RMCH Grantee Final Close Out Strategy Phineas Muchenjekwa RMCH Program Grantee Close out Meeting – 28 August 2014

Outline Objectives of Close Out Approaches to Close out/Exit strategy Key components of the Final Report Dissemination planning and coordination RMCH role in Grantee Dissemination

Objectives of the Exit Strategy ­ To ensure smooth transition of the project from the hands of the implementers into the hands of the beneficiaries ­ To enable appropriate handover of project activities to relevant stakeholders ­ To prepare for possible adaptation and scaling up of the project by other partners ­ To ensure the sustainability of ‘impacts’ after programme ends

3 approaches to exit strategies Phasing Down (“scale down”, “focus’) –Gradual reduction of programme activities –Utilize local district/organization to sustain programme benefits –While implementing agency deploys fewer resources (time, material, HR, etc) –Preliminary stage to Phasing Over and/or Phasing Out

3 approaches to exit strategies Phasing Out –Withdrawal of involvement in programme without turning it over to another institution for continued implementation After permanent or self-sustaining change achieved No need for additional external inputs District/institution reached a stage of self-sufficiency

3 approaches to exit strategies Phasing Over (“Handover”) –Transfer programme activities to local institutions or communities –Programme design and implementation focus on institutional capacity building so that work/services/quality improvement continue through the local organization

Final Project Report Accessed by different audiences who do not know about the project Must answer questions on “what”, “why”, “where”, “when” and “how”. Must be written in their person to present objectivity

Report Outline 1. Executive Summary Provide a summary of key achievements during the project duration including the following: How the project contributed to the RMCH Demand and Accountability objectives, DOH policies and MDGs Brief description of achievements against work plan objectives Present brief facts and figures Highlight enabling and disenabling factors Identify key lessons learnt and recommendations

Report Outline 2. Background/Introduction Briefly outline the reason for doing the project Provide an overview of key supporting evidence i.e. identification of local need, research evidence, policy drivers etc. Relevant contextual information can also be included e.g. prevalence on teenage pregnancy

Report Outline 3. Project Achievements against set targets (Work plan) Describe the achievements of the project against set targets from the work plan: What was achieved and why? What was not achieved and why? It must be objective based Provide number of people reached through each activity e.g. number of teenagers reached through school outreach activities NB: Means of verification (registers) must always be submitted to support these figures

Report Outline 4 Lessons Learnt, Recommendations & Information Dissemination -Outline useful lessons and recommendations for replication elsewhere. -Also identify useful information that you think could be shared and indicate with whom it would be shared e.g. DFID, NDOH and other CSOs working in the same field. 5. Key Factors Affecting Progress (Enabling and Disenabling factors) - Clarify the factors that positively or negatively affected progress toward achieving the outputs

Report Outline 6 Sustainability Plan -Outline the decisions made and steps taken to ensure sustainability of the project, such as enduring change as well as continuation beyond the life of the project -This must involve both internal and external sustainability e.g. scaling up activities in another area 7 Annexures -Products developed must be attached to the report including approved Baseline or situational analysis reports

Dissemination All products developed are useless unless they are SHARED, and most importantly, USED.

Uptake not just Dissemination What are we doing to ensure that the resources will be used once disseminated Are we disseminating them to the right people? Are we “selling ” our products when we share them. –does the target audience understand their value and how they can be useful? Are we doing follow up to see that they are being used, etc?

Key Components on Dissemination Meetings -Correct identification of stakeholders -Extensive consultation during planning on availability -Early identification of dates and venue important in terms of accessibility and capacity -Invitations must be sent early to give people enough time to plan -Information to be disseminated needs to be packaged in a reader friendly way Explore ways to coordinate / link dissemination where possible so as not to overwhelm target audience

RMCH Role in Dissemination To assist with the coordination and planning of dissemination events To provide contacts for districts where implementation has not taken place To assist with the packaging of dissemination material To advocate for uptake and adaptation of models and best practices at district, provincial and National level To participate in the dissemination events (when available)