Embedding measurement for change principles across the project cycle
Embedding measurement for change principles and designing the project around an adaptive learning agenda allowed First Steps to have MEAL approaches owned and led by all project staff and not just the “MEAL experts.” MEAL was positioned as an integral part of the project and the responsibility of everyone including project managers, beneficiaries, partners, and all other stakeholders for a continuous quality, context-adapted, and improved implementation. We learned that for a productive and quality execution, all stakeholders need to come together through both planned and unplanned opportunities to express their views and influence decision-making across the program cycle by discussing, deciding, and working together during a needs analysis, design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and advocacy. Allowing for diverse voices made the program agile and responsive to the needs of stakeholders during the different changes in the implementation environment. This outlook is a necessity for similar projects wanting to make and sustain changes at scale.