The SMILES project: reinforcing humanitarian evidence-based programming

This article explores the essential role that MEAL plays in the context of a livelihood project such as the Sustainable Market Inclusive Livelihood Pathways to Self-Reliance (SMILES) project, giving more understanding on the importance in maximizing positive outcomes, generating evidence, ensuring accountability, and fostering sustainable development through informed decision making for managers.

The SMILES project initiatives are centered around a sequenced time-bound multi-sectoral approach, aimed to empower refugees and the surrounding host communities in Western Uganda. The project aspires not only to provide immediate relief but to create sustainable pathways for households and their members to rebuild their lives economically. In this context, MEAL becomes the cornerstone that determines the effectiveness and sustainability of these interventions. Starting with aiding the Targeting Process to ensure the right participants are enrolled using a participatory rural appraisal approach.

The SMILES project, through its information management system enhances real-time monitoring, continuous and systematic collection of data at field level, serving as the eyes and ears of the project. The real-time monitoring enables project management track progress, identify challenges, and make informed decisions promptly. This data-driven approach facilitates agility in responding to evolving needs, ensuring that interventions remain relevant and impactful to the people we serve and also fosters adaptative management. 

The SMILES project takes on a two-tiered approach; project study and the implementation/program tier. The study tier includes a randomized control trial impact while the implementation tier covers all internal related evaluations This evaluation is the reflective lens through which the impact of humanitarian efforts is assessed. In the context of the SMILES project, this goes beyond quantitative metrics, investigating into the qualitative aspects of how these initiatives contribute to the well-being of refugee and hostcommunities. Rigorous evaluation in this case provides strong insights into the effectiveness of skill development programs, the economic sustainability of income-generating activities, and the overall improvement in the quality of life for program participants. This understanding is crucial for refining strategies, learning, documentation or reallocation of resources, generating evidence and replicating best practices and successful models for future projects.

Accountability is the ethical cornerstone that ensures the SMILES project remains authentic to the do-no-harm aspect. Accountability manifests in transparent communication, responsible resource allocation, and the ethical treatment of project participants as well as growing a base for a two-way communication. Through defined and accommodative accountable platforms such as the toll-free line, dedicated personnel, the project ensures that actions and reactions from participants and stakeholders are more fully integrated in project activities. This enhances active engagement and supports project activities through the feedback and complaint management forums, building trust which in turn fosters a sense of ownership among participants and enhances the long-term impact of the project. 

Learning is the main reason for evidence in generation and documentation, it is through learning mechanisms that practitioners adapt strategies based on both successes and failures. In the SMILES project, learning involves understanding the unique challenges faced by the target population, refining interventions based on community feedback, and integrating lessons learned from similar initiatives globally. 

Learning in the SMILES project takes the approach of Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting which includes a clear collaboration strategy, a project learning agenda, and the adaptation approaches. This is achieved through an integrated approach to program-level learning-while-doing which combines monitoring data and analysis alongside a clear plan for regular reflection, feedback loops, and adaptive management. Formative context-based assessments conducted during the refinement period informed project intervention design, generated a high string of the understanding of what to study and how best this may be tracked to change over time in the project cycle and the continued context tracking offers a strong case for a continued deep understanding of assumptions, partnerships, risks and how to adapt interventions as the context changes.

In the practical application, a well-designed MEAL plan becomes principal. 

The project from the initial stages, developed a MEAL plan which encompassed mechanisms in which routine monitoring, rigorous evaluation, continuous learning, and transparent accountability will be implemented. For instance, the theory of change design developed products such as the log frame and measurement indicators, where short-term results (output), intermediate results (outcome) and long-term results are considered as impact. Routine monitoring tools enable the tracking of outputs including the number of participants, evaluating the quality of different trainings, and assessing initial skill acquisition. Simultaneously, the intermediate results considered as lower level outcomes, delve into the long-term impact on participants' economic and resilience measurement.

The SMILES project uses a participant-centered approach–this has ensured that the data collected reflects the nuanced experiences and needs of the participants along the project cycle. Through regular feedback loops, participant surveys, and community consultations through the standing committees, participants have the platform to voice opinions and shape the direction of the project.

The role of technology in accountability is exemplified through the use of a Project Management Information System and an online participant database. These tools not only streamline data collection but also ensure secure storage and retrieval, allowing for real-time monitoring and transparent reporting. A unique identifier system safeguards participant privacy while enabling comprehensive tracking, contributing to the overall accountability of the project.

These form the pillars to enhance the effectiveness of interventions but also contribute to the ethical fabric of the project. As the navigation of the complexities of empowering vulnerable communities occur, recognition that MEAL is not merely a set of processes but that it is indeed the heartbeat that sustains the pulse of impactful and sustainable change. 

The Sustainable Market Inclusive Livelihood Pathways to Self-Reliance (SMILES) project is a five-year (November 2022 to October 2027) initiative funded by the IKEA Foundation. The project works with 14,000 households (extremely poor refugee and host community) comprising 70,000 individuals in Kyaka II and Kyangwali Refugee Settlements in Western Uganda with the aim of supporting them to become resilient.

The project delivers a graduation model integrated with a Market System Development approach targeting women and youth and their household members. Key sectors include livelihoods, agriculture, food security, protection, energy and environment. The project is implemented by AVSI Foundation in partnership with UNHCR and the Office of the Prime Minister and in a consortium with Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), Renewable Energy, Powering Agriculture and Rural Livelihoods Enhancement (REPARLE), Makerere University Kampala, and DAI Global LLC (DAI).