Monitoring Outcomes of PEPFAR Orphans and Vulnerable Children Programs

Photo by Lisa Marie Albert, MEASURE Evaluation

As part of its Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (MER) guidance, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) launched a set of outcome indicators for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) programs in 2014. These outcome indicators are designated as “Essential Survey Indicators,” which means that PEPFAR considers them critical to tracking progress within PEPFAR-funded projects.

The purpose of collecting the MER OVC Essential Survey Indicators (ESI) is to obtain a snapshot of project outcomes at a point in time and to assess changes in outcomes among OVC project beneficiaries over time. Access reports and posters that share findings from  surveys in Haiti, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. 

MEASURE Evaluation developed a set of resources to support the collection of the PEPFAR MER Essential Survey Indicators. These resources are intended for all stakeholders involved in the MER OVC Essential Survey Indicators—for example, USAID Mission staff, PEPFAR implementing partner staff, and the organizations responsible for designing and conducting MER surveys.

MER OVC Essential Survey Indicators – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This document includes Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) raised by stakeholders involved in designing and implementing surveys to collect the PEPFAR Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting (MER) Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) Essential Survey Indicators.

PEPFAR Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER) Supplement

The purpose of this document is to provide US Government staff and others with a high-level understanding of outcomes monitoring and approaches to outcomes monitoring to enable effective procurement of data collection services for these new outcome indicators. Two appropriate methods for outcomes monitoring are briefly described: cluster sample surveys and Lot Quality Assurance Sampling (LQAS) surveys. A data collection tool and analysis guidance is provided.

PEPFAR Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting: Collecting the Essential Survey Indicators of Orphans and Vulnerable Children Well-Being through Outcomes Monitoring - Facilitator's Guide to the Data Collector Training

This manual has been created to support training specifically for collecting the MER essential survey indicators through outcomes monitoring. Access the accompanying PowerPoint presentations.

PEPFAR Orphans and Vulnerable Children Monitoring, Evaluating, and Reporting Essential Survey Indicators: Protocol Template

This protocol template includes sections on background, study design, human subjects research, and fieldwork procedures for data collection of the nine MER OVC ESI.

Monitoring, Evaluating, and Reporting PEPFAR's Essential Survey Indicators for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Programs: Supervisor Manual Template

This supervisor manual includes sections on the data collection team, organizing and supervising interviews, data management, and other procedures for data collection of the nine MER OVC ESI.

Monitoring, Evaluating, and Reporting PEPFAR's Essential Survey Indicators for Orphans and Vulnerable Children Programs: Enumerator Manual Template

This enumerator manual focuses on documenting the fieldwork procedures for data collection of the nine MER OVC ESI.

Essential Survey Indicators: Reports and Posters

PEPFAR’s Essential Survey Indicators are being used to assess the outcomes of programs for orphans and vulnerable children in a number of countries. A collection of reports and posters share findings from surveys in Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, and Tanzania.