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Enterprise Development Impact Assessment Information Service (EDIAIS)

NEW DIRECTIONS IN IMPACT ASSESSMENT FOR DEVELOPMENT: METHODS AND PRACTICE

Nadia Zibani and Alyce Abdalla, The Population Council

From Evaluation to Implementation: Crossing the Line in Rural Egypt

Link to full paper

ABSTRACT

Where does good evaluation end and good implementation begin? Using the GIRLS project in rural Egypt as a case study, we examine the costs and benefits to marrying research with policy. GIRLS was jointly conceptualized by The Research Group, a research organization, and Child Help, an implementing agency. The impact assessment, therefore, was structured into the design of the project, and the two organizations have worked closely together throughout the three-year pilot phase. This cooperation continues today with proposals for scaling-up the project. Integrating quantitative and qualitative research into on-going program activities has been a challenging process. In this paper, we discuss the expectations, realities, and future prospects of our experience in GIRLS. With examples of both positive and negative consequences of this research design, we examine the underlying challenge of integrating evaluation with implementation, particularly when involving two organizations with different mandates and mind-frames. In conclusion, we give suggestions for facilitating partnerships between evaluation and implementation organizations.

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