Impact Evaluation of ​Strengthening Harmonized Action for Disaster Risk Reduction, Preparedness, and Recovery (SHARPER) Project

Overview

This report presents findings and recommendations from the independent impact evaluation commissioned by Oxfam Pilipinas of its Strengthening Harmonized Action for Disaster Risk Reduction, Preparedness, and Recovery (SHARPER) Project (Phase 1) that it implemented with local partners within the provinces of Catanduanes and Eastern Samar in the Philippines. The evaluation focused on assessing SHARPER’s gains and impact in line with its second pillar or component that aimed to strengthen resilience of local livelihoods. As such, it complements the project’s contracted studies to track the status of 32 partner communities around identified outcome metrics during the course of implementation, and the multi-country (Bangladesh, Nepal, Indonesia, Philippines) final evaluation commissioned by Oxfam America for the Asia Disaster Community Preparedness and Transformation (ACT) program which supported SHARPER.  A key finding of the evaluation highlighted the transformative role of local women-led self-help groups (SHGs) not only in diversifying the community’s livelihood options and setting up mechanisms to facilitate quick post-disaster livelihood recovery, but also in driving community action and critical engagements towards more inclusive and pre-emptive local disaster risk reduction governance.