Evaluation and documentation
Evaluation and documentation
Evaluating the results of our work is a priority for CESESMA, serving to assess the effectiveness of our strategies, and improve our educational practice. We also seek to document the most valuable experiences, to consolidate what we have learned from them, and enable others to reproduce and multiply effective outcomes.
In the past four years, we have produced and disseminated four significant documents:
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2006 Annual Report
CESESMA’s 2006 Annual Report, available in both Spanish and English, offers a summary of all the activities carried out during the year, illustrated with many photos, as well as the conclusions of the end-of-year evaluation and the annual accounts. To download the 2006 Annual Report in English in .PDF format, click here (The file is 5MB so it may take a few minutes to download) -
Building a world of opportunities
Systematic analysis of CESESMA's health and nutrition education programme with children and young people of Samulalí and Yasica Sur 2002-2005 -
With the kids promoting and defending their rights!
A systematic account of CESESMA's environmental and rights-awareness work with children and young people in El Tuma-La Dalia 1997-2001. -
CESESMA Impact Evaluation 2000-2003
Investigation to discover the impact of CESESMA's interventions with children and young people, their families and communities during the three years 2000-2003.
CESESMA Impact Evaluation 2000-2003
Published by: CESESMA, San Ramón, Matagalpa, Nicaragua
December 2003
In 2002-03, the CESESMA team carried out a comprehensive evaluation to find out what had been the impact of our work in the municipalities of Matagalpa, San Ramón, El Tuma-La Dalia and Esquipulas in the previous three years.
Click here to download a copy of the full report (in Spanish only: PDF file, 1 Megabyte)
To request a copy of the printed report contact the CESESMA office by phone or e-mail.
Methodology
The key target groups of the research were:
- Children aged 6-12 (with emphasis on gender differences)
- Young community educators (promotores/as) aged from 13 to 18
- Parents
- Community leaders.
The CESESMA team members were also seen as key research subjects.
Other groups interviewed were:
Members of the municipal Children and Young People's Commissions in the four municipalities, primary teachers, pre-school workers, officials of state bodies and NGOs, aid agencies, and other key organisations and individuals in our field of work at national level.
The process consisted of five stages:
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Research design and preparation of research instruments.
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Research:
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22 focus groups in the four municipalities, with a total participation of 339 people from the key target groups.
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40 interviews with members of the same groups, using the "critical incident" technique, in which interviewees are asked to tell stories about events in their lives which have led to significant personal growth or change.
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Opinion surveys of representatives of the other relevant groups.
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A programme of workshops of reflection and analysis, some of which included participation of children and young people from the focus groups.
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A community consultation exercise to confirm the findings with the key target groups.
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Writing up the final report.
Main findings
Participation and leadership
The participation of children and young people has increased. This is seen mainly in the local community and informal settings. We have not yet achieved a satisfactory level of child participation in formal decision-making bodies at municipal or national level.
The educational processes have led to increased self-knowledge, self-esteem, and self-motivation to get involved, organise and participate in different community activities. Children and young people are sharing their knowledge with other children, parents and community leaders, leading to a multiplier effect.
This has caused a change in the traditional image of "leadership" in the communities, which holds that only adults can be leaders. Some young people are now recognised as community leaders, actively contributing to the development of their communities.
Education
The alternative education strategy promoted by CESESMA has given new opportunities to many children and young people to gain new knowledge, skills and attitudes to transform their reality. Non-school education, founded in lived experience, has generated positive changes in personal, family and community development. In the schools we have seen a two-way learning process, with reciprocity of learning and teaching. We have also achieved a degree of integration and complementarity between in-school and out-of-school education.
Community Development
Adult leaders are taking account of children and young people's views at municipal and community level. Children and young people now have more influence in developing the social agenda in each municipality. Working in an integrated way with different groups in the community has enabled us to combine forces for the promotion and defence of children's rights.
Family relationships
Work with parents and adult community leaders has played an important role in improving family relationships where adults recognise and respect children's rights. We also see children and young people raising their parents' awareness, for example on environmental issues.
There is more work to do on family relationships. There are still many families where parents do not show tenderness of affection towards their children
Environment
We have worked on the theme of the environment through different approaches and disciplines, so as to develop not only the practical side, but also the emotional, thus facilitating community development. We can observe a new generation more aware of the conservation and protection of the environment, in a wider, holistic and practical sense, based on their own experiences and beliefs.
Children's rights / gender equality
There has been little reduction in the exploitation of girls and young women. They continue to carry an unequal burden of work, and also suffer sexual abuse, early pregnancies, lack of recreational opportunities, lack of respect and consequent loss of self-esteem.
However, the struggle to defend girls' and young women's rights is advancing. Rural girls and young women see themselves more as possessors of human rights, and so are less easily turned into objects of exploitation and abuse. There are signs that the new young leadership that is developing will belong more equally to young women and young men.
Recognition
The work of CESESMA is increasingly recognised and valued at local, regional, national and international level.
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