A study on MEAL practices on community development projects in Mullaitivu district – special reference in public sectors

Abstract

Many development efforts are implemented as Community Development Projects. Their unique nature and qualitative objectives raise a variety of tools and techniques used in CDPs. The study focuses on MEAL practices in CDPs in government sectors of Mullaitivu district. The researcher used a qualitative method for this study and collected data from twelve respondents in five selected organizations through interviews with open-ended questionnaires among project leaders, coordinators, managers, and development officers. The researcher found various MEAL practices in their assigned project, and when the researcher compared them with literature MEAL practices, they did not use participatory monitoring, risk assessment, logical framework, auditing, and lessons learned registers. Finally, the researcher suggests a strategic approach and includes integrating MEAL practices into project planning, focusing on capacity building, developing clear guidelines, utilizing technology for data collection and analysis, establishing a systematic review mechanism, involving local communities, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, allocating adequate financial resources, cultivating a continuous learning culture, improving their knowledge, and advocating for their integration into government policies. Finally, the researcher found those practices, mainly using tools such as meetings, communications, progress reports, daily diaries, webinars, and field visits. According to these, different CDPs used a variety of tools and techniques. Mostly, they used monitoring and evaluation practices but rarely used accountability and learning practices. So, these practices are essential to every community development project; they cannot identify their regular activities in field sessions