Theory of Change as a Tool to Achieve Greater Self Reliance in Bangladesh

Nobo Jatra-New Beginning’ - a five year Development Food Security Activity - seeks to improve gender equitable food security, nutrition and resilience in southwest Bangladesh. World Vision Bangladesh, together with the World Food Programme and Winrock International and 3 local partner NGOs, undertook the project in September 2015, integrating interventions in Nutrition, Water Sanitation and Hygiene, Agriculture and Alternative Livelihoods, Disaster Risk Reduction, Good Governance and Social Accountability, and Gender to achieve its objectives. Nobo Jatra is implemented in partnership with the Government of Bangladesh - aiming reach 856,116 direct participants.

Synchronizing with the end of Nobo Jatra's Mid Term Evaluation, a Theory of Change (ToC) review facilitated by The TOPs Program served as a valuable opportunity to use learning and evidence as a basis to revise the pathways, outputs and outcomes in the ToC and strengthen the layering, sequencing, integration, and overall prioritization of interventions. Immediately following the MTE, the thorough ToC review allowed staff including senior leadership within World Vision Bangladesh and Nobo Jatra teams to engage in honest appraisal and critique of the ToC, an opportunity to integrate new findings, MTE recommendati and determine whether the hypotheses put forth at project start up were still valid in the current context. Tangible outcomes of the Nobo Jatra ToC review include increased linkages across all four project purposes, clearly delineated coordination with local and national Government, NGOs and Feed the Future activities, assimilation of gender, youth, environment and governance across all purposes and amplified citizen engagement with government to improve delivery and quality of health, nutrition and WASH outcomes – thus paving the way for greater self-reliance of local communities and government. The outcomes of the ToC review have heavily influenced the FY19 PREP and are reflected across strategies and DIP activities.