesure les spots et émissions radio de SFCG ont contribué aux objectifs. L'évaluation conclue que de manière globale, les personnes exposées aux medias ont pu observer de façon significative les changements et les attitudes positives qui ont contribué de manière  sensible à freiner la propagation de l'épidémie du choléra dans leur milieu de résident (ménage).

Lire le rapport final [Francais]

Lire les principaux résultats [Francais]

2011 "Conflict Prevention and Peace Building" Joint Evaluation

In June 2011, the Belgian evaluation group Channel Research published the results of a joint evaluation commissioned to review conflict prevention and peace building policies in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The database of projects submitted by the Steering Committee contained 350 projects - 51 were selected as a sample for review through field visits, interviews; individual interviews with stakeholders, or based on available documents. The evaluation specifically refers to Search for Common Ground Program of Expanded Assistance to Returnees (PEAR) Plus Program, the media support program Conflict, Peace and Security - Civilian conflict prevention and peace building, and the civilian-military relations program Tomorrow is a New Day.

Read the Final Report [English]

Read the Executive Summary [English]

2011 "Informing Refugees and Returnees on Gender Based Violence" Project Evaluation

This internal evaluation analyzes the effectiveness of SFCG's ability to raise awareness around the causes of gender based violence and the mechanisms to combat it and support survivors of sexual violence. Funded by US Department of State's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, SFCG implemented a twelve-month sensitization and dialogue strategy in North Kivu and South Kivu that involved Mobile Cinema screenings and youth-targeted radio programs.

Read the Evaluation [English]

Read the Key Findings [English]

2011 "Vrai Djo" Project Evaluation

SFCG with funding from the British Government has used its expertise in mass communicationto launch a media campaign under the slogan "Vrai Djo". This slogan title means "Real Man", andchallenges men to improve their attitudes towards women. The aim of this campaign is to raiseawareness among men about their role in the elimination of violence against women. This initiative discourages negative male behaviour, by providing an inspiring model of what it means to beconsiderate and responsible. The campaign messages are designed to contribute to a change inmale attitudes towards more positive and constructive behaviour towards women.

Read the Evaluation [English]

Read the Key Findings [English]

2010 Summer Children and Youth Programmes Evaluation

This program review of Search for Common Ground's Children and Youth Programmes in DRC was conducted in July and August 2010. Evaluation meetings, focus groups and observations were conducted over a period of six weeks and included close to one hundred individuals. The initial first thoughts following the review, was that SFCG-DRC's overall performance over the last five years, was very impressive.

Read the Evaluation [English]

Read the Key Findings [English]

2010 "Kesho Ni Siku Mpya - Lobi Mokolo Ya Sika" Evaluation

This internal evaluation, conducted in late 2010, examines the implementation process, outputs and outcomes of SFCG's "Kesho Ni Siku Mpya - Lobi Mokolo Ya Sika": Tomorrow is a New Day project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the project sought to improve civil-military relations and improve accountability of the Armed Forces of the Democratic Republic of Congo, particularly as concerns Military Code, rights violations and the dangers of impunity. To this end, SFCG implemented a multi-pronged project utilising media, specifically radio, and facilitated discussion and training for target army brigades in five provinces in the DRC.

Read the Evaluation [English]

Read the Key Findings [English]

2009 Rapport d'Evaluation Cinema Mobile Kamituga-Mwenga

Dans le cadre du programme « Cinéma mobile » une évaluation a été organisée dans le territoire de Mwenga, en vue de recueillir les données auprès des bénéficiaires sur leurs connaissances, attitudes face au viol et violences sexuelles et savoir l'influence que le film a eu sur les spectateurs.  Pour la récolte des données  les évaluateurs ont utilisé la technique de pré et post test aux mêmes individus avant et après la projection des films. On a employé des questionnaires visant un échantillon de 140 hommes et femmes de Kamituga et Mwenga, des diverses couches de la population Le film a eu une influence positive sur les groupes : public, jeunes, autorités et couples, après la  projection. Les enquêtés déclarent n'avoir plus d'inquiétude de vivre avec une personne violée. Aussi, le film a joué sur le phénomène « MIZOMBO » que l'on utilise dans la coutume que si votre fille ou femme est violée ne faut pas en parler de peur de ne pas payer une chèvre. Un interviewé Mr Ramazanikigombe de Kamituga dit « Même si ma femme peut être violé, je ne peut pas la chasser parce que le viol est un acte involontaire, donc faire le rapport sexuel avec une femme contre son gré. »

Lire le rapport final [Français]

Lire les principaux résultats [Français]

2009 Impact des Emission du Centre Lokola a Kinshasa

Pour promouvoir la culture de la paix et changer la manière de gérer les conflits en recherchant des solutions de collaboration, Search For Common Ground a conçu des activités communautaires à caractère socioéconomique ainsi que 7 émissions diffusées actuellement dans plusieurs villes de la RDC au travers d'une dizaine de radios partenaires. Ce sondage a eu pour objectif principal l'évaluation de l'audience radiophonique et télévisée des émissions de Search For Common Ground dans la ville de Kinshasa, particulièrement la nouvelle émission télévisée Tosalel'ango. De manière générale, les émissions radiophoniques de SFCG ont reçu de bon feedback des écouteurs, mais elles ne suscitent pas un grand intérêt de la part du public en général.  Mopila est sortie du lot avec 55% d'audience, tandis que les autres émissions du Centre Lokole enregistrent des taux d'audience en dessous de la moyenne.   En même temps, seule une infime minorité des téléspectateurs Kinois (6%) reconnaissent avoir suivi les émissions du Centre Lokole à la télé. Les évaluateurs ont recommandé plusieurs mesures pour accroître la notoriété des émissions du Centre Lokole à la radio ainsi qu'à la télé.

Lire le rapport final [Français]

Lire les principaux résultats [Français]

UNHCR Evaluation of SFCG Programming in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Since 2006, UNHCR has funded SFCG to implement media-oriented conflict resolution programming throughout South Kivu and Katanga. The programming aims to decrease conflict among repatriated refugees and residents as well as provide all community members with the skills and knowledge needed to resolve conflict non-violently.  This independent evaluation, commissioned by UNHCR, gauges the extent to which SFCG programming has achieved these goals.  A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze survey data and key informant interviews conducted in Uvira, Fizi, and Moba Territory between September and October 2008.  Key findings demonstrate:

• SFCG is fundamentally changing the way listeners and viewers obtain their information. Listeners and viewers of SFCG programming are less likely to believe rumors and more inclined to obtain information from the radio, local NGOs, and the government. 

• Exposure to SFCG programming correlates with increased knowledge of conflict resolution resources, refugee repatriation, and non-violent methods of reconciliation.

• There are significant positive changes in the perceptions of ethnic tensions, land conflict, and the reinsertion of repatriated refugees among radio listeners and viewers.

Read the DRC Refugee Key Findings [English]
Read the UNHCR Evaluation by Grant Gordon [English]
Read the DRC Evaluation [English]
Read the Burundi Evaluation [English]

Final Report for: Mass Information in Support of Peaceful Congolese and Burundian Refugee Repatriation

Activities in the DRC proved to be highly effective.With significant co-funding from UNHCR, SFCG was able to offer broad and comprehensive programming to the targeted communities. Key findings in the DRC reveal:

• Project activity resulted in a 73% increase in the percentage of Congolese refugees who received information about the repatriation process and the situation at home from SFCG programs. Of the refugees surveyed who listen to SFCG programs, almost all (99%) reported receiving information about the repatriation process and about the situation in their home communities from these programs.

• Key informants, focus groups and survey respondents reveal that the reliance upon radio as an information source increased from the baseline survey. Additionally, results indicated an increased number of people among the targeted populations listening to SFCG radio programs from the baseline assessment

• Beneficiaries of all types reported having more knowledge to resolve conflicts. Women and returnees were two groups in particular that showed increased confidence in their ability and awareness of the resources and information available to them to help them resolve disputes. Returnees, more than any other group, believe they have the information to resolve their conflicts collaboratively and nonviolently.

• As with the baseline, ethnic and land conflict are the two most common types of conflict mentioned by refugees, residents and returnees. Land conflict was a bigger issue for returnees and ethnic conflict for refugees although each camp had its own major issue.

Read the DRC Evaluation [English]

Read the DRC Key Findings [English]

2006 Centre Lokolé: Sustainable Peace program Evaluation

This externally led mid-term evaluation conducted by Mary Myers and Judy El-Bushra, of Triple Line Consulting ltd, was undertaken to provide an objective assessment of the programme's progress against its aims, and its impact to date. The review found that, in general, the programme is on the right track to achieve its purpose (laying the foundations for sustainable peace by enhancing informative and participative communication around the transition process and by contributing to the reduction of tensions in the Eastern Congo) through activities focused on conflict transformation, media training and, to a lesser extent, community reconciliation. Key findings demonstrate that Centre Lokole:

• Is the only organisation in DRC that is advocating conflict transformation to a mass-audience. It combines practical peace-building with the power of the mass-media (i.e. radio), to inform and encourage Congolese participation in the ongoing peace process, as well as influencing knowledge, attitudes and behaviour of the audience in ways that can facilitate peace.

• Has promoted conflict transformation communication through its radio outputs as well as through participatory theatre (in which field it has become an important resource), and to a less evident degree through its on-the-ground community work. There is some evidence that CL's outputs have helped reduce general levels of tension, as well as contributing to specific instances where violence has been prevented, including most notably child demobilisation resulting from 'Sisi Watoto' radio programmes.

• Produces informative, relevant and stimulating material, which is disseminated to mass audiences in parts of the country where few other sources of information or discussion reach.

• Has contributed to media development through the training of professionals – including the young 'Sisi Watoto' reporters - and by setting high standards in its own programmes. It is the only organisation in DRC tackling elections from the standpoint of covering positive stories while being alert to the potential for conflict to result from the language or choice of stories chosen.

• Its programme includes a wide range of activities which are not being attempted by other organisations. These include developing creative radio formats, especially drama; promoting the only production by and for children broadcast throughout the Kiswahili zone; and developing programme formats which allow ordinary people from all over the country to have their say.

Read Key Findings [English]

Read 2006 DRC Evaluation [English]

2003 Centre Lokolé: Bukavu Evaluation Report

This internally led evaluation conducted by Cheyanne Church, Mark Rogers and Adrien Sindayigaya focuses on the programmatic work of the Bukavu office of Search For Common Ground's Centre Lokole Programme. The programme's overarching goals are to support the peace process, to promote unity for the Democratic Republic of Congo, and to reinforce the capacity of local organizations to resolve local conflicts through the use of media, arts, dialogue, and training programs based in peacebuilding centres around the country. Key findings demonstrate that Centre Lokole:

• Fills an important supporting role to indigenous civil society in the Democratic Republic of Congo

• Developed a highly popular and effective soap opera, yet identified that other radio programming did not share the same level of success

• Increased the demand for conflict resolution skills and knowledge

• The programme would benefit from further coherence between media and outreach activities

Read 2003 DRC Evaluation [English]

Read 2003 DRC Evaluation's Key Findings [English]