What We Do
Research and Development
We offer a diverse portfolio of services designed to achieve measurable impact. We are highly skilled and extensively experienced in the following:
Research, Measurements & Learning
Supporting Intervention Effectiveness
We support governments, donors, and development partners with cutting-edge research, moving beyond traditional monitoring and evaluation. We are experts in delivering evaluations using OECD-DAC criteria and using different evaluation designs: non experimental, quasi experimental and experimental designs. We have conducted a number of assignments using these approaches and examples can be seen in our sample work section. Beyond the traditional evaluations, we have conducted top notch resilience measurements and analysis using TANGO framework, ARIMA 2 models, and self-resilience index. We have also conducted climate vulnerability assessment using standard vegetation indicators namely, restoration potential, normalized difference vegetation index, degradation trajectory, household wealth and poverty. In addition, we have conducted evaluations for durable solution programs and poverty alleviating programs that incorporates poverty graduation models demonstrating impact and providing the clients with lessons they can draw for improvements and future interventions. In all our research work, we promote collaborative learning, adaptation, and accountability through evidence-based insights and benchmarking against global standards.
Third-Party Monitoring
Supporting Factual Assurance
In the most inaccessible African locations, we provide third-party monitoring to track program implementation, reporting, and capacity-building. We have used the following approaches in our TPMs: mobile data collection to track project progress and conduct rapid assessment of conditions and needs; social media analysis to conduct evaluations of response efforts, ensuring transparency and accountability in humanitarian actions; crowdsourcing to get community input and reports regarding information about local conditions and urgent needs; data triangulation from multiple sources to conduct comprehensive situational analysis to support our partners to make informed decisions; structured focus groups and interviews with affected populations to gather qualitative data on needs, experiences, and perceptions; Health Surveillance Systems to monitor health outcomes and disease outbreaks, which can be especially critical in emergencies; and remote sensing and geospatial analysis to map and analyze the spatial aspects of the emergency, such as the distribution of resources and affected populations. These remote management models have proved very effective during emergencies.
Over the years, Vision Quest has been implementing in three cross-border clusters that span across several countries, namely Mandera (Kenya and Somalia), Moyale (Kenya and Ethiopia), and Karamoja (Uganda and South Sudan).
Strategic Thinking & Capacity Development
We recognize that strategic thinking and robust capacity development are essential for driving sustainable change. Our comprehensive services are designed to empower organizations and communities, equipping them with the tools and knowledge necessary for long-term success. Over the years, we have offered customized capacity-building initiatives that address the specific needs of our partners. This includes institutional development where we have worked closely with organizations to strengthen their governance structures, enabling them to operate more efficiently and effectively in dynamic environments; Human Resource Development where we have provided training programs to partners to enhance their skills and foster leadership, ensuring that their teams are well-equipped to meet evolving challenges. In the same vein, we have assembled and trained a pool of research assistants and enumerators in the foot print regions we work to support our research activities particularly where security situations remain fragile and volatile. Furthermore, we have supported our partners and clients on systems strengthening to enable them establish robust systems that enhance operational effectiveness. Using our well-tailored tools and frameworks, the partners and clients have been able to promote accountability, transparency, and sustainable practices in their work. Finally, we have facilitated collaborative planning sessions to co-create actionable strategies that reflect the aspirations of all stakeholders. By aligning goals with local realities, we have ensured that our interventions are both relevant and impactful.
Grant Management
We excel in grants management, leveraging our expertise to secure and effectively utilize funding for impactful initiatives across Africa. Our approach ensures that we maximize resources while maintaining transparency and accountability to our partners and donors. We have successfully received grants from various prestigious donors to support a range of critical projects. Our recent initiatives include:
USAID Collaborative Learning in Kenya:
We were engaged in collaborative learning efforts aimed at enhancing development strategies and fostering innovative practices within local communities. This initiative focused on integrating lessons learned into actionable frameworks that drive sustainable impact.
USAID Resilience Analysis Across Borders:
We conducted resilience analyses for three key clusters, enabling stakeholders to understand vulnerabilities and strengths in cross-border contexts. This analysis informed strategic interventions that enhanced community resilience and adaptive capacity.
Hearts for Peace Summits:
In partnership with the Africa Foundation, we organized summits that brought together diverse stakeholders to foster dialogue and collaboration on peace-building initiatives. These summits aimed to create actionable strategies for promoting stability and harmony across the region
Our Partners
