The International Rescue Committee (IRC) Northern Caucasus program, Assistance to community recovery in Chechnya through mobilisation for shelter rehabilitation, social improvements, skills development, and income generation opportunities, implemented a pilot income generation program starting June 1, 2006 through June 30, 2007 in the six war-affected villages of Chechnya, Alkhan-Yurt, Alkhazurovo, Argun, Mesker-Yurt, Prigorodnoe, and Staraya Sunzha, and the city of Grozny, funded by ECHO (European Community Humanitarian Aid Office).
This evaluation is the final evaluation of the ECHO program. The evaluation was conducted in July and August 2007 just after the program completion.
The aims of this evaluation were to look at lessons learned regarding the effectiveness of the income generation program, to identify best practices, and to provide recommendations for future programming.
The evaluation included a number of different approaches in order to maximize the information gathered. The evaluation ToR focused on success or failure of the beneficiaries’ businesses, continuation of the employment of new employees and apprentices, increase of knowledge from training, and reasons why ECHO shelter beneficiaries did not take advantage of the program. However, in order to ask the right questions and truly understand the program, the evaluator also reviewed materials and held discussions with the program staff, trainers, and other NGO personnel engaged in income-generating projects in Chechnya.
In consultation with the IRC Program Coordinator and Grants and Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, a sample of the beneficiaries was chosen. They were broken down by location, type of business, and gender. The businesses types which were popular were evaluated less often than those types which were selected only once or twice. The sample includes all types of businesses and when there was a female and male beneficiary, both were selected. All beneficiaries receiving shelter assistance and/or training were included in the sample.
Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were held with IRC staff to help determine economic indicators, a selected group of beneficiaries to determine their experience with the ECHO project, and a selected group of trainers to determine their experience with training the ECHO beneficiaries.
Read and download the Evaluation report: Assistance to community recovery in Chechnya through skills development and income generation opportunities.