Designing Impact Evaluations for the Nodal Anganwadi Centre Initiatives under SWASTH (Sector Wide Approach to Strengthen Health), Bihar, India

Aims & Objectives: The objectives and methodology of this ongoing  project are to:

• Examine the programme through a process evaluation method by looking into the conditions in NAWCs, knowledge of the cluster leaders and Anganwadi workers, and adherence to programme guidelines such as regular attendance at the NAWC;
• Use a matched difference-indifference methodology to compare outcomes across two groups of treatment Gram Panchayats i.e. GPs (where programme is implemented) relative to control GPs (where programme is yet to be implemented) and follow a mix method approach for data collection;
• Conduct appraisal of 300 Anganwadi Centres (AWCs) including 100 NAWCs from a set of 100 GPs in four districts, 3 AWCs in each GP, 15 households per AWC forming a total household sample of 4500 and
• Formulate key short and medium term measures with strong potential for long term consequences.

Methodology: This project was awarded by the International initiative of Impact Evaluation (3iE) to IHD for designing an impact evaluation study of the Nodal Anganwadi Centre (NAWC) Initiatives under  SWASTH, Bihar, India. The project had a budget of Rs. 11 Lacs. The design of the proposed study was successfully completed and submitted to 3iE. The actual study of the Impact Evaluation has now been awarded to IHD, the budget for which is Rs. 1.8 crores approximately.

Findings: On-going study