Objective:
The key objective of this assignment is to critically evaluate the rationale and outcomes of a specific development project. The main goal is to arrive at a deeper understanding of a particular development issue of interest to the student, and a better appreciation of the interplay between policy objectives, stakeholder groups, resource allocation and the diversity of possible outcomes. We have chosen four projects and students will select one from among them. The titles, brief descriptions and links to the projects are given at the end of this document.
Procedures:
A) Start by choosing one of the projects from the given choices. Make your decision based on your interest of the topic or related issues.
B) Write up a report on your assessment of the selected project. The report must be no more than seven pages (not comprising diagrams and bibliography).
Your report must consist of the given sections:
I) Introduction:
Explain in brief the nature of the development project you have chosen and describe why you have chosen the project to analyse. In brief information about the location and the geopolitical context of the site must be provided. Use a thesis statement to identify the core message of your paper.
II) About the project:
Explain the specific key objectives of the project.
Identify the funding mechanism of the project, and the sources of funding.
Identify the key players or stakeholders of the project. Who is supposed to benefit from the initiative?
III) Analysis:
Identify the successes and obstacles encountered by the project. How and why did they arise? Other questions you might ask include:
a) What are the real outcomes of the project so far and are they meeting the initial objective?
b) Were there sufficient considerations for the cultural and social context of the target population when the project was rolled out?
c) What other factors contribute to the success or failure of the project?
d) Is the project sustainable and scalable and is there any evidence for this?
e) Do you think it is replicable (that is, can it be duplicated in the other context)?
f) Describe, and what would be some potential obstacles to its replicability (and also its sustainability and scalability).
g) How could the project be improved or made more efficient.
h) Your personal assessment of the project in terms of its value and contribution to the understanding of development.
IV) Conclusions:
a) Did the project and the exercise deepen your understanding of the particular development issues?
b) Sum up the major ideas presented.