John Dada video - GEM, women's empowerment, true evaluation and impact assessment. April 17, 2012
Steve - and open letter readers at http://dadamac.posterous.com
Following our conversation about John Dada's work, this video may answer some of your questions.
It was made at the GEM II exchange in Bali, 2009. GEM is Gender Empowerment Measure - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_Empowerment_Measure. Fantsuam Foundation took part in a GEM programme.
The video is 15 minutes long, so I've made a few notes about the structure of the conversation in case you want to fast forward. http://vimeo.com/9067233
Link to the 15minute video -
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Start - The questioner asks about GEM - what it is to John, how it has changed the work at Fantsuam Foundation etc.
John explains various things about the context of Fantsuam Foundation's work (which is mainly with impoverished and illiterate women). He explains how using GEM to evaluate the work of Fantusam Foundation (FF) has helped the organisation to see deeper issues and how it has also changed the community's perception of Fantsuam Foundation. This has led to new initiatives. (It also helps to explain why, when sectarian violence broke out following the 2011 presidential elections, people turned to FF for help - see http://www.dadamac.net and type the word "violence" into the search box.)
Approx 5 minutes into the video - Questioner is asking a long question relating to evaluation and impact assessment
Approx 5.50 - John explains why that is a difficult type of question to answer (quantitative/qualitative issues)
John explains that FF has been in the community for 13 years. Impact assessment is not about counting numbers. It is what people say, and how they are empowered and how they show that they see FF as a partner.
Approx 7.35 - The questioner asks something about the challenge of demonstrating change when the impact is not tangible.
Approx 8.00 John replies
He explains more about the problem of funding agencies asking, at a distance, for quantitative data. It is better if they will simply come to FF to that "we can unleash the community on them".
Approx 8.40 - an example of empowerment.
He tells how the women are pleased about their economic empowerment, and how it shows in subtle ways, such as the kind of wrapper (skirt) that a woman is able to afford as she works her way up.
Approx 9.00 - a story of greater self-confidence and family relationships
John tells the story of a village meeting to discuss the renewal of Fantsuam Foundation loans. A woman got up and challenged the opinion of her husband about the value of the loans. She did it politely, but for a woman to speak out in that cultural setting was dramatic. As John says "Empowerment doesn't come in bigger packages than that! How do you measure that?". The use of GEM for storytelling is valuable.
Approx 11.00 - John talks about the power of this change
Further insights into what the previous anecdote illustrated
Approx 11.45 - the questioner asks for tips for others using GEM
Approx 12-00 - John is cautious of telling others what to do and talks about FF's situation
He talks about using GEM in a community and the importance of using local languages. For FF clients the main Nigerian language is Hausa - but the true local languages that FF micro-finance clients choose to use in their daily lives are more local than that. He mentions other aspects of contextualising GEM and applying it in practice rather than teaching it in theory.
Approx 13.40 - The children who are carers
Through GEM FF discovered the hidden issue of children who are carers for others - their siblings, and/or elderly relatives and/or sick parents. He explains their situations and attitudes and the kind of support they need.
Approx 15.00 - 15.25 John's summary
Look for point of intervention. Contextualise GEM for the community. Go for the action first then backtrack to explain the theory of GEM
There is also a 3 minute video made at Fantusam Foundation with John reflecting on GEM- . http://www.genderevaluation.net/mygem/?q=video/time_move_john_dada
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Finding friends and helpers - suggestions welcome
Regarding the link you sent me about the Ogilvy Many Hands project in Uganda. http://www.manyogilvyhands.com/ You are right that this is very much the kind of web-presence and support that John would benefit from having.
Open letter readers - I don't see at present how I can move from admiration for that website and the people involved, into helping John's project to be in a situation of similar support. So far I have done what I can in opening up an ongoing communication channel between UK and Nigeria, and in making information about FF visible online at http://www.dadamac.net. However I don't have the skills or resources to take it to a new level without help - and I don't know where to find that help.
If anyone wants to have closer relationships with John's projects - or knows an organisation that is looking for this kind of project to take under its wing - please let me know. I'm on twitter @Pamela_McLean or email pamela.mclean@dadamac.net
Please also pass on this information to anyone who might be interested.