1. contact@e-mfp.eu www.e-mfp.eu

2. contact@e-mfp.eu www.e-mfp.eu Founded in 1979 Central America, West Africa and India Livelihoods for ultrapoor families Traditional Model: grant, savings and training

3. contact@e-mfp.eu www.e-mfp.eu Graduation Pilot Project 2007-2009 West Bengal, India 300 ultrapoor women 86% graduated 3-year program Asset transfer & consumption stipend Self-help groups Training & coaching Health education Post-pilot 3,350+ enrolled

4. contact@e-mfp.eu www.e-mfp.eu Less vulnerable to shocks and trends, and more resilient to the hungry season Livelihood activities are dignified, diversified, productive and sustainable Fair and effective means to save and access credit Increased availability of food Made significant progress toward economic and social empowerment Program Objectives

5. contact@e-mfp.eu www.e-mfp.eu MONITORING Weekly field visits by field worker Monthly visits by health worker Weekly SHG meetings Information books Savings, livelihood and health data sent monthly to TU Monthly team meetings to review EVALUATION Baseline & endline surveys Triangulation with monthly monitoring data and mid-term evaluation data Qualitative profiles at baseline, endline; community portraits Discrete qualitative assessments Management Tools for the Why & How

6. contact@e-mfp.eu www.e-mfp.eu Qualitative Evaluation Life Histories 20 women, both strong and weak performers Key informants Experiences before, during and after project (30 months) Identified women’s trajectories and if program changed them Success Factors Pre-existing skills/agency Entrepreneurial Cooperative male member in household Experienced few idiosyncratic shocks Fewer dependents

7. contact@e-mfp.eu www.e-mfp.eu Turning Lessons into Action CHANGED SEQUENCE OF PROGRAM INPUTS SHG is critical—must start immediately after selection Consumption stipend not always required at beginning of program Hungry season Pregnancy IMPROVED FIELD WORKER PERFORMANCE Increased educational requirement More training--40 days Extensive livelihood planning training developed: Poverty sensitization Facilitation skills Market assessment Improved information sharing with Coordinator

8. contact@e-mfp.eu www.e-mfp.eu Change in Assets BaselineEnd of Project Assets include a basket of ten types of household and productive assets, other assets of significance, and livestock. Does not include land or jewelry. Results are adjusted for inflation and converted at Rs 50=USD 1.

9. contact@e-mfp.eu www.e-mfp.eu

10. contact@e-mfp.eu www.e-mfp.eu “Earlier I used my left hand to make a thumb impression, but now I sign with my right hand.” “We can go to visit the doctor because we speak Bengali now. We learned Bengali from the staff.” “I can talk to the goat trader independently. My husband helped me fix prices of goats but nowadays I also have a fair idea about the price of a goat.” Shanti Tudu Report being mostly or fully involved in household decision-making related to children's education, healthcare, family planning, housing and finances

11. contact@e-mfp.eu www.e-mfp.eu Next Steps: Expand and adapt graduation model in all regions Provide technical assistance to other organizations seeking to reach ultrapoor families Exploring a Randomized Control Trial to better understand relationship between program components Consultation process—understand participants’ experience of poverty and enhance clarity on graduation criteria Innovative research on social networks to understand how (and whether) social networks change through the program and how this could enhance efficiency and scalability of program