SUSTAINABLE ENERGY INITIATIVES MONITORING AND EVALUATION

Monitoring and evaluation (M&E) approach of TaTEDO starts from the initial project planning, through the period of implementation to evaluation. The purpose of monitoring and evaluation is to achieve efficient and effective project performance by providing feedback to the project management at all levels. This enables TaTEDO to improve operational plans and take timely corrective actions in case of deviations from project goals, objectives and targets. Monitoring is thus part of management information system and allows continuous adjustment of the project.

Monitoring activities of various projects at TaTEDO are designed to be participatory from planning to implementation. Baseline information collection and local level planning meetings are used as a basis for setting up targets and indicators for monitoring and evaluation. This involves participation of district and village leaders and representatives from target groups. During planning, M&E activities including reporting are discussed and agreed upon.  

Participatory ME for developing sustainable modern energy technologies and services is undertaken in two-tier systems, consists of internal monitoring and external monitoring systems

Internal Monitoring System

TaTEDO through participatory process, monitors performance of its activities internally through the following meetings:

• Weekly and Monthly Review Meetings: These are meetings for planning and reporting progress of activities on weekly and monthly basis. The weekly and monthly performance of modern energy development activities is discussed and reviewed through these meetings.
• Biweekly Department Meetings: This is monitoring meeting for discussing performance of activities within departments and pros and cons limiting implementation of organisational activities within departments are discussed through these meetings.
• Quarterly Board of Directors Meeting: This is high-level meeting, which involves board members from different categories of stakeholders (beneficiaries, policy makers, politicians and founders of TaTEDO).  The board makes policy and strategic decisions and discuss broadly future prospects of the organisation.

 The progress and plans within these meetings are compiled through different formats of action plans, progress reports, board reports, annual reports, etc

 External Monitoring System

External monitoring links TaTEDO and other stakeholders at national, district and village levels. The main purpose of the TaTEDO’s M&E system is to link and guide the overall modern energy development strategy towards achieving the expected impact, ensuring effective operations and creating learning environment for sharing experiences and replicating lessons learned. 

 M&E System Purpose and Scope

The M&E system enables comparison of the actual outputs (program deliverables), outcomes (purposes) and impacts with what was planned, integration of formal performance information (quarterly and annually) with the informal field program impressions, for example the acceptability, user perceptions and recommendations for improving the modern energy technologies and services to better suit the local situations. The TaTEDO M&E Systems covers village, to the district and national levels.

 Village Levels

Enumerators are contracted in the villages (Village Program M&E Enumerators) to facilitate the implementation of M&E activities including monitoring of activities implementation, data collection and analysis, information dissemination and replication of lessons learned.  The village M&E enumerators (consisting of representative of users, producers, technicians/artisans and extension officer) assist the TaTEDO M&E team (consisting of Board Member; M&E, Bio-Energy, Energy/Environment and IMN Manager) and the partners in filling the monthly implementation forms, administration of qualitative performance assessment questionnaires/checklist, facilitation of evaluation and impact assessment interviews.  TaTEDO M&E Department and Partners provide technical backstopping and capacity development of the village enumerators.  These provide regular opportunities for the stakeholders to learn and reflect together in the program operations, performance and impact. 

 District Levels

At the district level, the M&E activities are coordinated and facilitated by the respective district energy team members with technical assistance from the partners responsible for the particular districts.  

Sectoral Levels

Coordination of all M&E activities is undertaken at the national level. The National M&E coordination is facilitated by TaTEDO where representative of the board, TaTEDO staff, representatives of target groups, village M&E Committees and TaTEDO partners/contractors, regional and ministry energy policy makers, energy network members and national policy makers provide their information to discuss and learn together, sharing program experiences and lessons learned. 

Department Achievements

• In collaboration with other departments and management, SEIME department has been able to conduct Monitoring and evaluation activities for the organization
• Capacity building to some of the department staff on M&E skills through on job training, mentoring and attending monitoring and evaluation courses though there still need to continue with the capacity building through the same above and practice what have been learnt.
• In collaboration with other departments, management and facilitation from EASUN was able to produce five year TaTEDO strategic plan document.
• In the process of finalizing preparation of TaTEDO M&E System with collaboration with other departments, management and facilitator.