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GVEP International News edited by Wendy Annecke and Georgia Berry
GVEP International is the non-governmental organisation established in 2006 by the Global Village Energy Partnership, itself launched at the WSSD in 2002. Since January 2008 we have been particularly busy with the successful completion of 20 GAPFund projects, regional meetings in East Africa, the initiation of the Developing Energy Enterprise Project in East Africa, building a new website, the signature of an agreement with the Ashden Awards, attending the Washington International Energy Conference (WIREC), and the start of a new cycle of projects. [top] [end]Completion of the GVEP International Action Programmes Fund (GAPFund) is marked by a Group Session in Washington
Having successfully completed the projects, representatives from each met in Washington this February at the World Bank’s Sustainable Development Network (SDN) week and discovered that they experienced many similar challenges. Hari Natarajan, GVEP International’s South Asia Manager, described the “opportunity for grass-root level implementation organisations to meet, share and learn from each other’s experiences” as “symbolising the biggest gain…” of the event. The lessons learned through the GAPFund projects will be published in a comprehensive brochure by GVEP International to assist effective interventions at the grass roots level. [top] [end]GVEP International in East Africa!To initiate activities in East Africa, GVEP International held partner meetings in early March in Uganda and Tanzania. Attendees at both meetings included a mixture of partners and newcomers, comprising suppliers, micro-lenders, SMEs, project implementers, NGOs, donors and government members. Onyango Joseph from the Rayland Rural Development Organisation told us he ‘learnt many things, and met new friends.’
Through open discussions, as well as an interactive sessions on monitoring and evaluation and climate change, the meetings also provided an opportunity for our partners to offer input into how they think GVEP International could be most effective. Very colourful presentations were given by representatives from GVEP International’s regionally located GAPFund partners, TaTEDO (Tanzania), WODSTA (Tanzania), Solar Cookers (Kenya) and the GAIA Foundation (Zambia). To download these presentations please see the GVEP International website, www.gvepinternational.org. [top] [end]The Developing Energy Enterprise Project (DEEP)
The main objective of DEEP is to ‘enable development of a sustainable and widespread industry of micro and small energy enterprises providing energy services and employment in rural and peri-urban areas of Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.’ The programme will be rolled out over the next five years, and aims to achieve the following targets:
The GVEP International led initiative brings together private sector expertise, community mobilisation and business management in the development of private businesses, from their inception as ideas in villages to established energy service providers and employers. The programme will be run by our local partners headed by a GVEP International East African regional manager. With their expert local knowledge and networks, programme coordinators will be able to assist enterprises to respond to the needs and market opportunities in the area. DEEP will assist entrepreneurs through training and mentoring to develop business plans and then access the financing necessary to put the plans into practice. Post-investment, DEEP will continue to provide management mentoring services in accounting, strategy planning, marketing and legal issues relevant for businesses to survive and grow sustainably. [top] [end]GVEP International signs a collaboration agreement with the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy
The agreement with GVEP International includes collaboration on regional activities, participation at events, and information and knowledge sharing. GVEP International will provide follow-up technical assistance to a number of Ashden Awards winners, ensuring long-term sustainability, and potentially offering support to other viable applications. [top] [end]New website for GVEP InternationalGVEP International’s website has been undergoing considerable redesign, and will be ready for launch in June 2008! Users will have access to extensive, improved data on funding and business opportunities, equipment and service suppliers, other partners and their projects, and will be able to post their own profiles and communicate with other energy stakeholders. A team of 30 GVEP International partners (thank you!) across the globe have helped us test the website to make sure that it is useful to energy practitioners. One of the primary aims of the site is knowledge sharing: the more users interact with the site, the greater this knowledge resource will become for all who are working together to increase energy access. Read our news at www.gvepinternational.org[top] [end]From M&EED to DEA to M&E in SSA: An energy M&E facility in Africa hosted by GVEP international[top] [end]The Monitoring and Evaluation of Energy for Development (M&EED) International Working GroupThe Monitoring and Evaluation of Energy For Development (M&EED) International Working Group was initiated in 2004 by a major GVEP Partner, Electricite de France, which put considerable resources into supporting and running the group including the regular hosting of meetings. Other members of the M&EED group included the European Union Energy Initiative, RISØ, UNEP, UNDP, World Bank, USAID, IT Power, ENERGIA, Future Energy Solutions, the Ademe, French Foreign Ministry, REEEP, GTZ, SenterNovem, E+co and others.In 2006, the M&EED group launched a Guide to Monitoring and Evaluation in Energy Projects which can be downloaded from the GVEP International website (www.gvepinternational.org). The guide proposes a step by step approach to developing specific procedures for M&E in energy projects. The templates that were produced were tested by some of the group members and the guide will be updated as further testing is done and comments on the methods are received. From 2008 GVEP International will host the M&EED group and activities are being planned that will make best use of the group’s expertise. It is expected that members of the group will play an active role in mainstreaming M&E in their own energy projects and will produce their information and materials, as well as providing expert advisory services. The M&EED group will, over time, expand towards a more global M&EED expert base. Questions about the development of this GVEP International service and to join up as an M&E expert write to Kavita Rai at kavita.rai@... [top] [end]Risø’s Development and Energy in Africa (DEA) Assessment FrameworkThe DEA Assessment Framework builds on the methodological approach developed by the M&EED working group. The Assessment Framework was designed to identify and quantify the outcomes and impacts of energy projects and was tested in collaboration with six African countries: Botswana, Ghana, Mali, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia. The Assessment Framework uses a 4-level causal chain approach to structure the energy intervention in terms of inputs, outputs, outcomes and impacts. Indicators are selected at each level and the assessment process identifies appropriate sources and methods to evaluate the indicators.The method was tested in the six participating countries, comprising case studies of rural electrification by grid connection (Botswana and Ghana), rural electrification by solar ESCOs (Zambia), solar water pumping and agriculture (Tanzania), renewable energy for women (Mali), and improved cookstoves and sustainable forestry (Senegal). At the conclusion of the project a workshop was held in Arusha, Tanzania in October 2007. It brought together over 50 regional energy workers from government, NGOs and universities, representing 17 African countries. The participants had different levels of experience in M&E and impact analysis related to energy interventions, but a clear desire was expressed by all of the importance of working together to develop recognised M&E systems and practices. The workshop’s purpose was:
The presentations and discussions were stimulating and indicated an urgent need to build M&E into the project cycle in a consistent way. Knowledge about projects, how they perform as well as their impacts are essential for designing future interventions that succeed and produce the desired impacts, and this knowledge must be available within the countries. However it was widely acknowledged that in-country the levels of awareness o fM&E and its usefulness are limited. The participants suggested that while there is evidence of a strong demand for M&E in some quarters there is also the need to build in-country capacity to undertake M&E and to establish networks for regional cooperation. The Workshop concluded with an expressed desire to take M&E forward in Africa. The full report and how the Assessment Framework was applied in each of the different cases is most informative and can be accessed via the @HEDON link below. [top] [end]GVEP International: An M&E Facility in AfricaHaving been a founding member of the M&EED International Working Group, and present at the Arusha workshop, GVEP International heard the call for developing skills and building capacity to conduct M&E in Africa, and responded by commissioning a local energy expert and participant in the DEA study, to conduct a feasibility study for such a facility. His brief included identifying the needs and assessing the expertise and demands that would have to be fulfilled in order to build M&E capacity regionally.The feasibility study has been completed and it highlights the fact that as awareness grows, and the usefulness of M&E becomes evident, national and regional networks and workshops where energy sector specialists and actors can meet, learn and discuss M&E methods would be usefu land would promote the implementation of M&E into the energy project cycle. The next step will be to offer a training workshop for M&E in energy for development projects in October 2008, to be held in South Africa, as we explore ways of possible accreditation for M&E. Depending on the demand for and success of this workshop, we will tailor further courses to meet specific needs and offer in-house training to those who would prefer ‘an expert in their office’. GVEP International will support the first workshop, and pending the evaluation will support further activities to develop a robust M&E facility. GVEP International welcomes your comments on these plans, and an expression of interest in attending the first workshop. Your contribution will be gladly received by wendy.annecke@... [top] [end]@HEDON
[top] [end]Download the original article News from GVEP International (996 KB)[top] [end]Contents: Boiling Point 55 - Monitoring and Evaluation
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