Author: Patrick Bolte
Executive summary
This evaluation is a powerful case study of efforts to strengthen community resilience. With holistic programming and integral aspects to enhance the functions and connections of communities, the ‘Reinforcing Rural Resilience (RRR)’ project contributed to substantially raised levels of resilience of its target communities.
On the resilience radar, the overall resilience score increased from a medium-level 0.493 in 2021 to a high-level 0.795 in 2024. The most significant improvements were noted in terms of disaster preparedness (+160.2%) and connectedness (+108.0%). All social dimensions of resilience — (community capacity, connectedness, social capital, and inclusiveness) are now rated as very high, representing a strong foundation that communities can build on.
Given the dramatically evolving climate crisis and and high exposure and sensitivity to hazards and stressors typically found in rural communities, the RRR project is a powerful case of what can be achieved in a relatively short timeframe.
Implemented between July 2021 and June 2024, the RRR project was the third iteration of community resilience programming by Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) and Swiss Red Cross (SRC). The project focussed on Gaibandha and Kurigram districts of Bangladesh and reached a population of 235,200 across on 88 communities.
The evaluation was based on a mixed-method approach that included a resilience radar survey, eight resilience star exercises in selected communities, a staff reflection workshop, and numerous key informant interviews. An additional part of the study covered the baseline for the new project (see Jamuna baseline report).
Relevance
The RRR project delivered well-targeted and needs-based interventions. It retained several aspects from preceding iterations and added new features to address issues that had been identified in the 2021 baseline (such as high levels of food insecurity). The broad RRR approach was contextualised through community-based planning, and the team was responsive by addressing locally identified and specific needs (such as the repair of roads). Process ownership was strong and inclusive. The requirement of local contributions (typically 10% of costs for structural measures were required of beneficiaries and 20% of local governments) acted as a relevance check and was a smart tool to instil cooperation between communities and governments.
Project-supported measures were highly relevant in addressing gaps and reducing exposure as well as sensitivity to hazards. The project aligned its delivery with local governments and other actors, notably through ‘common investment plans’ and joint monitoring teams.
Effectiveness
The level of resilience of target communities was dramatically raised, and the improvement was chiefly attributed to the RRR project. On the resilience radar, the average score increased by 61.3% — a gain almost twice as high as that achieved by the previous project. The strong resilience scores were mirrored in all eight resilience stars that were conducted on the basis of focus group discussions. Importantly, positive changes were overwhelmingly attributed to the RRR project.
Five aspects shall be highlighted. First, disaster preparedness is greatly improved. Early warning coverage is now almost universal (99.5%, up from 36.2%). The formation of elevated homesteads with 8-9 households each (equipped with latrines, tube wells, vegetable gardens and space for livestock) is seen as a particularly effective measure to reduce flood-related damages and losses.
Second, in terms of health, the upgrading or construction of community clinics that was underpinned by community groups supporting their operation and outreach did greatly improve access to health services.
Third, regarding water & sanitation, the project supported virtually universal coverage with sanitary latrines (98.5%, up from 23.8% in 2021). Handwashing practices improved drastically, with the index now reaching 0.82 (up from 0.42).
Fourth, the project investment in livelihood as well as food & nutrition was comparatively modest, it nevertheless yielded gains in several aspects, notably in terms of food security. The utilisation of social safety nets, amongst those eligible, increased from just 6.9% in 2021 to 55.6% in 2024.
Fifth, the project deployed a sound mix of enabling actions at scale (running more than 20,000 awareness sessions on DRR, health, or WASH) and targeted tangibles (construction of latrines, tube wells, clinics, raised homesteads). While this helped to elevate conditions across the several resilience dimensions, the project also laid the foundations for further follow-up.
The greatly improved connections between communities and local governments as well as the advances in terms of communities’ internal capacities are a strong base to advance resilience further and to address further needs (for instance, through replication of the raised homestead model).
Out of the 22 logframe indicators assessed by this evaluation, the project reached or exceeded 16 target values.
Efficiency
The evaluation found the RRR project to be highly efficient, due to four factors. First, it benefitted from economies of scale (proportionally small overhead costs to support a large population of 235,200 in a contiguous target area).
Second, it had an effective and efficient team structure. The integration of 121 trained volunteers at community level enabled deep and on-going engagement.
Third, the team comprised members who had gained and retained lessons from the previous DRM project. Staff turnover was minimal.
Fourth, the consistent requirement for local co-funding increased the leverage of project funds (typically, around 30% of the costs for structural measures were contributed by local sources).
Sustainability
The project outcomes are seen as mostly sustainable, thanks to a strong level of process ownership, needs-based interventions, and a strong focus on capacity development and connectedness. Almost all survey respondents (99.0%) said that benefits would continue to prevail for at least the next five years.
Lessons
The approach applied by the RRR project is seen as an effective way to reinforce resilience, and should be retained and replicated: holistic, community-based programming that is centred on connectedness is seen as an effective way to strengthen community resilience.
The combination of branch development and community-centred efforts is sensible — after all, branches have a lot of potential leverage in networking with governments, and advocating for communities. However, the dual objectives of (centred on branches and communities) must be managed carefully to ensure that both objectives are attained.
The Jamuna baseline report that was prepared as part of the overall study contains 21 specific recommendations for future programming that are grouped in five categories: replicate what works, support adaptation to climate change, tweak implementation modalities, localise core capacities, and monitor to manage (see the Jamuna baseline report: pp. 19-21).