Improving data quality and utilization at Marie Stopes Kenya

[MEASURE III- VLDP M&E 3 Final Report– February-April, 2010]
[Erin Nilon, Program Officer, MSH]
[May 2010]
Keywords: VLDP, monitoring & evaluation, family planning, reproductive rights
Leadership, Management and Sustainability Program
Management Sciences for Health
784 Memorial Drive
Cambridge, MA 02139
Telephone: (617) 250-9500
www.msh.org/lms
This report was made possible through support provided by the US Agency for International Development,
under the terms of Cooperative Agreement Number GPO-A-00-05-00024-00. The opinions expressed
herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the US Agency for International
Development.

MEASURE Evaluation is funded by the U.S. Agency for
International Development (USAID) and implemented by the
Carolina Population Center at University of North Carolina in
partnership with Futures Group International, John Snow Inc., ICF
Macro, Management Sciences for Health and Tulane University
Virtual Leadership
Development Program
FINAL REPORT:
VLDP for Monitoring and Evaluation Teams of
Family Planning and Reproductive Health Programs
in Anglophone Countries
February 1 – April 30, 2010
Written by:
Erin Nilon, Program Officer, MSH
Meg Langley, Administrative Coordinator, MSH
May 2010

MEASURE Evaluation VLDP M&E for FP/RH Final Report Page i

MEASURE Evaluation VLDP M&E for FP/RH Final Report Page ii
Table of Contents
Acronyms ..................................................................................................................................................... iii
Executive Summary...................................................................................................................................... iv
I. Using the Virtual Leadership Development Program to strengthen leadership and management in
family planning and reproductive health monitoring and evaluation teams...............................................1
Introduction..............................................................................................................................................1
Background...............................................................................................................................................2
II. Overview of the Virtual Leadership Development Program for family planning and reproductive
health monitoring and evaluation teams .....................................................................................................4
Team Challenges.......................................................................................................................................6
Team Participation..................................................................................................................................10
III. Program Results..............................................................................................................................13
Improved Workgroup Climate................................................................................................................13
Implementation of Action Plans and Early Results.................................................................................14
IV. Feedback from Participants ............................................................................................................16
Highlights and summary of participation evaluation surveys ................................................................16
V. Conclusions and Next Steps................................................................................................................17
Appendix A: VLDP M&E 3 Participating Teams ......................................................................................18
Appendix B: VLDP M&E 3 Team Challenges, Measurable Results, and Progress to Date......................22
Appendix C: VLDP M&E 3 Workgroup Climate Assessment Results ......................................................27
Appendix D: VLDP M&E 3 Final Evaluation Summary Responses ..........................................................28
Appendix E: VLDP M&E 3 Teams and Participants.................................................................................35

MEASURE Evaluation VLDP M&E for FP/RH Final Report Page iii
Acronyms
ANC Antenatal Care
ART Antiretroviral Therapy
CS Commodities Security
CSO Civil Society Organization
DSW Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevolkerung (German Foundation for World Population)
FBO Faith Based Organization
FP Family Planning
GEN Global Exchange Network for Reproductive Health
HIS Health Information System
HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
MOH Ministry of Health
MSH Management Sciences for Health
MSIE Marie Stopes International Ethiopia
NGO Non-governmental organization
PMP Performance Monitoring Plan
PMTCT Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission
PSI Population Services International
RH Reproductive Health
RHU Reproductive Health Uganda
STD Sexually Transmitted Disease
UPMB Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau
UNC University of North Carolina
USAID United States Agency for International Development
USG United States Government
VCT Voluntary Counseling and Testing
VLDP Virtual Leadership Development Program
WCA Workgroup Climate Assessment

MEASURE Evaluation VLDP M&E for FP/RH Final Report Page iv
Executive Summary
The Virtual Leadership Development Program (VLDP) for family planning and reproductive health
program Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) teams in Anglophone countries, was offered from February 1
to April 30, 2010 to teams from both the public and private sector. Twelve teams enrolled in this
offering of the VLDP from six countries: Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Eleven
teams remained in the program for its duration, and 10 teams successfully completed the program.
This VLDP M&E was the third offering of a VLDP through MEASURE Evaluation and the first under the
Population and Reproductive Health Associate Award. It focused on building the leadership capacity of
M&E teams in family planning and reproductive health programs to strengthen M&E systems in order to
improve performance. Two Management Sciences for Health (MSH) staff facilitated the program with
one M&E specialist from the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill assisting teams in the
development of their action plans.
Developed by MSH, the VLDP is a 13-week Internet-based, blended learning program that combines
face-to-face team work with distance learning methodologies. VLDP participants work as individuals and
in their organizational teams to complete seven learning modules without leaving their work sites. They
develop and apply key leadership practices and competencies while collaborating as a team to identify a
real organizational challenge they currently face and to create an action plan, with support and feedback
from the program facilitators and an M&E technical expert, to address this challenge.
Each of the seven VLDP learning modules consists of individual reading and exercises on the website,
group work, and a forum section where teams post and report about the results of their group work.
The modules include:
Module 1: Getting Started
Module 2: Leadership in Health Programs and Organizations
Module 3: Identifying Challenges
Module 4: Leadership Competencies
Module 5: Communication
Module 6: Managing Change
Module 7: Coming to a Close
Eleven teams participated actively in the program and 10 of these teams completed high quality action
plans aimed at strengthening leadership and management of the M&E systems within their family
planning and reproductive health programs. The team from the Ministries of Medical Services and Public
Health and Sanitation in Kenya did not complete an action plan approved by the facilitators and
therefore did not finish the program. The following are examples of the M&E challenges that teams
identified to address:
Marie Stopes Kenya: “How can we improve the quality and utilization of data within Marie Stopes Kenya
despite having poor data quality from the clinics and sites and poor flow of data within and outside the
organization?”

MEASURE Evaluation VLDP M&E for FP/RH Final Report Page v
Lagos State Ministry of Health, Nigeria: “How we can coordinate training sessions for health workers
with a focus on monitoring and evaluation of reproductive health activities despite reduced funding and
lack of a functional M&E desk in the ministry?”
Highlighted Results of the VLDP M&E 3
Ten teams completed all components of the program, which included creating a strong action
plan, complete with a vision, challenge statement, obstacles and root causes, a desired
measurable result to be achieved within six months, and the activities, staff, and resources
necessary to achieve this result.
The VLDP had a positive impact on the workgroup climate of participating teams. The eight
teams that had valid results reported a positive change in their Workgroup Climate Assessment
(WCA)1
.
At the conclusion of the program, 71% of respondents to the final evaluation survey reported
that their teams had already begun implementing their action plan.
o Protestant Medical Bureau:
Challenge: How can we ensure that 250 lower level member health units submit timely,
accurate, and complete annual reports given that most of them have no access to
Information Technology services and are located very far from the UPMB secretariat?
Progress reported at the end of the VLDP: We have already trained staff, we are
drafting information and communication guidelines, and we are providing technical
support for diocesan health coordinators.
o Reproductive Health Uganda:
Challenge: How can we achieve 85% compliance in producing accurate and timely
programmatic and financial reports given that there is inadequate flow of information
both within the organization, and with external partners, and that there are few staff
available to both offer services in addition to collecting data?
Progress reported at the end of the VLDP: We already have a team from Ernest &
Young reviewing our finance structure, and have proposed changes. We own this
development, because as a result of our insights through the VLDP program, we have
made some useful contributions to this. Our new M&E Coordinator has already started
on the Comprehensive Activity Monitoring Plan.
Ninety-two percent (69 of 75) of the participants who responded to the final evaluation survey
reported having brought about changes in their organization as a result of the program.
All 69 respondents (100%) reported they would recommend the program to others.
1
The Workgroup Climate Assessment, a tool developed and validated by MSH to measure team climate, was
applied during Module 1 of the program and again at the conclusion of the program during Module 7 in order to
measure the change in workgroup climate for each team pre- and post-VLDP. For a team’s score to be valid, the
number of respondents in the first WCA must match the number in the end of program WCA.

MEASURE Evaluation VLDP M&E for FP/RH Final Report Page vi
Conclusions
Based on these results, the VLDP for family planning and reproductive health program M&E teams in
Anglophone countries was successful. Extensive communication took place between the teams and
facilitators throughout the program and 10 of 11 teams completed the program requirements and
finished with solid action plans.
An After Action Review meeting with the program facilitators, management team, and USAID was held
on May 17, 2010 to review the program, its successes and challenges, and early results of its
implementation. The next steps are for the program facilitators to continue to follow-up monthly with
the teams through October 2010 in order to encourage teams in the implementation of their action
plans, track the progress they have made, and assist teams with any challenges they encounter in
implementation. Each team has also been invited to join LeaderNet, a worldwide virtual network of
continuous learning, support, and peer exchange for health professionals interested in strengthening
their leadership, management, and governance practices to improve health services and outcomes. In
November 2010, a six-month follow-up will be conducted with the 10 teams that completed the
program to determine and evaluate the progress and results they have achieved in implementing their
action plans.

MEASURE Evaluation VLDP M&E for FP/RH Final Report Page 1
I. Using the Virtual Leadership Development Program to strengthen
leadership and management in family planning and reproductive health
monitoring and evaluation teams
Introduction
Recent large global health initiatives have brought about a dramatic increase in the demand for high-
quality information to be able to demonstrate impact and improve accountability. Access to timely,
accurate health data allows programs to react appropriately to existing reproductive health and family
planning issues with proper planning and allocation of resources as well as to plan for the future.
Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) are critical management practices and skills necessary to be a strong
manager who leads teams to achieve results and improve health outcomes. The Leading and Managing
for Results Model below demonstrates the link between eight identified leadership and management
practices, including M&E, and improved health services and outcomes.
Although considerable progress has been made in terms of country, organization, and program capacity
to monitor and evaluate health services and the impact of interventions, the demand for such
information still stretches what are often overburdened M&E teams and health information systems
(HIS). For reproductive health and family programs competing for funding with other health programs,
the data demand is particularly daunting and there are many challenges related to ensuring well
performing M&E systems. Timely, quality information must be provided and used to address such issues
as effectiveness, accountability, and transparency.

These challenges require vision and initiative from leaders. Therefore, building the capacity for strong
M&E depends not only on putting good systems in place, but also on developing leaders at all levels to
inspire and engage their teams and their entire organizations in using M&E systems to improve
performance. Throughout the Virtual Leadership Development Program (VLDP), participants worked in
teams to identify key leadership challenges in M&E systems within their organizations and began
addressing these challenges. Team members worked both independently on the VLDP website, with
additional support from a program workbook, and as a team in on-site meetings within their
organizations.
Background
The VLDP for family planning and reproductive health program M&E teams was the 31st
VLDP offered
since the program was developed by Management Sciences for Health (MSH) in 2002. The VLDP is a 13-
week Internet-based, blended learning program that combines face-to-face team work with distance
learning methodologies. VLDP participants work as individuals and in their organizational teams to
complete seven learning modules. They develop and apply key leadership practices and competencies
while collaborating as a team to identify a real organizational challenge they currently face and to create
an action plan, with support and feedback from the program facilitators and an M&E technical expert, to
address this challenge.
Since its development in 2002, the VLDP has been offered to over 2,500 health professionals from more
than 320 teams in over 50 countries in Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, Eastern Europe, the Middle
East, and Asia. The program is available in Arabic, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
Evaluation studies show that the VLDP strengthens leadership and management capacity, improves
team work, improves workgroup climate, and helps teams to address identified organizational
challenges to improve service delivery and management systems.
The VLDP consists of seven modules; each module comprised of individual reading, individual exercises
on the website, group work, and a forum section where teams post and report on the outcomes of their
team meeting. The modules include:
Module 1: Getting Started
Participants are oriented to the VLDP website and materials, and are introduced to the concept
of team dynamics. Participants also create a calendar to plan their team meetings for the entire
program and complete the Workgroup Climate Assessment (WCA).
Module 2: Leadership in Health Programs and Organizations
Through individual and group exercises, participants are introduced to the leadership and
management framework and the eight leadership and management practices.
Module 3: Identifying Challenges
Considered the heart of the VLDP, team participants identify an organizational challenge they
are facing and develop an action plan to address this challenge using the Challenge Model. The
action planning process is an iterative process in which the teams create action plan drafts and
work with the facilitators and an M&E technical expert to revise and clarify their plans.

Module 4: Leadership Competencies
To focus on personal mastery, participants assess and discuss their own leadership
competencies by completing the Leadership Assessment Instrument.2
Module 5: Communication
In addition to targeted reading, participants complete the Strength Deployment Inventory3
to
assess their patterns of communication and communication styles as well as discuss this
assessment with their teams.
Module 6: Managing Change
Participants are introduced to the concept of change management through a case study about
perspectives on change and change management. John Kotter’s eight stages of change4
are also
introduced and teams apply these stages to the work on their action plans.
Module 7: Coming to a Close
Participants reflect upon the program and complete the final program evaluation and a post-
program WCA.
2
Linkage, Inc. Leadership, Assessment Instrument: Self-Managed Assessment (Lexington, MA: nd)
3
Personal Strengths Publishing, Inc. Strength Deployment Inventory, Premier Ed. Carlsbad, CA: 2005.
4
Kotter, John P. Leading Change. Cambridge: Harvard Business School Press, 1996.

II. Overview of the Virtual Leadership Development Program for family
planning and reproductive health monitoring and evaluation teams
“M&E is not just about measurement of data, which many people consider the "proper" M&E, but it is
also about management of data. Where we talk about management, we will definitely have to talk
about leadership!”
- Alfred Okema, Reproductive Health Uganda
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded this VLDP for M&E teams
through MEASURE Evaluation III. In response to the announcement of this VLDP, over 55 applications
were received from teams in 16 countries, including: Bangladesh, Cameroon, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana,
Haiti, India, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia.
Teams that applied came from diverse organizations and sectors, including the United States
Government (USG) and local government entities, international and local non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs), faith based organizations (FBOs), hospitals,
and universities.
This VLDP was delivered from February 1 to April 30, 2010 to 12 M&E teams working in family planning
and reproductive health from public, private, and international organizations in six countries: Ethiopia,
Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Uganda. At the beginning of the program the Population Welfare
Department team from Pakistan discovered many of their team members would be traveling away from
their worksite during the program and would not be able to participate. The team therefore chose to
withdraw from the program in Module 1 and 11 teams participated throughout the duration of the
VLDP. (See Appendix A for a full list of teams and descriptions of the organizations.)
The program was facilitated by Elizabeth McLean (Senior Program Officer within the Center for
Leadership and Management, MSH) and Erin Nilon (Program Officer within the Center for Leadership
and Management, MSH). Anupa Deshpande (Research Associate, University of North Carolina) served as
the M&E specialist, providing feedback on the action plans developed by participating teams.
This VLDP M&E was the third offering of a VLDP funded through MEASURE Evaluation III and the first
VLDP under the Population and Reproductive Health Associate Award. Team recruitment was assisted
by the USAID MEASURE Evaluation Management Team who contacted USAID missions in Anglophone
African countries. The program was also announced and applications distributed via the MEASURE
Evaluation m2front listserv as well as the MEASURE Evaluation website. MSH also marketed the
program through LeaderNet5
and the Global Exchange Network for Reproductive Health (GEN)6
as well
as its database of people interested in virtual programs and MSH field offices.
5
LeaderNet is a web-based global learning community that provides participants with opportunities to continue to
strengthen their leadership skills and capacities and to exchange information and ideas with leaders all over the
world.
6
The Global Exchange Network (GEN) for Reproductive Health is an online network that allows for exchange and
learning about leadership and management issues that affect reproductive health programs, organizations, and
professionals in countries that no longer receive United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Population and Reproductive Health funding, are soon to no longer receive it, or currently receive this assistance.

The technical and programmatic requirements for participating in this program included:
Teams involved in the collection, analysis, and use of health data for family planning/
reproductive health programs.
Teams located in the same office/area and who work together on a regular basis on a common
objective or goal.
Teams with members dedicated to working four to six hours per week to complete program
requirements.
Teams able to meet every other week over the course of the 13-week program.
Teams with reliable access to a computer and the Internet.
Details about the participating teams in this VLDP are shown in Table 1 below.
Table 1: VLDP M&E 3 Participating Teams
Team Name Country
Participant
Number
Status
Marie Stopes Ethiopia Ethiopia 5 (1 M; 4 F) Completed
Ministry of Medical Services
and Public Health Kenya
Kenya 11 (4 M; 7 F) Not completed
Population Services
International (PSI) Kenya
Kenya 4 (1 M; 3 F) Completed
Marie Stopes Kenya Kenya 6 (5 M; 1 F) Completed
Association for Reproductive
and Family Health Nigeria
Nigeria 4 (0 M; 4 F) Completed
Fantsuam Foundation Nigeria Nigeria 10 (8 M; 2 F) Completed
Lagos State Ministry of Health
(MOH) Nigeria
Nigeria 8 (0 M; 8 F) Completed
WellShare International
Tanzania
Tanzania 9 (5 M; 4 F) Completed
DSW Uganda Uganda 5 (2 M; 3 F) Completed
Protestant Medical Bureau Uganda 4 (1 M; 3 F) Completed
Reproductive Health Uganda Uganda 9 (6 M; 3 F) Completed
TOTAL: 11 teams 6 countries 75 participants
(33 M; 42 F)
10 teams completed
the program

Team Challenges
Starting in Module 3 of the program, teams identified challenges related to M&E and/or service
provision, developed a desired measurable result achievable in six months, and created an action plan
to address this challenge and reach the desired result. Teams worked through the iterative action
planning process at different rates, and 10 of the 11 teams successfully completed their action plans
with feedback from the two facilitators and one M&E specialist. The team from the Ministries of Medical
Services and Public Health and Sanitation in Kenya did not complete an action plan approved by the
facilitators and therefore did not finish the program. However, they report that internally they
completed an action plan and have begun its implementation. For the teams who did not finalize their
action plan by the last day of the program, a two week extension was granted. During this time, teams
continued to revise their plans with feedback until they created a final draft, which was approved by the
facilitators and M&E specialist.
The final challenges, measurable results, and action plans developed by the teams were of high quality
and showed a firm understanding of the concepts and competencies discussed in the program. Team
challenges and desired measurable results are shown in Table 2 below. For a chart of team challenges,
desired measurable results, and progress made on the implementation of team action plans by the end
of the VLDP please refer to Appendix B.
Table 2: VLDP M&E 3 Team Challenges and Measurable Results
Team Name Country Challenge Desired Measurable Result
Marie Stopes
Ethiopia
Ethiopia How can we accomplish strong
M&E systems given that currently
the M&E teams have low-skilled
human resources and high staff
turnover?
By November of 2010, 26 staff
members from 24 centers and the
support office (one individual from
each center and two individuals
from the administrative staff) will
be trained in Marie Stopes
Ethiopia’s M&E system, leading to
a complete and consistent report
by at least 60% of service delivery
centers.
Ministry of
Medical Services
and Public Health
Kenya
Kenya How can we ensure the successful
completion of the MOH 711
integrated data tool in 83 health
facilities in Nakuru district despite
our health workers having not
received refresher trainings in
how to fill out the forms?
By June 2010, all the facilities will
be able to complete the MOH 711
integrated data tool and submit it
on time to the Ministry office.

PSI Kenya Kenya How can we introduce a routine
data use culture in the program
team given that they are used to
using donor log frames in
designing their programs
implementation plans?
By 31st
October this year, M&E and
RH program managers will have
developed an RH M&E Plan,
framework, and Performance
Monitoring Plan (PMP).
Marie Stopes
Kenya
Kenya How can we improve the quality
and utilization of data within
Marie Stopes Kenya despite
having poor data quality from the
clinics and sites and poor flow of
data within and outside the
organization?
By the end of November 2010, at
least 50% of all Marie Stopes
Kenya clinics/sites will be
reporting accurate, relevant,
precise, and correct data on RH
services by the 10th of every
month, and at least 50% of all the
Marie Stopes Kenya clinics/sites
will be receiving feedback on their
data by 20th of every month for
decision making purposes on RH
services they are offering.
Association for
Reproductive and
Family Health
Nigeria
Nigeria How can we ensure that data
within evaluation reports
(baseline and outcome reports)
are used to identify training needs
and income generating activities,
meet donor requirements, track
project progress, inform the
development of new proposals,
and disseminate best practices
even though they are currently
being used in just three thematic
areas and program staff and M&E
staff do not communicate?
By October 2010, the use of M&E
data/reports for various types of
decision making will increase from
three (identification of training
needs, income generating
activities, and meeting donor
requirements) to six (identification
of training needs, track project
progress, income generating
activities, meeting donor
requirements, development of
new proposals, and dissemination
of outcome evaluation findings
and best practices within the
organization and in scientific
journals) thematic areas.

Fantsuam
Foundation Nigeria
Nigeria How can we implement the
interventions to alleviate poverty
given that cultural/traditional
practices, lack of basic training in
business development skills, poor
implementation of national
economic policies, low literacy
level and poor educational and
health facilities/infrastructure,
poor government support for
private organizations, and
inadequate skilled manpower
affect the successful
implementation of these
interventions?
In the next six months, 100 bread
winners (40 women; 30 adolescent
boys; 30 adolescent girls – who are
HIV/AIDS Orphans and Vulnerable
Children who head their homes
due to loss of parents) from 100
families living below poverty line
will be trained in business
development skills and linked to
Fantsuam's micro finance
institution to access loans and
engage in small businesses to
increase their disposable income.
Lagos State MOH
Nigeria
Nigeria How we can coordinate training
sessions for health workers with a
focus on monitoring and
evaluation of reproductive health
activities despite reduced funding
and lack of a functional M&E desk
in the ministry?
By August 2010, 1 Primary Health
Care Centre in each of the
LGA/LCDA will have 2
nurses/midwives trained on
Emergency Obstetric Care with
emphasis on monitoring and
supervision of reproductive health
activities.
WellShare
International
Tanzania
Tanzania How can we improve access to
reproductive and child health
services for the most isolated and
vulnerable communities in a
sustainable way?
By November 2010, five additional
mobile clinics in Hadzabe and
Tatoga will be proving PMTCT,
VCT, FP, and ANC services made by
senior staff and recently hired
staff. This will result in an
approximately 10% increase in
individuals accessing services from
an average of 200 individuals per
month as of March 2010 to an
average of 220 individuals per
month as of November 2010.

DSW Uganda Uganda How can we increase
participation and involvement of
young people in planning,
implementation, and M&E of
activities in the five target
districts in spite of limited
resources (financial and
personnel) and current processes,
which do not support full
involvement?
By the end of November 2010,
DSW Uganda will have oriented
and trained 50 people, of these 25
will be youth and the rest will be
community leaders in 5 target
districts, to involve young people
in planning, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of
programs, leading to a 15%
increase in young people’s
involvement in programs.
Protestant Medical
Bureau
Uganda How can we ensure that 250
lower level member health units
submit timely, accurate, and
complete annual reports given
that most of them have no access
to Information Technology
services and are located very far
from the UPMB secretariat?
By 31 August 2010, 70% of the
lower lever units will have
submitted accurate and complete
annual reports for the period
covering 1st
July 2009 to 30th
June
2010.
Reproductive
Health Uganda
Uganda How can we achieve 85%
compliance in producing accurate
and timely programmatic and
financial reports given that there
is inadequate flow of information
both within the organization, and
with external partners, and that
there are few staff available to
both offer services in addition to
collecting data?
By November 2010, RHU will have
attained a level of compliance of
85% in regard to timeliness and
accuracy of programs and financial
reports to all of RHU’s relevant
stakeholders.

Team Participation
Individual team participation varied throughout the program, often linked to workload and travel
schedules of the participants. Despite this, the program had an active Café7
and over 125 discussion
threads were started during the program. These discussions covered a range of topics and linked to
what the participants were learning in each module.
Examples of conversations and comments from the Café include:
From various conversation threads: Comments on “What is a leader?”
“I would say a leader is someone who wants to get something done, and realizes that he/she should not
do it alone. This person is able to get others to buy into this idea and work together to achieve the
chosen goal.”
-Bala Dada, Fantsuam Foundation, Nigeria
“[A leader] is a team player and lives by example. [He] thinks of his subordinate first before himself and
of course can delegate duties and does not think he knows all.”
-Taiwo Johnson, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Nigeria
“A good leader should be ready to respect other peoples' ideas; they should not think that they know it
all. [A good leader] should be approachable, should go an extra mile to help others, should be a role
model, and should endeavor to be well informed.”
-Ruth Nabaggala, Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau
“Leadership…has nothing to do with position. We can lead others in any position we are at and
sometimes even without position. Decision making is the aspect that can get limited by position because
sometimes some decisions are limited to certain management positions. But leadership to me is
positionless.”
-Anne Sizomu, DSW, Uganda
“I believe everybody can be a leader if he/she gets proper learning methodology, enough time, and
motivation for leadership development.”
-Gemchis Tefri, Marie Stopes Ethiopia
Conversation Thread: Importance of M&E
“'Ensawo y'ataliwo ejjula mayinja' - this is a Kiganda saying literally meaning - 'the bag of an absentee is
filled with stones (probably instead of meat)'. Now, monitoring in society helps us to keep track of our
undertakings and show continued presence - physically or otherwise, to make sure we don’t lose the
way. Sometimes deviations are inevitable and therefore a need to take time after the undertaking to
assess how much we have achieved in relation to our prior set goals. This allows for re-planning and
paves the way to doing better next time. Monitoring and evaluation is key in health programs and any
other individual or collective initiative in society.”
-David Kiyimba, Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau
7
The Café is an asynchronous discussion board for participants to share information and dialogue.

“I think this is one area of our management processes that is very weak. The monitoring and evaluation
of all programs and plans should be one of the most important activities that we conduct. How does an
organization expect to know if any of its plans have achieved their desired objectives in terms of
outcome/impact if it does not conduct any monitoring or evaluation activities?”
-Victoria Omoera, Lagos State MOH
“For me, M&E is simply a means by which we are able to test/check/measure where we are against
where we ought to be. I think it goes beyond our jobs to our lives. In our lives, homes, families, jobs,
country, etc. we employ M&E, and mostly without knowing it. Hence I suppose that M&E is core in
society. It is a yard stick by which we measure our progress, achievements, and "failures".”
-Charles Kimani, PSI
“I agree that monitoring and evaluation really helps organizations carry out self-reflection and assess
whether they are relevant and whether their interventions are producing any change or not. Evaluation
is critical for assessing whether interventions implemented over a period of time have had any impact or
not. Therefore the most important role of M&E lies in how well the organization can utilize the results to
improve its effectiveness.”
-Lorna Muhirwe, Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau
Conversation Thread: How to overcome negative perceptions towards female leadership
“Some societies have a negative perception towards female leadership because of the ideology they hold
that, females cannot fully participate in leadership. Nevertheless, a good leader is not the one who just
shows the way, but the one who leads the way.”
-Honorina Honorati, WellShare International, Tanzania
“I believe that one does not have to be a male or a female to become a good leader. It has more to do
with how an individual, be it a male or a female, develops the leadership practices outlined in this
module. The notion that men or women are better leaders is mere inconsistent cultural stereotypes.”
-John Kutna, Marie Stopes Kenya
“Is this issue really about female leaders or do we actually need to address the issue of males accepting
females as leaders? I have had an opportunity to take up a position that no female has taken up before
and the society has about 95% of members being males. It was not easy in the beginning but I
understood the pressure that I had around me. The achievements I led the group to are farther reaching
than what the men who had been there for over 10 years had achieved. But it took time for people to
actually look at me as a leader and judge me like any other person rather than a female. Because of the
leadership skills I had, I am still a darling to many members. And most of all I set a precedent that
women can lead too.”
- Anne Sizomu, DSW, Uganda
Conversation Threads: Embracing change
“I have come across so many people who always find a reason not to try out something new. The
moment I hear someone start with a phrase, “But we have always done it that way...” I am really put off
because I know that I have an uphill task of convincing this person to try and do things differently. As
leaders we need to be open to change, because this will provide us with various opportunities to grow.”
-Anne Sizomu, DSW, Uganda

“I [agree] with you Anne. People should embrace change because any proposed change is directed
towards improving the delivery of services. If you don't show other people that things should be changed
for the better people take you for granted. I think change should be well thought through, have
comparisons of what you are doing and how other people are doing it, and have a vision where you want
the change to take you. Then work out moderations to the change and how you can achieve your vision.”
-Ruth Nabaggala, Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau
Conversation Threads: The power of communication in bringing change
“I see a very strong relationship with having very good communication skills [and change]. Looking at the
8 stages of change, each stage requires clear and convincing communication of the need for the
proposed change, whether it’s to convey the Vision, build your coalition, or anchor the changes in
culture.”
-Bala Dada, Fantsuam Foundation, Nigeria

III. Program Results
Improved Workgroup Climate
In Modules 1 and 7 of the VLDP, participants completed the WCA, a validated tool developed by MSH
that is applied to measure improvement in work climate over the duration of the program. Eleven teams
completed the WCA pre- and post-program; eight of the teams had valid scores.8
For three of the teams
there was a difference in the response rate in the pre- and post-program WCA, so a direct comparison of
scores cannot validly be made. All eight of the teams with valid results reported a positive change in
their workgroup climate.
Please see the chart below which shows the teams’ pre- and post-program WCA scores. For a complete
chart of WCA results please see Appendix C.
Valid Workgroup Climate Assessment Scores
Improved workgroup climate is an important change that is reflected in the team member’s motivation
and individual and team performance. In the final program evaluations, participants also stated that
there was improved collaboration with colleagues, communication, self-awareness, and adaptability of
teammates as a result of participating in the program.
Some comments from the final program evaluation related to the workgroup climate include:
“I have realized that teamwork and communication are major items in leadership and management and
now I always stick to my team.”
- Grace Kariuki, Ministry of Medical Services and Public Health, Kenya
8
Scores are not valid if the number of team members varies in the pre- and post-intervention application of the
Workgroup Climate Assessment tool.

“We have been able to work better as a team because we have tried to identify our strengths and
weaknesses in relation to our jobs and as the team.”
-Abiola Idowu, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Nigeria
Implementation of Action Plans and Early Results
Sixty-six of the seventy-five (88%) of the VLDP participants completed the final program evaluation in
Module 7. In these evaluations, 71% of respondents reported that their teams had begun implementing
their action plan at the conclusion of the program (see Appendices B and D). Additionally, 92% of
responding participants report having brought about changes in their organization as a result of the
program.
Examples of progress noted by teams in their final evaluations are below.
PSI Kenya:
Challenge: How can we introduce a routine data use culture in the program team given that they are
used to using donor log frames in designing their programs implementation plans?
Progress reported at the end of the VLDP: We planned on developing an M&E plan and M&E framework
for one of our programs (the RH department) and so far we have started the process. We have already
started preliminary work that will be instrumental in the development of the plan. We have also looked
at all donor indicators and requirements to be incorporated into the plan.
Marie Stopes Kenya:
Challenge: How can we improve the quality and utilization of data within Marie Stopes Kenya despite
having poor data quality from the clinics and sites and poor flow of data within and outside the
organization?
Progress reported at the end of the VLDP: Reporting tools have been examined and revised.
Lagos State MOH:
Challenge: How we can coordinate training sessions for health workers with a focus on monitoring and
evaluation of reproductive health activities despite reduced funding and lack of a functional M&E desk in
the ministry?
Progress reported at the end of the VLDP: We have started the process by letting the organization know
about the importance and need of an M&E officer which is presently been sourced for.
DSW Uganda:
Challenge: How can we increase participation and involvement of young people in planning,
implementation, and M&E of activities in the five target districts in spite of limited resources (financial
and personnel) and current processes, which do not support full involvement?
Progress reported at the end of the VLDP: Most of our activities have been incorporated in our youth to
youth program and young adolescent’s project. So the activities are fitted within and they will begin next
month.

Protestant Medical Bureau:
Challenge: How can we ensure that 250 lower level member health units submit timely, accurate, and
complete annual reports given that most of them have no access to Information Technology services and
are located very far from the UPMB secretariat?
Progress reported at the end of the VLDP: We have already trained staff, we are drafting information
and communication guidelines, and we are providing technical support for diocesan health coordinators.
Reproductive Health Uganda:
Challenge: How can we achieve 85% compliance in producing accurate and timely programmatic and
financial reports given that there is inadequate flow of information both within the organization, and
with external partners, and that there are few staff available to both offer services in addition to
collecting data?
Progress reported at the end of the VLDP: We already have a team from Ernest & Young reviewing our
finance structure, and have proposed changes. We own this development, because as a result of our
insights through the VLDP program, we have made some useful contributions to this. Our new M&E
Coordinator has already started on the Comprehensive Activity Monitoring Plan.

IV. Feedback from Participants
Highlights and summary of participation evaluation surveys
Overall, the feedback from the participants was very positive, with 66 out of 75 participants completing
the final evaluation survey. Sixty-one of the respondents (92%) reported having brought about changes
in their organization as a result of the program and 100% reported they would recommend the program
to others. Many respondents noted personal and organizational changes as a result of the VLDP. The
main areas of personal development noted were: enhanced leadership skills and confidence, greater
management skills, improved communication, and strengthened team work. For a summary of the final
evaluation responses, please see Appendix D.
Some selected participant feedback on changes observed from the VLDP include:
“My management and leadership competencies have been enhanced and strengthened as a result of
attending the online VLDP course. The competencies that have been strengthened include
Communication, Negotiation System Thinking, and coaching/mentoring.”
-Charles Kimani, PSI Kenya
“I have become more aware of the strategic importance of communicating my plans for my department
to staff and superiors. I have made it a priority to make periodic updates available to them in meetings
and by emails.”
- Bala Dada, Fantsuam Foundation, Nigeria
“I am communicating differently after recognizing that everything is not absolutely 'black' or 'white, but
instead there is the 'grey' where if people meet and talk long enough [they] can agree on something
worthwhile and beneficial to the organization and individuals.”
- David Kiyimba, Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau
“[I now enjoy] sharing of the leadership role with team members and empowering team members in the
design and implementation of project activities.”
-Jolene Mullins, WellShare International, Tanzania
“I have tried to work on monitoring and evaluation having discovered that was my poor area in
leadership practices. For the leadership competencies I also discovered that certain values I respected
came up strongly like the trusted influence in the assessment. Since then I decided to protect and use it
frequently.”
- Kazanka Comfort, Fantsuam Foundation, Nigeria

V. Conclusions and Next Steps
Based on these results, the VLDP for family planning and reproductive health program M&E teams in
Anglophone countries was successful. Extensive communication took place between the teams and
facilitators throughout the program and 10 of 11 teams completed the program requirements and
finished with solid action plans.
An After Action Review meeting with the program facilitators, management team, and USAID was held
on May 17, 2010 to review the program, its successes and challenges, and early results of its
implementation. The next steps are for the program facilitators to continue to follow-up monthly with
the teams through October 2010 in order to encourage teams in the implementation of their action
plans, track the progress they have made, and assist teams with any challenges they encounter in
implementation. Each team has also been invited to join LeaderNet, a worldwide virtual network of
continuous learning, support, and peer exchange for health professionals interested in strengthening
their leadership, management, and governance practices to improve health services and outcomes. In
November 2010, a six-month follow-up will be conducted with the 10 teams that completed the
program to determine and evaluate the progress and results they have achieved in implementing their
action plans.

Appendix A: VLDP M&E 3 Participating Teams
Team Name Country
Participant
Number
Status Description of Organization
Marie Stopes
Ethiopia
Ethiopia 5 Complete Marie Stopes International-Ethiopia (MSIE) is currently undertaking a dramatic scale-up
of health service delivery for low income women and couples in Ethiopia. This includes
expanding clinics and rural Outreach programs in to all regions of Ethiopia; creating
social franchising networks of other private quality service providers. The Research,
Monitoring and Evaluation team, monitor and evaluate project implementations;
evaluate the effectiveness of projects planning and implementation; monitor and give
feedback to adjust project activities and resources; develop solutions to project
problems; apply program evaluation to formulate new and revised policy, plan, and
budget; establish program level work plans; assess individual and organizational
performance; and ensure accountability and control.
Ministry of Medical
Services and Public
Health
Kenya 10 Not
complete
The team oversees reproductive health and family planning services, training and
supervision in the province of Rift Valley in Kenya.
PSI Kenya 7 Complete PSI Kenya distributes family planning products to compliment the Division of
Reproductive Health’s efforts to address FP needs in Kenya. The program aims to bridge
the FP gap by distributing contraceptives and supporting the private health sector in
delivering quality FP services to couples wishing to plan their families. PSI/Kenya also
implements an integrated multi-media communications plan to increase the demand for
FP products and address behavioral factors that deter use of contraception. Further, the
program has implemented interventions with support from the Division of Reproductive
Health to promote consistent supply of FP products and delivery of quality FP services.
Marie Stopes Kenya Kenya 6 Complete Marie Stopes Kenya, established in 1985, is a local non-governmental organization
affiliated with Marie Stopes International in the United Kingdom. It’s a family planning
and sexual reproductive health oriented organization operating static clinics in most
parts of Kenya and providing family planning and reproductive health services to the
most hard to reach communities. The team members are involved in research, data
collection, analysis and data and systems management, behavior change
communication, resource mobilization and the overall operations of the organization.

Association for
Reproductive and
Family Health
Nigeria 4 Complete The organization is focused on initiating, promoting, and implementing in partnership
with other organizations, sustainable sexual reproductive health and family planning
services for youth and adults in Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa. They are involved in
designing monitoring and evaluation plans and conducting baseline and final evaluation
activities of RH/FP projects conducted by the organization. They are also responsible for
providing technical assistance/advice to the organization based on findings made from
Operations Research and M&E activities. This helps to guide project implementation and
mapping out new directions where necessary.
Fantsuam
Foundation
Nigeria 10 Complete Fantsuam Foundation is a rural based NGO which strives to fight poverty and
disadvantage in Kaduna State, Nigeria through integrated development programs.
Through its ICT academy and ZITTNET Department, it provides ICT training and internet
services to cafes in the rural populace of Kafanchan, thereby creating income generating
activities/sources of livelihood for people. Through its health clinic and HIV/AIDS
Department, it provides pre- and post-natal services, providing basic information on
child spacing, sexually transmitted diseases, and providing appropriate interventions. In
addition to mainstreaming HIV/AIDS activities into all of its departments, Fantsuam
Foundation also gives basic/comprehensive HIV/AIDS awareness and reproductive health
issues to at least 25 different communities in a year through community mobilization
and outreaches.
Lagos State MOH Nigeria 8 Complete Lagos State Ministry of Health is concerned with providing qualitative health care service
delivery to the citizenry of the State. It is responsible for implementing policies from the
federal level and also monitoring and supervision of programs at the state and local
government level. The Reproductive Health Unit is responsible for capacity building of
health workers, ensuring provision of family planning commodities at the State and LGA
level, and ensuring provision of basic and emergency obstetric and neonatal care at the
primary and secondary level as well as monitoring of such activities at the LGA level to
ensure proper implementation.

WellShare
International
Tanzania 10 Complete WellShare International (formerly Minnesota International Health Volunteers) is a US-
based NGO currently implementing a USAID-funded Child Survival project in Karatu
District, Arusha Region, Tanzania. The project focuses on five interventions with an
emphasis on MNC and FP/CS activities. WellShare International partners closely with the
District Council Health Management Team in its’ three key strategies: strengthening
government mandated cadres and institutions; mainstreaming traditional providers (e.g.
traditional birth attendants, drug vendors), and the development of new groups/support
systems for high-need populations (including young new mothers/pregnant women).
The key to the success of the project is the training of traditional birth attendants,
Community Owned Resource Persons, Village Health Committees, and drug vendors in
a broad-range of RH topics including FP/CS, HIV/STDs, safe pregnancy and delivery, ANC
and referral services for pregnant/post-partum women and newborns.
DSW Uganda 5 Complete DSW Uganda is committed to implementing strong, effective, and sustainable programs
affecting population, environment, and global health, with a special focus on RH, always
including HIV/AIDS. The program implementation focuses on sexual and reproductive
health and rights of young people in Uganda, between 10-14 and 15-24 years as well as
their parents/guardians to strengthen parent-child communication on RH issues. They
currently implement projects enhancing capacity of health centers to provide Youth
Friendly Health Services, health service providers, youth clubs and RH peer educators as
well as volunteer peer counselors to provide quality and sustainable RH information,
education, and services to stimulate attitude and behavior change. They also work
closely with schools and teachers to improve sexual education in schools.
Protestant Medical
Bureau
Uganda 4 Complete The Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau was founded in 1957 to serve as a liaison
between the government of Uganda, donors, and member health facilities under the
Church of Uganda. UPMB is an umbrella organization and it supports the activities of
about 270 health facilities affiliated with the protestant churches in Uganda and Non
Church of Uganda health facilities. These health facilities include: 17 hospitals, 4 health
centre IVs and about 259 health centre IIIs and IIs. Among the hospitals, 7 are running
health training institutions for nurses, laboratory cadres, and other primary health care
cadres.

Reproductive Health Uganda 10 Complete RHU is a national, voluntary, non-discriminatory, not-for-profit, non-governmental
organization registered under the Trustees Incorporation Act of Uganda. It is affiliated to
the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) the largest NGO promoting and
providing Sexual Reproductive Health and Reproductive Rights in the world with a
membership of 148 Associations in 182 countries.

Appendix B: VLDP M&E 3 Team Challenges, Measurable Results, and Progress to Date
Team
Number of
Participants
Challenge Desired Measurable Result Progress to Date
Marie Stopes
Ethiopia
5 How can we accomplish strong
M&E systems given that currently
the M&E teams have low-skilled
human resources and high staff
turnover?
By November of 2010, 26 staff
members from 24 centers and the
support office (one individual from
each center and two individuals
from the administrative staff) will
be trained in Marie Stopes
Ethiopia’s M&E system, leading to
a complete and consistent report
by at least 60% of service delivery
centers.
Will start in the next few weeks.
Ministry of
Medical
Services and
Public Health
Kenya
10 How can we ensure the successful
completion of the MOH 711
integrated data tool in 83 health
facilities in Nakuru district despite
our health workers having not
received refresher trainings in how
to fill out the forms?
By June 2010, all the facilities will
be able to complete the MOH 711
integrated data tool and submit it
on time to the Ministry office.
Action plans are already being
implemented as they go for
supportive supervision in the various
health facilities and do on the job
training.
PSI Kenya 7 How can we introduce a routine
data use culture in the program
team given that they are used to
using donor log frames in designing
their programs implementation
plans?
By 31st
October this year, M&E
and RH program managers will
have developed an RH M&E Plan,
framework, and Performance
Monitoring Plan (PMP).
Planned on developing an M&E plan
and M&E framework for one of the
programs (the RH department) and
so far they have started the process.
They have already started
preliminary work that will be
instrumental in the development of
the plan and have also looked at all
donor indicators and requirements
to be incorporated into the plan.

Marie Stopes
Kenya
6 How can we improve the quality
and utilization of data within Marie
Stopes Kenya despite having poor
data quality from the clinics and
sites and poor flow of data within
and outside the organization?
By the end of November 2010, at
least 50% of all Marie Stopes
Kenya clinics/sites will be
reporting accurate, relevant,
precise, and correct data on RH
services by the 10th of every
month, and at least 50% of all the
Marie Stopes Kenya clinics/sites
will be receiving feedback on their
data by 20th of every month for
decision making purposes on RH
services they are offering.
Reporting tools have been examined
and revised.
Association for
Reproductive
and Family
Health Nigeria
4 How can we ensure that data
within evaluation reports (baseline
and outcome reports) are used to
identify training needs and income
generating activities, meet donor
requirements, track project
progress, inform the development
of new proposals, and disseminate
best practices even though they are
currently being used in just three
thematic areas and program staff
and M&E staff do not
communicate?
By October 2010, the use of M&E
data/reports for various types of
decision making will increase from
three (identification of training
needs, income generating
activities, and meeting donor
requirements) to six (identification
of training needs, track project
progress, income generating
activities, meeting donor
requirements, development of
new proposals, and dissemination
of outcome evaluation findings
and best practices within the
organization and in scientific
journals) thematic areas.
No response given.

Fantsuam
Foundation
Nigeria
10 How can we implement the
interventions to alleviate poverty
given that cultural/traditional
practices, lack of basic training in
business development skills, poor
implementation of national
economic policies, low literacy level
and poor educational and health
facilities/infrastructure, poor
government support for private
organizations, and inadequate
skilled manpower affect the
successful implementation of these
interventions?
In the next six months, 100 bread
winners (40 women; 30
adolescent boys; 30 adolescent
girls – who are HIV/AIDS Orphans
and Vulnerable Children who head
their homes due to loss of
parents) from 100 families living
below poverty line will be trained
in business development skills and
linked to Fantsuam's micro finance
institution to access loans and
engage in small businesses to
increase their disposable income.
They have put in place the M&E plan
to help monitor and evaluate the
implementation of their action plan.
Lagos State
MOH Nigeria
8 How we can coordinate training
sessions for health workers with a
focus on monitoring and evaluation
of reproductive health activities
despite reduced funding and lack of
a functional M&E desk in the
ministry?
By August 2010, 1 Primary Health
Care Centre in each of the
LGA/LCDA will have 2
nurses/midwives trained on
Emergency Obstetric Care with
emphasis on monitoring and
supervision of reproductive health
activities.
They have started the process by
letting the organization know about
the importance and need of an M&E
officer which is presently been
sourced for.

WellShare
International
Tanzania
10 How can we improve access to
reproductive and child health
services for the most isolated and
vulnerable communities in a
sustainable way?
By November 2010, five additional
mobile clinics in Hadzabe and
Tatoga will be proving PMTCT,
VCT, FP, and ANC services made
by senior staff and recently hired
staff. This will result in an
approximately 10% increase in
individuals accessing services from
an average of 200 individuals per
month as of March 2010 to an
average of 220 individuals per
month as of November 2010.
They have contacted a few key
persons and partners in the district.
DSW Uganda 5 How can we increase participation
and involvement of young people
in planning, implementation, and
M&E of activities in the five target
districts in spite of limited
resources (financial and personnel)
and current processes, which do
not support full involvement?
By the end of November 2010,
DSW Uganda will have oriented
and trained 50 people, of these 25
will be youth and the rest will be
community leaders in 5 target
districts, to involve young people
in planning, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of
programs, leading to a 15%
increase in young people’s
involvement in programs.
Most of the activities have been
incorporated in their youth to youth
program and young adolescent’s
project. So the activities are fitted
within and they will begin next
month. As far as orientation of
management is concerned, it has
not been possible due to
postponement of management
meeting.
Protestant
Medical
Bureau
4 How can we ensure that 250 lower
level member health units submit
timely, accurate, and complete
annual reports given that most of
them have no access to
Information Technology services
and are located very far from the
UPMB secretariat?
By 31 August 2010, 70% of the
lower lever units will have
submitted accurate and complete
annual reports for the period
covering 1st
July 2009 to 30th
June
2010.
They have already trained staff, are
drafting information and
communication guidelines, and are
providing technical support for
diocesan health coordinators.

Reproductive
Health Uganda
10 How can we achieve 85%
compliance in producing accurate
and timely programmatic and
financial reports given that there is
inadequate flow of information
both within the organization, and
with external partners, and that
there are few staff available to
both offer services in addition to
collecting data?
By November 2010, RHU will have
attained a level of compliance of
85% in regard to timeliness and
accuracy of programs and financial
reports to all of RHU’s relevant
stakeholders.
Already have a team from Ernest &
Young reviewing the finance
structure and have proposed
changes. Because of the team’s
insights through the VLDP program,
they have made some useful
contributions to this. The new M/E
Coordinator has already started on
the Comprehensive Activity
Monitoring Plan.

Appendix C: VLDP M&E 3 Workgroup Climate Assessment Results
Appendix C: VLDP M&E 3 Workgroup Climate Assessment Results
Team Name
Pre-program
Team Score,
February 2010
N1= number of
responding
team members
pre-program
Post-program
Team Score,
April 2010
N2= number of
responding
team members
post-program
Pre- and Post-
program Score
Difference
Validity*
Valid
DSW 4.40 5 4.65 5 .25 Valid
Fantsuam Foundation 4.10 10 4.64 10 .54 Valid
Lagos State MOH 3.36 8 4.27 8 .91 Valid
Marie Stopes Ethiopia 4.22 5 4.40 5 .18 Valid
Marie Stopes Kenya 4.00 6 4.69 6 .69 Valid
Protestant Medical
Bureau
3.13 4 4.41 4 1.28 Valid
PSI 3.25 4 4.44 4 1.19 Valid
Reproductive Health
Uganda
3.75 9 4.07 9 .32 Valid
Invalid
Association for
Reproductive and Family
Health
3.75 3 4.50 1 .75 Invalid
Ministry of Medical
Services/Public Health
4.08 8 4.69 2 .61 Invalid
WellShare International 4.00 9 4.33 8 .33 Invalid
*Scores are valid if the number of team members from the pre-program WCA equals the number of team members from the post-program
WCA.

Appendix D: VLDP M&E 3 Final Evaluation Summary Responses
Evaluation responses were received from 66 of 75 participants.
Evaluation by Module:
Module
Number of participants
who answered
“Very Helpful” or
“Helpful”
Number of Total
Responses
Percentage responding
“Very Helpful” or
“Helpful”
Module 2 64 66 97%
Module 3 66 66 100%
Module 4 65 66 98%
Module 5 65 66 98%
Module 6 65 66 98%
Evaluation by Component:
Component
Number of
participants who
answered “Very
Helpful” or “Helpful”
Number of Total
Responses
Percentage
Café 58 66 88%
Daily announcements 65 66 98%
Forum 63 66 95%
Email with Facilitators 64 66 97%
Tools and References 57 66 85%
Self-Assessments 66 66 100%
Editorials 63 66 95%
Component
Number of
participants who
answered
“Excellent”
Number of
participants
who answered
“Good”
Number of
Total
Responses
Percentage
who
answered
“Excellent”
or “Good”
Usefulness of
Facilitators’ Input
55 11 66 100%
Availability of
Facilitators
53 13 66 100%

Selected results and responses of the VLDP M&E 3 final program evaluation
47% (31/66) used the website as their primary means to participate in the program.
71% (47/66) report having started to implement their action plan.
92% (61/66) report having brought about changes in their organization as a result of the program.
72% (48/66) said they would likely access an alumni website after the conclusion of the program.
1. What suggestions do you have for improving the program materials?
Materials in soft/digital copy (5)
o Availability of electronic copies of the program materials in the form of CDs would be
nice.
o I suggest we find a way of putting all of our learning and reference materials onto the
online access including the Strength Deployment Inventory
Reference materials in hard copy (4)
Offline availability (2)
o The workbook is very convenient. I suggest that you organize exchange meetings with
other teams and have even a one week seminar or a training workshop.
o More opportunity to chat with facilitators
Reduction of course length/work (1)
Increase print size in workbook (1)
Reduce the content of material in workbook (2)
o Make materials simple, to much to read for one module for the limited time we had.
Reduce the length of emails from facilitators (1)
More detailed M&E Material (2)
Include video and movies (1)
2. What information, if any, would have been helpful to you prior to the program start?
Course time and program expectations (10)
o More stress should be put on the amount of time each individual needs to dedicate to
the program
o It would have been easier if I had known how demanding the program would be before
it began (kind of like a detailed course outline).
More detailed explanation on course content (2)
o To me it was not so clear that this course doe not focus so much on M&E. Could be good
to make that clear or explain the link better
Tools and Resources (2)
Introductory Communications (1)
Access to materials (8)
3. Has your team started to implement its action plan to address the challenge you identified?
Fantsuam- We have put in place an M&E plan to help us monitor and evaluate the
implementation of our action plan.
Marie Stopes Ethiopia: Will start in the next few weeks.

Ministry of Medical Services/Public Health: Our action plans are already being implemented as
we go for supportive supervision in our various health facilities. We do on job training.
PSI: We planned on developing an M&E plan and M&E framework for one of our program (the
RH department) and so far we have started the process. We have already started preliminary
work that will be instrumental in the development of the plan. We have also looked at all donor
indicators and requirements to be incorporated into the plan.
Marie Stopes Kenya: Reporting tools have been examined and revised.
Lagos State MOH: we have just started our action plan but we have started the process by
letting the organization know about the importance and need of an M&E officer which is
presently been sourced for.
WellShare International: We have contacted a few key persons and partners in the district.
DSW: Most of our activities have been incorporated in our youth to youth program and young
adolescent’s project. So the activities are fitted within and they will begin next month. As far as
orientation of management is concerned, it has not been possible due to postponement of
management meeting.
Protestant Medical Bureau: We have already trained staff, we are drafting information and
communication guidelines, we are providing technical support for diocesan health coordinators.
Reproductive Health Uganda: We already have a team from Ernest & Young reviewing our
finance structure, and have proposed changes. We own this development, because as a result of
our insights through the VLDP program, have made some useful contributions to this. Again. our
new M/E Coordinator, Stella Adekur, has already started on the Comprehensive Activity
Monitoring Plan.
4. Has your team been able to bring about any changes in your organization as a result of participating
in the VLDP?
Fantsuam Foundation: Especially in the area of communication between departments, there
have been improvements and procedures have been revived to ensure better communication.
Maries Stopes Ethiopia: our team has been identify our challenges and we start to
communicate each other
Ministry of Medical Services/Public Health: Calling for more involvement of the M&E team in
all the program meetings during decision making.
Marie Stopes Kenya: The support office has been very supportive and we are working together
in addressing data concerns to all our nursing homes and clinics respectively.
Lagos State MOH: Yes, we are more determined to succeed and because of this we are passing
on the need to see problems as challenges and encouraging all to focus on how to overcome
these challenges
WellShare International: We have started realizing our roles and qualities as leaders. We always
refer to VLDP leadership terms and actions during work time
DSW: We experienced a change in management structure, having additional time to discuss this
change and the resistance helped us to adapt and mobilize for this change. it was learning by
doing
Protestant Medical Bureau: Mainstreaming of information flow and coordination between the
organizational departments. Recognition of each member's abilities and competences for
proper deployment

5. In addition to the challenge that your team identified in Module 3 that you are working on
together, are there other institutional challenges that you have undertaken during the program?
What are these challenges and has the VLDP helped you address them? If so, in what way?
Communication (8)
o Yes communication was a major issue but the VLDP has helped in addressing it as team
members now know what effective communication is and its benefit.
Organizational Structure (4)
o Working with people from other departments has been challenging, as all of us do not
have the same deadlines, assignments, plans and work load. The VLDP has thought us
that there shall never be enough time to do everything, as potential leaders we should
strive to make time available to get things done with the limited resources we have.
Leadership & Management (2)
o Yes there are other institutional challenges that we are facilitating, especially support
from senior team. Discussions are already underway to make the executive office
understand the support we need from it and also their buy in on the proposed changes.
Resource Constraints (2)
Scanning (1)
6. Has the VLDP influenced the way you do things? What, if anything, are you doing differently as a
result of participating in the program?
Team Work (5)
o I have realized that teamwork and communication are major items in leadership and
management and now I always stick to my team.
o Wanting to build the capacity of others in my team. Trusting more in the ability of my
team to deliver.
Communication (6)
o I've become more conscious of my communication methods. Paying more attention to
the reactions and responses from my subordinates
o I have made it a priority to communicate the activities and progress of my department
to the whole organization at least once a week. I have also made it a policy in my
department to meet twice a month and discuss departmental matters.
Planning (1)
Management Skills (2)
Tolerance (1)
Scanning (3)
o Yes, scanning all the time and always having a "focused drive". This is really helpful
especially when I encounter obstacles, through applying focused drive; I focus on my
vision in order to be encouraged.
7. Have you strengthened any of your management and leadership competencies as a result of the
VLDP? If so, which ones?
I have become more aware of the strategic importance of communication my plans for my
department to staff and superiors. I have made it a priority to make periodic updates available
to them in meetings and by emails
System Thinking and Negotiation, I scored low in these areas and I have put in effort to practice
these competencies more.

I am working on making improvement on "change management". My goal is to become more
flexible to change.
I have tried to work on monitoring and evaluation having discovered that was my poor area in
leadership practices. For the leadership competencies I also discovered that certain values I
respected came up strongly like the trusted influence in the assessment. Since then I decide to
protect and use it frequently.
Yes my management and leadership competencies have been enhanced and strengthened as a
result of attending the online VLDP course. The competencies that have been strengthened
include Communication, Negotiation System thinking and coaching /mentoring. The one that
will need further enhancement is the emotional intelligence.
8. Have you shared the VLDP material with other colleagues who did not participate in the program? If
so, what did you share and how did you share it?
No (9)
Yes
o We had discussion forums on key topics : especially communication
o I have scheduled a session with my unit and other units within our department on
Identifying Challenges.
o Yes I have. 1. Putting them through the Individual Development Plan of module 4. 2.
Sharing definitions of and lessons learnt from cafe postings on leadership them.
o I shared it in a meeting of supervisors who were not part of the VLDP. My Organization
is going through an organizational development process. In the course of discussing the
role of supervisors I did mention where it is important for supervisors to acquire
management and leadership practices to be able to lead their team members.
o Yes, I shared the part of communication which I thought was an important part of day to
day running of an organization.
o yes in conversation with co-workers from time to time, I have discussed the
management and leadership competencies
o The SDI tool. Many people wants to participate in future program
9. As a result of participating in this program, have you identified particular gaps in your knowledge
and skills in which you would like further training?
No/Maybe (1)
Yes
o Change management (1)
o Performance Management (2)
o Financial management for health managers (2)
o Human Resource Management (4)
o Monitoring and Evaluation (2)
o Scanning Skills (1)
o Dealing with Emotions (1)
o Effective Communication (5)
o Facilitation Skills (1)
11. Would you recommend this program to other organizations? Why or why not?
Yes (100%)
o Yes, because I have known the value of the course

o I would like to recommend the program to other organizations so that they can build
their capacity because the course is so rich in content
o Yes. Because this helps Leader to be more effective in their various roles.
o Yes I will because it has made my team stronger in many ways
o Yes I would, it gives interesting insights to just how much one does not know, and
presents an opportunity to learn.
o Yes I would. This is because this course is assisting personnel on leadership role,
understand their responsibility. And the way they should handle challenges.
o Yes. The knowledge I have gained was a lot. Though we were at a transitioning period
within PSI Kenya's M&E and research, VLDP kept us on our toes and the knowledge
gained especially on change management was helpful
o Yes, because the program empowers teams to discharge the duties more effectively in
their respective organizations.
o YES and I have done so.
o I do recommend this program to other organization because it is much organization do
not know how to use leadership and management practices for their success to archive
positively results with their organization.
o Excellent, it shades light on importance issues such as communication in any
organization, very relevant for Africa.
o I would only if the organization will commit time to it. This is because it helps equip us
with knowledge on various issues in management and it also addresses issues at the
ground by sharing experiences.
Other comments/suggestions
Praise:
I have liked the approach of learning in VLDP. Thanks to the facilitators!
I enjoyed the course and learned new aspects of leadership which I never knew before. I have an
increased knowledge of my role as a leader or supervisor.
It is a very nice learning opportunity, I have got a lot of experience by participating in this
program, thank you all of you.
Keep up the good work!
Yes. I would like them to invite us for yet another program to learn more.
I wish that VLDP will have future programs and include us in the same. Long live VLDP.
Thanks for this great opportunity to advance our knowledge on leadership and management.
Yes, A BIG thank you for the facilitators and participants!
VLDP has changed my way of leadership and management. Give us more training on Family
Planning related topics.
VLDP has done us great.
Well done, for Liz and Erin, you truly inspire me, you have taken time out to teach and
encourage us all the way. For the organization, this is a worthy course. It was worth all the 13
weeks.
Just to commend the leadership of the program. You are doing a great job.
Yes, keep up the good work. You are making lots of people better leaders.
This course is a treasure for me. I know I need to have a dissemination plan, am planning to ask
for some sessions in one of our medical college, of course once I receive my certificate. Can’t
wait to see that certificate ready for actions in other organizations, am a good speaker too!

The cafe was of great importance that our colleagues had a lot to share.
Thanks for doing a great job!
Suggestions:
Is there any way to make it shorter, without reducing the quality?
Maybe the course contents could be spread out a bit more, as my office workload did not
permit me to dedicate as much time and energy as I would have loved to.
It will be better to reconsider to increase the time period for Module 3 since it is so important
and so vast to read and understand in addition to the duty that we have.
Can you have individual program? At times, you might not really be working in a facility or a
particular group.
It should be extended to more private companies.
The course should allow for a week of "catch-up".
The course duration be increased a bit as some of us have faced less accessibility in internet.
I feel that organizations should have a mix of people in terms of having staff at low and high
level. I would also suggest having two weeks of closing rather than a few days. Thanks to
everyone who made this happen and is glad that I have had the opportunity of going through
lead facilitators like you.
Please when you are selecting people consider people in the health areas such that you all talk
the same language.
If possible, awarding of Certificates should be decentralized in a congregation at continental or
regional levels. This will enhance the spirit of unity, publicize the program and give chance to
participants to physically meet each other apart from communicating online alone.
Take more time to give focused solutions to participating teams based on their challenges.

Appendix E: VLDP M&E 3 Teams and Participants
Country: Ethiopia Team Name (participant #): Marie Stopes (5)
Last Name First name E-mail address Position
Sex
(M/F)
Tsegaye Mulunesh Program coordinator F
Wubshet Tsedey tsedey.wubshet@mariestopes.org.et Senior R, M & E officer F
Tsegaye Selamawit selamawit.tsegaye@mariestopes.org.et Assistant data analyst F
Tefri Gemchis gemechis.teferi@mariestopes.org.et Assistant R, M & E officer M
Yimam Egegayehu Program officer F
Country: Kenya Team Name (participant #): Ministry of Medical Services and Public Health (11)
Sex
(M/F)
Dr. Osore Benedict PDMS-RVP M
Chelule Nancy PRHCo F
Kiptoon Luke L PHRIO M
Musavakwa Benedette Prov. Log. F
Kanja Jane j RH Trainer F
Sigei Lilian RH Trainer F
Wainaina Peter HRIO M
Tirop Wendy DPHN-Nakuru F
Chelagat Irene DHRIO - Nakuru F
Lengusuranga Christopher C PPHN - RVP M
Kagure Grace District clinical officer F

Country: Kenya Team Name (participant #): PSI (4)
Name First name E-mail address Position
Sex
M/F
Seday Mary Ann mseday@psikenya.org Technical Advisor F
Kimani Charles ckimani@psikenya.org M&E Manager M
Mutie Jacinta jmutie@psikenya.org Data Clerk F
Mwangi Winnie wmwangi@psikenya.org Research Coordinator F
Country: Kenya Team Name (participant #): Marie Stopes (6)
Sex
(M/F)
Kubai Edward M&E Assistant M
Kutna John john.kutna@mariestopes.or.ke IEC/BCC coordinator M
Mollel Joel jmollel@mariestopes.or.ke Resource Mobilization Manager M
Chambati Sammy m YPE coordinator M
Margaret Kilonzo margaret.kilonzo@mariestopes.or.ke Operations Manager F
Fidelis Mutua Systems Administrator M
Country: Nigeria Team Name (participant #): Association for Reproductive and Family Health (4)
Sex
(M/F)
Oduola Olufemi Research Officer F
Taiwo Anne Research Officer F
Oguntokun Omolara Senior Data Analyst F
Alonge Adeola Data Analyst F

Country: Nigeria Team Name (participant #): Fantsuam Foundation (10)
Sex
(M/F)
KAZANKA COMFORT kazankacomfort@fantsuam.org The Director of Operations. F
NICHOLAS EYOMU HIV/AIDS Advisor. M
MUKADAS JOSHUA Accountant M
BATANDA STEVEN s Programs Manager, HIV/AIDS Dept. M
MICHEALS KELECHI kelechimicheals@fantsuam.org Programs Manager, Fantsuam ICT Academy. M
BIDI BALA bidibala@fantsuam.org Programs Manager, ZITTNET. M
IRUAGA JOHN Programs Officer, Fantsuam Academy M
KURE BILKISU bilkisukure@yahoo.co.in Programs Support Officer, Children’s program. F
OBAMOH SHARMARKE Programs Support Officer, Children’s program. M
EDI JERRY Programs Officer, HIV/AIDS Dept. M
Country: Nigeria Team Name (participant #): Lagos State MOH (8)
Sex
(M/F)
Johnson Taiwo teewojay@yahoo.co.uk Reproductive Health Coordinator F
Idowu Abiola IMNCH Officer F
Orawusi Bose RH Planning officer F
Egunjobi Victoria Reproductive Health M&E officer F
Ijimakinwa Tosin RH Planning officer F
Arowolo Tolu Malaria Programme Coordinator F
Soile Adeseye Reproductive Health M&E officer F
Atobatele Olayinka Reproductive Health Officer F

Country: Tanzania Team Name (participant #): WellShare International (9)
Sex
(M/F)
Mullins Jolene jmullins@wellshareinternational.org Country Director F
Augustino Innocent iaugustino@wellshareinternational.org M&E Coordinator M
Honorina Honorina h District RCH Coordinator F
Mlonganile Adam District Medical Officer M
Mmari Nelson Project Coordinator M
Myambe Flora Project Coordinator F
Gyunda Vincent District Health Officer M
Monday Iscah imonday@wellshareinternational.org MNC Program Manager F
Japhet Emmanuel j M
Country: Uganda Team Name (participant #): DSW (5)
Sex
(M/F)
Tusiime Bernard bernardt@dswuganda.org.ug Senior program Manager (Y2Y, Civil Society Fund) M
Sizomu Anne annes@dswuganda.org.ug
Training Manager (Training components in all projects and others upon
request) F
Kafambe David davidk@dswuganda.org.ug Youth Truck Coordinator (Younger Adolescents project) M
Mukungu Flavia namayengokevin@yahoo.com Youth Truck Team F
Rauschenbach Silke silker@dswuganda.org.ug Special program Officer (Younger Adolescents, Y2Y) F
Country: Uganda Team Name (participant #): Protestant Medical Bureau (4)
Sex
(M/F)
Dr. Lorna B Muhirwe lmuhirwe@upmb.co.ug Executive Director F
Ruth Nabaggala M&E Officer F
Rose Baryamutuma CDC Fellow F
David Kiyimba Health Officer M

Country: Uganda Team Name (participant #): Reproductive Health Uganda (10)
Sex
(M/F)
Ibembe Peter pibembe@rhu.or.ug National Program Manager M
Were Emmanuel ewere@rhu.or.ug Records and Information Management Officer M
Chekweko Jackson jchekweko@rhu.or.ug Ear marked Coordinator M
Okema Alfred aokema@rhu.or.ug Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator M
Muganga Peter pmuganga@rhu.or.ug Internal Auditor M
Nambooze Robinah rnambooze@rhu.or.ug Governance and Human Resource Coordinator F
Naluyiga Hasifa hnaluyiga@rhu.or.ug Resource Mobilization and Advocacy Officer F
Tumusiime James jtumusiime@rhu.or.ug Youth Officer M
Songa Martha msonga@rhu.or.ug Communications and Public Relations Coordinator F

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