External midterm evaluator for SPECIAL Project co-financed by AFD

The objective is to conduct a mid-term evaluation for Asmae project in South Lebanon:
•    Assessing Progress: Evaluate the extent to which the program has achieved its intended outcomes and objectives at the midway point.
•    Identifying Challenges: Identify any challenges, barriers, or gaps that have emerged during program implementation, hindering progress towards the desired outcome

Asmae has been working in Lebanon on this project ((Strengthening Protective Early Childhood and Inclusion Approaches in Lebanon)) (SPECIAL), since August 2022, in partnership with Imam Sader Foundation (ISF) organisation.

The project will enable children to reach their full developmental potential, which in the long run will have many impacts at the individual and collective levels, particularly in terms of social cohesion. The project is also part of a continuum between the different educational levels – early childhood development and education (nursery and pre-primary school) to primary school entry (acquisition of prerequisite skills, support for children and parents for the enrolment in primary school). Furthermore, this project proposes a holistic collaborative approach, involving public and private service providers, relevant ministries, civil society and communities. This project is based on a strong partnership with the partner CSO, Imam Sadr Foundation, which, with the support of Asmae, will be responsible for the direct implementation of capacity building activities in 10 early childhood centres (nurseries and pre-primary schools) in the Tyre region, as well as parent support and community mobilisation. In a child rights-based approach, another key component will be to foster inclusive services, at the level of nurseries and pre-primary schools: through the review of educational programmes, through the training of the staff of the supported centres as well as through the provision of specialised support to children identified with special needs (related to disability, protection risks, gender discrimination, origin for refugees, etc). In addition, the project will promote sustainability by institutionalising a network of actors (directly involved in the project as well as other local and national actors) in order to promote quality inclusive initiatives in the long term.