2017 ICT4D Conference

CRS recently launched policies and procedures to enhance a culture of Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning within the agency. One of the procedures explicitly mandated all projects to set up and implement beneficiary feedback and response mechanisms. This would in turn enhance participation of beneficiaries in the project cycle and improve the practice of informed decision making.

To accomplish this 'new' mandate, CRS country programs resorted to the numerous opportunities provided by technology in various process of beneficiary accountability processes. Some of the technologies used include SMS, visualization and use of a dedicated phone line to gather feedback from communities and other stakeholders, use of social media, internal chatter groups and webinars to disseminate and encourage use learning and adaptive management within projects.

In all these processes, country programs have gathered a package of ICTs that can help enhance accountability to beneficiaries particularly focusing on collecting and communicating feedback. Country teams have seen the value of technologies and appreciate the role of effective management in ensuring success of any project, especially ICT4Accountability projects.

The presentation will focus on a range of technologies employed by CRS in fostering accountability to beneficiaries and the success and challenges encountered during the use of these technologies.