ERDO is committed to see long-lasting change in communities and does so by working with local partners and church-based organizations. ERDO uses a results-based approach to measure the impact of programs. This helps ensure that both the design of a program and the strategy to monitor progress are considered.
It is important to design a program with program goals in mind and with each part of the intervention contributing to the program outcomes. It is also important to ensure that the program approach is not only helpful to achieve the program outcomes but is also appropriate based on the local context. Consistent monitoring helps provide valuable information about the progress of the project as well as recommendations and lessons that can be implemented, with the purpose of strengthening the project and informing future program design.
ERDO works to reach its long-term goal of seeing increased sustainable and holistic well-being of vulnerable children, families and communities through the following programming pillars:
- Crisis Response programs aim to improve the well-being of crisis-affected communities through improving disaster preparedness and resilience, sustaining human life and dignity and strengthening early recovery.
- Community Development programs contribute towards sustained transformation of vulnerable communities through supporting economic empowerment, sustainable livelihoods and community health.
- Child Development programs contribute to the sustained well-being of vulnerable children through life-long education, increased care, protection and strengthened healthcare.
Under each of these pillars, ERDO has identified long and short-term goals or outcomes to achieve results.
Crisis Response Outcomes
ERDO’s ultimate goal is to see improved well-being for vulnerable crisis-affected communities. ERDO does this by:
- Working to increase resilience and preparedness to mitigate the risks and impacts of crises
- Working to sustain human dignity and life in the midst of or aftermath of crises
- Working to increase people’s well-being in the early recovery period
Community Development Outcomes:
ERDO’s ultimate goal is to see sustained, holistic transformation for vulnerable communities. ERDO does this by:
- Working to increase the level of health in communities
- Working towards measurable economic growth in communities
- Working towards sustainable livelihoods and improved household food security
Child Development Outcomes:
ERDO’s ultimate goal is to see improved well-being and sustained, holistic transformation for vulnerable children. ERDO does this by:
- Working to improve the quality of life-long education of children
- Working to improve the quality of care and protection of children
- Working to increase the level of health in children
To see these longer-term goals reached, ERDO works on shorter-term goals (immediate outcomes) that increase people’s knowledge, skills and/or capacity. ERDO’s Theory of Change demonstrates the expected results under each programming pillar that will lead to the longer-term outcomes being reached. It depicts the outcomes that allow ERDO to measure progress, monitor achievements, learn lessons and hold the organization accountable to its intended outcomes.
To ensure that ERDO continues to adhere to best standard practices, there are several international development standards that ERDO adheres to. Compliance with these standards help ERDO to meet the needs of the most vulnerable. They provide ERDO with minimum standards set by the international development community to bring dignity and care to people. Standards ERDO adheres to include:
- The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness (2005)
- The Accra Agenda for Action (2008)
- The Busan Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation (2011)
- The Grand Bargain (2016) and The Grand Bargain 2.0 (2021)
- The Sustainable Development Goals
- The IASC Six Core Principles
- UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
- The Sphere Standards
- Core Humanitarian Standard on Quality and Accountability (2014)
- Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief (1994)
- Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Action (2019)
Through its membership with Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB), ERDO has the opportunity to access funding from Global Affairs Canada (GAC) for food security programming. ERDO is able to receive funding for emergency food assistance programming, as well as longer-term agriculture programming that aim to increase food security among households. GAC uses a results-based approach to monitor programs, which focuses on reporting at both the outcome and output level. GAC uses standardized outcomes in which programs report against.
All food assistance programming with CFGB aim to reach the ultimate goal of seeing lives saved, suffering alleviated and human dignity maintained in countries experiencing humanitarian crises or acute food insecurity. To reach this goal, shorter-term goals are established. Programming funded through GAC must also show how gender equality is being attained. Projects must monitor the increased participation of women and marginalized groups in gender-responsive humanitarian action.
Longer-term goals include:
- Stabilized and/or increased immediate consumption of nutritious food by fe-male and male-headed households affected by humanitarian crisis
- Protected livelihoods for female and male-headed households affected by humanitarian crises
Shorter term goals include:
- Increased access to nutritious food for women, men, girls, and boys affected by humanitarian crises
- Increased access to nutritious food for women, men, girls, and boys affected by humanitarian crises
- Increased confidence of women and marginalized group members to participate meaningfully throughout the life of the project
- Increased access to resources to protect livelihoods
