Retrospective measurement of the impact of capacity development support to strengthen OVC service delivery in Namibia

In 2012, an international NGO conducted a retrospective assessment of the impact of several years of capacity development support for civil society organizations (CSOs) providing service delivery and support for orphans and vulnerable children in Namibia. The focus of the evaluation was to understand the long term impacts of capacity development support on health and the programmatic needs of CSOs in light of increasing focus on graduation to direct USAID funding. Methods: A mixed methods approach was used. A quantitative survey was delivered to former and current CSO partners and also to previous CSOs partners that had graduated to direct USAID funding. The Director, key programmatic (health), monitoring and evaluation and finance staff were interviewed at each organization. A qualitative interview was also conducted with each interviewee to add depth and understanding to the findings. Results: CSO staff reported that programmatic (health) technical support for OVC programs was less useful after three years of partnership with Pact, but indexed organizational performance scores for the same CSOs increased further the longer support was provided. Graduated CSO staff wanted more program/technical support, prior to graduation to direct USAID funding and less administrative and financial capacity development support. Graduated CSOs also wanted more technical support after graduation to direct funding. Discussion: This study provides an insight into the technical health training needs of CSOs in developing countries as they mature and move towards direct USAID funding. There is a need for continued technical health support for CSOs even after graduation to direct funding.