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Centering African Philosophies: Five Transformative Indigenous Evaluation Frameworks

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EMPOWERING YOUTH THROUGH   A CULTURAL EMPOWERMENT FRAMEWORK- ( NGWANAKE): A TECH- AND YOUTH- INTEGRATED APPROACH TO EVALUATION WHAT IS AT STAKE? This is a youth/community cultural empowerment tool that combines the use of technology and cultural knowledge and skills; leveraging on appropriate accessible technology in the evaluation of interventions. Many developmental interventions or projects in Africa continue to use methods of project design and evaluation that do not fit local cultures or ways of life. This leads to exclusion and marginalization of youths and local communities in evaluation practice resulting in the projects not being relevant or meeting their needs and aspirations. Rooted in African Indigenous Knowledge Systems (AIKS) and underpinned by Ubuntu philosophy, the framework advocates for youth/community empowerment, ensuring that young people/key primary users actively shape the evaluation of interventions/projects that impact them. By prioritizing yout...

Centering African Philosophies: Five Transformative Indigenous Evaluation Frameworks

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  Authors B. Chilisa, T. Major,M. Ramasobana,  W. Nderitu, J. Govender, S. Koloi-Keaikitse, F. Mwaijande,  B. Koyabe, Gaotlhobogwe,  R. Nabbumba,   M. Frehiwot, M. B. Pheko, S. Molosiwa and C. Akligo There is a call to strengthen African-led development by empowering communities, practitioners, and policymakers to design, monitor, and evaluate projects that promote community participation, ownership, and sustainability. Do you know of projects/interventions in which evaluators, project commissioners, and funders report success, yet on the ground, change is minimal? The world is changing, and there is a push not only to evaluate projects/interventions  for economic benefits but also to consider social and environmental benefits. The challenge is how to go beyond the practice of using tried and tested evaluation frameworks and tools that originate from the global North to include the use of frameworks and tools emanating  from the philosophies, valu...