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Monitoring and Evaluation In conducting its monitoring and evaluation operations, NTAG’s main guiding principle is to add value to existing Nepali programs and systems. NTAG’s monitoring and evaluation unit integrates itself with the existing government delivery systems, improving the capacity of the district and community workers, if necessary, to collect and use information in a standardized way and thus acts as a facilitator rather than implementer of monitoring and evaluation. In order to continuously add value, NTAG uses the data collected to update and improve its programmatic objectives and actions, as well as regularly update the data collection tools. NTAG’s close tie to the community allows it to develop or adapt standardized tools to be finely attuned to the local setting and needs. As part of its work in national programs, NTAG regularly performs mini-surveys to evaluate the results and coverage of NVAP, iron supplementation and iodine fortification programs, as well as selected nutrition-oriented trends in Nepal. The mini-surveys began as a routine monitoring tool for ensuring high coverage of the NVAP components. NTAG has over the years used this existing monitoring structure to measure indicators of health behaviors and coverage around iron supplementation, iodized salt consumption and other nutrition-related areas, making it into a small-scale micronutrient survey. When conducting the semi-annual mini-surveys, NTAG thoroughly involves the health facility staff, FCHVs and community people in the survey process, making them part of the community mapping and sampling, and through their knowledge of the data collection process, raising their awareness about the importance and possible uses of the data collected. Furthermore, heavy emphasis is placed in including the district statistical assistants in all steps of the data collection process. In addition, NTAG provides technical assistance to funders and large NGOs in monitoring of programs and improving the monitoring systems already in place. With funding from UNICEF, NTAG is currently performing an in-depth evaluation of the organization's Growth Monitoring and Promotion Program to identify the positive elements and make recommendations about its monitoring database.
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