Scoping and Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Technical Assistance for the Global Fund Young Women & Girls Economic Strengthening Programme

Strategic Analytics & Management (SAM) was engaged to provide Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Technical Assistance for the Global Fund-funded Young Women & Girls Economic Strengthening (YW&G ES) Programme.

The objectives of the scoping exercise included:

A) To generate baseline data on the YW&G participating in the ES Programme

B) To document how the Rise Clubs function and how they facilitate access to services for YW&G

C) To undertake a Labour Market Assessment (LMA) to inform the development of the ES Programme interventions.

The scoping exercise was designed as a cross-sectional assessment using both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Methods implemented included an online enrolment form for young women and girls, online questionnaires for the labour market assessment stakeholders, focus group discussion guides for young women and girls and their facilitators, and a community resource mapping guide. Data collection was conducted in 10 districts, including Bojanala, City of Cape Town Metro, Ehlanzeni, Gert Sibande, Greater Sekhukhune, King Cetshwayo District, Nelson Mandela Bay Metro, OR Tambo, Tshwane, and Zululand. Data from the scoping exercise was used to inform the development of detailed district implementation and operational plans and provide the baseline from which similar programmes' future results would be measured.

SAM's assignment was to support the KZN Treasury with technical assistance in developing monitoring tools to support the re-design and implementation planning of the Standard Service Package of the Economic Strengthening program. This also included conducting a scoping exercise and a labour market assessment to understand the different services and opportunities that are available for young women and girls and how they can access them