Capacity Building Of Disaster Risk Management Institutions-Survey Firm
In response to the repercussions of Covid-19 the Government of Pakistan responded by countercyclical development budget of $7,23 billion. ADB supported Government of Pakistan through COVID-19 Active Response and Expenditure Support (CARES) Program.
The CARES Program delivered support to
(i) social protection for the poor and vulnerable,
(ii) an expanded health sector response to the pandemic, and
(iii) a pro-poor fiscal stimulus package to ensure recovery in growth and employment.
Geographic Coverage:
The study will cover equal representation from all the provinces, including the regions of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
Organizations involved:
AASA Consulting Private Limited, Asian Development Bank, Benazir Income Support Program
Project Scope:
In order to assess the efficacy of the program in terms of sample targeting and consumption levels, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has appointed AASA Consulting Private Limited as the research agency to conduct independent evaluation and monitoring of the following three groups:
- Group 1 comprises of 7.5 million new families added to the BISP list and included in Categories II and III of BISP database.
- Group 2 comprises of 1.3 million daily wagers as included in the Category IV of BISP database titled “Ehsaas Labour Portal”.
- Group 3 comprises of female entrepreneurs of small and medium enterprises as recipients of loans under the “Kamyab Jawan Program
As per the scope of the project, AASA is responsible for designing a sampling and research methodology while also being responsible for data collection, data analysis and a comprehensive final report.
Independent Expert for Education Management Organizations for Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh:
The Education and Literacy Department, Government of Sindh, has outsourced the operation and management of selected government schools to private sector Education Management Organizations (EMOs) under a public-private partnership arrangement. AASA Consulting has been appointed as the Independent Expert (IE) for three EMOs managing a total of 54 schools across five districts of Sindh, and tasked with verifying and monitoring the progress achieved at these schools as per stipulated targets and timelines.
Project scope of work:
- Facilitating the review, reporting and certification of all activities associated with the fulfillment of KPIs to the Government of Sindh, the EMOs, and the Independent Auditor
- Approving the annual management plan developed by the EMOs
- Supporting the EMOs and the Sindh Government in designing of the reporting and other Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER) tools
- Facilitating the reviewing and approval of the parameters for the Training Need Assessment (TNA) of the staff
Submitting quarterly reports to the Sindh Government and other stakeholders on the performance of the EMOs based on technical aspects
EMOs: TCF, IBA Sukkur, Charter for Compassion, Hands & Durbeen
Geographic coverage: Sukkur, Larkana, Qambar Shahdadkot, Dadu, Khairpur and Karachi
IE to 100 Schools/College
Supporting Cultural Change for Accelerated Growth–Phase 1 & 2 for UBL:
Our services were engaged by UBL to design a change management and transformation strategy with focus on culture and internal operating environment. Conduct cultural assessment at field offices and branches, leadership development & coaching program, development of change management plan, capacity building of leadership team, cascading refreshed UBL values to all tiers and recommendations for communication channels.
This project was split into 3 components – organizational and culture engagement and assessment carried out through desktop reviews; assessing UBL’s engagement and communication dynamics and senior leadership development and capacity building program. AASA Consulting prepared an overall strategy for culture transformation and also implemented part of the strategy before handing over to the UBL team for continuation of implementation.
8,826 Employees received change management ‘Toolkit’ training
38 Coaching sessions held for senior executives
Impact Evaluation of the Sindh Education Foundation Pilot Project Promoting Private Schools in Rural Sindh (PPRS) Program for World Bank:
With an aim to increase access to schools and reduce gender disparity in marginalized areas, extensive data was collected on public financing of private primary education. The program was the first implemented on a pilot basis in 10 districts of Sindh, Pakistan. AASA Consulting completed the extensive task of data mapping of surveyed schools against baseline data.
The firm was also involved in student tracking and data aligning. The project was experimental in nature under which the localities were segregated into different treatment groups:
- who received gender-uniform subsidies
- who received gender-differentiated subsidies
who did not receive any subsidy. The collected data was meant to help shape follow-up action to ameliorate the educational environment.
17,500 Household surveyed
16,000 Child tests administered
5140 Vehicle owner interviews
Geographic coverage: Larkana, Kambar Shahdadkot, Khairpur, Dadu, Sanghar, Shaheed Mohtarma, Benazir Bhutto, Thatta, Badin, Umerkot, Mithi
Management/HR Development Program under Technical Assistance for Banking Sector (TABS) for the State Bank of Pakistan:
The TABS project was a change management and capacity building initiative under which SBP upgraded its human resource capacity and HR systems. The scope involved upgrading the knowledge and skills of its human resource in the span of a 2½ year period for its entire executive staff.
The project included undertaking a Training Needs Assessment of the SBP management team vis-a-vis soft and HR management skills, design and preparation of the training programs under the 3 major clusters – People Skills, Human Resources and Strategic Management.
13 Training programs delivered
170 Workshop days
69 Iterations
1500+ Participants
Study on Profiling and Segmenting the Road Transport (Logistics) Sector and Assessment of Informal Financing therein for Karandaaz:
The primary aim of the assignment is to provide formal financial institutions insights into the sector. This will enable the design of suitable products and services to formalize lending and grow the portfolio of financial services available to the sector. The objectives are to establish:
- Bankability potential of the sector
- Segmentation in the sector
- The growth potential and economics of the sector
The study will provide valuable information on the following aspects of the transportation sector:
- Sector sizing, profiling and segmentation
- Policy and regulatory framework
- Sector economics
- Sources of financing and mechanics
The assignment is a country-level study based on an analysis of both, secondary data and information, and primary data collected through a nation-wide survey, engaging all pertinent stakeholders. During the course of the study, more than 5000 stakeholders will be interviewed including: truck drivers, truck owners, service providers, etc.
5140 Vehicle owner interviews
150 Key informant interviews
6 FGDs
54 Field team members
Geographic coverage: Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar & Hubs
Implementation of Organizational Restructuring in Multan Electric Power Company (MEPCO), Pakistan for USAID funded Power Distribution Program:
This assignment focused on the implementation of HRM Policies and Procedures developed under an earlier initiative of Organizational Assessment & Restructuring conducted by our firm on behalf of IRG/PDP at MEPCO.
The duration of the project was 9 months. The activities were focused towards implementation and expanding on Organizational Assessment & Restructuring. The project was initiated with the formation of a Steering Committee and the activities included interventions in Recruitment & Selection, Staff Development (Performance Management), Employee Relations, Compensation and Benefits, Training and Development and Development of Job Descriptions.
18,050 Total employee base
5 Performance management workshops
230 Job positions redesigned
198 Total participants for TNA
Effective, Poverty Focused Investment Strategy in Punjab (Component 1) for Asian Development Bank:
This project was about promoting poverty-focused and effective development planning in Punjab with the aim to develop a provincial poverty strategy and district-based poverty action plans. We were required to develop an investment strategy which provided a comprehensive framework for social development and poverty reduction.
We were also required to initiate the process of poverty-focused planning at the district level, facilitate the preparation of district poverty assessments, establish linkages between development planning and budgetary processes, upgrade and expand existing monitoring and evaluation systems to more effectively track progress in implementing the P-PRSP and monitor the implementation and outcomes of investment projects. We were also responsible for encouraging the participation of major stakeholders and civil society institutions in the reform and development process through provincial and sub-regional workshops. We delegated 4 specialists on the project apart from support staff.
Sector Analysis: Education and Literacy, Health, Housing and Urban Development, Water Supply and Sanitation, Small and Medium Enterprises & Livestock and Dairy Development.
District Profiles: Attock, DG Khan, Faisalabad & Lodhran
Gender Differences: Understanding Perceptions, National Baseline Study Funded by USAID for Aurat Foundation:
AASA Consulting in association with AERC conducted a nationwide baseline study for the Gender Equity Program (GEP) supported by USAID. The study was designed to benchmark existing knowledge, attitudes and practices, which could later be used to assess progress towards GEP objectives. The survey recorded information on key issues with respect to women’s rights, women’s access to justice and institutions, women’s empowerment and gender based violence.
The survey was the first of its kind in recording responses for the same questions from male and female household members. The responses of male and female members were then compared. The survey was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative survey instruments, which consisted of social and economic indicators of gender equity.
The study also comprised of diverse multi-stakeholder surveys (focus group discussions, key opinion maker interviews and case studies).
11,273 Respondents
53 Key opinion maker interviews
43 FGDs
15 Case studies
Geographic Coverage: Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh and Gilgit – Baltistan
Social Inclusion and Gender Platform – The Quetta Urban Survey for World Bank:
This study is currently in execution. The Quetta Urban Survey is a multi-purpose household survey that aims to obtain detailed information on the quality of living and access to basic services and infrastructure in urban spaces. This includes a range of themes such as water and sanitation, solid waste management, urban poverty, labour market participation and economic empowerment, domestic and international migration, as well as individual aspirations.
The survey also has a focus on studying the living conditions and economic contributions of the Afghan populations residing in Quetta.
The firm is responsible for finalizing the developed questionnaire and undertake the pilot testing in Quetta.
The main challenge is the size of the questionnaire with 98 pages requiring multiple visits to each household to interview all female members and the male head of the household.
2,400 Household surveyed
98 Page questionnaire
Third Party Evaluation for Baluchistan Nutrition Program for Mothers and Children for Government of Baluchistan:
The firm has been engaged by Government of Balochistan Health Department as Third Party Evaluation Firm for their project Balochistan Nutrition Program for Mothers and Children. The project is being implementedx by Government of Balochistan Health Department through its Provincial Nutrition Cell in assistance of World Bank and Multi Donor Trust Fund. The project targets under 5-year old children, pregnant and lactating women and adolescent girls specifically in low income, underprivileged and ethnically marginalized households suffering through the problem of severe acute malnutrition and other dietary lacking.
The Program counters the prevalence of nutrition lacking in the target districts through the introduction of the following:
- Infant & Child Feeding practices (IYCF),
- Community Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition (CMAM), and disaggregated by districts and within each district by public and private sector;
- Coverage of micronutrient malnutrition interventions;
As a Third Party Evaluation Firm, we are assigned to undertake mid-line and end-line evaluation studies of the Project. The evaluation studies aimed to:
- Track progress of BNPMC intervention activities and outcomes against the guidelines and set KPIs
- Provide valuable information to the program management for course correction for the remaining phase of the program
1,029 Household surveys
92 Exit interviews
46 Health facility surveys
14 FGDs
107 Key informant interviews
Geographic coverage: Zhob, Killa Saifullah, Panjgur, Nushki, Sibi, Kharan and Kohlu
Includes work under Grant Thorntan Consulting and outsourced to AASA Consulting.