Needs Assessment of Beneficiaries for the OWIFA Social Response Project

Introduction

C-CARE, a non-governmental organization (NGO) based in Cameroon, is dedicated to motivating and mobilizing rural farm communities in Cameroon for initiation and involvement in actions that will improve living conditions and resilience in the face of climate change. Through this OWIFA social response project, we aim to contribute to sustainable livelihood for orphans and fatherless children in Bamenda 2 subdivision of the Northwest Region through vocational training. The identification/assessment of needs of beneficiaries for this program is a critical step which we just concluded.

Objectives

The primary objectives of holding a needs assessment workshop with identified beneficiaries were to:

1. Ensure final beneficiaries are those most in need of support.
2. Ensure participation in selection of desired vocations.

Criteria for Beneficiary Selection

To ensure that the right beneficiaries were retained, and choice vocational training programs agreed upon, C-CARE used a specialized needs assessment tool.  The criteria include:

1. Age: Priority was given to children between 12 and 17 years. This is an age bracket during which individuals can easily develop lifelong skills.
2. Family status: Priority was given to children who are orphans and fatherless and those children whose parents have experienced a diminishing of their agricultural land resources as a result of climate change. They live in low-income households which lack the financial resources to access training and education opportunities.
3. Type of vocation preferred: The needs assessment helped us to identify vocations that are available, marketable, accessible and affordable within the project’s limited budget.
4. Duration: Preference was given to vocations whose required period of completion align with the project timeline.

Location Process

The needs assessment was done in Nkurah community in collaboration with the quarter head and a religious leader.

Results achieved

1. Forty (40) participants were finally retained as beneficiaries for the first phase
2. Five (5) vocations were chosen in a participatory manner with the beneficiaries.

Challenges and Solutions

The activity was not without challenges. Some of these challenges and their solutions include:

1. Accurate Data Collection: Collecting accurate data on participants was difficult. To address this, the field staff present at the needs assessment workshop supported individuals on a case-by-case manner in filling the assessment form.
2. Absences: About 5% of expected participants did not show up mostly because they had travelled out of the community.

Conclusion

The assessment of beneficiaries’ needs for vocational training was a comprehensive process aimed at directing the limited resources towards where the need is greatest.  By employing a systematic approach that included clear criteria, beneficiaries’ involvement, and rigorous verification, C-CARE now has a list of 40 final beneficiaries for the first phase. This list is now the basis for our discussions with chosen vocational training centers on the placement of beneficiaries.