Peace through Evaluation Learning and Adapting Activity (PELA)

PELA supports USAID/West Africa (WA) to be a more effective, efficient, and adaptable operating unit in strengthening systems of non-violent conflict management. Additionally, PELA increases the regional Mission’s effectiveness in implementing its projects, coordinating activities, learning from experiences, and serving as an information, communication, and thought leader regarding peace promotion and countering violent extremism (CVE) in the West Africa region.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

Based in Accra, Ghana, PELA responds to the research and learning needs of USAID/WA, USAID’s surrounding Operating Units and implementing partners (IPs) throughout the region.  PELA assists USAID/WA to be a more effective, efficient, and adaptable operating unit in strengthening systems of non-violent conflict management and contributes to strengthening USAID/WA’s peace promotion and CVE practice by:

• Conducting and developing analytical research (through desk and field studies) that expands knowledge and understanding critical to strategy development and decision-making;
• Building knowledge through monitoring and evaluation;
• Developing and implementing a Learning Agenda to provide a baseline and framework for continuous learning, knowledge sharing, strategic collaboration, and adaptive management;
• Analyzing and sharing knowledge through collaboration and learning events; and
• Developing communications products that convey messages and reporting to a variety of target audiences.

ACTIVITIES

• Conducts desk and field studies including: the Liptako-Gourma Community-Generated Indicators (CGI) Study, the Niger Customary Law Assessment, the Coastal States Violent Extremism Risk and Resilience Assessment (in Benin, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, and Ghana), the Community-Level Analysis Framework (CLAF), the Mauritania Violent Extremism & Media Assessment, and the CVE Meta-Study.
• Administers the performance evaluation of USAID/WA’s program, Reacting to Early Warning and Response Data in West Africa (REWARD), with the goal of supporting USAID/WA’s and its IPs’ efforts to adaptively manage, be accountable to stakeholders, and contribute to learning to improve development outcomes.
• Oversees a Learning Agenda that institutes the systems and processes needed for continuous learning, strategic collaboration, and adaptive management.
• Conducts learning events for USAID/WA and its regional IPs, including the annual CVE practitioners’ workshops, co-creation events, online Learning Circles, the CVE Webcast, and Pause and Reflect Workshops.
• Administers the training of USAID/WA officials and IPs on CVE-related topics, such as the Community-Generated Indicators (CGI) methodology, the Coastal States Risk Assessment findings, and Complexity Awareness Monitoring and Evaluation.

PROGRAM INFORMATION 

Goal: To acquire and utilize the knowledge needed to inform USAID WA’s decisions, strategies, and initiatives to more effectively counter violent extremism, build regional resiliencies, and promote peace across West Africa.

Life of Program: January 2018 – March 2022

Total USAID Funding: U.S. $ 7,995,985.89

Geographic Focus: Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo, Benin, Chad, Cameroon, and other West African states as needed

Implementing Partner: International Business and Technical Consultants, Inc. (IBTCI)