Midterm evaluation of the program to strengthen self reliance and resilience of Tibetan communities in South Asia : final evaluation report

TSRR is a five-year, $23 million activity funded by USAID aimed at improving the livelihoods of Tibetan refuges in India and Nepal through 11 Key Result Areas (KRAs) spanning livelihoods development, health, agriculture, education, capacity development, and arts and culture. The evaluation conducted by Social Impact near the start of the program’s forth year sought to understand 1) TSRR’s contribution to improved livelihoods; 2) the adoption of systems and processes introduced for increasing institutional capacity; 3) the effectiveness of the integrated multi-sector approach; and 4) potential areas of improvement for the program moving forward. To respond to these questions, SI undertook a participatory, mixed-methods evaluation that included desk review, key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions (FGDs), and a quantitative survey in six Tibetan settlements in India and Nepal in November 2019. The evaluation concluded that TSRR made good progress across indicators in the first three years including improving livelihoods through increased access to finance, bolstering education systems, providing health insurance and services, and strengthening institutional capacity and cultural preservation. Despite covering a range of services, the evaluation noted that the program could improve targeting and integration of services by strengthening community participation and input.