1
FINAL EVALUATION
Project “Health Services 
and Essential Supplies for 
Venezuelans in 
Bucaramanga and 
Medellin, Colombia”
(SSSE-VEN)
2
Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
Content
GLOSSARY............................................................................................................................................ 4
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................... 9
1. BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................................... 10
2. GENERAL OBJECTIVE ................................................................................................................. 12
3. METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................ 13
3.1. QUANTITATIVE STUDY............................................................................................................ 13
3.1.1. Type of Research............................................................................................................. 13
3.1.2. Methodological Strategies.............................................................................................. 13
3.2. QUALITATIVE STUDY .............................................................................................................. 15
3.2.1. Dimensions of qualitative analysis in focus groups and in-depth interviews................. 16
3.2.2. Data collection limitations or challenges........................................................................ 16
4. ANALYSIS OF QUANTITATIVE RESULTS...................................................................................... 16
4.1. MEASUREMENT OF INDICATORS ........................................................................................... 17
4.2. DEMOGRAPHIC RESULTS........................................................................................................ 19
4.2.1. Distribution of participants by municipality.................................................................... 19
4.2.2. General characteristics of the population by municipality ............................................. 20
4.2.3. Age................................................................................................................................... 20
4.2.4. Gender............................................................................................................................. 20
4.2.5. Country of birth............................................................................................................... 21
4.2.6. Family composition ......................................................................................................... 21
4.3. HEALTH SECTOR RESULTS ...................................................................................................... 21
4.3.1. Health care and training.................................................................................................. 21
4.3.2. Known contraceptive methods....................................................................................... 21
4.3.3. Concepts regarding Sexual Violence ............................................................................... 22
4.3.4. Knowledge of places to turn to in case of sexual violence. ............................................ 23
4.4. WASH SECTOR RESULTS ......................................................................................................... 24
4.4.1. Activities for proper personal hygiene............................................................................ 25
4.4.2. Key moments of hand washing ....................................................................................... 25
4.4.3. What do you wash your hands with?.............................................................................. 26
4.4.4. Place and elements for hand washing ............................................................................ 26
5. ANALYSIS OF QUALITATIVE RESULTS: FOCUS GROUPS AND IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS ................... 26
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
5.1. Relevance ............................................................................................................................... 27
5.2. Timeliness............................................................................................................................... 28
5.3. Quality .................................................................................................................................... 30
5.4. Efficiency ................................................................................................................................ 31
5.5. Sustainability .......................................................................................................................... 32
5.6. Satisfaction............................................................................................................................. 33
6. CONCLUSIONS ............................................................................................................................... 33
7. LESSONS LEARNED ........................................................................................................................ 36
8. RECOMMENDATIONS.................................................................................................................... 36
9. BIBLIOGRAPHY............................................................................................................................... 39
10. APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................ 41
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
GLOSSARY
ADRA Adventist Development and Relief Agency
AECID Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation
COVID-19 CO, Corona; VI, Virus; D, Disease; 19, discovered in 2019
DAVIPLATA Financial product that allows you to manage money from your cell phone without 
the need to have a bank account or debit card.
GBV Gender Based Violence
HBM ADRA Colombia's HBM project funded by USAID. “Supporting Health and Basic 
Needs for Venezuelans in Bucaramanga and Medellín, Colombia”.
ICBF Instituto Colombiano de Bienestar Familiar
IOM International Organization for Migration
OFDA Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. Assigned to USAID
PEP Special Permit of Permanence
R4V Response for Venezuelans – Coordination Platform for Refugees and Migrants from 
Venezuela
RAMV Administrative Registry of Venezuelan Migrants
RMRP Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan
SSSE-VEN Abbreviation of the project: Health Services and Essential Supplies for Venezuelans 
in Bucaramanga and Medellin, Colombia.
Trails Unauthorized crossings or trails for the entry of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia.
UM Mobile Medical Unit
UNHCR United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
USAID U.S. Agency for International Development
WASH Water Sanitation and Hygiene
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The project entitled: SSSE-VEN “Health Services and Essential Supplies for Venezuelans in 
Bucaramanga and Medellin, Colombia”, had an emphasis on “two sectors of implementation: (1) 
Health, and (2) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)” (ADRA, 2019) and was funded by 
USAID/OFDA.
ADRA provided assistance to vulnerable Venezuelan families who were not registered in 
any of the country's health systems and who lacked stable employment, through medical care, 
delivery of hygiene kits and health promotion in hand washing and sexual and reproductive health. 
Additionally, it provided first medical response services through a Mobile Medical Unit to migrant 
“walkers” who were traveling on foot along the migratory corridor on the road that connects the 
cities of Cúcuta and Bucaramanga, and from Bucaramanga to Barrancabermeja and Bogotá.
Methodology: 
The Final Evaluation of the SSSE-VEN project is a quantitative and qualitative study focused 
in the cities of Bucaramanga and Medellin and their respective metropolitan areas. Project 
beneficiaries were assessed, in health and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) practices to 
measure the progress of the project and determine the achievements and scope in the target 
population. 
The quantitative research, of a descriptive and comparative type, sought to identify the 
perception the households composed of Venezuelan migrants settled in the metropolitan areas of 
reference have, regarding the benefits received. The sample of households to be surveyed was 
estimated using simple random sampling for finite populations.
The target population was 44,592 people, of which 26,634 (59.73%) correspond to 
Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area and 17,958 (40.27%) to Medellín and its metropolitan 
area. A sample of 729 persons was established, proportionally distributed according to the 
percentage weight of the target population in both cities. In the end, 742 surveys were conducted 
virtually with participants in the two metropolitan areas: 446 in Bucaramanga and 296 in Medellín.
The qualitative research was conducted based on the criteria established by the OECD 
(Relevance, Timeliness, Quality, Efficiency, Sustainability and Satisfaction). For this purpose, three 
focus groups with beneficiaries in each of the two cities were conducted in a face-to-face manner, 
and two virtual focus groups with representatives of ADRA's technical team. Likewise, eight (8) in￾depth telephone interviews were conducted with participants who had been initially assisted in 
the Mobile Medical Unit but then settled in one of the two cities.
For the same purpose, an on-site visit was made to the Mobile Medical Unit to verify “in 
situ” the type of services provided to caminantes ( migrants traveling by foot). There, two officials 
from the associated clinic (IPS) assigned to the Mobile Medical Unit were interviewed in person 
and 11 face-to-face surveys were conducted with Venezuelan caminantes.
Results: 
The table below lists the project outcome indicators, their calculation formulas and the 
comparison with the goal established for the project.
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
No Indicator Name Indicator Formula
Indicator 
value 
BASELINE
Project 
Goal
Indicator 
value FINAL 
EVALUATION
1
Percentage (%) of 
community members who 
can recall the messages of 
the health education 
objective.
# of people who recall health
education messages
total # of people who say they 
have received SRH training in the 
ADRA project
38.6% 60% 98.67%
2
Percentage (%) of people 
benefiting from the 
hygiene promotion 
program who know at 
least three of the five 
critical moments to wash 
their hands.
# of people who knows at least 
three of the five critical moments
of handwashing 
# total number of people 
interviewed
70.6% 80% 85.21%
3
Percentage (%) of
households selected by 
the hygiene promotion 
program with soap and 
water at a designated 
handwashing place.
# of households with soap and 
water in a designated place for
handwashing
total # of households surveyed
67.2% 80% 83.63%
With respect to Indicator No. 1, the evaluation shows that, as a result of strategies 
employed by ADRA to train participants on sexual and reproductive health, the knowledge and 
recall of contraceptive methods, concepts associated with sexual violence, and the places to turn 
to in case of sexual violence increased significantly by 60.07% with respect to the Baseline, and 
therefore the final measurement is 98.67%. ADRA strengthen the dissemination to achieve greater 
remembrance; in addition to face-to-face trainings, it handed out flyers at the time of medical 
appointments, materials (pen, agenda, bag) with allusive messages, digital messages via WhatsApp 
and reinforcement phone calls to beneficiaries.
Regarding Indicator No. 2, its measurement shows that participants who remembered 
three or more than three moments of handwashing, from those who were part of the training on 
this subject, increased in relation to the Baseline by 14.6%, hence, the compliance of this indicator
reached 85.21%, exceeding the 80% target.
Finally, as for indicator 3, which measured the availability of water and soap in a specific 
place in the home for hand washing, there was a significant increase of 16.43 percentage points, 
reaching 83.63% and meeting the stipulated goal set for this phase of the project of 80% of scope 
for this indicator.
Conclusions: 
In general, the surveys and focus groups showed that Venezuelan migrants have been in Colombia 
between 28 and 33 months, which could mean that, on this occasion, people who had already 
received the benefits of the previous project participated in this project.
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
Health Care
The health care received by the migrants, from ADRA, is valued as excellent, agile, and 
timely in most cases. The difficulties they faced were related to obtaining appointments, which 
was very difficult due to the high demand for the service given the large number of registered 
participants, the telephone request system, the pandemic situation, and the fact that on many 
occasions calls and WhatsApp messages were not answered. They highlight the kindness of the 
doctors and other health professionals. They value the delivery of medicines and laboratory tests.
The success of health message recalling, and their daily practice was greatly influenced by 
the communication strategy promoted by the project, which included several media and 
strategies.
Training sessions
The training sessions on hand washing and sexual and reproductive health were 
considered by the participants to be very useful and easy to remember. More than 90% of the 
population recognizes planning methods, attention paths in case of sexual violence and the key 
moments for hand washing. The population assumes sexual violence mainly as violent carnal 
access in more than 70% and/or sexual abuse in about 50%.
Mobile Medical Unit
The Mobile Medical Unit was one of the great achievements of the project. All the migrant 
walkers interviewed were grateful for the attention and supplies they were given and rated the 
quality of the services they received as excellent. In the interviews, 100% of the walkers in the two 
cities said they were highly satisfied with the services they received from the project.
Hygiene and complementary kits 
Participants rate the delivery of kits and perceive the items purchased as of good quality. 
The satisfaction expressed is very similar to that which appears in the reports to the donor; 95% of 
those who were in the focus groups were highly satisfied and only 5% of them said they were 
moderately satisfied.
From the perspective of ADRA officers
ADRA's articulation with the Board of the Inter-Agency Group on Mixed Migratory Flows 
of Santander and the Departmental Board of Sexual and Reproductive Health to establish alliances 
with other cooperating partners and avoid duplication of services has contributed to the success 
of the project.
The implementation involved adapting methods and relationship ways to overcome the 
difficulties reported by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Another highlighted aspect is the rigor of the monitoring and follow-up system 
implemented, which defined specific goals, instruments, action protocols, constant training, 
analysis and use of the information gathered for decision-making and socialization of results, 
promoted an organizational culture of collective responsibility for monitoring and implementation 
of continuous improvement measures.
Lessons learned:
• The project had to adapt to the new circumstances brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, 
with new virtual strategies to replace home visits, follow-up, health training, medical 
appointments, and vouchers delivery.
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
• Reduction of personal contact and risk factors for COVID-19 contagion while handling 
money for transportation reimbursement; this was possible through established 
mechanisms such as the use of new financial channels such as Daviplata or hiring door-to￾door cab transportation to take patients to appointments.
• Updating participants' information in real time and strengthening the complaint 
feedback mechanism made it possible to resolve difficulties in time. However, the 
implementation of a call center is urgent.
• In the midst of the pandemic, it was possible to maintain communication with 
participants by exploring new options and channels. When returning to normal, many of 
these measures can be combined with familiar face-to-face strategies.
• Although the trainings on hand washing and sexual and reproductive health show 
important results, the messages on sexual violence and knowledge of the pathways to 
care in cases of sexual violence demonstrate the need for reinforcement.
• The presence of the Mobile Medical Unit at strategic locations of the migratory corridors 
has been of great importance. It would be worth considering extending it to other sectors 
and municipalities and strengthening the medical services provided, as well as including 
the delivery of hygiene kits and the supply of medicines.
Recommendations:
To prioritize attention to newcomers: It is suggested that a new phase of the intervention 
should focus humanitarian aid actions on those who have recently arrived in Colombia and that in 
the case of health services, priority should be given to those families who do not yet have PEP.
To debug and cross-check databases: To achieve greater resource utilization and 
improvement in services, database debugging and an information crossing with Migration 
Colombia are required to identify those who have been settled in the country for two years or 
more and those who have already been able to access the PEP, and therefore already have 
guaranteed access to the subsidized health care system.
To adjust the hygiene kits: include shampoo and razor blades which are highly requested 
by participants, contemplated in the Sphere Handbook, and exclude baby diapers from the basic 
kit, which are in the complementary kit for families with babies.
To strengthen the articulation of actions: It is recommended to strengthen alliances with 
other public and private organizations to guarantee access to specialized medical services, 
especially in gynecology, dentistry, mental health and other specialties, as well as with other 
organizations whose mission is to supply food.
To create a call center: Instead of assigning specific phone lines for each service or 
WhatsApp messages, it is suggested to implement a call center with a single number and several 
operators answering calls directly.
Regarding the Mobile Medical Unit: Study the possibility that the care provided goes 
beyond the initial assessment, with the possibility of supplying medicines to treat conditions 
brought by the walkers. Likewise, the possibility of providing, besides the snacks and biosecurity 
elements, a basic hygiene and complementary kit for families with children.
To move from emergency projects to development projects. The recent creation of the 
Temporary Protection Statute for Venezuelan Migrants, which is valid for ten years, creates the 
conditions for the international cooperation to move forward with development programs and not 
just emergency ones.
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
INTRODUCTION
The socioeconomic, political, educational, and social situation in Venezuela continues to 
be critical. The migration of Venezuelans to other countries of the continent continues to be one 
of the greatest concerns of Latin American governments because the precarious conditions in 
which they live are getting worse, which becomes a serious problem for neighboring countries, 
since they are not prepared to meet the basic needs and protect the fundamental rights of the 
migrant population. According to UNHCR, in October 2020, around 5,490,002 Venezuelans had left 
the country. This number could be below the real figure, considering that it only includes data 
provided by the migration authorities of South American countries, many of which do not take 
into account those with irregular migration status. Of this volume of people, approximately 31.5% 
stay in Colombia, while the remaining 68.5% continue their journey to other countries such as 
Ecuador, Peru, Brazil, and Chile.
Between March 14th and September 10th, more than 105,300 Venezuelans (5.8% of the 
1.82 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants who were in Colombia in February 2020), have 
returned. However, the trend of returns between May and September is decreasing (Migración, 
2020). Even so, 1,729,537 Venezuelan migrants have settled in Colombia and only 44% of them are 
regular. The figure is very high and represents great challenges in economic matters and in health 
services, basic sanitation, employment, security and protection of fundamental rights that, despite 
the multiple efforts of public and private institutions and international cooperation, they are still 
not enough to solve these problems.
Since the beginning of November 2018 and until the end of 2019, the Adventist 
Development and Relief Agency - ADRA - began assisting Venezuelan migrants in Bucaramanga 
and Medellín through a project funded by the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), 
which is part of USAID.
The success of the intervention allowed USAID to fund ADRA again, for a new project in 
Colombia that began in November 2019 and concluded in February 2021. The project named: 
SSSE-VEN “Health Services and Essential Supplies for Venezuelans in Bucaramanga and Medellin, 
Colombia” started with the establishment of a baseline and had an emphasis on “two sectors of 
implementation: (1) Health, and (2) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)” (ADRA, 2019) . From 
these, ADRA provided assistance to vulnerable Venezuelan families who were not registered in any 
of the country's health systems and who lacked a stable job, through medical care, delivery of 
hygiene kits, and health promotion on hand washing and sexual and reproductive health. In 
addition, it provided first medical response services through a Mobile Medical Unit to migrant 
“walkers” who moved on foot through the migratory corridor on the road that connects the cities 
of Cúcuta and Bucaramanga, and from Bucaramanga to Barrancabermeja and Bogotá.
This document presents the results of the final external evaluation of this project, its main 
findings, conclusions, and recommendations, which are intended to contribute to the continuous 
improvement of ADRA's interventions and those of its co-financiers.
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
1. BACKGROUND
Migration is a phenomenon that has always existed. For various reasons, it intensifies and 
diversifies from time to time, generating the most diverse reactions, some of them contrary to 
human rights, but with a strong impact on the problems it implies for the receiving country or for 
the country that, due to its strategic location, serves as a corridor for migrants transiting to other 
destinations.
In the past, Colombia was characterized by its nationals migrating to other countries as a 
result of the serious situation of violence or in search of better economic opportunities, but only 
quite recently has it become a receiving country, especially for Venezuelan citizens who, through 
the transnational bridges or the “trails” located along the 2,200 km border, cross, either to 
continue their journey to Ecuador, Peru, Chile or Brazil, or to settle, even in the midst of all kinds 
of difficulties, preferably in the largest cities of each country, as can be illustrated in the following 
map showing the consolidated figures as of February 2021.
Source https://data2.unhcr.org/es/documents/details/84799 R4V Latin America and the Caribbean, Venezuelan refugees and 
migrants in the region - February 2021 [ES].
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
In this regard, in a study conducted by Caritas in 2018, it can be read that:
The migration flow from Venezuela is very diverse and there are multiple profiles in it, 
however, we can identify three major typologies: 1. Pendular migration. 2. In transit and, 3. 
With a vocation to remain in the Colombian territory, with multiple objectives, some in 
search of a decent standard of living and others, to safeguard their lives.” (Pastoral Social -
Caritas, 2018).
The Regional Refugee and Migrant Response Plan (RMRP) is an international, interstate, 
and inter-business effort that, although it only began in 2018, strives to establish guidelines and 
pathways to support migrants.
“A total of 95 organizations in 16 countries have come together to establish (...) a roadmap 
(...) of action, in order to respond to the urgent (...) needs of Venezuela's migrants, but 
also a plan to ensure their social and economic inclusion in the communities that receive 
them” (R4V, 2018). 
Other initiatives such as the Coalition for Venezuela, formed by 31 organizations of 
Venezuelan migrants located mainly in Colombia, but also present in other South American 
countries, seeks to be part of the solution with four basic proposals: comprehensive assistance, 
advice and guidance, creation of spaces for integration and cultural development, support for 
productive insertion (Coalición por Venezuela, 2019). Given their importance, some of these 
proposals were presented to the 49th OAS General Assembly held in Medellin in June 2019.
At the national level, organizations such as UNHCR, IOM, Red Cross, Social Pastoral -
Caritas Colombia, among others, together with the Colombian Ministry of Health and Social 
Protection, the Health and Social Development Secretariats of several cities and some NGOs, have 
been developing protection programs for migrants and refugees, but the volume of Venezuelans 
arriving to the country has overloaded the national capacities and the host communities, and 
attend to the needs of migrants without achieving the purposes that have been outlined or the 
levels of efficiency that are required. Thus, for example:
With the spread of COVID-19 in the region, refugees and migrants (...), are at high risk of being 
left out of health and social welfare programs, so they become even more vulnerable (...) and
are exposed to increasing levels of discrimination, violence, exploitation and abuse. (R4V, 
2020)
Recently, efforts such as the delivery of the PEP (Special Permit of Permanence) that has 
been issued on the initiative of the Colombian Government since 2018, or the largest and fastest 
registration process in the history of the country, called the Administrative Registry of Venezuelan 
Migrants (RAMV) and, in January 2021, on the occasion of the visit of the United Nations High 
Commissioner for Refugees, the publication by the National Government of the Statute for the 
Protection of Migrants, have contributed to give people who cross the border with the intention of 
settling in Colombia the opportunity to regularize their situation and, to a certain extent, have 
access to basic rights, including health, education and employment. However, there is still a lot of 
work to be done and many aspects to be covered to provide welfare to this population.
For this reason, projects such as those carried out by ADRA in Colombia are very effective 
and it is relevant to advance its assessment in view of the objectives, indicators, expected results 
and changing circumstances of the environment.
The first Project developed by ADRA Colombia with Venezuelan migrants with international 
resources was called “Supporting Health and Basic Needs for Venezuelans in Bucaramanga and 
Medellin, Colombia” or HBM project. This project, which began its implementation in September 
2018, was funded by the U.S. Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), which is part of USAID.
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
Since November 2019 and considering the results and recommendations of HBM's final 
evaluation, the new project called SSSE-VEN “Health Services and Essential Supplies for 
Venezuelans in Bucaramanga and Medellin, Colombia” was initiated. This project works on two 
implementation sectors, (1) Health and (2) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH). In these two 
sectors ADRA provides assistance to vulnerable Venezuelan families who are not registered in any
of the country's health systems and who lack stable income. “From the beginning, the WASH 
sector has been implemented only in Bucaramanga; however, as part of the program’s 
strategies to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, activities have also been carried out in the city 
of Medellin since August 2020. Several of the HBM-assisted families are also likely to benefit 
in SSSE-Ven, due to their vulnerability status.” (ADRA Colombia, 2020)
One of the innovations was the implementation of a Mobile Medical Unit, a service that 
relies on a specially adapted vehicle with two consulting rooms and instruments to perform an 
evaluation of the migrant walkers who transit the road; there are three people from the IPS 
permanently assigned and a driver. It operates alternatively at La Corcova, on the road from 
Cúcuta to Bucaramanga; at the Los Curos toll, in the village of Pescadero, on the road from 
Bucaramanga to the capital of the Republic, and at La Fortuna, on the road to Medellín, between 
9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Depending on the place and date, an average of fifty to sixty people 
attended per day, but on occasions up to one hundred have been attended. In primary care, the 
migrant's identification data and previous illnesses or diseases are recorded, the assisted process 
of correct hand washing is performed, emergency care is carried out, vital signs are taken, 
hydration and a small caloric snack are offered, and recommendations for the journey are 
provided.
In this scenario, the evaluation of the achievements and scope of this project is of the 
utmost importance, since it allows not only to measure but also to improve the efficiency of the 
actions undertaken, while contributing to the qualification of the knowledge that underlies the 
intervention, contributing to the team’s learning about the problem they are dealing with.
The final evaluation of the SSSE-VEN project “Health Services and Essential Supplies for 
Venezuelans in Bucaramanga and Medellin, Colombia” seeks to establish the efficiency, quality, 
sustainability, relevance, timeliness and satisfaction of the participants and to compare the results 
of the measurement of the indicators between what was revealed in the baseline and what was 
found at the end of the implementation.
2. GENERAL OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to carry out a Final Assessment process for the Venezuelan migrant 
population in the cities of Bucaramanga and Medellin and their respective metropolitan areas in 
order to collect the necessary information to determine the achievements and scopes of the 
project in the target population, measured through values of project outcome indicators (Health 
and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene), which will be compared to the baseline results.
The main purposes of the evaluation were:
• To know to what extent the objectives and goals of the project have been achieved.
• To assess the extent to which the different results/benefits derived from the project will 
continue after the activities have ended. 
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
• To access the impact of the project on the target groups and beneficiaries who participated in 
the project.
3. METHODOLOGY
The Final Evaluation of the SSSE-VEN Project, based on a mixed methods study, was able to 
assess the results obtained in the cities of Bucaramanga and Medellin and their respective 
metropolitan areas, in relation to the health and WASH indicators (water, sanitation and hygiene) 
determined by ADRA, with the main objective of gathering the necessary information to measure 
the progress of the project and determine the achievements and scope in the target population. 
The evaluation was carried out over 60 days and concluded in February 2021.
3.1. QUANTITATIVE STUDY 
3.1.1. Type of Research 
This descriptive and comparative research sought to identify the perception of households 
composed of Venezuelan migrants settled in the main vulnerable areas of the cities of 
Bucaramanga and Medellin and their metropolitan areas and neighboring municipalities, on the 
benefits received from the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).
3.1.2. Methodological Strategies 
 
3.1.2.1. Population and Sample 
The target population was households made up of Venezuelan migrants who received 
assistance from the project through services and the delivery of products. The concept of 
household for this project was assumed as the group of people living in the same house, with 
common survival goals and whose condition is one of vulnerability. The sample of households to 
be surveyed was estimated using simple random sampling for finite populations, applying surveys 
designed specifically for this study by ADRA and the consultant, aimed at extracting the greatest 
possible quantity and quality of information from the answers given by the respondents. (Bernal 
Torres, 2010). Subsequently, a Probability Proportional to Size (PPS) method was applied to the 
sample for each of the study populations.
Target Group: People who receive one or more services (medical appointment, sexual and 
reproductive health training, hand hygiene training, hygiene voucher and complementary 
voucher).
Total Target Population: (heads of household or family members served by the project 
until November 30th, 2020): 44,592 people, of which 26,634 (59.73%) correspond to Bucaramanga 
and its metropolitan area and 17,958 (40.27%) to Medellin and its metropolitan area. The sample 
was proportionally distributed according to the percentage weight of the target population in the 
two cities.
Sample size calculation: The following formula was used to calculate the sample size:
𝑛 =
𝑁 ∗ 𝑍∝
2
∗ 𝑃 ∗ 𝑄
𝐷2 ∗ (𝑁 − 1) + 𝑍∝
2
∗ 𝑃 ∗ 𝑄
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
where:
n: Sample size 
N: Size of the population under study 
Zα: Value corresponding to the significance level, 1,96 
D: Maximum accepted estimation error, 0,036
α: Significance level, 0,05 
P: Percentage of population that has the desired attribute, 0,5 
Q: Percentage of the population that does not have the desired attribute, as follows, Q=1-P, 0,5 
Note: When there is no indication of the population that owns or does not own the attribute, 50% 
for P and 50% for Q are assumed.
With the following result:
𝑛 =
44592 ∗ 1.962
∗ 0.5 ∗ 0.5
0.0362 ∗ (44592 − 1) + 1.962 ∗ 0.5 ∗ 0.5
= 𝟕𝟐𝟗
Geographic Location Targeted 
population
Simple random 
sample
+ 10% to 
supplement non￾localization
Bucaramanga and its 
metropolitan area 26.634 435 479
Medellin and its metropolitan 
area
17.958 294 323
Total 44.592 729 802
3.1.2.2. Quantitative Instrument 
The questionnaire was jointly designed by ADRA and the consulting firm. It should be 
noted that the formulation of the questions considered both the language used by ADRA staff 
during their interventions and the expressions used by the migrant beneficiary to minimize 
interpretation errors. See Appendix No. 1.
The survey was placed on a Google form available on each interviewer’s cell phone and its 
completion followed the guidelines in the ADRA Final Assessment Survey Handbook. Due to the 
pandemic, the surveys were administered virtually (phone call or WhatsApp call) by properly
trained staff, with the support and guidance of a field coordinator and technical support.
The information collected was uploaded in real time to the web by each of the 
interviewers to feed the consolidated data, using an online form, which was processed and 
analyzed with the support of SPSS software.
The analysis of results followed the same syntax of indicators used in the baseline, so that 
relationships of change could be established with those results. Likewise, the resulting 
quantitative analysis was cross-checked with the information gathered and processed in the 
qualitative stage of focus groups and in-depth interviews.
3.1.2.3. The Indicators to evaluate 
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
The following outcome indicators are measured in the endline and served as the basis for 
the analysis of the quantitative and qualitative information of the study.
Sector 1: HEALTH
Sub-Sector: Community Health
Indicator 1
Number and percentage of community members who can recall the target health 
education messages.
Disaggregation Sex, Male and Female
Sector 2: WATER, SANITATION AND HYGIENE (WASH)
Sub-Sector: Hygiene promotion
Indicator 2
Percentage of people benefiting from the hygiene promotion program who know at 
least three of the five critical moments for hand washing.
Disaggregation Sex, Male and Female
Indicator 3
Percentage of households selected by the hygiene promotion program with soap and 
water at a designated handwashing place.
Disaggregation No
3.2. QUALITATIVE STUDY 
Regarding the qualitative evaluation, three focus groups of beneficiaries were held in 
person in each of the two cities, with guiding questions in accordance with the established 
indicators and two virtual focus groups with representatives of the ADRA technical team in charge 
of assisting the process in each of the cities (See Appendix No. 2).
Focus Groups City Number of 
participants
Characteristics
Focus Groups 1, 2 y 3 Bucaramanga 30 Migrants participating in the project
Focus Groups 4, 5 y 6 Medellin 36 Migrants participating in the project
ADRA Staff Focus Group Bucaramanga 5 Representatives of the project 
management, health sector, social work, 
administrative area, logistics area ADRA Staff Focus Group Medellin 5
In order to complement the qualitative information, eight (8) in-depth telephone 
interviews were conducted, to participants who were initially assisted in the Mobile Medical Unit
but then settled in one of the two cities and accessed the other services of the project (six 
permanently based in Bucaramanga and two in Medellin). 
A face-to-face visit was also made to the Mobile Medical Unit which at the time was 
located at the Curos toll road, in the Pescadero (Piedecuesta) village, on the road leading from 
Bucaramanga to Bogota, to verify “on-site” the type of services provided to caminantes. Two 
officials from the associated clinic (IPS) attached to the Mobile Medical Unit were interviewed in 
16
Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
person and 11 face-to-face surveys were conducted on walking Venezuelan migrants, to measure 
their perception and satisfaction with the services received.
3.2.1. Dimensions of qualitative analysis in focus groups and in-depth interviews 
Questions were formulated based on the criteria established by the OECD: relevance, 
timeliness, quality, efficiency, and sustainability of the project. (See Appendix: Questions for focus 
groups and interviews)
Definition of evaluation criteria
Criterion Conceptualization
Relevance
Refers to the appropriate alignment between services, beneficiaries, and objectives. It 
examines whether the project was adequate in relation to the needs and situation of the 
beneficiaries. It also identifies whether the project's tools, resources and processes were used 
according to the context.
Timeliness 
Focuses on observing whether the execution times of the activities and the provision of 
services responded in a timely manner to the defined problems and whether the prioritized 
beneficiaries were reached in a timely manner.
Quality
The analysis of the achievement of results with respect to what was expected. It evaluates the 
process, how the results were achieved in qualitative terms, in a detailed manner whether 
the activities were fulfilled, whether the products and services received were of high quality 
and delivered the expected results.
Efficiency Measures whether inputs or resources (such as funds, experience and time) have been 
converted into results in an economical manner. An initiative is efficient when it uses 
resources appropriately and economically to generate the desired outputs.
Sustainability
Refers to reviewing the possibilities for the results achieved, products generated, processes 
installed, to be maintained and be sustainable over time, even without the continuity of the 
project, and to determine under what conditions or recommendations it can be done.
Satisfaction Although ADRA has conducted a quantitative measurement of participant satisfaction with 
the services and benefits over the course of the project and these sources were reviewed as 
secondary data, the degree of participant compliance with the project was explored in the 
focus groups.
3.2.2. Data collection limitations or challenges 
Biosecurity measures generated by the global appearance of the pandemic caused by 
COVID-19 made it necessary to change the data collection strategy to a virtual/telephone method. 
In addition, different mechanisms were necessary for the interviewer to obtain answers to the 
question about visualization or direct observation of the handwashing place in each household. On 
this occasion, it was necessary for the participant to describe in detail and send a picture or 
screenshot of the video-call so that the interviewer could verify the place where clean water and 
hand-washing soap were available. Even so, the quality of the descriptions and/or images sent did 
not allow the interviewer to give an accurate opinion, and in about 130 cases it was necessary to 
contact the participant by telephone to ask for more descriptive details. 
4. ANALYSIS OF QUANTITATIVE RESULTS
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
4.1. MEASUREMENT OF INDICATORS 
Indicator 
name
Calculation formula BASE LINE 
Values
Project 
goal
FINAL EVALUATION
Indicator value
Total Bucaramanga Medellín
Percentage 
(%) of 
community 
members 
who can 
recall the 
messages of 
the health 
education 
objective.
# of people who recall health 
education messages
# of people who say they have 
received sexual and reproductive 
health training in the ADRA project
Total
Number: 196
Men
40%
(42/105)
Women
38.3%
(154/402)
Total
38.6%
(196/507)
60%
Total Number: 
667
Men
100%
(105/105)
Women
98.42%
(562/571)
Total
98.67%
(667/676)
Total 
Number: 391
Men
100%
(48/48)
Women
98.56%
(343/348)
Total
98.74%
(391/396)
Total 
Number: 
276
Men
100%
(57/57)
Women
98.21%
(219/223)
Total
98.57%
(276/280)
Bucaramanga Total Bucaramanga Medellín
Percentage 
(%) of people 
benefiting 
from the 
hygiene 
promotion 
program who 
know at least 
three of the 
five critical 
moments to 
wash their 
hands.
# of people who know at least three of 
the five critical moments of 
handwashing
Total # of people interviewed
Total 
Number:209
Men
62%
(36/58)
Women
72.7%
(173/238)
Total
70.61%
(209/296)
80%
Total Number: 
616
Men
72.90%
(78/107)
Women
88.20%
(538/610)
Total
85.91%
(616/717)
Total 
Number: 363
Men
70%
(35/50)
Women
87.23%
(328/376)
Total
85.21%
(363/426)
Total 
Number: 
253
Men
75.44%
(43/57)
Women
89.74%
(210/234)
Total
86.94%
(253/291)
Bucaramanga Total Bucaramanga Medellín
Percentage 
(%) of
households 
selected by 
the
soap and 
water 
hygiene
promotion 
program in a
place 
designated 
for 
handwashing
# of households with soap and water 
in a designated place for handwashing
Total # of households surveyed
67.2%
(199/296) 80% 85.04%
(631/742)
Total 
number: 
373
83.63%
(373/446)
Total 
number:
258
87.16%
(258/296
Indicator 1: Percentage (%) of community members who can recall the messages of the health 
education objective.
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
It is possible to observe the high level of appropriation of the messages that the SSSE-VEN 
project disseminated in Bucaramanga, Medellin, and their respective metropolitan areas in 
relation to sexual and reproductive health, which include the following: knowledge of 
contraceptive methods, knowledge of the concepts associated with sexual violence and 
knowledge of places to turn to in case of sexual violence. 
Important results were achieved and are shown below: Since the baseline measurement at 
the beginning of 2020, with a result of 38.6%, and because of the reinforcement of health 
education messages in both departments and through different media, there was a significant 
increase of 60.07 percentage points, reaching 98.67%, in the proportion of participants who 
remember at least two of the central health messages of the project.
It is evident that the project was able to far exceed the 60% goal set during the 
formulation of the intervention. Comparatively between the two metropolitan areas, the results 
are very similar: 98.74% for Bucaramanga and 98.57% for Medellin.
To achieve this result, the communication strategy that included flyers and brochures 
handed out at the time of medical appointments, WhatsApp messages and materials with allusive 
messages (pen, agenda, bag) had a great influence, as well as the reinforcement of the messages 
that ADRA technicians made during the follow-up telephone communications with the 
participants.
Indicator 2: Percentage (%) of people benefiting from the hygiene promotion program who know 
at least three of the five critical moments to wash their hands.
The results show that in the baseline, the indicator had a coverage of 70.61% in the study 
population, and for the endline of the project, the proportion increased by 14.6 percentage points 
in Bucaramanga, reaching over 80%, which means that 85.21% of the study population, after 
receiving training in hygiene and handwashing, remembers at least 3 key or critical moments of 
handwashing. The large difference in results between men (70%) and women (87.23%) is 
noteworthy.
It is important to note that factors such as: having access to drinking water and providing 
training to promote personal hygiene by the ADRA project have had a positive impact on the 
variation of the indicator.
Although the indicator was initially established for the Bucaramanga metropolitan area, it 
should be noted that the 80% target was also exceeded in Medellín and its surrounding 
municipalities, with the indicator reaching 86.94%.
Indicator 3: Percentage (%) of households selected by the soap and water hygiene promotion 
program in a place designated for handwashing.
When comparing the endline with the results of the baseline, it can be inferred that in the 
case of Bucaramanga and other municipalities of Santander that participated in the study, a 
significant increase of 16.43 percentage points is evidenced, reaching 83.63% and complying with
the goal stipulated for this phase of the project of 80% scope for this indicator.
Moreover, it is important to highlight that a large part of the community under study in 
the end line project has access to drinking water, which facilitates the fulfillment of the indicator 
under analysis, due to the fact that there is training in a playful and pedagogical manner on hand 
washing and important reminders of the times when this activity should be done to maintain 
proper personal hygiene, creating the conditions for most of the people surveyed to have a place 
in their settlement site to wash their hands with soap and water.
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
Within this indicator, it is important to note that when analyzing the data, it was necessary 
to make equivalences with the options given in the previously designed survey, since there were 
responses found in the “other” option, with semantics equivalent to those presented in the 
options of the question. In other words, terms such as pila, batea, poceta (sink) refer to containers 
that are generally used for washing. The answers given indicate, according to the context of the 
question, that these items are used for hand washing, and equivalents were also found for words 
like tanks, buckets, and glasses.
Likewise, for the “faucet only” option, equivalents were found such as: I wash my hands 
with the sink faucet, with the faucet, with the sink faucet, with the dishwasher faucet, drinking 
water comes from the hose faucet.
4.2. DEMOGRAPHIC RESULTS 
The tabulation of quantitative data was done with SPSS. The analysis included data 
disaggregated by geographic area, head of household and vulnerability level. For each outcome 
indicator, the data analysis team estimated the final indicator values and produced a matrix that 
was compared to the Baseline. The validity and reliability of the results of the quantitative 
assessment were validated with conclusions based on evidence from the qualitative testimonies, 
which were taken from the tabulated documents and the transcription and analysis of the 
information from the focus groups and in-depth interviews with the support of the Nvivo 12
software. 
Although the calculated sample was 729 surveys, 742 surveys were carried out in the 
study. A total of 446corresponded to Venezuelan heads of household participating in the project 
located in the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga in the department of Santander and the 
remaining 296 respondents were settled in the metropolitan area of Medellin in the department 
of Antioquia. Results of the analysis of the quantitative information are detailed below.
Overall, the analysis shows the following results:
99.2% of those who responded to the survey are of Venezuelan nationality; 83.8% of them 
were women and 16.2% were men. Only 1.8% of them, on average, hold both nationalities. 
About 36.65% of the participants, on average, stated that they are engaged in income￾generating activities, although the payment they receive, in most cases, is lower than what 
Colombians are paid for equivalent tasks. 
Contrary to official figures, only 4.25% of Venezuelan migrants in Bucaramanga and 
Medellin claimed to be enrolled in the Colombian health system, with a lower percentage (3.1%) in 
Bucaramanga and a higher percentage (5.4%) in Medellin. However, since arriving to the country, 
99.45% have required healthcare services from ADRA. In Medellin, an average of 6.83 
consultations were for prenatal counseling, while in Bucaramanga the average was 3.69 
consultations for the same purpose.
4.2.1. Distribution of participants by municipality 
Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area: 446 survey respondents
Municipality Bucaramanga Floridablanca Girón Piedecuesta Tona
20
Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
Population surveyed 336 46 52 11 1
Percentage of participation 75.3 % 10.3 % 11.7 % 2.5 % 0.2 %
Medellín and its metropolitan area: 296 survey respondents
Municipality Medellín Bello Itagüí La Estrella Marinilla Sabaneta
Population surveyed 263 20 9 2 1 1
Percentage of participation 88.9 % 6.8 % 3.0 % 0.7 % 0.3 % 0.3 %
4.2.2. General characteristics of the population by municipality 
Characteristic Population
Bucaramanga
Population
Medellin
Average age of the population that responded 
the survey 34 years 34 years
Female survey respondents 87.2% 80.4%
Country of Origin: Venezuela 98.7% 99.7%
Holds both nationalities: Colombian and 
Venezuelan 0.7% 0.7%
Average time of having arrived in Colombia 28 months 33 months
Average time of being living in the city 26 months 23 months
Performs some income-generating activity 38.3% 35.5%
Not affiliated to the Colombian health system 96.9% 94.6%
Affiliated to the Colombian health care system 3.1%, of which:
28.6% Affiliated to the 
contributory system.
71.4% Affiliated to the 
subsidized system
5.4%, of which:
8.3% Affiliated to the 
contributory system.
91.7% Affiliated to 
the subsidized 
system
Have required any health services since their 
arrival in Colombia 74.2% 79.1%
Women who are or have been pregnant during 
the last year
24.7% 23%
Women who are currently pregnant and have an 
average gestational age of 19.76 weeks 5.6% 4.7%
Children under 1 year of age 4,37% 3.82%
Participants with access to drinking water 87.6% 89.9%
 
4.2.3. Age 
In Bucaramanga it is evident that a good part of the participants in the study are young 
people; that is, 50% of the population is under 31 years of age and in Medellín 33 years of age. The 
average was 34 years old in both cities.
4.2.4. Gender 
In terms of gender, women made up 87.2% of the population that responded to the 
survey in Bucaramanga and 80.4% in Medellín; the remaining percentage corresponds to men who 
21
Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
participated in the study. This high percentage is due to the fact that women were the ones who, 
in most cases, took on the role of head of household in the project, attended the talks and 
received the benefits.
4.2.5. Country of birth 
98.7% of the population surveyed in Bucaramanga and 99.7% in Medellin were born in 
Venezuela. It is outstanding that in both cities 0.7% have the two nationalities (Colombian and 
Venezuelan), which evidences the historical relationship of mobility and commercial relations that 
the nationals of the two countries have had.
4.2.6. Family composition 
The total number of members in the family units of those interviewed in Bucaramanga and 
the other municipalities of Santander is 1,624 people, with an average of 3.64 persons per 
household. 47.5% of the household members are men and 52.5% are women. 71 children are 
under 1 year of age.
In the city of Medellin and the other municipalities of Antioquia, the total number is 1,020 
people, with an average of 3.45 people per household. The composition is 56.17% male and 
43.82% female. 39 children are under 1 year of age.
4.3. HEALTH SECTOR RESULTS 
4.3.1. Health care and training 
Characteristic Population
Bucaramanga
Population
Medellín
Participants who have received general medical 
consultation services from the ADRA project 98.9% 100%
Participants who have attended prenatal medical 
consultations in ADRA 58.97% 34.2%
Average number of prenatal medical consultations 
received 3.7 consultations 6.8 consultations
Participants who have received training in sexual 
and reproductive health 88.8% 94.6%
Participants who have received training in hygiene 
promotion 95.5% 98.3%
Participants who were completely satisfied with 
the health services provided by the project 92.8% 94.9%
A high percentage of the surveyed population reported having received general medical 
consultation services from the ADRA project and training in sexual and reproductive health. 
4.3.2. Known contraceptive methods 
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
Considering the category of contraceptive methods, and each variable as an independent 
universe, certain knowledge of each of them is reflected. The results show a similar average 
behavior in the 2 cities.
The contraceptive pill stands out with 91.93% in Bucaramanga and 94.93% in Medellin; and 
the condom with 90.58% in Bucaramanga and 85.47% in Medellin. The least recognized methods 
were injectables and surgical methods in both cities. 0.67% in Bucaramanga and 1.01% in Medellin 
“Did not answer or Did not know”.
Other recognized methods
It was found that some of the respondents also claim to know other methods that for 
them are contraceptive, among which are: the rhythm method, vaginal condom, patches and 
family planning as a general category. And in Medellin, they additionally mentioned “barrier”
methods.
4.3.3. Concepts regarding Sexual Violence 
91% 92%
63%
42%
35%
70%
85%
95%
65%
50%
42%
77%
89% 93%
64%
45%
38%
73%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Condoms Contraceptive
pill
Subdermal
implant
Injectables Surgical T Device
Contraceptive methods
Bucaramanga Medellín Total
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
The results of the survey, considering each variable in a range from 0 to 100%, allow inferring that 
in the 2 cities the population assumes sexual violence mainly as violent carnal access in 65.25% in 
Bucaramanga and 78.38% in Medellin, or as sexual abuse with 43.05% in Bucaramanga and 55.74% 
in Medellin. Few people associate it with other everyday acts, such as sexual insults or verbal 
compliments (catcalling) on the street. 1.35% in Bucaramanga and 0.34% in Medellín “Did not 
answer or Did not know”.
Other concepts of sexual violence
Some of the respondents also associate the concept of sexual violence with behaviors such 
as aggression for not wanting to have sexual intercourse, physical mistreatment of the partner 
during sex, aggression when the partner forces the woman to do something she does not want or 
force her to get pregnant, and psychological abuse.
4.3.4. Knowledge of places to turn to in case of sexual violence. 
43%
65%
2%
17%
56%
78%
11%
29%
48%
70%
6%
22%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Sexual abuse Violent carnal
access
Street
compliments
Sexual insults
Concept of sexual violence
Bucaramanga Medellín Total
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
The main place recognized by the respondents to turn to in case of experiencing or 
witnessing sexual violence is the police station; 83.18% in Bucaramanga and 80.74% in Medellin. It 
is noteworthy that other places provided by the Colombian state to provide guidance and assistance 
in cases of sexual violence have a low level of recognition among the population, such as the 
emergency room of any health center and the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare (ICBF). It is also 
important to highlight that an equal proportion of 9% in both cities do not currently recognize where 
to turn to when witnessing, living or going through a case of sexual violence.
Other recognized locations
Some participants mentioned places to turn to in case of sexual violence such as the Public 
Prosecutor's Office, the emergency helpline, family or friends, the church, the psychologist, the 
women's office, government agencies, forensic medicine, and checkpoints.
4.4. WASH SECTOR RESULTS 
11%
83%
7%
23%
81%
11% 16%
82%
8%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Emergency room of any
health center
Police Station ICBF
Recognized reporting sites for sexual violence
Bucaramanga Medellín Total
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
4.4.1. Activities for proper personal hygiene 
Within the set of activities to maintain adequate personal hygiene, most of the 
respondents related hand washing and bathing every day, and to a lesser extent, hygiene was 
associated with brushing teeth and using clean clothes. Washing hair and cutting nails were the 
least mentioned activities.
Other responses were: keeping the house where they live clean, taking off their clothes 
after arriving home, washing their private parts, using deodorant, disinfecting the floor, using 
elements such as alcohol, antibacterial gel (hand sanitizer), all the latter surely associated with the 
COVID-19 pandemic.
4.4.2. Key moments of hand washing 
Although these variables are used to measure the indicator “percentage of people benefiting 
from the hygiene promotion program who know at least three of the five critical moments to wash 
their hands,” this section details each of the moments.
55%
35%
86% 89%
5% 11%
52%
29%
82%
61%
2%
10%
54%
33%
84% 78%
4%
11%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Brushing teeth Wear clean
clothes
Bathing every
day
Washing hands Cutting nails Washing hair
Activities for proper personal hygiene
Bucaramanga Medellín Total
86% 85%
67%
84%
29%
89% 84%
76%
89%
35%
87% 85%
71%
86%
31%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
After going to the
bathroom
Before eating After changing
diapers
Before preparing
food
Before feeding or
breastfeeding
Moments of hand washing
Bucaramanga Medellín Total
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
Participants have knowledge of good hand washing norms, associated with the training they 
have received. There is a special remembrance in the 2 cities of the following moments: after going 
to the bathroom, before eating, and before preparing food. To a lesser extent, they know: after 
changing diapers and before feeding or breastfeeding the baby.
4.4.3. What do you wash your hands with? 
In general, the respondents reported that they wash their hands with soap and water; this 
was reported by 88.3% in Bucaramanga and 94.60% in Medellin. The other 11.7% and 5.40%, 
respectively, mentioned other products such as antibacterial hand sanitizer, alcohol, chamomile 
hand shampoo, powder soap or vinegar. No respondent reported washing their hands only with 
water.
4.4.4. Place and elements for hand washing 
Although these variables are used to measure the indicator “Percentage (%) of households 
selected by the soap and water hygiene promotion program in a place designated for 
handwashing,” this section details the place in the home where handwashing is performed and 
what items are present.
Because most of the population has access to drinking water in their places of settlement, 
the most frequent places observed for hand washing were the sink and the faucet. Some 
households also use a cup or bowl to a lesser extent. It is observed that 84.98% keep the soap in 
the place where they wash their hands. In only 2.96% of the cases (22 participants) it was not 
possible to observe the place, although the participant gave a narrative description of the place. In 
Medellín, some additional responses were found, such as dishwasher, dishpan, and sink.
5. ANALYSIS OF QUALITATIVE RESULTS: FOCUS GROUPS AND 
IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS
13%
35%
78%
85%
8%
52%
69%
88%
11%
42%
74%
86%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Bowl or basin Faucet only Sink Soap
Provision for hand washing
Bucaramanga Medellín Total
27
Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
After the analysis and cross-checking of qualitative information with the results of the 
quantitative evaluation, the following results can be inferred, according to the categories 
previously defined:
5.1. Relevance
In the focus groups and interviews, questions were asked to establish whether the services 
and benefits offered by ADRA as part of the project responded to the needs and life situation of 
the migrants. The focus groups showed that Venezuelan migrants have been in Colombia for 
around 21 to 28 months, which could mean that, on this occasion, people who had already 
received the benefits of the previous project have participated in the current project.
The participants mention the importance of the kits they were able to exchange for the 
vouchers they were given, the medical care, the laboratory tests, and the training on hand 
washing and sexual and reproductive health.
Health Sector: 
In relation to health care, participants in both Bucaramanga and Medellín highly valued 
the medical attention and the treatment provided by health professionals. However, many 
expressed that the greatest difficulty they had was related to requesting appointments because, 
even though there are a lot of telephone numbers on the information flyer, they ring busy or are 
not answered. In some cases, participants reported that at the end they heard a message asking 
them to leave their contact information to call them back, but only one of them reported having 
received a response afterward. 
Several participants stated that the WhatsApp communication modality is not effective 
due to long response times. Therefore, several voices agreed in stating that “in order to improve 
the service they should have lines only for appointments because many times we call and we do 
not get an answer”. Because of this same difficulty, some even stated that they never managed to 
“catch” a medical appointment: “I spent a week sending messages and they answered up to 3 days 
later saying there are no appointments available. They take a long time to give appointments,”
said a participant from Bucaramanga. 
However, those who had the opportunity to receive care said that it was pertinent and 
timely, that the doctors and other health professionals who attended them were very kind and 
even followed up with them by phone afterwards. One of the participants from Medellín stated 
that:
“When I called, I happened to have a gynecological emergency and that same week they 
gave me the appointment, the doctor sent me some tests and in addition to this, they gave 
me some more tests. The doctor is very attentive to my concerns, they are very meticulous 
when examining the body, they do it very well”.
Another participant from the same city added: “The doctors always say hello and are 
always looking after our children, they ask how they are, they are very kind. They give us love, they 
are living up to the ADRA's logo, they help others selflessly”.
They recognize and appreciate the fact that laboratory tests are ordered and carried out 
which, on the one hand, if not taken within the framework of the services provided by ADRA, 
could be very expensive for their limited budgets and, on the other hand, it facilitates them to 
receive the treatment they need through the same health service: “At ADRA I had a blood work 
and they told me my triglycerides were a little high and that was a big help for us,” said someone 
in one of the focus groups in Bucaramanga.
28
Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
They also evaluate very positively the fact that they are provided with the medicines 
prescribed by the doctor and that they are given money for transportation. “…I felt supported. My 
mother suffers from blood pressure and she received excellent care, they gave her the medicines,
and I felt it was like the hug we needed at the time,” said someone in a focus group in Medellin. 
When asked if ADRA's intervention made them change the way they do things, the 
participants in the focus groups mostly talked about the handwashing and sexual and reproductive 
health trainings. They claim that the talks on contraceptive methods and places to go to access 
planning methods were very useful. They also recognized that the handwashing training was 
timely, especially at a time when the pandemic also recommended handwashing.
WASH sector:
Regarding the personal hygiene kits and the complementary (or baby) kit as the 
participants called it, in general, they expressed very positive opinions: 
“Since I arrived I have not been able to work because my son is very young and only my
husband works. I am very grateful to ADRA for what I have received, it is very useful for me 
and my children” - participant in Bucaramanga.
In two of the six focus groups, some participants regretted that food had not been 
included in the kits because, according to them, in most cases the families arrive with children and 
elderly people with malnutrition problems.
ADRA officials: 
Meeting basic unmet needs of the migrant population, such as primary health care, 
training on handwashing and sexual and reproductive health, and the delivery of hygiene 
vouchers, was an achievement in the relevance of the project. New virtual methodologies were 
adapted to comply with the restrictions imposed by the national government due to the 
pandemic, information was sent via WhatsApp and the teams of collaborators were expanded to 
implement these strategies.
5.2. Timeliness
This criterion seeks to determine whether the time elapsed between the time the services 
were scheduled, and the delivery of these services contributed to the timely solution of the 
migrants' problems. It also seeks to establish whether the kits delivered by ADRA responded in a 
timely manner to the needs of this population and whether the handwashing and sexual and 
reproductive health training was considered timely.
Health Sector:
In regard to the timeliness of medical consultations, once the difficulty in communication 
for requesting appointments was solved, in some cases, which the participants in the 
Bucaramanga focus groups attributed to the situations generated by the pandemic and the large 
number of participants, the appointment was given many days later: “I always go to the 
consultation, but because of the pandemic everything changed; now it takes 8 days to get an 
appointment. The frequency of appointments has changed, before the pandemic the appointment 
was given for the next day”.
On the contrary, in Medellín, most of the people who attended the focus groups stated 
that only two to three days elapsed between the time they made the appointment and the 
corresponding medical consultation and, in some cases, that the time elapsed was barely 24 
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
hours. “I have never had my appointments delayed, they always assign them in the same week, 
from a Monday to a Wednesday,” said one of them.
In addition, the participants also stated that the medical care provided by ADRA was 
timely; several of them have attended more than three consultations and received treatment for 
their illnesses, they have had the laboratory tests they required and subsequently they have been 
given the medicines and money for transportation.
Regarding the timeliness of the hygiene and sexual and reproductive health trainings, the 
perception of the participants was generally positive: someone in Medellin said: “Yes, on behalf of 
all of us I think we received these trainings at the moment we needed them the most: in 
quarantine, during the pandemic, and we want to thank you for that”. The migrants interviewed 
said: “Yes, they occurred at the time we needed them”.
The surveys applied to the migrant walkers showed that, in most cases, the professionals 
of the Mobile Medical Unit had contact with them on the road and invited them to approach the 
Unit, informing them that participation in the services offered was voluntary. Others were 
informed by the Highway Police, and a few came because they had ailments they hoped would be 
cured. Very few knew what ADRA was or what services it provided. Some associated it with the 
Red Cross and others found out about the Mobile Medical Unit because they were informed by 
their fellow travelers on the road.
When asked about the services they received at the UM, all of them indicated “the 
medical assistance more than anything else; help for example, with medicines for headaches, 
water supply and also the hospitality that you have given us, thank you very much for everything,”
as one of the walkers said.
All of them, without exception, were grateful for the attention and supplies they were 
given “because they invited us and that's how we got here, and they are helping us; I had nothing 
to eat, from one place to another without drinking water or anything, thanks to you we are here 
drinking water, a cookie, a juice, a snack,” said one of them.
Regarding the timeliness of the services offered by the UM, all the interviewees expressed 
that given their situation and the conditions in which they travel along the road, they found a 
place where they were given attention and refreshments that alleviated some of the difficulties 
they were experiencing.
WASH Sector:
When asked about the timeliness of the kits delivered to them in the two cities, most of 
the participants in the focus groups considered that they arrived at the time they needed them. 
The same perception is held by the migrants who responded to the in-depth interviews: “Yes, 
because the baby was just born and we didn't have money for diapers, towels or anything like 
that,” said one of them, and another added: “Yes sir, that was something incredible, because 
everything you have given us has been very helpful at this time of pandemic”. The content of the 
kits, which they considered to be generous and sufficient for a long period of time, was also highly 
appreciated: “The money that is going to be spent on toiletries is used on other things and the 
truth is we would never buy the amount that ADRA gave. I received the last kit in November, and I 
still have some things. It's a great help.” said a participant in Medellín. Although in the case of the 
complementary kit, some participants said that there were people who, even though they did not 
need them, asked for them and subsequently sold them. 
ADRA officials: 
According to the officials, the challenges presented by the pandemic were overcome and 
turned into great achievements for the project, thanks to the role played by the monitoring and 
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
follow-up system because it facilitated the rapid identification of areas for improvement and to 
that extent, “Coordinate with teammates the activities without stopping, we were flexible, without 
forgetting the objective and fulfillment of the goals. We were at the same level in administrative 
matters, hiring of personnel, purchase of supplies and delivery of humanitarian aid. We enriched 
the logistics and supported the administrative processes,” according to an official.
They also stated that the greatest difficulty was to be able to deliver transportation 
assistance to the participants, especially in Bucaramanga, where it was provided in cash, because 
in Medellin they had hired a cab service, but sometimes the high demand for the service meant 
that the response was not timely enough.
5.3. Quality
To measure the quality of the project, we observe whether the results correspond to what 
was expected, whether the activities were carried out and how they were perceived by the 
beneficiaries, and whether the products and services received were of the expected quality.
Health Sector: 
Health care is perceived by the participants as being of very high quality, with a very 
accentuated humanitarian profile that is evidenced in the kind, close and trusting treatment given 
by the doctors to their patients. And they highlighted it in the follow-up and monitoring they did 
after the consultation, during the treatment and in the recovery, through phone calls and 
WhatsApp messages. “They serve with great kindness; we are very grateful, it has been a great
help for us,” said a participant in Bucaramanga.
They also appreciated the quality of the handwashing and sexual and reproductive health 
training. Given that the handwashing talks coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic prevention 
recommendations, the participants found them to be timely, very complete, and replicable to
other family members with the support of the materials ADRA provided. In this regard, one of the 
participants said, “When we have young children, they read, learn and are motivated, they are also 
educated”.
With respect to the training on sexual and reproductive health, the assessment made by 
the participants in both the focus groups and the in-depth interviews is highly positive. They are 
grateful that the project has provided them with training on this topic because it is useful and 
replicable, especially in cases where there are teenagers in the household, and it is important to 
inform their children so that they can be prepared and make their own decisions. Also, a settled 
walker interviewed for this evaluation said: “one piece of information that seems quite important 
to me is the use of monthly injections for family planning”.
This high-quality perception has been contributed by the articulation with other 
organizations that meet the needs which were not covered by SSSE-VEN, to which those who 
requested it were directed by the Agency's personnel.
All the migrant walkers interviewed at the Mobile Medical Unit rated the quality of the 
services they received as excellent. They stated that the attention they received was very 
respectful and humane.
WASH Sector:
Similarly, regarding the quality of the products they exchanged the vouchers for, most of 
the participants considered them to be very good, they believe that the brands selected are well 
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
renowned and they highly value the fact that ADRA has given them the opportunity to acquire 
them. However, in Bucaramanga, several expressed a great deal of caution with respect to the 
selected supplier, especially because of the prices, which they said were higher than those of 
other market establishments, and because they reported cases of poor guidance and even lack of 
courtesy from supermarket personnel.
5.4. Efficiency 
Efficiency in both the provision of services and the investment of resources (funds, 
expertise, and time) was explored in focus groups, including those with ADRA officials, and in in￾depth interviews with walkers who settled in Bucaramanga and Medellín.
Health Sector: 
Regarding whether the medical consultations contributed to improving the health of the 
families, they agreed that they were efficient to the extent that the health of the beneficiaries 
improved. “The boy I have, who is two years old, is very skinny and the vitamins they gave him 
helped him a lot to eat and have an appetite,” said one of them, and the other said: “It was 
incredible because my mother was very ill and a week later she was fine”. 
The participants in the focus groups also referred positively to the efficiency of the service; 
they recognized that the fact of having access to medical consultation improved their mood, 
helped them recover their self-esteem because they felt that they were not carrying alone the 
responsibility of preserving the health of their families and it also improved their quality of life.
The health promotion training was rated as efficient by most of the focus group 
participants and interviewees. On handwashing, they noted that they remembered the key 
moments and stated that they have replicated it in their families and that even the youngest 
children repeat the practices they have learned. In relation to the sexual and reproductive health 
messages, the participants indicated that they were effective in the sense that they taught them 
about contraceptive methods and led them to put them into practice; they also learned where to 
go to have access to such methods.
The effectiveness of these trainings increased because people confirm their usefulness as 
a prevention factor for COVID 19. This is also the perception of the ADRA professionals who 
attended the focus groups; although they do not have statistics to corroborate this, they do state 
that the importance that ADRA gives to self-care is mentioned.
Other aspects valued for their efficiency in the project were: the transportation assistance 
provided to participants to attend medical consultations and the use of the Mobile Medical Unit, 
which not only contributed to meet the immediate needs of the migrant walkers, but also allowed 
the distribution of informative material.
For the participants, the investment of resources was efficient. The medical services were 
in line with the needs of the migrants, as were the vouchers and the hygiene and complementary 
kits. “The most important thing is health and I think it is excellent how the resources for health 
were invested. We came from a difficult situation, sometimes we ate and sometimes we didn't, but 
health is the most important thing,” stated one participant and another one said: “The resources 
were very well distributed”.
Certainly, the restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic to which the country's 
population was exposed during 2020 became the greatest challenge to maintain the efficiency of 
the project in all its areas. The use of virtual tools became a challenge for ADRA, from the 
perspective of its officials, but they managed to maintain close contact with the participants while 
meeting the proposed goals.
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
To maintain the efficiency of the project, committees in charge of the logistics of the 
process were formed and strengthened, and solutions were quickly found to issues such as the 
supply of transportation assistance through the “Daviplata” system to avoid direct contact, the 
increase in the supply of kits—prior agreement with the donor, and the continuation of the 
monitoring system through virtual surveys, among others.
One of the greatest challenges was to respond efficiently to an overflowing demand with a 
limited supply of services, which is why it was important for ADRA to be part of the Board of the 
Inter-Agency Group on Mixed Migratory Flows of Santander and the Departmental Board of Sexual 
and Reproductive Health in order to identify the actions of other cooperating partners and avoid 
duplication of services. For example, the agreements to refer participants to other complementary 
services to improve their quality of life, such as IOM for specialized medical services, AAHF for HIV 
testing, Profamilia and CARE International for cytology tests and contraceptive methods. 
Agreements with other organizations such as Action Against Hunger and the World Food Program 
(WFP) have also provided many project members with access to basic food.
ADRA officials: 
They were asked about the efficiency of the technological resources used and highlighted 
the importance of having implemented a system to update information in real time and the 
strengthening of the complaints and feedback mechanism. In this regard, the group in 
Bucaramanga stated that difficulties arose due to the constant change of address and contact 
information of the participants and the change in the way of collecting information from face-to￾face to virtual, because some of them do not have internet access. The appropriate response to 
whether they know the channel for complaints increased: “We went from 35% to 84%, which we 
closed in December 2020. It is a positive thing, but the challenge is to be able to respond to 
requests” stated a collaborator. 
In the same sense, reference was made to the telephone system for information and 
medical appointments where, although there are many more telephone lines and appropriate 
computers, the number of calls exceeded the attention capacity.
The human resource is very efficient to the extent that the professionals are highly trained 
and passionate about their jobs, in addition to the fact that they are constantly available for the 
qualification of their work through training, especially in Occupational Health and Safety at Work. 
The same perception is held with respect to the economic resources whose use they consider that 
“it was adequate to what we needed; they were optimal and necessary at the time,” as they stated 
several times in the two cities.
5.5. Sustainability
The aim is to establish whether the results achieved in the development of the project will 
remain over time even in the case that ADRA does not continue with the mission it has set itself 
and to determine what conditions will be conducive to such sustainability.
Health Sector: 
When inquiring about the permanence of the lessons learned in the handwashing training, 
the response was almost unanimous: the participants in the focus groups and those interviewed 
stated that it is something they have incorporated into their habits and have extended to their 
families, especially now that biosafety conditions demand it more. 
In addition, they say that the stickers provided by ADRA have been a great help as they 
have placed them in visible places in their homes so that they do not forget the messages.
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
Regarding the training on sexual and reproductive health, the participants highlight the 
lessons learned about contraceptive methods, their safety levels, and collateral risks. In this 
regard, one of the participants in Bucaramanga emphasizes in her sustainability: “You have to 
continue on your own, everything we learned will remain, in my case I will continue taking care of 
myself, and I will give the information to other women”.
On the other hand, and in relation to medical care, it is observed that the participants would 
not want ADRA's support to end; on the contrary, they suggest expanding it to include specialized 
medicine, dentistry, and high-cost diagnostic tests because, although some of them already have 
PEP and, therefore, access to the subsidized regime, they prefer the agility, timeliness and human 
sense of the health care that the Agency offers.
They state that because of their relationship with ADRA they have received 
complementary support from other institutions and entities such as Action Against Hunger (cash 
assistance), Entre dos Tierras Foundation (food vouchers and psychological support), UNHCR, 
USAID, IOM's Un Solo Corazón (supports entrepreneurship) and others such as CORPRODINCO 
(supports productive projects) and FAMICOVE (health assistance) with which ADRA does not have 
a direct relationship.
Most of the participants in the focus groups and in-depth interviews believe that this 
support should last until the political and economic situation in their country returns to normal 
and should be extended to other people arriving in the country in the same vulnerable conditions. 
“I think that until they [ADRA] are able to help, one cannot impose that; if you have to shut things 
down, there is no other choice, but the truth is that we need the help that you are giving us, we 
have had a hard time,” said a walker settled in Bucaramanga.
In this regard, one of ADRA's professionals stated that they have been negotiating with the 
departmental health authorities for the continuity of health care for pregnant mothers, children 
under five years of age and patients with catastrophic illnesses, but there are still some difficulties 
generated by incomplete information, unexpected costs charged to the patients referred to the 
IPS and innumerable obstacles in the departmental operational process.
5.6. Satisfaction
ADRA, in the monitoring and follow-up of the actions developed in this project, has been 
carrying out a quantitative measurement of the satisfaction of the participants with respect to the 
services and benefits during the project. As well as reviewing the behavior of the criteria in these 
secondary sources of the project, focus groups and in-depth interviews were inquired about the 
degree of conformity of the participants with the project.
When verifying the level of conformity of the participants in the focus groups in relation to 
the services and kits provided by ADRA, the satisfaction expressed is very similar to that which 
appears in the reports to the donor; 95% of those who were in the focus groups were highly 
satisfied and only 5% of them were moderately satisfied.
On the other hand, 100% of the walkers settled in the two cities, who responded to the in￾depth interviews, said they were highly satisfied. “Highly satisfied, for the support they have given 
us, the medicine, the medication they have given us for the children and for us, the hygiene
supplies... we have really needed what they have given us,” said one of them.
6. CONCLUSIONS
Indicators
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
With respect to Indicator # 1, the evaluation shows that, as a result of strategies employed 
by ADRA to train participants on sexual and reproductive health, the knowledge and recall of 
contraceptive methods, concepts associated with sexual violence and the places to turn to in case 
of sexual violence had a significant increase of 60.07% with respect to the Baseline and therefore 
the final measurement is 98.67%.
Regarding Indicator# 2, its measurement shows that participants who remembered three 
or more than three moments of handwashing, from those who were part of the training on this 
subject, increased in relation to the Baseline by 14.6%, hence, the compliance of this indicator 
reached 85.21%, exceeding the 80% target.
As for indicator #3, which measured the availability of water and soap in a specific place in 
the home for hand washing, there was a significant increase of 16.43 percentage points, reaching 
83.63% and meeting the stipulated goal of 80%.
Health Care
The health care received by the migrants from ADRA is valued as excellent, agile, and 
timely in most cases. The difficulties they faced were related to obtaining appointments, which 
was very difficult due to the high demand for the service given the large number of registered 
participants, the telephone request system, the pandemic situation, and the fact that on many 
occasions calls and WhatsApp messages were not answered. 
The participants emphasize that the doctors and other health professionals who attended 
them were very kind and even followed up with them by telephone afterwards. They also 
recognize and value the fact that they ordered and performed laboratory tests, as well as the 
delivery of medicines. All this contributed to the improvement of their mood and self-esteem, and 
they recognize that it has been a key factor in the improvement of the family's living conditions.
The success of remembering health messages and their daily practice was greatly 
influenced by the communication strategy promoted by the project, which included billboards, 
stickers, banners at different events, messages designed to circulate via WhatsApp, notebooks and 
pens with messages, brochures, explanatory videos, and telephone reinforcement from project 
staff, among others.
Training
Participants rated the handwashing and sexual and reproductive health training as very 
useful and easy to remember. The survey indicates that in Bucaramanga, 95.5% of the 
beneficiaries reported having received the handwashing training and 88.8% reported having 
participated in the sexual and reproductive health training, while in Medellin 98.3% of the survey 
respondents reported having received handwashing and hygiene training and 94.6% reported 
having participated in the sexual and reproductive health training. 
With respect to sexual and reproductive health, the majority of the population 
appropriated the training and this is reflected in the fact that about 90% of the participants 
recognize contraceptive methods such as condoms and the contraceptive pill and the importance 
of family planning, the methods to achieve it and the need to put it into practice. 
From the results, it can also be inferred that the total study population assumes sexual 
violence to be mainly violent carnal access in more than 70% and/or sexual abuse in nearly 50%. A 
smaller proportion of migrants associate it with other types of behavior such as sexual insults, 
aggression for not wanting to have sex, sexual harassment, street compliments or mistreatment.
Regarding the appropriate and necessary times for handwashing that were promoted in 
the training, they mainly remember: after going to the bathroom, before eating, and before 
preparing food. The moments after changing the baby's diaper and before breastfeeding are less 
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
remembered, but this is due to the fact that the number of breastfeeding women in the 
population analyzed is lower than other segments such as young people, adults and the elderly. 
A total of 94.6% of the respondents wash their hands with soap and water and the other 
5.40% use other products such as antibacterial hand sanitizers and alcohol. No respondent 
reported washing their hands only with water.
Regarding the practice of what they learned during the training, most of the respondents 
confirmed that they will continue doing what they learned because they have already 
incorporated it into their life habits.
Hygiene and complementary kits 
One of the actions carried out within the framework of the project that is highly valued is 
the delivery of vouchers exchangeable for personal hygiene and baby items (complementary 
voucher). They consider it timely because many arrived in the country in their words, “with what 
they were wearing”; they perceive the items obtained to be of good quality and say that having 
access to these items improved their living conditions. 
When analyzing the level of satisfaction of the participants in the focus groups regarding 
the kits supplied by ADRA, the satisfaction expressed is very similar to that shown in the reports to 
the donor; 95% of those who participated in the focus groups were highly satisfied and only 5% of 
them were moderately satisfied. 
Most of the participants believe that this support should last until the political and 
economic situation in Venezuela is restored, and that it should be extended to other people.
Mobile Medical Unit
The Mobile Medical Unit that served the migrant walkers along the migratory corridor that 
leads from the border to other cities in the country was one of the great achievements of the 
project. 
All the walkers interviewed, without exception, were grateful for the care and supplies 
they were given and rated the quality of the services they received as excellent. They stated that 
the care they received was very respectful and humanitarian, and that the services were very 
valuable and helpful. In the interviews, 100% of the walkers settled in the two cities stated that 
they were highly satisfied with the services they received from the project.
Perspective of ADRA officials
One of the biggest challenges was to respond efficiently to the overflowing demand with a 
limited supply of services, which made it necessary for ADRA to become part of the board of the 
Inter-Agency Group of Mixed Flows of Santander and to continue its presence in the Departmental 
Board of Sexual and Reproductive Health in order to establish alliances with other cooperating 
partners and avoid duplication of services. 
Among the achievements that increased the relevance of the project is the fact that it has 
met the unmet basic needs of the migrant population, such as primary health care and training on
handwashing and sexual and reproductive health, adapting new methodologies for monitoring 
and follow-up that involved virtual means to comply with the restrictions imposed by the national 
government due to the pandemic. 
Another noteworthy aspect is the rigor of the monitoring and follow-up system 
implemented, which defined specific goals, instruments, action protocols, ongoing training, 
analysis and use of the information gathered for decision making, sharing of results, promotion of 
an organizational culture of collective responsibility for monitoring and implementation of 
continuous improvement actions. 
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
According to the criteria of ADRA officials, one of the difficulties that arose was due to the 
change from face-to-face to virtual operations because many people changed their address and 
did not report their data to ADRA and many of them do not have access to the Internet.
7. LESSONS LEARNED
• The project had to adapt to the new circumstances brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, 
with new virtual strategies to replace home visits, follow-up and health training. Likewise, 
the in-person request of medical appointments was implemented by telephone and 
WhatsApp communications, as well as new mechanisms for the delivery of vouchers 
exchangeable for hygiene kits.
• Use of new channels for transportation assistance payment, such as Daviplata in the case 
of Bucaramanga, or the hiring of door-to-door cab transportation from the migrant's 
residence to the assigned medical unit in Medellín, which made it possible to reduce 
personal contact and the risk factors for COVID-19 infection.
• Implementation of a monitoring system that allows the updating of participant 
information in real time and the strengthening of the feedback mechanism for claims 
and complaints to solve difficulties arising from the congestion of telephone lines 
available to request medical appointments or low internet access, which reflects the need 
to implement a comprehensive call center.
• It was demonstrated that even during a pandemic it is possible to maintain 
communication with participants by exploring new options and channels. These lessons 
learned and good practices should be maintained when restrictions are removed. For sure, 
a combination of home visits, training with playful strategies and language close to the 
participants, reinforced with sticker messages, media pieces and WhatsApp messages, 
among others, will support the effect of recall and daily application of the main messages 
of the project.
• Although training on handwashing and sexual and reproductive health have shown 
important results, the messages on sexual violence and knowledge of the pathways to 
care in cases of sexual violence demonstrate the need for reinforcement. The same 
occurs with hand washing moments, which involve families with nursing mothers: after 
changing the diaper and before breastfeeding the baby.
• The presence of the Mobile Medical Unit in strategic sites along the migrant corridors 
has been fundamental. It would be worthwhile to study the possibility of extending it to 
other sectors and municipalities and to reinforce the medical services provided, the 
delivery of basic or complementary kits to walkers and the supply of medicines other than 
Acetaminophen.
8. RECOMMENDATIONS
To debug the participant database 
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
ADRA's current database of participants in the SSSE-VEN project is excessively large 
because it includes many participants from the previous project, as well as new households that 
had been registered; it is made up of more than 60,000 entries. This circumstance creates 
difficulties for a project as successful as this one, because the number of beneficiaries exceeds the 
project's capacity.
In this regard, it is recommended to cross-check databases with Migration Colombia and 
with local authorities in Bucaramanga, Medellin and neighboring municipalities to identify 
migrants who already have access to the PEP and therefore have regularized their status in 
Colombia and, consequently, have access to the subsidized health care system. This would lead to 
a decrease in the number of migrants in ADRA's database, allowing it to distribute resources more 
efficiently and attend to those who really need it.
To focus attention on newly arrived migrants
Throughout this evaluation, it was found that the participants have been settled in the 
reference areas for more than 2 years on average and that many of them have already obtained 
the PEP or have been gradually incorporated into Colombia's productive process, as shown by the 
official figures and the responses of the respondents, 36.9% claim to be engaged in income￾generating activities. Some even report that, although they have access to health services through 
the subsidized regime, they use ADRA services because they are more agile and provide better 
care.
Consequently, it is suggested that a new phase of the intervention should focus 
humanitarian aid actions on those who have recently arrived in Colombia and, in the case of 
health services, give priority to those families who do not have the PEP yet and therefore do not 
have access to Colombia's subsidized health system.
To strengthen training sessions
In this regard, it is especially recommended to reinforce in the hand hygiene training 
sessions, the importance of handwashing when changing diapers and before feeding or 
breastfeeding the baby due to its importance for the health of infants.
Although the measurement of the indicators showed very satisfactory results for the 
project, it is important to analyze in more detail the answers to some of the questions, especially 
those referring to the concepts of sexual violence and the corresponding pathways to care. 
Training sessions should be intensified to ensure that sexual violence is associated not only with 
violent carnal access and sexual abuse, but also with street compliments (catcalling), insults and 
others mentioned by the participants, such as the obligation to have sexual intercourse or to 
become pregnant.
To complement the hygiene kit
Regarding the formalization of agreements/contracts for the supply of hygiene kits, it 
would be convenient to review whether it is possible to do so with supermarkets with a greater 
presence in areas close to the participants' places of residence and with more favorable prices in 
several products, in relation to those offered by the current supermarkets and stores.
There are two main recommendations regarding the composition of hygiene kits. On the 
one hand, although it is acknowledged that these packages contain elements that are 
indispensable (bath soap, toothpaste, among others), they do not include others such as shampoo 
for adults or razors, which are requested by most of the respondents to the surveys and 
interviews. When reviewing the Sphere Handbook, it is found that such items can be included in 
the emergency kits, which leads to the suggestion that they should be added to the kits in the next 
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
version of the project. The other recommendation is to remove from the basic kit, items such as 
baby diapers that are already included in the complementary kit and are not required by families 
who do not have small children and, since they do not need them and given their price, in some 
cases may end up being requested and then sold to other migrants.
To strengthen inter-institutional articulation to achieve greater comprehensiveness in the 
intervention
Although the project evaluation reports that progress has been made in coordinating 
actions with other public and private organizations, it is recommended that these alliances should 
be strengthened so that the Venezuelan population can have access to specialized medical
services, especially in gynecology, dentistry, mental health and other specialties, and have access 
to high-cost diagnostic tests, since these are services to which, given the economic limitations of 
migrants, it is impossible for them to have access.
At the express request of the participants in the focus groups and interviews, it is 
recommended to strengthen coordination with other organizations such as Action Against Hunger, 
the World Food Program and the IOM, among others, which have among their purposes or among 
the objectives of the projects they execute in these territories, the supply of food.
To begin operating a call center to attend participants
Both the participants in the focus groups and some ADRA officials suggest that, instead of 
assigning specific telephone lines for each service (which creates great confusion among 
applicants and makes the service system inoperative), a call center with a single number and 
several operators answering calls directly should be implemented.
In order to achieve greater efficiency of this resource, it is also recommended that call 
center operators receive training so that they can direct the call to the area where an effective and 
timely solution is given to each request and provide the clearest and most complete information 
on all the services offered by ADRA and even on those not offered by the project but which, 
through coordination with other entities and institutions can be provided, generating a welcoming 
climate, trust and a high degree of satisfaction in the conversation.
To enhance the Mobile Medical Unit
With regard to the Mobile Medical Unit, some recommendations emerged among ADRA 
officials and migrant walkers interviewed that are worth considering.
In the first place, to study the possibility that the care provided goes beyond the initial 
examination so that medications can be administered to treat the conditions brought by the 
migrant walkers. Also, the possibility of providing, in addition to snacks and biosecurity elements, 
a basic hygiene kit and, if they bring small children with them, a complementary kit of similar 
characteristics to those distributed to those already settled in the cities. 
It would also be worth considering the possibility of acquiring new Mobile Medical Units, 
so that at all times there is attention in the three points that have been determined as critical in 
attention to migrant walkers, to expand coverage and ensure that all those who want and need 
these services can receive them on the day of the week that they cross these routes, without 
depending on the schedule of the only existing unit.
Reinforcement of ADRA's actions 
It is recommended that the Agency continue its participation in the Board of the Inter￾Agency Group on Mixed Migratory Flows of Santander and maintain its presence in the 
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
Departmental Board of Sexual and Reproductive Health to identify what other cooperants are 
doing and avoid the duplication of services.
Likewise, ADRA is encouraged to emphasize to participants the importance of reporting 
changes of address or contact information to continue to serve them as timely and efficiently as 
they have done so far.
To move towards development projects
With the creation by the National Government, on February 8, 2021, of a Temporary 
Protection Statute for Venezuelan Migrants that would be valid for ten years and would allow 
those who come from the neighboring country to remain in Colombia for a decade, which, once 
completed, would require them to acquire a resident visa if they wish to remain in the country, a 
new picture emerges and is the creation of a scenario where the stay in Colombia is regularized 
and facilitates the creation of greater elements of attachment to the territory, which, as this 
evaluation shows, is already happening. 
Based on this new scene of public policy for migrant assistance, the recommendation to 
design other new projects arises, no longer emergency projects, but development projects that 
focus on creating the conditions for migrants, now settled and in regular conditions, to develop 
their capacities and adapt to the Colombian productive panorama, increase their income, and 
raise the quality of life of their families. 
These new actions may include different modalities of training for employment and 
entrepreneurship, the delivery of equipment, machinery and start-up capital, training programs 
through government institutions and other government programs such as SENA and 
entrepreneurship and innovation initiatives, proposals for labor insertion with the Colombian 
business community and society in general, actions for community coexistence and prevention of 
xenophobia, housing improvement or acquisition projects, opening of spaces for higher education 
training, among many others.
9. BIBLIOGRAPHY
ADRA. (2017). https://adra-es.org/quienes-somos/historia/. Obtenido de https://adra-es.org: 
https://adra-es.org
ADRA. (2019). Términos de referencia Proyecto HBM. Bogotá, Colombia.
ADRA Colombia. (2018). http://adracolombia.org/. Obtenido de http://adracolombia.org/
Bernal Torres, C. A. (2010). Pautas y ejemplos para la presentación del anteproyecto de 
investigación. En Metodología de la Investigación (Tercera ed., pág. 280). Pearson.
Escobar, J., & Bonilla Jimenez, F. I. (2017). Grupos focales: Una guía conceptual y metodológica. 
Cuadernos Hispanoamericanos de Psicología, 51 - 67.
Nel Quezada, L. (2010). Enfoques de una Investigación. En Estadistica para Ingenieros (pág. 27). 
Empresa Editora MACRO.
Pastoral Social - Caritas, C. (2018). Necesidades de protección de las personas venezolanas 
forzadas a migrar, refugiadas y en riesgo de Apatridia en Colombia. Bogotá.
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
Plan Regional, d. r. (2018). Obtenido de https://www.refworld.org.es/pdfid/5cbe52304.pdf: 
https://www.refworld.org.es/pdfid/5cbe52304.pdf
Román C., M. (1996). Guía Practica para el Diseño de Proyectos Sociales. Obtenido de CIDE: 
https://www.biblioteca.org.ar/libros/88594.pdf
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Final Evaluation: Project SSSE-VEN 
10. APPENDICES (attached separately)
1. Survey
2. Focus group questions
3. In-depth interview questions
4. Manual for interviewers