SAMARTH

SAMARTH will develop training activities that will enable Delivering Hope grantees in India to self-monitor their programs aimed at combating hepatitis B virus (HBV)  and hepatitis C virus (HCV) and to better prepare for external program evaluation.

Need

Since 2007, Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation’s Delivering Hope initiative has supported community-based efforts to rid India of viral hepatitis infections through activities such as:

  • Education and awareness programs among various sections of the community
  • Encouraging testing and vaccination
  • Subsidizing vaccinations
  • Continuing to build capacity for healthcare providers

The programs target high-risk groups such as sanitation workers, doctors and nurses, blood bank staff, sex workers and intravenous drug users. As these programs grow and naturally evolve based on need and an influx of new partners, proper monitoring and evaluation will ensure that program goals are achieved and that sound methodologies are being used.

Project

SAMARTH will receive $333,115 over three years to develop training activities that will enable grantees of the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation’s Delivering Hope initiative in India to:

  • Strengthen their ability to self-monitor their programs aimed at combating HBV and HCV
  • Better prepare for external program evaluations

The training will increase the organizations’ knowledge and capacity to conduct research, thereby enhancing their ability to improve their existing programs and to plan more effective programs in the future. Systematic and routine monitoring will be built into the planning stages of every project.

In addition, SAMARTH will conduct evaluations of three partners per year to assess completed or ongoing programs for relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. The evaluations will be done early enough to allow for course-corrections as needed.