How Learning and Adapting Enabled Civil Society Innovations in Cambodia

Read this case summary to learn how DAI Global used a CLA approach to bring Cambodian civil society organizations (CSOs) and the technology community together to expand market opportunities for tech service providers and help CSOs use information and communication technologies for development results.

Development Challenge: Despite increasing mobile device usage and digital activity, many Cambodian civil society organizations (CSOs) did not yet understand, or have the skills or resources to avail themselves of, technology solutions in their work. At the same time, the technology community was not aware of how they could work with CSOs. Bringing these two groups together could expand market opportunities for tech service providers and help CSOs use information and communication technologies for development results.

CLA Approach: 

• M&E for Learning: The team entered a “learning period” to test the relevance of the project’s activities and approach. They conducted a rapid demand survey using online forms, focus groups discussions and interviews and utilized the results of their mid-term evaluation. Findings from both suggested that they shift their offerings to better meet the needs of CSOs and focus on securing local partnerships that would ensure the continuity of services after the end of the project.
• Adaptive Management: In response to these findings, the team shifted their work plan to focus on services in highest demand and unavailable on the local market. They also engaged local partners who could take over key services at the end of the project.

Outcomes:

Using a CLA approach enabled the team to focus on activities that met CSOs’ needs and ensured sustainability. As a result, they have developed more than 100 new CSO partnerships (62 in 2015, to 163 in 2017); and adapted services to meet customer demand, which led to an increase in income generated by the project by 1,065 percent, a total of $21,304.

Read the full case here.

This blog post is part of a series featuring the 10 winners of the 2017 Collaborating, Learning and Adapting Case Competition. A new case will be posted on USAID Learning Lab each Thursday from October 12 - December 14.