Technical audit and monitoring
The Social Fund for Development (SFD) is one of KfWs main Yemeni implementing partners, implementing a number of projects funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through KfW throughout Yemen.
Due to the severity of the security situation and travel restrictions in the country, the projects have been remotely monitored by KfW through a third party since 2014. Since early 2015, Yemen has been suffering from a devastating conflict between the Government of Yemen (GoY), supported by the Saudi-led coalition, and an alliance between the Houthis and forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. The armed conflict in Yemen has lasted almost four years and the fighting has had a severe and lasting impact on education, WASH services and livelihoods. The conflict has particularly affected girls access to education. Yemens water and sanitation infrastructure has also been devastated by the war, and basic municipal services such as garbage collection have deteriorated. In addition, the conflict has severely affected food production, disrupted economic activities, destroyed peoples livelihoods and reduced their purchasing power, making it difficult for them to meet their basic nutritional needs.
The main task of the consultant was to conduct monitoring field visits to at least 20% of the KfW-financed projects implemented by SFD, to review available data and to collect additional data in the field. The monitoring included projects in the WASH, LIWP and education sectors. The consultant was expected to assess whether projects were being implemented efficiently, on time, and in accordance with KfW/SFD standard guidelines.
OBJECTIVES
The objective of the assignment was to perform a monitoring function on behalf of KfW and SFD to complement and triangulate existing monitoring activities including the following topics:
- Verify and validate implemented activities and outputs/outcomes (e.g. improved assets, better use of assets, etc.)
- Ensuring that planned results are achieved to the agreed quality standards (including environmental, social, health and safety (ESHS) safeguards) and that those most in need are reached
- Provide lessons learned to improve project implementation
- Assessing whether projects are implemented efficiently and on time, are relevant and appropriate to the context in which they operate, are informed by the beneficiaries they support, and are defined by a needs-based approach
- Assess the fiduciary aspects of the activities implemented
The consultant monitored 290 projects and achieved the objective of comparing the performance of a meaningful sample of projects for each type of sector to ensure that the funds provided by the program were used effectively and efficiently and for the agreed purpose.
