Program description:

This work was piloted in Adventist Development & Relief Agency Canada (ADRA)’s BRIGHT Project (“Breaking Barriers, Improving Girls’ Education, Hope and Totality”). This was a multi-country initiative implemented in Myanmar, Niger and Sudan from May 2020 to March 2024. The programme focused on improving access to education in conflict-affected and remote communities, with special emphasis on girls and women by addressing gender-related barriers (early and forced marriage, social norms, gender-based violence), building inclusive learning systems (such as accelerated learning programmes) and offering alternative skills/vocational tracks. It also engages community stakeholders (parents, local leaders, teachers) and supports livelihoods so that children remain in education and communities become more stable and self-sustaining.

The work was further grounded in ADRA’s TOGETHER Project; a six- to seven-year initiative running from 2021 to 2027 (and beyond) in Cambodia, Kenya, the Philippines and Uganda. It aims to increase the enjoyment of health-related rights by the most vulnerable adolescent girls, women, children under five, men and boys—especially those facing intersecting vulnerabilities such as indigeneity, remoteness or resettlement. The programme uses a gender-transformative, multi-sectoral approach: it builds the capacity of health- and nutrition-service providers, empowers communities (including youth, girls and boys) to advocate for their rights, and promotes community-led monitoring and action to reduce structural barriers (like sexual- and gender-based violence, limited services, and harmful norms).

What we did:

Advised the Community-Led Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (CoLMEAL) process that is being developed as part of Global Affairs Canada funded child education and health rights projects in 6 countries in Africa and Asia. Providing regular coaching virtually to team and co-creating guidance and e-learning modules. Leading the marketing and public relations for CoLMEAL, including developing the business/communications plan, blog and webinar series, and presenting on CoLMEAL in various forums that contribute to fostering a CoLMEAL Community of Practice as part of Salanga’s external engagement to leverage global learning as well as further support and interest.

How we shifted practice:

Put Civil Society Organizations in the driving seat of their own baseline and monitoring processes. They led the process for developing their community Theories of Change, indicators, sampling frameworks, tools, analyzing their own data and facilitating sensemaking with their community.