2020-2025 • $15.9 million • Partner: Management Systems International (MSI)

BACKGROUND

As a result of the ongoing civil war, Yemen is suffering the largest humanitarian crisis in the world. USAID is working with international and local partners to rebuild key social and economic institutions, help address the underlying causes of instability, and build the foundation for durable peace and prosperity to foster Yemen’s future resilience. USAID development activities in Yemen focus on economic recovery, education; governance, peace, and stability; health; and water, sanitation, and hygiene. A robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) program is essential to ensure USAID effectively implements projects in Yemen’s complex operating environment.

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The Yemen Continuous Learning and Evaluation (YCLE) project evaluates the performance and results of USAID activities while helping USAID learn and adapt for improved effectiveness. YCLE provides effective program performance monitoring and operational context insights; evaluates the performance and results of USAID/Yemen activities; and facilitates learning and adaptation for improved effectiveness. The project also enhances USAID’s MEL systems and staff capacity, including of local organizations, and provides third-party monitoring (TPM) of USAID activities in Yemen.

YCLE has five components:

1. Performance and Operational Context Monitoring and Verification Services
2. Evaluation Services
3. Surveys, Analysis, Assessments, Data Management and Reporting Services
4. Collaboration, Learning, and Adaptive Management Services
5. Program Support Services

YCLE will support USAID through the implementation of a range of interventions that include:

• Monitoring visits to activities’ field sites
• Surveys and polls
• Evaluations
• Development and maintenance of project databases at the implementing partner (IP) and USAID Mission levels
• Dissemination events and mechanisms to share data and results of analysis
• Learning events and processes to facilitate the utilization of data
• Training events to impart knowledge and skills to partner organizations, IPs, and local organizations engaged in TPM and monitoring and evaluation (M&E)
• Situation assessment and feasibility studies
• Media-based products such as dashboards, podcasts, and videos to make learning easily accessible

EXPECTED RESULTS

YCLE will continue and further strengthen USAID achievements to date in implementing its Evaluation Policy to inform its strategies and programs. Expected results include:

1. Improved USAID programming through focused assessment, evaluation, data analysis and sharing and through timely expert support for the development of USAID strategy and planning documents.
2. Improved USAID project- and activity-level M&E plans through technical review and recommendations, and a timely provision of support to improve the range of USAID-required deliverables such as monitoring plans and data quality assessments. 
3. Engaged IPs collaborating in the continued monitoring and verification of implementation and assessment of quality for all USAID activities.
4. Capacity building support provided to local organizations and Yemeni institutions as they implement data collection activities with a focus on strengthening quality control procedures.
5. Improved results-focused data collection, analysis, and reporting by IPs through training of IP staff and learning/adapting activities among partners.
6. Actionable and relevant data for decision-making and risk mitigation shared through reader-friendly and visually engaging reports meeting the standards of USAID’s evaluation policy and innovative, culturally-appropriate ways of sharing findings with post-evaluation learning events to improve the likelihood that IPs will use evaluation recommendations.