Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 1
Report
Mid-Term Evaluation
Project CREAN – World Vision
December 2016
Authors
Claudia Pompa
Denis Pavón
Travis Burke
Agreement Number: FFE-524-2014/045-00
Project Duration: 2014 - 2019
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 2
Index
INDEX 2
ABBREVIATIONS 4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 5
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7
INTRODUCTION 12
COUNTRY CONTEXT 13
EDUCATION IN NICARAGUA 13
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE EDUCATION SYSTEM 14
CHILDREN’S NUTRITION IN NICARAGUA 14
THE COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL NUTRITION PROGRAM 15
CREAN NICARAGUA 17
BACKGROUND 17
PROJECT OBJECTIVES 17
INTERVENTION AREA 17
BENEFICIARIES 18
PROJECT STRUCTURE AND ACTIVITIES 18
DAILY SCHOOL MEAL 18
EDUCATION ACTIVITIES 20
NUTRITION AND HEALTH ACTIVITIES 21
PROJECT MANAGEMENT 22
PROJECT PARTNERS 23
METHODOLOGY 23
EVALUATION OBJECTIVES 23
EVALUATION APPROACH 24
SAMPLING PLAN AND SITE SELECTION 24
EVALUATION METHODOLOGY 25
DATA ANALYSIS 29
FINDINGS 29
1.PROJECT RELEVANCE 29
STRATEGIC FIT AND RATIONALE 30
PROGRESS OF PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION 30
EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL FACTORS AFFECTING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT 30
RELATIONSHIP WITH PROJECT PARTNERS 32
2.PROJECT EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY 32
PROJECT DESIGN 32
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 3
PROJECT MANAGEMENT 33
MONITORING AND EVALUATION 36
IMPLEMENTATION OF SEVERAL COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT 37
SCHOOL MEAL 37
ACTIVITIES OF THE EDUCATION COMPONENT 41
ACTIVITIES OF THE HEALTH AND NUTRITION COMPONENT 44
3.SUSTAINABILITY AND EVIDENCE OF CHANGE 45
SUSTAINABILITY 45
INTERVENTION AREA 46
EVIDENCE OF CHANGE 47
SCHOOL MEAL 47
EDUCATION 47
HEALTH AND NUTRITION 48
RECOMMENDATIONS 49
REFERENCES 55
ANNEX 58
TABLE 3: KEY INFORMANT INTERVIEWS 27
TABLE 4: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS - STUDENTS 27
TABLE 5: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS - PARENTS 29
TABLE 6: FOCUS GROUP DISCUSSIONS – TEACHERS 29
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 4
Abbreviations
CAE Comité de Alimentación Escolar (School Feeding Committee)
CREAN Children Reading and Nourished
FGD Focus Group Discussion
KII Key Informant Interview
MTE Mid-Term Evaluation
MINED Ministry of Education
MINSA Ministry of Health
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
PINE Programa Integral de Nutrición Escolar (School Nutrition Program)
SAPR Semi-Annual Performance Report
UFE Utilization-Focused Evaluation
UNICEF United Nations Children’s Fund
USDA United States Department of Agriculture
WASH Water, sanitation and hygiene
WV World Vision
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 5
Acknowledgements
The consultant team acknowledges and appreciates the valuable contribution of each of the 
participants in this evaluation – students, parents, teachers, school directors, and municipal and 
departmental delegates from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health – who 
dedicated part of their time to share their opinions and experiences regarding this project.
We also wish to express our appreciation to the technical, administrative, and operational team 
of World Vision Nicaragua and World Vision USA who shared their perspectives and experiences 
of the project. Without their contributions and their time this evaluation would not have been 
possible.
Composition of the evaluation team
Claudia Pompa, Team Leader
Travis Burke, Consultant
Denis Pavon, Consultant
Melvin Chavarria, Consultant
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 6
Notification 
The opinions expressed in this report belong strictly to the Evaluation Team and do not 
necessarily reflect the opinion of World Vision. Responsibility for the opinions expressed in this 
report rests solely with the authors. The publication of this document does not imply that 
World Vision supports the expressed opinions. 
This publication was produced at the request of the United States Department of Agriculture. It 
was prepared by an independent third-party evaluation firm. The author’s views expressed in 
this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Department of 
Agriculture or the United States Government.
Accessibility Note: An accessible version of this document can be made available by contacting 
fas.monitoring.evaluation@usda.gov 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 7
Executive summary
Background 
The Children Reading and Nourished (CREAN) project, funded by the United States Department 
of Agriculture (USDA), aims to improve educational, health and nutrition practices in primary 
school children in the most vulnerable areas of Estelí and León in Nicaragua. CREAN is set to run 
from 2015 to 2017 and seeks to strengthen the Ministry of Education of Nicaragua (MINED) 
Comprehensive School Nutrition Program (Programa Integral de Nutrición Escolar – PINE), which 
has been in place since 2007, by integrating elements of education, nutrition, hygiene, and health 
within it.
The project has two main components: an Education component, for which the main objective is 
to improve the literacy of school-age children through increased student retention and 
improvement of literacy instruction; and a Health and Nutrition component, for which the main 
objective is to spread better health and dietary practices. The school meal, although falling under 
the education component, will be treated in this report as an independent component given the 
complexity of its implementation and scope.
Mid-Term Evaluation 
The purpose of this Mid-Term Evaluation (MTE) is to understand the effectiveness of the project
and the extent to which it has contributed to advancing its stated objectives. It also aims to 
identify the lessons learned to date, areas for improvement in the second phase of the project,
and challenges constraining progress. We make recommendations to help the project to achieve 
expected outcomes and objectives within the project timeframe. 
In October 2016, our team of four researchers visited the site of the CREAN project to conduct 
the MTE. The evaluation used a context-sensitive and qualitative method approach. We drew on 
an appropriate mix of qualitative methods to understand what works best and to identify factors 
that appear to enhance or undermine the quality, acceptability and usefulness of implementation 
and outputs. 17 focus group discussions were held with students and parents, representing the 
main beneficiaries. 35 key stakeholder interviews were conducted with relevant stakeholders at 
the local, municipal and state levels, as well as project staff. A total of eight schools were visited 
in León and Estelí during a one-week period. Approximately 160 people participated.
Results 
Our evaluation finds that the project CREAN is progressing well according to the current plan 
despite the delays and changes caused by the extended period of review of the projecy by 
MINED. The findings indicate that there are certain aspects of the project implementation that 
are well defined (for example, alignment with national plans regarding both literacy and 
nutrition) and some aspects that are progressing satisfactorily (for example the school meal, 
travel backpacks and health and hygiene clubs). There are few immediate concerns associated 
with the project, and some of the issues that do arise are probably beyond the scope of the
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 8
project and clearly in the domain of MINED. However, there were a number of points raised by 
stakeholders and staff that could strengthen the project. Some of these issues have been 
addressed recently or are in the process of being addressed.
Project relevance and implementation progress 
In general, all stakeholders and project beneficiaries consider CREAN a successful project, integral 
to the needs of the beneficiaries, and highly aligned with government policies. During this 
evaluation, it was observed that the project has made significant progress in implementation, 
despite suffering considerable delays. These delays were mainly due to external factors related 
to the project partner (a request for change of partner and delay in formalizing the agreement) 
which affected the schedule of activities.
The modification of the project calendar meant that instead of implementing a three-year 
project, the project team has attempted to do two years’ worth of work in one year. This change 
has decreased the team’s ability to evaluate progress, adapt as needed, and institutionalize their 
work.
To improve the implementation of the project, we recommend:
• Evaluating certain functions and redesigning job descriptions if needed. This practice will 
help to redistribute tasks and responsibilities, reduce stress, improve productivity and job 
satisfaction.
• Recruiting technical staff with specific knowledge and technical skills for the construction
or rehabilitation of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and for 
establishing school gardens so that progress can be made in the remainder of the 
implementation period.
• Creating an executive council as a mechanism to improve the internal communication of 
the project team. The aim is to discuss priorities, share agendas, plan intervention 
strategies and ensure that each area has the information it needs.
• Establishing effective communication channels within the project team to ensure that 
information is properly distributed, and that teams are informed of changes and decisions 
affecting their work areas.
• Developing permanent organizational stress-management strategies to ensure good 
team performance and synergy. These initiatives also contribute to the successful 
achievement of objectives, as well as helping to motivate and retain staff.
Effectiveness and efficiency of the project 
Both the effectiveness and efficiency of the project have been remarkable. CREAN is an extremely 
ambitious project relative to its three-year life cycle. Likewise, the project has a large number of 
interrelated activities and sub-activities that reflect its holistic character but also present a series 
of difficulties during implementation, as will be explained in the Findings sections. These activities
make major demands on both time and personnel as well as requiring a meticulous process of 
support and monitoring.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 9
The challenges in implementing the project are seen not only in terms of the number of activities, 
but also in the excessive amount of monitoring indicators to report. This has generated a 
disproportionate level of work and effort on the part of the project team to achieve the 
objectives.
Projects of this nature inevitably lead to questions over the number of activities with respect to
their impact. Although it is still too early to assess the impact of each of these activities and their 
interrelation with each other, it is important that the project team learn from the process to 
identify which activities have generated the greatest impact and which are the activities that, 
although important, could be implemented either in another phase of the project or by other 
coordinated projects.
To improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the project, we recommend:
• Reducing the number of indicators and prioritizing those that are appropriate, useful and 
relevant to the project objectives. This change will help improve the efficiency of 
monitoring and evaluation (M&E) data collection, and the performance of the project 
team.
• Optimizing data collection tools (e.g. M&E sheets) to simplify the process for both field 
monitors and teachers. This change would generate significant savings of time and effort.
• Digitizing the data collection process to speed up the process, reduce the margin of error 
and improve efficiency (e.g. use of tablets or smartphones).
Sustainability 
Although the project is on the path to accomplishing its goals, it is unlikely to achieve 
sustainability, mainly due to its short life cycle. It is important for the project team to consider 
which of the activities implemented by CREAN have the capacity to be systematized and 
institutionalized in the time remaining for implementation and to concentrate their efforts on 
achieving them. Furthermore, the project must evaluate how to structure its resources, both 
human and financial, to work more closely with key actors to deliver stronger and more 
established capacity after completion. Through these steps, the project can leave a legacy of 
increased capacity and institutional methodologies that may be continued or replicated once the 
project has come to an end.
Evidence of change 
Despite the short implementation time, evidence of substantial changes has been recorded.
School meal
Overall, school meals have been identified as a key factor in improving school retention. Teachers 
and municipal and departmental authorities have stated that they have seen improvements in 
school retention and there are several cases of children with 100% school attendance, which they 
say is linked to the provision of school meals.
However, the food options have caused problems in the implementation of this component. The 
type of corn meal used stands out as a product that neither children nor parents like to prepare 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 10
or eat. This aversion has caused wastage and frustration, and there is a need to review the 
appropriateness of the products to the local food culture.
Most schools lack the infrastructure to prepare meals on site, especially in rural areas, and this 
has led to problems with the preparation of the meal. Parents are responsible for meal 
preparation, and while School Feeding Committees (Comité de Alimentación Escolar – CAEs) have 
been established, not all parents have the time or resources to invest in preparation every day.
Some parents have collaborated to design a schedule for preparation or to hire someone who is 
responsible for cooking and distribution of the meal.
To improve the implementation of the school meal, we recommend:
• Considering alternative products to corn flour due to the high rate of rejection of this item. 
Products that are more adjusted to Nicaraguan food culture should be identified.
• Creating strategies that promote and encourage the on-going participation of parents in the 
process of preparation of the school meal.
• Providing certified and periodic training on food management and preparation, which would 
strengthen the parents’ links to the project activities and their relationship with the school.
• Strengthening the role of CAEs and generating ideas and strategies to increase the 
engagement of parents in the preparation of school snacks.
Education
Most aspects of the educational component have been successful. Teachers and principals report
that establishing reading corners has helped to motivate children to read, while the educational 
materials and textbooks are aligned with the MINED curriculum. One drawback has been a lack 
of space for books, which might be overcome with the provision of bookshelves.
Traveling backpacks are a major success: nearly every school visited requested more backpacks, 
and all students expressed their interest in them. This intervention was simple, easy to 
implement, and created benefits outside of the school when children read with parents, siblings, 
and relatives. The only related concern is the low level of book purchasing and distribution and 
how this might effect other activities of the component. 
Teacher training has been successful but needs to be better incorporated into a broader context 
of professional development rather than being a series of one-off activities.
The strategies implemented by the Education component have also been received positively by 
all the schools visited and by the municipal and departmental authorities responsible for 
supervising the educational centers. Teachers and principals participating in this evaluation have 
noted the benefits and progress made through the activities implemented.
To improve the implementation of the Education component, we recommend:
• Advising schools not to restrict the use of reading materials outside schools, and ensuring
they are decodable, leveled and age-appropriate for students and that all materials are easily 
accessible for both students and teachers.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 11
• Laminating reading materials and providing bookshelves. These practices will help keep books 
in good condition and facilitate access.
• Increasing the number of traveling backpacks as that will increase the number of students 
benefiting.
• Laying the foundations for more structured teacher training processes, which would allow for 
a higher level of specialization while being more attractive to teachers.
Health and nutrition
The results of the Nutrition, Hygiene, and Health component were mixed: some aspects and 
activities were found to be successful (health and hygiene clubs) while others might not reach 
the stated objectives (construction and rehabilitation of water and sanitation infrastructure).
Health and hygiene clubs have been successful both in promoting healthy habits and in 
encouraging students to spread those habits across grades and at home. Students are more 
knowledgeable about hand washing, brushing teeth, cleaning dishes and utensils, and other 
healthy habits. Difficulties arise when those schools do not have access to water to help the 
students practice these habits, although addressing this issue is well beyond the scope of the 
project.
The construction and rehabilitation of water and sanitation infrastructure may not meet its 
objective. A lack of technical expertise made it a lower priority, and its late start may mean that 
this aspect of the project has encountered difficulties in its implementation.
School gardens are also unlikely to succeed with the current level of investment in the activity.
Nearly all schools visited lacked a successful school garden due to a number of factors – land and 
water issues, lack of technical knowledge, and lack of time for work from parents – and the 
project has not prioritized this aspect. School gardens are meant to both supplement the school 
meal and help students learn agricultural techniques, but without the expertise and capacity to 
implement this activity, the objective is unlikely to be achieved.
To improve the implementation of the Health and Nutrition component, we recommend:
• Systematizing and institutionalizing the establishment and maintenance of health clubs.
• Analyzing the feasibility of implementing school gardens and identifying schools in which the 
experience of establishing a garden has been successful in order to identify best practices and 
lessons learned.
• Prioritizing the construction/rehabilitation of WASH infrastructure so that the project can 
achieve its objectives.
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Introduction 
In recent years, Nicaragua has moved from the instability of the past into an era of sustainable 
development, which has enabled it to maintain an above-average economic growth rate for a
Central American country. Growth and increased macroeconomic stability have afforded 
Nicaragua to focus on long-term poverty reduction strategies and programs, especially in remote 
and rural districts. While Nicaragua’s poverty rate has declined, the country remains one of the 
least developed in Latin America. Rural areas often demonstrate an acute lack of educational 
facilities, adequate medical care, functioning infrastructure and robust local markets. 
Joining forces to combat illiteracy and child malnutrition, World Vision (WV) partnered with the 
Ministry of Education of Nicaragua (MINED) for the implementation of the project Children 
Reading and Nourished (CREAN). This initiative of the United States Government is funded 
through the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). While Nicaragua reports literacy rates of 78%1
and net primary school enrollment rates of 91.2%,
2
these numbers decline dramatically in rural 
areas, where there is a net enrollment rate of 78.9%,
3 and where 63% of the population live at 
or below national poverty lines.4 CREAN works within these communities to ensure that children 
receive the benefits of better education and nutrition, which are fundamental to decreasing 
poverty levels at the national level.
Over three years, the project aims to strengthen the educational resources and capacity of rural 
schools while supporting healthy hygiene habits and the nutrition of rural children. The project 
seeks to directly benefit 38,000 children from 637 schools in the municipalities of Achuapa, 
Sauce, Santa Rosa del Peñón, El Jícaral, San Nicólas, Limay, La Trinidad and Estelí in the 
departments of León and Estelí in Nicaragua.
5
WV, currently midway through project implementation, seeks to better understand the 
effectiveness of CREAN, evaluate its progress in achieving stated objectives, and identify areas 
for improvement.
1 Education Policy and Data Center (2014), Nicaragua. National Education Profile. Washington DC: EPDC.
2 Castillo, M., Elvir, A, and Vijil, J. (2016), Prioridades de la Educación Nicaragüense para el Siglo XXI. Managua: Centro de 
Investigación y Acción Educativa Social.
3 UNESCO (2007), Urban and rural disparities in Latin America: their implications for education access. Buenos Aires: UNESCO
4 UNICEF (2013), Infancia, Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutrición: Modelo Integrado TUKTAN YAMNI – MUIH BIN MUIHNI YAMNI
Accessed November 2016 http://mptf.undp.org/document/download/12165
5 Equipo DME Proyecto CREAN (2015), Estrategia de Seguimiento y Monitoreo, Vision Mundial.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 13
Country context
Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the Americas after Haiti. While poverty in the country 
has declined considerably over the past two decades – from 50.3% in 1993 to 42.7% in 2012 – it
remains principally a rural problem.6 More than 43% of the population in Nicaragua lives in rural 
areas, and two out of three of these people (68% of the rural population) survive on less than 
US$1 a day. The country’s rural population is characterized by limited access to basic services –
such as healthcare and education – land rights, and markets. Unpredictable environmental 
conditions and poor economic growth at the rural level further complicate the situation of these 
impoverished and struggling families.7
The exclusion and poverty in which many rural families live is exacerbated for those residing in 
the Pacific and north central regions, which together form part of the corredor seco or dry 
corridor. The region is characterized by a more rural population, higher rates of dependency on 
agricultural and livestock production, limited development of road infrastructure, and a general 
lack of public services.8 The agricultural sector has been most negatively affected by prolonged 
droughts, and small-scale producers, who engage in subsistence farming, have borne the brunt 
of these adverse effects. The lack of access to safe drinking water and increase in malnutrition 
has had direct consequences for child welfare in the region.9
As well as momentous political and socio-economic changes, Nicaragua has also seen significant 
demographic shifts in recent decades. Approximately, 62% of the population is economically 
active, and 34.6% of Nicaraguans are under 14 years of age.
10 The high percentage of the 
population that is school-age – around two million children – highlights the benefits the country 
could reap by giving citizens access to an improved education system, the main pillar of this WV 
project.
Education in Nicaragua
The education system in Nicaragua has achieved significant results in the past decades. The net 
primary school enrollment rate is 91.2%,11 and in 2009, MINED declared Nicaragua a “territory 
free of illiteracy” with only a 4.1% illiteracy rate.
12 However, challenges still exist in terms of early 
dropout rates, absenteeism, and grade repetition. The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
estimates that approximately 500,000 children between the ages of three and 17 are not in 
6 Pan American Health Organization (2015), Nicaragua. Perfil de país. Managua: PAHO.
7
IFAD (2014), Rural Poverty Portal. Accessed November 2016 www.ruralpovertyportal.org/ar/country/home/tags/nicaragua.
8 Pan American Health Organization (2015), Nicaragua. Perfil de país. Managua: PAHO.
9 Molina (2013), Las Condiciones de sequia y estrategias de gestion en Nicaragua. Accessed November 2016
http://www.droughtmanagement.info/literature/UNW-DPC_NDMP_Country_Report_Nicaragua_2013.pdf
10 INIDE, (2011). Anuario Estadístico. Accessed November 2016
http://www.inide.gob.ni/bibliovirtual/Anuarios/ANUARIO11/ANUARIO11/assets/downloads/ANUARIO%20ESTADISTICO%2020
11.pdf
11 Castillo, M., Elvir, A, and Vijil, J. (2016), Prioridades de la Educación Nicaragüense para el Siglo XXI. Managua: Centro de 
Investigación y Acción Educativa Social.
12 PNUD Nicaragua (2011), Informa Nacional sobre Desarrollo Humano 2011. Las juventudes construyendo Nicaragua. Managua: 
PNUD.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 14
school.13 Recent studies show that only six out of ten students entering first grade complete 
primary school, and only half of those who enter the first year of high school will finish it.
14 The 
data show dramatic setbacks when statistics are disaggregated across rural areas: 28% of children 
in such regions are not in primary school, and this number jumps to 60% when focusing on 
secondary education.
15
Characteristics of the education system
The education system is structured in three discrete cycles: preschool (three years), primary (six 
years), secondary (five years). 
Regular primary education: this modality lasts six years and has normal teaching hours. It is 
aimed at children between the ages of six and 11, and functions in both urban and rural areas.16
Multi-grade primary education: this modality completes the objectives of general basic 
education. In multi-grade primary, one teacher simultaneously teaches two or more grades, 
supported by direct and indirect teaching techniques, participatory active methodologies, and 
cooperative work. It is aimed at children between the ages of six and 11, but in contrast to the 
first category it is taught only in rural areas.
Accelerated primary education: this modality is aimed at children between the ages of nine to 
15, and is taught in urban and rural areas. The objective of this category is to include children and 
adolescents over eight years old and less than 16, who due to different circumstances have been 
unable to enter school or have dropped out.
17
Children’s nutrition in Nicaragua
The country ranks 52nd worldwide among nations whose children under five are suffering from 
malnutrition.
18 According to the World Health Organization, chronic malnutrition in children 
under five years of age declined from 21.7% in 2007 to 17.3% in 2011-12. However, very marked 
inequalities persist between rural and urban populations.
19 Chronic malnutrition is twice as high
in rural areas than urban ones, and the risk of malnutrition is six times higher for the poorest 
quintile of the population.
13 UNICEF (2013), Nicaragua. Country Programme Document 2013-2017. Accessed November 2016 
https://www.unicef.org/about/execboard/files/2012-PL31_Nicaragua_CPD-final_approved-English.pdf
14 Castillo, M., Elvir, A, and Vijil, J. (2016), Prioridades de la Educación Nicaragüense para el Siglo XXI. Managua: Centro de 
Investigación y Acción Educativa Social.
15 UNESCO (2011), The hidden crisis: Armed conflict and education. Regional Overview: Latin America and the Caribbean. 
Paris:UNESCO. Education Policy and Data Center (2014), Nicaragua. National Education Profile. Washington DC:EPDC.
16 Gobierno de Nicaragua (2014), Ley de Reformas y Adicionales a la Ley N582, “Ley General de Educacion”. Accessed November 
2016 
http://legislacion.asamblea.gob.ni/SILEG/Gacetas.nsf/15a7e7ceb5efa9c6062576eb0060b321/8524dc0b4dd5b68c06257cb7004
ac2a7/$FILE/2014-03-26-%20G-
%20Ley%20No.%20861,%20Ley%20de%20reforma%20y%20adiciones%20a%20la%20Ley%20No.%20582,%20Ley%20General%
20de%20Educaci%C3%B3n.pdf
17 MINED (n.d.), Educación Primaria. Accessed November 2016 http://www.nicaraguaeduca.edu.ni/principal/educacionprimaria
18 UNICEF (2013), Mejorar la Nutrición Infantil. El imperativo para el progreso mundial que es posible lograr. New York: UNICEF
19 Pan American Health Organization (2015), Nicaragua. Perfil de país. Managua: PAHO.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 15
The underlying causes of malnutrition in the country vary and are influenced by social, economic, 
environmental, cultural, and political factors. The main aspects that generate malnutrition in the 
family – chiefly in children – are the lack of economic resources for food purchases, poor maternal 
health, inadequate feeding and childcare practices, and a lack of access to safe drinking water 
and sanitation.
20
According to UNICEF data, 27.2% of school children aged six to nine years old suffer from chronic 
malnutrition.
21 However, in 2013, the government-supported National Census of Nutrition 
calculated an 11.6% decrease in the indices of chronic child malnutrition, representing a drop of 
almost half of the number calculated in 2006.
22 The MINED, in collaboration with the Ministry of 
Health (MINSA), is currently conducting a nutritional census aimed at primary schools to gauge
the nutritional levels of children and support follow-up measures.
The Comprehensive School Nutrition Program 
The Comprehensive School Nutrition Program (Programa Integral de Nutrición Escolar – PINE) is 
a strategic plan of the MINED to contribute to the improvement of education, nutrition, and food￾related cultural conditions of those children enrolled in public pre-schools and primary schools. 
This program started as a campaign by the MINED to combat non-nutritious food usage during
the year 2007, within the context of implementation of the new curriculum.23 The PINE-MINED 
program consists of four components: 
School meal: the main objective of the school meal is to improve educational, health, and 
nutritional indicators of children, guaranteeing their attendance in a sustained manner 
throughout the school year.
24 At present, school meals benefit 1.2 million students in 12,000 pre￾school and primary schools.
25 The meals consist of 145 grams of food including the following
items: rice, beans, vegetable oil, fortified cereal, cornmeal, and milk powder. The meal, which is 
provided once a day, contributes 30% of the required nutritional intake for pre-school and 
primary children.26 Due to drought and high levels of malnutrition in the dry corridor, the MINED
decided to reinforce the meal in 51 municipalities, giving both male and female students two hot 
meals per day.
27
20 Ibarra, A., Ramírez, D. and Salgado, B. (2014), Factores socioeconómicos que inciden en los altos niveles de desnutrición 
infantil en los niños y niñas de 0 a 5 años. Leon: Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Nicaragua.
21 UNICEF (2013), Nicaragua. Country Programme Document 2013-2017. Accessed November 2016 
https://www.unicef.org/about/execboard/files/2012-PL31_Nicaragua_CPD-final_approved-English.pdf.
22 MINSA (2016), Nicaragua ha reducido a la mitad el índice de desnutrición crónica Accessed November 2016
http://www.minsa.gob.ni/index.php/noticias/329-nicaragua-ha-reducido-a-la-mitad-el-indice-de-desnutricion-cronica
23 MINED (2016), Programa Integral de Nutrición Escolar. Accessed November 2016 http://www.mined.gob.ni/index.php/pine/
24 MINED (2016), Programa Integral de Nutrición Escolar. Accessed November 2016 http://www.mined.gob.ni/index.php/pine/
25 WFP (2016), Nicaragua refuerza la merienda escolar. Accessed November 2016 http://es.wfp.org/historias/nicaragua￾refuerza-la-merienda-escolar
26 Zúñiga, S. (2015), Estado nutricional, habitos alimentarios y merienda escolar de estudiantes que cursan el 5°-6° grado del 
Colegio Publico del Poder Ciudadano Experimental México. Periodo Noviembre 2014-Febrero 2015. Managua: Universidad 
Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua
27 WFP (2016), Nicaragua refuerza la merienda escolar. Accessed November 2016 http://es.wfp.org/historias/nicaragua￾refuerza-la-merienda-escolar
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 16
Table 1: Size of ration for pre-school and primary education
Food type Ration (grams) Energy (Kcal)
Rice 35 126
Cornmeal 40 104
Mixed cereal 35 195
Beans 25 84
Oil 10 88
Recommended daily nutrition 2000
Nutritional support from school meal 29.85%
Source: Zúñiga, 201528
It is worth mentioning that 76% of school-meal funding comes from the Nicaraguan government, 
which has a large operational and logistical chain that guarantees the purchase, storage, and 
distribution of food in every public school in the country.29
PINE-MINED promotes the creation of a School Feeding Committee (Comité de Alimentación 
Escolar – CAE) in each beneficiary school. The CAEs are made up of principals, teachers, and 
parents whose role is to ensure proper collection, preparation, distribution, and storage of the
school meal.
School gardens: the objective of school gardens is to teach students in the final grades of primary 
and secondary school about land use, while improving the school meal with supplements 
produced in gardens.30
School kiosks: these kiosks are established in schools and aim to promote healthy and local use 
of food resources from each region to strengthen healthy eating practices.
31
Food Security and Nutritional Education (Educación en Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional; 
SAN): this activity aims to support comprehensive training of students on the appropriation and 
application of knowledge about production and consumption of nutritious foods, the advantages 
of agro-forestry systems, and the protection of natural resources.
32
28 Zúñiga, S. (2015), Estado nutricional, habitos alimentarios y merienda escolar de estudiantes que cursan el 5°-6° grado del
Colegio Publico del Poder Ciudadano Experimental México. Periodo Noviembre 2014-Febrero 2015. Managua: Universidad 
Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua.
29 WFP (2016), Nicaragua refuerza la merienda escolar. Accessed November 2016 http://es.wfp.org/historias/nicaragua￾refuerza-la-merienda-escolar
30 MINED (2016), Programa Integral de Nutrición Escolar. Accessed November 2016 http://www.mined.gob.ni/index.php/pine/
31 MINED (2016), Programa Integral de Nutrición Escolar. Accessed November 2016 http://www.mined.gob.ni/index.php/pine/
32 MINED (2011), Guía didáctica para docentes del nivel de educación inicial. Seguridad Alimentaria y Nutricional. MINED: 
Managua.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 17
CREAN Nicaragua
Background
WV has 25 years of experience in Nicaragua and 15 years of experience implementing USDA￾funded nutrition and education projects in Afghanistan, Mongolia and Mozambique.
33 In June 
2013, the organization identified the need to improve literacy and school nutrition in the 
departments of León and Estelí. Thanks to its work history and presence in the area of
intervention, WV is not only familiar with local needs but also has the credibility and support of 
local communities to implement a project of this scale.
WV, in partnership with the USDA’s McGovern-Dole program, has joined efforts to support the 
PINE-MINED comprehensive school nutrition initiative through the CREAN project, which aims to 
improve learning, health, and nutritional practices among primary school children. This project 
lasts three years – starting in 2015 and ending by 2017 – and aims to strengthen the PINE-MINED 
program, which has been in place since 2007, while integrating elements of education, nutrition, 
hygiene, and health.
Project objectives
The CREAN project established the following objectives:
34
• Improve the reading and writing skills of children through training of teachers and 
technical staff and the delivery of textbooks, school supplies, and supplemental materials 
for reading. 
• Improve school attendance through reducing hunger and increasing access to food 
through school meals and the establishment of school gardens.
• Improve school attendance through the implementation of activities that promote 
reading and community awareness of the benefits of education.
• Increase the involvement of community organizations and groups through parent-teacher 
partnership training and the development of action plans.
• Increase the use of best food and health practices by increasing access to clean water 
services through water filter systems and improving access to sanitation through the 
construction or rehabilitation of latrines and hand-washing stations.
Intervention area 
USDA, MINED, and WV jointly selected the areas of implementation. The selection criteria 
included the identification of geographic areas with high priority nutritional needs and the prior 
presence of WV in the intervention area.
35 In the department of León, the project is implemented 
across all of the schools in the municipalities of Achuapa, El Sauce, Santa Rosa del Peñón, and 
Jicaral. Similarly, in the department of Estelí, the project works with all the schools located in the 
municipalities of San Juan de Limay, San Nicolás, Estelí, and La Trinidad.
33 World Vision (2016), Evaluation Plan Project CREAN Children Reading and Nourished, World Vision-USDA.
34 World Vision (2014), Attachment A Plan of Operation, World Vision.
35 World Vision (2014), Attachment A Plan of Operation, World Vision.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 18
Working within all schools in each municipality levels the playing field, facilitates cooperation 
with existing government structures, avoids initiating conflict between communities, and 
discourages students from switching schools based on the provision of meals.
Beneficiaries
Approximately 38,000 students and 1,705 school personnel have been participating and 
benefiting directly from the project.
36
Project structure and activities
The CREAN project has two main components: the Education component, which aims to increase
the literacy of school-age children through school retention and improvement of education; and 
the Health and nutrition component, which seeks to improve health and nutrition practices. The 
school meal, although it belongs to the Education component, will be treated in this report as an 
independent component, which given its complexity and scope will allow for clearer description.
Under these three components, the project implements a series of activities, as described below.
Daily school meal
CREAN provides daily school meals for children and teachers in pre-school and elementary 
schools located in the departments of Estelí and León in order to increase attendance and 
literacy. Meals promote good health and beneficial eating habits, as food provides the energy 
and nutrients that schoolchildren need to perform their daily activities.
In line with MINED’s school meal program, every student in each beneficiary school receives 150 
grams of food that includes rice, beans, vegetable oil, fortified cereal, and cornmeal. CREAN 
provides yellow cornmeal instead of the whole grain white flour provided by the MINED. CREAN 
also provides fortified cereal and rice, while MINED distributes locally produced cereal and 
regular rice.
The delivery of the meal to each child is the result of a long and complex logistical process, which 
includes a series of stages and sub-activities, described below.
Food handling logistics
CREAN is responsible for the USDA food application process and customs, controls, and 
transportation once the food arrives in country. Once the country’s customs authority approves 
the shipment, food is transferred to a warehouse in Matagalpa where the verification of quantity 
and quality of the different products occurs. WV manages the flow of information regarding food 
shipments through the Commodity Tracking System. This is a global data base system maintained 
by World Vision Food Program Management Group. All World Vision Food Programs have to use 
this auditable accounting system for monthly reporting.
After these control mechanisms are complete, CREAN coordinates the transport of food to 
different distribution points in the intervention areas with PINE-MINED. Distribution centers are 
36 World Vision (2016), Evaluation Plan Project CREAN Children Reading and Nourished, World Vision-USDA.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 19
selected based both on their location and their ability to receive and store large quantities of 
food.
Delivery dates to the distribution centers, once established, are communicated to the schools, 
which are responsible for collecting their food rations from the distribution centers. Each school 
organizes collection as it sees fit, and in most cases, the process is carried out either by the CAE 
or jointly by principals, teachers, and parents.
There are three food distribution schedules per year (January, May, August), following the school 
calendar; each distribution seeks to cover 60 days of food. At the time of distribution, those 
responsible for collection at each school receive a list noting the number of students and teachers 
and the corresponding amount of food. This list is the basis for the school meal monitoring 
process.
Food reception and storage 
Each school must assign an appropriate place for proper food storage. While some schools have 
a storeroom, most schools designate dedicated spaces in a classroom, library, or at the principal’s 
office for storage. As much as possible, the food storage location must be clean, tidy, and 
sheltered from the external environment.
CREAN has distributed four 55-gallon plastic containersto each school participating in the project 
to facilitate the adequate and hygienic storage of food rations; plastic containers help preserve 
food and prevent rodent infestation. Cutlery for each student (dish, spoon, and cup) has also
been provided.
Training in food preparation and handling 
The CREAN team uses MINED’s official school nutrition guides to train the CAEs to manage and 
store food properly. 
The project provides training to those responsible for the preparation of the meal – typically 
parents – on the best hygiene and nutrition practices for meal preparation. The project also trains 
the CAEs in each beneficiary school on how to create an action plan that includes meal 
preparation schedules and menus that incorporate complementary vegetable and fruit from the 
school gardens. They are also given a list of hygienic practices for the preparation and storage of 
food.
Preparation and distribution of school meals
Parents typically prepare school meals on a rotational basis. There have also been cases where
parents collectively raise a small amount of money to pay someone to prepare the meal every 
day.
Since most schools do not have a kitchen, parents responsible for food preparation need to move 
food to their homes. Each parent prepares the school meal and, as far as possible, supplements 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 20
it with locally available products. Once the meal has been prepared, the parent transfers it to the 
school for distribution and consumption.
Children usually receive the school meal every morning between 8 and 10 a.m. The parent 
responsible for preparing the meal is also responsible for assisting the classroom teacher in the 
distribution of the meal.
Monitoring and control of school meals
In order to ensure the proper and effective use of food for the provision of school meals, CREAN 
has established a monitoring system employing field monitors. These monitors are responsible 
for visiting each school at least once per distribution schedule for a total of three times per year. 
During the visits, monitors compare and validate food delivery lists against student attendance 
data. CREAN uses student daily attendance collected by the teachers as a verification mechanism 
to control consumption of the meal.
Field monitors also provide assistance and advice to CAEs and teachers regarding food storage, 
management, and preparation, as well as answering questions or concerns regarding the various 
activities carried out in each school.
Education activities 
CREAN seeks to improve the educational needs of children, strengthening the learning/teaching 
capacity of children and teachers. This component seeks to help children and teachers achieve 
the required level of competence according to the MINED curriculum. This larger activity breaks 
down into a series of undertakings described below.
Establishment of reading corners
The project delivers reading books, storybooks, activity books, dictionaries, and other types of 
educational materials to assist teachers in promoting a culture of reading both at school and in 
the home. Through this delivery, every classroom or school can establish a mini-library (or 
reading corner) where students can access appropriate reading material that motivates them to 
read.
Traveling backpacks
This initiative uses a ‘backpack’ or pouch with books that children can take to their homes. These 
backpacks are to be used by students to take home books they find interesting to read, 
strengthening their literacy skills and also promoting reading habits among other family 
members. Once the student returns the backpack, they record the name of the borrowed book, 
the dates, and number of pages read in their ‘traveler passport’. Students also report to rest of 
the class about the main points in the books they read at home. This enables the teacher to 
record the usage of the books. Generally, students may borrow up to three books depending on 
content; the approximate lending time for the backpack is three days.
Supplies and school materials
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 21
As part of the project activities, CREAN has evaluated the needs of each participating school, and 
– based on this need – has delivered to selected schools a kit of materials including pencils, 
markers, cards, colored ribbons, etc. Teachers at the beneficiary schools use these materials to 
decorate the classroom and/or develop classroom activities.
Teacher training
CREAN provides teacher training on five basic reading skills: phonological awareness, phonetics, 
vocabulary, fluency and comprehension of MINED’s methods and approach. The content of the 
training is aligned with MINED’s study plan, which includes pre-literacy skills, letter recognition, 
phonological awareness, vocabulary, reading fluency and comprehension. The project also 
emphasizes the important of Pedagogic Circles, which are informal meetings for teachers to share 
good teaching practices with their peers. 
Nutrition and health activities
CREAN seeks to contribute to an integrated and healthy environment for learning. CREAN 
provides garden tool kits, seeds, and guidance manuals to help schools start their own school 
gardens. CREAN also plans to improve water and sanitation by educating beneficiaries on good 
hygiene practices (hand washing, tooth brushing); the project further supports small 
infrastructure works, such as improving latrines and lavatories, and providing and promoting
filters to improve access to clean drinking water.
Health and hygiene clubs
CREAN has helped establish health and hygiene clubs in participating schools. These clubs –
composed of fourth, fifth, and sixth grade students and a teacher – have been trained in topics 
related to healthy and hygienic daily practices. These include hand washing with soap, personal 
grooming, brushing teeth, and using clean water for drinking and cooking.
Health and hygiene clubs use a child-to-child education methodology whereby students transfer 
lessons learned to other children through events, health fairs, information, education, 
communication materials, and ‘learning by doing’.
Hygiene kit 
The CREAN project has also distributed to students hygiene kits containing soap, a towel, a 
toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo a fine comb (to prevent lice). Within each school, hand 
washing is encouraged before and after the school meal, and brushing teeth after the school 
meal. Hygiene kits are stored in classrooms so that they are accessible to students when 
necessary; however, not all schools have the infrastructure, conditions, and/or appropriate 
security to store the kits.
School gardens
CREAN has evaluated the availability of plots, conditions, and types of land of selected schools 
that offer the best conditions for school garden development. The plan focuses on working with 
community agricultural promoters, teachers, parents, students, and other community members 
to initiate and maintain school gardens.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 22
CREAN’s school gardens are established in line with the Methodological Guide for the 
Establishment of School Gardens and Guide for the Operation of School Gardens from MINED. 
Seeds, plants, and tools have been delivered. The fruit and vegetables harvested in the gardens 
are for use as complements to the school meal.
Construction and rehabilitation of water and sanitation (WASH) infrastructure
CREAN has worked with MINED to evaluate sanitary conditions in each participating school in 
order to identify the need for rehabilitating existing latrines and constructing or rehabilitating 
hand-washing stations. A hand-wash station consists of a faucet, a sink and a foundation.
Water filters
The project provides participating schools with a water filtration and purification system. 
Depending on their size, location, and conditions, schools receive filters with a capacity of eight
gallons. These filters are filled with water from a well, spring, or other source, which is then 
filtered for consumption.
If access to water is a problem in the school, each child is asked to bring a small bottle of water. 
This water is deposited in the filter for consumption. 
Project management 
Project administration and management is the responsibility of a team composed of 50 staff 
members located in the Sébaco office and two staff members located in the central office in 
Managua. The functions of the team are divided into Management, Merchandise, Operations 
(overseeing Education and Health and Nutrition), Monitoring and Evaluation, Administration, 
Purchases and Finance and Human Resources.
The management team is made up of the Director and Deputy Director of the project. They are 
responsible for managing and supervising all project activities. They also deal directly with the 
donor and with key project partners, notably to coordinate activities with MINED.
The merchandise team, made up of 26 members, is responsible for all food logistics, including 
reception in-country, storage and controls in the warehouse, and transfers to the final 
destination point. Three members of the team are in charge of tracking the commodities through
the Commodity Tracking System. Three other members work in the warehouse. 
The team includes 12 field monitors responsible for the control and periodic monitoring of the 
school meal. The field monitors are also responsible for the M&E sheets that track the progress 
of activities across components. 
The team also has six field monitors funded by CREAN but working directly with PINE-MINED. 
They carry out the same work as the CREAN field monitors, and at the same time seek to 
institutionalize the oversight methodology within the ministry.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 23
The operations team comprises 10 people responsible for implementing the different activities 
related to Education, Health and Nutrition.
The monitoring and evaluation team has three members, and is responsible for the design and 
implementation of monitoring plans, as well as the collection and analysis of information relating 
to progress of the project.
The administration, accounting and procurement team has eight members and is in charge of 
all the project’s administrative and accounting processes, including the acquisition of goods and 
services for the implementation of the different project activities.
In addition, the project has one person responsible for human resources and a cleaner. 
Project partners
The CREAN project is implemented in close collaboration with local partners. The main partners 
are MINED and the Ministry of Health (MINSA).
The project also works closely with other local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to 
coordinate initiatives and with the teachers and parents in each school to ensure the effective 
implementation of the project.
Methodology
In line with the monitoring and evaluation strategy of CREAN, WV engaged a team of consultants 
to conduct the project’s mid-term evaluation which seeks to understand project effectiveness, 
analyze the progress made towards the objectives and goals, and identify areas for improvement 
in the implementation of the project.
Evaluation objectives 
The main objectives of this evaluation are as follows:
• Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of program implementation and the quality of 
intermediate results, the degree in which the interventions of the project have adhered to 
the approved plans, and the perceived value for beneficiary communities. 
• Present evidence of changes (intended and unintended) associated with program 
interventions and activities of the project; assess how well the observed changes reflect the 
project framework, and identify factors that impede or promote the advancement of these 
changes.
• Make recommendations in terms of structure, dedicated resources, administration, 
monitoring and evaluation, implementation, and other areas where the project can be 
improved to increase the chances of achieving the objectives. The recommendations are to 
be limited to actions that can be implemented within the remaining time and budget of the 
project.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 24
Feedback gleaned from the results are expected to be useful to the CREAN project team and 
project partners in identifying best practices that can be replicated and scaled, both internally at 
the project level and at the wider organizational level, as well as in highlighting critical areas that 
need to be improved.
Evaluation approach 
This research was built upon an evaluation approach known as Utilization-Focused Evaluation 
(UFE).
37 The core tenet of UFE is that the evaluation process and outcome should be developed 
so as to enhance the utility of the findings to the final intended users. It is not a specific 
methodology with narrowly prescribed methods, but a guiding framework oriented towards 
facilitated learning and shared ownership. The UFE process is meant to yield concrete decisions 
and facilitate improvements in performance. Therefore, the evaluation users must be engaged 
early in the process and throughout to ensure that their key questions are identified and 
answered. The evaluation should generate clear, actionable findings and suggestions that can 
help the users learn and improve. 
The evaluation approach was founded upon key principles of effective and ethical evaluation 
practice. The team:
• Utilized systematic inquiry techniques and adhered to the highest technical standards to 
ensure the accuracy of the findings. 
• Employed honesty and integrity in their own behavior and in the evaluation process; any 
conflicts of interest were clearly disclosed and all possible efforts were made to interpret 
the data with fidelity. 
• Displayed respect to all stakeholders and ensured that all participants in the process 
provided their informed consent. 
• Ensured that every effort was made to acknowledge and accommodate differences in 
language, culture, gender, age, etc. among evaluation participants in planning, 
conducting, analyzing, and reporting on research findings. 
Sampling plan and site selection
We used a stratified, purposeful sampling method in order to ensure that the data reflects the 
experiences of specific sub-groups and to ensure that there was an appropriate balance of 
sampling between León and Estelí departments in the country. 
Site selection was conducted through analysis of data provided by WV. A representative sample 
was constructed based on a series of factors: geographical location, type of school (urban vs. 
rural), type of intervention at school, number of students, number of teachers, and modality of 
education (pre-school, primary, multi-grade, special education, etc.). 
A first sample of schools was identified based on the data analysis conducted. This sample was 
shared with CREAN to discuss availability and accessibility. A refined list was finalized and shared 
with MINED for approval. 
37 For more detail on UFE, please refer to the following for a primer on the approach: 
http://www.managingforimpact.org/sites/default/files/resource/ufeenglishprimer.pdf
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 25
A mix of urban and rural schools of different sizes, levels of access, and providing different 
modalities of education were selected. The schools selected were deemed to represent the 
universe of schools that CREAN serves.
Table 2: Selected schools
Department Municipality School Urban/Rural
Estelí La Trinidad Teodoro Rodriguez Rural
Estelí La Trinidad Especial Uri Molina Urban
Estelí Estelí Rodolfo Ruiz Cruz Urban
Estelí Estelí Monsenor Oscar Arnulfo Romero Urban
León Achuapa Wiquili Rural
León Sauce Sabana Grande Rural
León Jicaral Alejandro Vegas Matos Urban
León Santa Rosa Jose de la Cruz Mena Urban
Evaluation methodology
We employed a context-sensitive and qualitative method approach. We drew on an appropriate 
mix of qualitative methods to understand what works best and to identify factors that appear to 
enhance or undermine the quality, acceptability and usefulness of implementation and outputs. 
As part of this evaluation we used the following methods:
• Desk-based review
• Key informant interviews (KIIs)
• Focus group discussions (FGDs)
• Observation guide
Field research was conducted in Nicaragua over a 12-day period from 17-28 October 2016. KIIs
and FGDs were organized with relevant stakeholders. 
The research team was responsible for the design of all research instruments, including: 
interview questionnaires, discussion guides, consent forms, and others (see Annex). The 
instruments were reviewed and approved by WV and MINED. 
In collaboration with WV, we identified the target sub-groups (e.g. gender and geographic region) 
and generated lists of potential respondents within each category. 
Desk-based review
The first phase of the evaluation was to conduct a desk-based review. This task constituted the 
review of information produced by WV, including monitoring, evaluation and learning tools, the 
baseline study, and research and evaluation studies. The review helped the team understand the 
structure of the project and its accomplishments to date and to identify potential areas that 
needed to be improved. The information from the project also helped shape the type of 
questions that formed the basis of the instruments used during research.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 26
Key informant interviews 
35 KIIs were conducted with members of the staff of CREAN, state and municipal representatives 
from MINED and MINSA, school principals, teachers and parents. School principals and teachers 
involved in the implementation of project activities were interviewed during school visits
depending on availability. When the school principal was not present during the visit, a teacher 
with knowledge of the project was interviewed instead.
Interviews with members of MINED and MINSA were conducted at their local offices. 
Representatives were selected based on their location (municipal representatives were selected 
based on the schools visited) and direct involvement and knowledge about the project. 
KIIs with members of staff were conducted at the Sébaco office. Members of staff representing 
different teams and levels of responsibility were interviewed in order to get a more 
comprehensive understanding of the operations of the project. 
All the interviews were semi-structured and conducted in Spanish. They helped interpret detail 
and nuances of the CREAN project.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 27
Table 1: Key informant interviews
Interview group Number of interviews
MINED – state representatives 4
MINED – municipal representatives 6
MINSA – state representatives 1
MINSA – municipal representatives 1
School principals 6
School teachers 5
CREAN staff members 12
Total 35
Focus group discussions 
We conducted 17 FGDs with students, parents and teachers to strengthen the findings and 
provide tangible examples of their experiences. All FGDs were conducted in Spanish and took 
place on the school premises. 
A sample of students from each school was selected to participate in FGDs based on their age, 
gender, participation in project activities, and availability. In total, 73 students took part in the 
FGDs. School authorities helped convene parents. Due to work responsibilities, most parents
present for the FGDs were mothers who had varying levels of responsibility for the preparation 
of the school meal. 51 parents participated in FGDs. One FGD took place with teachers during 
one of the school visits. 
Informed consent was obtained prior to the initiation of the focus group, giving each participant 
the opportunity to ask questions regarding the purpose of the activity, its benefits and the 
potential risks associated with such an exercise.
A discussion guide was employed, including open-ended questions to encourage group 
participation and discussion on specific topics. The FGDs were recorded, with the consent of 
participants, in order to facilitate their analysis at a later stage.
In the case of the special education school Uri Molina, students’ disabilities meant the FGD was 
conducted with only two students. These students were nominated based on their ability to 
communicate with the evaluation team.
Table 2: Focus Group Discussions - Students
Schools Wiquili Sábana 
Grande
Alejandro 
Vega Matos
Juan 
de la 
Cruz 
Mena
Especial 
Uri Molina
Teodoro 
Rodríguez
Rodolfo 
Ruiz Cruz
Monseñor 
Arnulfo 
Oscar 
Romero
State León León León León Estelí Estelí Estelí Estelí
Number of
students
6 13 10 9 2 12 10 11
Grade 4,5,6 6 3,4,5,6 4,5,6 6 4,5,6 4,5,6 4,5,6
Female 3 6 5 7 1 7 5 3
Male 3 7 5 2 1 5 5 8
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 28
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 29
Table 3: Focus Group Discussions - Parents
Schools Wiquili Sábana 
Grande
Alejandro 
Vega Matos
Juan 
de la 
Cruz 
Mena
Especial 
Uri Molina
Teodoro 
Rodríguez
Rodolfo 
Ruiz Cruz
Monseñor
Arnulfo 
Oscar 
Romero
State León León León León Estelí Estelí Estelí Estelí
Number of
parents
4 9 3 10 7 5 8 5
Female 4 8 3 10 7 5 8 4
Male 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
Table 4: Focus Group discussions – Teachers
Group Number of Teachers
Teachers 8
Observation guide
An observation guide was developed to assist the evaluation process. The observation indicators 
included: storage of products, education materials (reading corners, traveling backpacks, 
classroom decoration), health and hygiene materials (posters and signs, hygiene kits), water 
filters, school gardens, and sanitary installation.
Data analysis
Members of our evaluation team conducted qualitative analysis of KIIs and FGDs. The FGDs and 
the KIIs were transcribed, analyzed and coded based on a priori and emergent themes, all in the 
language in which they were conducted. Specific quotes were then translated into English where 
appropriate. The analysis looked at strengths, weaknesses, and other factors that appear to 
enhance or diminish the quality, acceptability and usefulness of implementation and outputs. 
Findings
This section presents the results of the mid-term evaluation according to the key questions set 
out in the terms of reference.
During the process of this evaluation, a number of stakeholders were consulted about the 
implementation process and activities of the project. A series of findings were made, which are 
detailed below.
1. Project relevance
Both the importance and relevance of the USDA-funded CREAN project – as well as project
alignment with the MINED strategies and priorities – has been verified at the state and municipal 
levels through multiple KII with representatives from MINED and MINSA. The results were also 
validated through interviews and FGDs with principals, teachers and parents from the schools 
visited.
Both the interviews carried out and the data collected during the evaluation process confirm that 
the activities conducted by CREAN are relevant to the beneficiaries, particularly in the case of the 
school meal, which contributes approximately one-third of the dietary requirements of pre-
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 30
school and primary school children. School principals, teachers and parents agree that the 
provision of school meals directly influences the daily attendance of students. In some schools 
visited, stakeholders reported that the provision of school meals has resulted in major 
improvements in school attendance rates by students.
Strategic fit and rationale
CREAN is highly aligned with the priorities of the government of Nicaragua in general, and those 
of MINED in particular, which has facilitated the acceptance of the project by the various 
stakeholders, especially the schools where it is implemented.
The main strategies promoted by MINED are based on improving (1) school retention and (2) 
academic performance. The project promotes both strategies through a series of interrelated 
activities. The school meal helps with student attendance and retention; however, the project 
recognizes that increased school attendance does not necessarily translate into better academic
performance. Thus, CREAN works closely with school principals and teachers to provide them 
with the skills and materials necessary to improve academic achievements.
Moreover, the different activities implemented by the project are based on the MINED 
curriculum and are aligned with the methodology implemented by the PINE-MINED. This has 
facilitated implementation and avoided unnecessary adaptation efforts by the participating 
schools.
CREAN’s support of meal distribution in 637 schools in the departments of León and Estelí has 
allowed PINE-MINED to extend its coverage to other regions and areas of higher priority. 
Likewise, activities in the Education, and Health and Nutrition components have sought to initiate 
processes to generate and improve current capacity in the educational centers in which they are 
implemented. Furthermore, MINSA has been involved in the Health and Nutrition component 
through anti-epidemic campaigns and the nutritional census of children.
Progress of project implementation
At the time of the evaluation, most of the project’s planned activities were being implemented 
and it is highly likely that CREAN will meet the objectives set out in its plan.
Although the project has made significant progress in implementation, it has suffered 
considerable delays that have affected the schedule of activities and the quality of their
implementation. This had also placed the project team under significant levels of stress, which 
could potentially jeopardize the quality of activities carried out.
The most delayed activities are the distribution of books and the construction and rehabilitation 
of WASH infrastructure, which has not yet been initiated. Unless resources and efforts are 
dedicated to these activities during the remainder of the implementation process, the project 
risks being unable to fulfill the related objectives.
External and internal factors affecting the implementation of the project
External factors
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 31
Our research revealed two main external factors that have delayed project implementation, 
which are outlined below:
Changes in project partners: Initially, the project was designed to be jointly implemented by WV
(which would be responsible for the school meal, and Health and Nutrition component) and Fe y 
Alegría Nicaragua (originally responsible for the Education component). Subsequently, MINED 
requested that WV be the sole executor of the project, which led WV to take total responsibility 
for the implementation of project activities. 
The change in the number of project implementers represented not only a significant delay in 
the implementation schedule but also a need for internal re-structuring in terms of activities, 
personnel and resources in order to fulfill the needs of the project. The sudden change in project 
partners also had an impact on the area of intervention. The municipalities of Estelí, located
mainly in urban and peri-urban sectors, were initially proposed by Fe y Alegría Nicaragua based
on their areas of intervention and are not located in the WV area of operations.
Delay in the signing of the agreement: The implementation of the project has also been 
considerably delayed due MINED’s prolonged review time prior to signing the agreement. The 
lack of definition and fulfillment of established dates, the long decision-making process, and the 
concentration of work by key decision-makers have resulted in approximately a year’s delay in 
terms of implementation. As a result of the delays, 2015 saw only two of the three food 
distributions planned for the year. Since the signing of the agreement, the project team has been 
working diligently in the implementation of project activities in order to recover some of the lost 
time. However, the delay has meant a significant alteration in the schedule of activities, affecting 
the quality of implementation in some cases. This has generated high levels of stress among the 
project team, who are under a tremendous amount of pressure to achieve goals and objectives.
It is important to note that the main reasons for the delayed implementation of the project have 
been outside of WV’s control; nevertheless, the project team has tried to minimize the adverse 
effect of this delay on the implementation of activities.
Internal factors
Aside from the two external causes, two internal organizational factors have contributed to the 
delay of the project, but in a less significant way:
Delays in the establishment of the project team: This was manifested in delays in the recruitment 
and hiring process at the beginning of the project, as well as in the distribution of tasks between 
the different areas, which generated further delays during implementation. However, it is worth 
noting that the project could not begin the recruitment processes without a signed agreement 
from MINED.
Delay in baseline results: Several of the activities envisaged as part of the project could not be 
implemented without baseline results. A delay in obtaining the baseline information has thus 
generated delays in terms of activity implementation.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 32
Relationship with project partners
Although the initial project negotiations saw several setbacks (the change of partners and delays 
in the signing of the agreement), the CREAN management team has since then dedicated much 
of its effort to building a positive and productive relationship with its main partner, MINED.
These efforts have generated tangible results leading to the establishment of effective
communication channels that have allowed significant advances in the implementation of 
activities. Today, WV has a close relationship with MINED, which contributes to the joint planning 
of activities, the discussion of topics of common interest, and the sharing of relevant project 
information. This positive and productive relationship at the national level has also been 
replicated at the state and municipal levels with the corresponding local representatives. This 
has allowed not only greater efficiency in the implementation of activities, but has also helped to 
accelerate decision-making processes.
While progress in the relationship with project partners has been significant, MINED must 
continue to strengthen its internal planning and decision-making processes because of the 
significant impact each decision has on the project. MINED faces issues that are much larger than 
this project can address: partnering with it has required effort and ingenuity in the 
implementation of activities in order to respond to its institutional needs.
Several cases were reported to us where MINED unexpectedly cancelled or changed dates that 
had been agreed months in advance. Sudden changes in the activities schedule entail significant 
financial losses for the project and are demotivating for a project team that is working under 
pressure and against the clock to achieve the objectives.
Although there are contextual and political situations that are outside the control of the parties 
in this project, it is important that MINED appraises the influence of its actions on the 
implementation of the project.
2. Project effectiveness and efficiency 
Overall, the effectiveness and efficiency of the project has been commendable. Nonetheless, it
could be further improved if the project was able to overcome some of the challenges highlighted 
below. This section details the strengths and weaknesses of project design, management, and
administration, as well as the process of implementation of each of the components and activities 
of the project.
Project design
CREAN is an extremely ambitious project given to its three-year life cycle. The project has a large 
number of inter-related activities and sub-activities that, while reflecting its holistic character, 
also present a series of challenges. In order for project activities to be successful, significant time 
and personnel are required to ensure proper execution and constant monitoring.
While the project design provides for the financial and human resources needed to implement 
these activities, there are significant shortfalls with what is actually needed in practice. For 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 33
example, while the project plan includes the purchase and distribution of reading materials for 
schools, it only takes into consideration the resources needed for purchase and distribution. In 
fact the process is much more complex, necessitating a bidding round, a purchase process, 
receipt of books, control of those books received (individual book accounting), re-packaging of 
books as required for each school, the creation of monitoring mechanisms for the distribution 
and reception of the materials, coordination with the school for reception, and reporting on the 
reception process. The lack of planning for such a demanding level of effort needed for each 
activity has increased the workload for the project team and raised stress levels significantly.
The challenges in implementation were not only noticed in terms of the number of activities, but 
also in the excessive number of monitoring and evaluation indicators to report, which have
generated a disproportionate level of work for the project team (this topic is further explored in 
the monitoring and evaluation section).
Projects of this nature inevitably lead to questioning the number of activities versus their impact. 
Although it is still too early to assess the impact of each of these activities and their relation with 
each other, it is important that the project team learns from the current process.
Project management 
The management and administration of the project is characterized by rigorous and adequate 
procedures. The project’s relative autonomy, compared to other WV activities, has helped 
minimize bureaucratic hurdles that would have further slowed down implementation. The 
project is also characterized by a high level of decentralization in planning and a high level of 
participation by the partner, PINE-MINED.
Offices
The CREAN project occupies a physical space in the WV headquarters in Managua, which allows 
greater communication with government actors such as MINED and MINSA. In the same way, 
CREAN has offices in Sébaco, which allows easier control and mobilization both to the beneficiary 
communities and to the warehouse.
Project team
The team in charge of the implementation of this project, mainly at the managerial and 
coordination level, is professional and competent with a high level of academic training, 
extensive experience in the sector, and the capacity to carry out the necessary tasks. In particular,
the Director’s previous project management experience in similar initiatives has been a great 
help in enabling the team to respond to the different competing demands that have arisen.
Although CREAN has 52 people who support the different activities and phases of project 
implementation, a number of situations have been identified that need to be addressed in order 
to improve the effectiveness of the project:
Important differences regarding size versus responsibilities among teams: The Health and 
Nutrition team has only one coordinator and two field officers to implement all the activities of 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 34
this component in the 637 schoolsthe project serves. The geographical location of schools, which 
are quite distant from each other, as well as the number of activities for which the team is 
responsible, have made it difficult to implement activities and has forced the team to prioritize 
interventions at the expense of other important project aspects. While the Health and Nutrition 
team has relied on other teams for the implementation of activities (such as the Education team 
and the Merchandise team through field officers and field monitors), this has caused confusion 
in terms of responsibilities, tasks, and chains of command.
The same problem has been identified in the Monitoring and Evaluation team, which has only 
two field officers. The excessive number of indicators the team needs to track has generated high 
levels of information and has overwhelmed the team in the process. The team has been left with 
no capacity to respond to project needs and/or analyze the information in a timely manner. 
Lack of technical capacity in key areas: The most affected team is Health and Nutrition, which 
lacks several technical capacities necessary for the implementation of activities. The team 
requires an agricultural specialist who can advise schools on issues related to setting up and 
managing school gardens. The team also lacks an engineer who can advise and assist with WASH
infrastructure activities. This combination of factors – the limitation of team personnel and the 
lack of specific technical profiles – has meant that the team has had to prioritize the 
implementation of certain activities over others, causing delays in the overall schedule, as well 
as frustration from partners based on expected results.
Confusion in responsibilities, tasks, and chains of command: Field monitors play a key role within 
the project. Their main responsibility is the proper and effective use of food for the provision of 
meals, controlled through regular visits to schools. During these visits, the field monitors report 
pertinent information regarding the receipt, storage, and use of food. At the same time, the 
monitors support the work of other teams: collecting relevant information for the M&E team
using technical sheets for recording data on a series of activities; ensuring the correct 
implementation of school gardens; guaranteeing the proper use of reading corners and traveling 
backpacks; and more.
Due to their regular presence in schools and the links they have built within the communities, 
the monitors have become the ‘eyes and ears’ of the project and are the main point of contact 
for the beneficiaries of CREAN. This has made monitors a kind of ‘one-stop shop’ – a single 
instance for all the paperwork, questions, queries, and complaints associated with the project. 
This ‘one-stop-shop’ task has generated much confusion regarding responsibilities, tasks, and 
chains of command. Although they report to the Merchandise team regarding the school meal, 
the monitors also receive requests to perform tasks in different areas, and therefore become 
recipients of vital information about various activities for different teams. However, due to the 
structure of the project, this information is often not properly shared, losing important learning 
opportunities about what is working and what is not within the project and on several occasions
causing conflicts regarding responsibilities and chains of command. This trend of overloading 
monitors with activities has also meant that they have had to sacrifice some of the time they 
dedicate to each school in order to fulfill the many responsibilities they have. Taking into account 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 35
these circumstances, the project needs to re-evaluate the profile of the monitors’ position and 
decide what are the most appropriate chains of command for facilitating improved performance.
Administrative bottlenecks: During the process of conducting this evaluation, different areas 
have noted a number of administrative processes that generate ‘bottlenecks’ or significant 
delays. One area identified in particular was purchasing, whereby the procurement process and 
insufficient personnel combined to cause delays on several occasions. At the time of this 
evaluation, the purchasing area had incorporated an extra person to assist in these tasks and,
together with the administrative sector, a series of adjustments had been made in the process 
to make it more efficient. Although it is still to early to determine if these changes will be 
sufficient to address the problem, it does suggest progress being made. However, in the future, 
it is important to closely monitor the administrative processes in order to ensure that they 
facilitate rather than hinder the implementation of the project.
High levels of stress and exhaustion among the project team: Delays in the schedule of activities, 
unexpected changes introduced by the MINED, limitations on staffing, and lack of clarity 
regarding tasks, responsibilities, and chains of command have generated high levels of stress. As 
a result, exhaustion has been detected not only at the managerial and coordination level, but 
also at field staff level in all areas. The project team has tried to implement in one year a volume 
of activities corresponding to two years of work. This has resulted in substantial workloads, long 
working days, and excessive pressure to achieve the established objectives.
Situations of high stress such as this generate higher margins of error and greater probabilities
of mistakes that can affect the quality of the activities. The accelerated and compressed 
implementation process also limits chances for creating learning opportunities and feedback 
loops that can benefit the project.
While the project team has so far been able to sustain the volume and intensity of activities, this 
pace of work is hardly sustainable in the long run. The level of stress and exhaustion of the team
not only undermines the wellbeing of the project staff, but also generates a series of questions 
regarding the retention of personnel. The project management needs to evaluate strategies that 
could help alleviate the situation and relieve the levels of stress.
Communication and coordination challenges: During the evaluation,several people indicated the 
need to improve communication and coordination between several areas. At the moment, far 
from being institutionalized, coordination between areas is ad hoc and relies on personal 
relationships. Different staff members have expressed the need for a space to discuss common 
issues, share information and evaluate progress. An institutionalized communication process 
could help improve the effectiveness of the project by keeping all parties informed on the most 
relevant aspects.
Budget
The budget allocation process and structure has also generated a number of constraints on the 
project. There are budget lines that have sufficiently allocated capital for the implementation of 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 36
activities, sometimes above the necessary amount. For example, the budget line for traveling 
backpacks was higher than needed, allowing for more backpacks to be distributed. However, the 
budget line for books, for which there is a very ambitious goal of purchasing a million books, is 
insufficient, and there are other budget lines that are also insufficient. Furthermore, the current 
budget also does not reflect the particular needs of the different activities, such as the 
construction and rehabilitation of WASH infrastructure, which has a small budget but many 
pressing and expensive demands.
In certain cases, such as infrastructure rehabilitation and construction, the budget has severely
underestimated the financial needs of the component.
Budgetary restrictions among different budgetary lines have made it difficult to re-allocate
resources. Likewise, the different mechanisms and requirements for budget execution (both at 
the WV and donor level) have created a lengthy and complicated reporting process.
Monitoring and evaluation 
M&E is a key area, responsible for monitoring progress while providing timely, pertinent, and 
relevant information that helps to inform decisions regarding the direction of the project.
Unfortunately, the strategic role of the M&E team has been diluted by the high number of 
indicators (111) that the project needs to report on regularly. The situation is exacerbated by the 
short life cycle of the project. On top of the 111 indicators, the M&E team is also responsible for 
baseline, mid-term and final evaluations.
These 111 indicators, established by the donor, have consumed much of the time and resources 
of the M&E team and have exhausted their capacity to respond to other internal needs. The large 
number of indicators has also had adverse repercussions, as it has raised doubts about the 
relevance and credibility of the process, leading to questions over why and how the information 
collected is used.
In the specific case of CREAN, the number of indicators required has overwhelmed the capacity 
of the team and has been counterproductive in terms of project effectiveness.
CREAN’s M&E system is extremely complex and highly labor-intensive. This has created a number 
of problems. For one thing, the data collection tools are extensive and take a long time to be 
completed. This leads to a decrease in quality in relation to the number of completed technical 
sheets. For another, the tools are collected and recorded manually, which not only leads to a 
higher margin of error and/or probability of confusion when digitizing the information, but also 
increases the time needed for processing and analysis. Finally, delays in processing and analysis 
of information have meant that the information provided is not always timely, pertinent, and 
relevant, generating further delays and unnecessary bottlenecks.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 37
While some of these problems can be solved by revising and streamlining the M&E tools as well 
as digitizing the process, the underlying problem will remain unless there is a significant revision 
of quantity and relevance of the current 111 indicators.
Implementation of several components of the project
School meal
During the course of this evaluation, direct observations of the following processes were made: 
food storage at the WV warehouse, food distribution documentation, food storage at schools,
and the distribution and consumption of school meals. In addition, key informant interviews were 
conducted at both the state and municipal level, and relevant information was gathered from 
teachers, principals, parents, and students. Based on the information collected, the following 
observations were made:
Warehouse: WV has a 1,000m2 warehouse for the storage and distribution of food for the school 
meal. The warehouse is located on the Sébaco-Matagalpa road, on Km125.1. The facilities are 
rented and therefore maintenance is performed by a third party.
During the visit, the warehouse was found to be in good condition with respect to its cleanliness, 
access, lighting, ventilation, organization of food, protection against pests, and security. That 
said, the warehouse team is small, with only three people on site, so in periods of food delivery, 
CREAN hires additional staff to reinforce the logistical work of food distribution. During the 
weekends, there are no staff working in the warehouse, but there is a security guard who is 
responsible for oversight. In case of an emergency, designated personnel who live near the 
warehouse are available to visit the warehouse to resolve the problem.
The warehouse team has the proper safety equipment for food handling, as well as clear and 
adequate signs for the different areas of the warehouse, evacuation routes, and fire-fighting
equipment.
No evidence of irregularities in the handling process and control of the warehouse was found. 
The inventory control, however, is carried out manually, which increases the risk of errors in 
accounting and potential manipulation of information.
Food storage: Food storage was examined during all visits to schools. All schools had the plastic 
containers, which were provided by the project, properly identified. The location for food storage 
depends on the structure and design of each school: some have a storeroom specifically 
dedicated to food storage; others store food in a corner of the library, the principal’s office, or in 
a classroom.
Particularly in those schools without a storeroom, food was stored in ventilated classrooms 
exposed to the outside environment, therefore increasing the chances of contamination. 
Additionally, in several cases, the food storage location was also used for storage of other types 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 38
of products such as garden tools, external materials, etc., which also increases the likelihood of 
food contamination.
Several centers have reported problems with food management. In a specific school, pests and 
rodents ruined a portion of the food received. In several other cases, weevils in cornmeal and 
rice were reported (in two schools), as well as rancid rice and beans (in three schools). In most 
cases, schools reported losses or difficulty in maintaining food in the last weeks of consumption 
prior to new distribution.
Products: While the products for the school meal distributed by CREAN are similar to those 
provided by the government, there are some differences that have made general acceptance 
difficult, particularly related to cornmeal.
In Nicaragua, white corn tortillas are a daily diet staple. White cornmeal does not need a lard
product for its preparation since it can be made easily with water. CREAN distributes cornmeal
as part of the school meal, but it is a yellow type of the flour that usually requires lard in the
preparation of tortillas. This difference in product specification has presented a series of 
challenges for the project.
CAEs and parents responsible for preparing the yellow cornmeal stated that it cannot be used
easily for tortillas. While CREAN provides oil as part of the meal, this is used to fry the beans. The
need for oil to prepare the cornmeal is seen as an extra cost, especially in rural areas where 
resources are limited, with parents saying they could not afford it. Several parents also 
mentioned that yellow cornmeal deters some parents from participating in the preparation of 
the school meal. Students have also expressed their aversion to the yellow cornmeal and have 
stressed the difference in flavor.
Difficulties in the use of cornmeal have resulted in a low consumption, and there are indications 
that the unconsumed cornmeal has been discarded or wasted.
The use of yellow cornmeal has had repercussions at all levels of the project: from students who 
mention the difference in flavor, to the members of CAEs, parents, and teachers who note the 
difficulties of using the cornmeal, to the municipal and departmental authorities who have 
echoed the complaints from the schools and have stated that the use of yellow cornmeal 
“violates the country’s food culture”.
CREAN has recognized this challenge and developed strategies to help alleviate the problem. 
Training sessions on the preparation of different products with yellow cornmeal have been 
conducted by the Health and Nutrition team, supported by field monitors. Likewise, recipes have 
been distributed that show how cornmeal can be used and community members have been 
invited to test different ways to prepare the cornmeal and demonstrate the results in food fairs. 
While these strategies have helped promote concrete actions to address this challenge, the 
underlying problem remains one of cultural acceptance that will be difficult to overcome.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 39
Infrastructure for food preparation: Only one of the schools visited had the necessary 
infrastructure for the preparation of the meal on the school premises. The other schools visited 
lacked this kind of infrastructure and it can be safely assumed that they reflect the situation of 
the majority of schools in CREAN. The lack of a school kitchen forces CAEs or designated parents 
to transport the amount of food corresponding to one day of consumption to their homes for 
preparation. This has a number of disadvantages: the designated parent must go to pick up a 
significant volume of food from the school the day before, get it home, cook it, and bring it back 
to school. Especially in rural areas, where distances are significant and there is limited access to 
public transport, this creates additional difficulties and costs relating to the preparation of the 
meal.
We understand that the provision of school kitchens is completely outside of the scope of the 
project; however, it is important to highlight the limitations of infrastructure in order to 
understand how this affects other aspects in the implementation of activities – and the popular 
perception of the project’s success.
Parent involvement in preparation of the school meal: The evaluation also identified problems 
concerning the assignment of responsibility for the preparation of the school meal. The PINE￾MINED, and therefore CREAN, assumes that parents will take responsibility for the meal
preparation on a rotating basis. The principle idea is that each grade organizes a roster of parents 
responsible for the meal with assigned dates per month. It is important to note that when 
mentioning ‘parents’ we are actually referring to ‘mothers’, who bear the responsibility of 
preparing the school meal. 
During our school visits, we found out that not all grades receive meals every day, mainly due to 
the lack of mothers available to prepare the meal. In one case, students of the third grade at a 
particular school stated that they do not receive the meal because none of the mothers in the 
grade can prepare it. In other cases, we found the meal is distributed on an intermittent basis –
i.e. on some days but not on others, depending on the availability of mothers to prepare it. We 
also came across cases were the responsibility falls heavily on certain mothers who are forced to 
prepare the meals several times per week, or else the children are deprived of school meals. 
During the field research, the consultants interviewed a mother who told them that she prepares 
the meal approximately twice a week (eight times per month) because there are no other 
mothers who can do it in her child’s grade. 
As a result, the preparation of the school meal has in some cases become a contentious issue in 
the relationship between the parents and the school. There have been cases in which parents 
have instructed their children not to have the school meal in order to dissociate themselves from 
the responsibility of having to prepare it.
The underlying shortcoming with the MINED’s assumption is the traditional conceptualization of 
the role of women: the housewife should have the time to carry out a series of activities, 
regardless of prior workload and responsibilities. In addition, this assumption does not take into 
account mothers who work outside of their residences and therefore do not have the flexibility 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 40
or availability to meet the responsibility of preparing school meals. This assumption also 
overlooks mothers who are sick, live far from the school, or those who have several children 
under their care. Much research on the role of women in rural contexts indicates that mothers
already have multiple responsibilities and long working hours, excluding reproductive work.
There is also an expectation that the mothers responsible for preparing the school meal
complement the food with other products such as fresh juice, fresh cheese, plantains, etc., 
according to their financial capacity. In some cases, especially in rural areas, mothers are 
reluctant to accept responsibility for food preparation because of the extra costs this activity 
adds to the family budget, which is already extremely limited.
This problem has been identified not only by teachers and parents, but also by the children 
themselves, who have expressed the desire that “everyone receive school meals”, and that
“parents should change their attitude about preparation of the school meal”.
The allocation of responsibility for the school meal should not be an obligation, and should not 
create tension and conflict in the relationship between parents and the school. This evaluation 
acknowledges the preparation of the meal is beyond the scope of the project; however,
developing strategies to help address the issue should be considered. In some schools, parents 
have opted to collect extra money to pay a person assigned for daily food preparation. Still, this 
model needs to be refined and alternative solutions considered in cases of sickness or leave. 
Control of food consumption: CREAN controlsfood consumption on the basis school attendance: 
i.e. the food consumed should reflect the level of student attendance. However, a number of 
challenges have been identified associated with the use of this control mechanism.
Teachers told us that at the beginning of the project the control process was burdensome. They
needed to manually prepare a separate attendance list for school meal control, which not only 
took time but also represented an additional burden on teachers with an already high workload. 
However, this was solved thanks to the provision of computerized assistance lists by CREAN. This
has helped speed up the process and save time and effort. As the project continues to make 
progress in its implementation, periodic checks of attendance lists must be made in order to 
avoid mismatches of enrollment.
As mentioned before, not all grades prepare the school meal every day, which has in some cases 
created a food surplus. This evaluation has made inquiries about how different schools manage 
this situation. In some cases, the food is redistributed and served either as larger portions or 
double portions. The team also identified cases in which the surplus food was distributed to some 
of the poorest families in the community. The evaluation also identified some worrisome 
practices, particularly in one school, where it has been reported that food is discarded at a nearby 
landfill for fear that the surplus would prevent the school from receiving the subsequent 
distribution, or would receive less.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 41
While in some schools the problem is a food surplus, others have reported having insufficient 
food for the distribution period. One of the centers visited reported being left without food for 
two weeks before the next distribution schedule. To address the problem, parents decided to 
make a collection to raise the funds to provide the school meal for those two weeks. This same 
center has stated that the food they received during the second distribution of 2016 will not be 
enough to reach the end of the year. The school has started conversations with a nearby pre￾school that has surplus food to donate some of the surplus. Despite what the field monitors have 
said on the matter, the problem has not been addressed.
The main reason for this problem has been the difference in school enrollment. Although CREAN 
collected information regarding school enrollment at the beginning of the project, the numbers 
have varied during the implementation period. These issues emphasize the need to revise school 
enrollment periodically to ensure their accuracy. Taking into account the number of schools 
receiving daily meals, the same situation could be occurring in other schools. 
Besides, at least two of the schools visited mentioned fluctuations in the amount of food received 
between the first and second distribution. It remains unclear why these fluctuations occurred. 
School meal distribution: The distribution and consumption of school meals was observed during 
the school visits. In all schools visited, children had their own cutlery (dish, spoon, and cup) for 
the school meal. In several cases, children were observed washing their hands before the meal
and brushing their teeth afterwards.
Due to a lack of adequate infrastructure at the school level, the meals are usually consumed in 
the classroom. This practice is not necessarily conducive to maintaining standards of hygiene and 
cleanliness. It has also been observed that in certain schools dirty dishes are stored in a bucket, 
which is not washed everyday, undermining efforts to promote good hygiene and health 
practices.
These problems continue to be observed due to several reasons. Teachers cannot be held 
responsible for cleaning the dishes. Notably, teachers have undertaken extra responsibilities 
associated with the school meal: they need to help get children ready beforehand (washing 
hands, collecting school materials, and arranging children to receive the meal) and assisting after 
the meal (brushing teeth, classroom cleaning, etc.). In addition, there are schools that do not 
have the facilities needed to clean the dishes (washing station, sponge and soap or detergent). 
In schools where access to water is limited, the situation is further complicated.
Activities of the Education component 
We made direct observations regarding the presence of books and reading materials, reading 
corners, traveling backpacks, and other educational material available for teachers. Interviews 
were also conducted with key informants at various levels to gather relevant information.
Reading corners: The project target was to establish 637 reading corners (1 per school) during 
the three-year project (200 first year, 300 second year and 113 last year). However, in 2016 the
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 42
Semi-Annual Performance Report FY/16 (SAPR) reported there were 858 reading corners 
established, which represents 35% more from the original target.
The majority of schools visited had received reading materials – both textbooks and storybooks. 
In some cases, reading materials were located in the classroom and were easily accessible to 
children. The team observed some very colorful and artistic reading corners. In other schools, the 
books were in the principal’s office or in the library. 
Some schools were very cautious about the use of books, as they were concerned that they could 
get damaged or lost. This is a normal, as books are considered an important school asset, but it
prevents students and teachers from benefiting from their use. Several schools have also 
mentioned difficulties in storing the books, as they do not have the shelves to do so (one of the 
reasons why books are not available in the classroom).
In the majority of cases, students demonstrated that they knew the titles of books, and 
commented extensively on classroom reading activities and their favorite books.
While this evaluation did not examine the benefits of each type of book, we did find 
commonalities across children’s favorite books. In most schools they mentioned their preference 
for colorful storybooks and students where able to comment and discuss the content of the 
stories. 
Positive comments were also made about the types of books selected, which include both local 
and foreign authors. MINED authorities said the books selected met the guidelines established 
by the ministry on themes and authors, which has facilitated their use in the schools.
Traveling backpack: Thisis one of the most successful project activities. The backpacks have been 
positively perceived by the students, with teachers and parents mentioning the wider benefits of 
the activity.
The traveling backpack allows children to take books home, and promotes reading among other 
members of the family. The traveling backpack has reinforced the bond of trust between the 
teacher and the student through the loan of a book that is taken home and then returned to 
school – students are trusted to preserve the original conditions of these books. Several parents 
have reported reading along with their children, and similarly several students have mentioned 
that the activity has been an opportunity to spend some quality time with their parents and 
siblings.
The project had a goal of 540 traveling backpacks; however by 2016 SAPR reported over 1,010
backpacks had been distributed. Despite the significant increase in numbers, the main limitation 
of the traveling backpack continues to be their quantity – the limited number of backpacks and 
books per grade has made it difficult for more children to benefit from them. Considering that a 
child borrows each book for between three and seven days, it is easy to understand why the most 
popular books are not easily accessible.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 43
Distribution of books and supplementary reading materials: In 2016, CREAN distributed 28,715 
books. The target for the three-year project is 1,000,000. To date, this indicator is only 2.8% of 
the way to completion.
The limited distribution of books and reading materials – when compared to overall objectives –
can have a detrimental effect on reading corners and traveling backpacks. Students are 
interested in reading but the materials might not be available. 
It is highly unlikely this activity will be completed by the end of the project. The purchase and 
distribution of one million books will require significant effort, financial and human, and a grand￾scale logistical process that is simply unattainable considering the project activities and structure.
Supplies and school materials: These are distributed to teachers in the form of a kit and
according to teachers have been very helpful. We observed that most classrooms were decorated
and provided a festive, colorful environment. Several teachers mentioned the materials in the kit 
have helped in decorating the classroom, increasing the students’ engagement. The kit has also 
been seen as a financial relief for teachers; several of them mentioned having to spend their own 
money to decorate their classrooms. Although the MINED has a budget line dedicated to these
kinds of expenses, the government does not have the financial capacity to dedicate those scarce 
resources to all schools and classrooms.
Teacher training: The teacher training sessions provided by the project have been well received 
both at the institutional level by the state and municipal authorities, and by schoolteachers and 
principals.
Municipal and state authorities have reported these training sessions have provided teachers 
with the skills necessary to develop methodological strategies to improve teaching, which have
helped improve the learning environment.
Both teachers and MINED authorities also provided suggestions on how to improve or strengthen 
this component. Both groups mentioned the importance of conducting a more detailed teacher 
training needs assessment; for example: refresh courses to reinforce mathematics and language
skills, and providing specific training for multi-grade teachers. It was also suggested that CREAN 
field officers participate in MINED’s workshops on evaluation, programming and training so that 
they could share the progress of the project and learn about the activities conducted in each 
district.
Authorities also recommended expanding the scope of the project beyond early childhood 
education to include higher elementary school grades, as the project risks losing the important 
progress achieved at an earlier stage once students transition into the higher grades. 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 44
Activities of the Health and Nutrition component 
Health and hygiene clubs: According the SAPR, by September 2016 the number of established 
health and hygiene clubs accounted for 85% of the target goal. 
We had the opportunity to talk with members of the hygiene club and to observe some of the 
practices implemented in schools, mainly hand washing and oral hygiene. These clubs have been 
widely accepted by children and are considered to be another instance of the project’s successful 
activities. The clubs are seen as innovative and their child-centered methodology, which is based 
on peer-to-peer training, has helped achieve noticeable benefits. This methodology has been 
widely accepted by students, teachers and MINED itself.
Students from the different schools visited were aware of the health and hygiene clubs and 
showed knowledge regarding different hand-washing practices. They also showed knowledge 
about tooth-brushing practices. The students mentioned sharing this knowledge with parents 
and siblings, extending the benefits of the activity beyond the school premises.
Despite these successes, several of the schools visited did not have hand-washing stations, which 
causes children to get wet, creates mud around the tap, and wastes significant quantities of 
water.
Hygiene kits: Individual hygiene kits have been distributed and are used to support the
implementation of the hygiene habits promoted by the health and hygiene clubs. In most cases,
students have reported keeping their respective kits in the classroom; however, in schools that 
lack the space or facilities necessary to do this, students keep the kits in their backpacks and bring 
them to school every day.
Although schools and students recognize the benefits of hygiene practices as a path to a healthier 
life, concerns have been voiced about excessive water consumption, particularly in schools where
access to safe drinking water remains an issue. Likewise, in certain schools teachers asked what 
happens after the kit supplies run out. For many rural families living in poverty, the purchase and 
provision of these supplies are out of their reach.
In several schools visited, teachers and students mentioned the kits were distributed one day 
before the team of consultants had conducted the evaluation. This raises questions about the 
seriousness of the implementation of this particular activity in all schools.
School gardens: Based on data from the SAPR and the IPTT, 22 school gardens and 24 plots were 
established in 2016. 
Several of schools visited had already established gardens or had received the materials and 
items necessary for establishing them. However, the condition of the gardens is far from 
satisfactory. 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 45
There are several factors that influence the establishment of a successful school garden. One
important factor is access to and quality of land. Several schools mentioned the land on which
the school is located is poor for sowing seeds, while other schools noted that they do not have 
adequate space. Another important aspect is the limited available time that parents and teachers 
have to get involved in tending to the school garden. Several schools have set up a garden
committee (different from the CAE), which is made up of teachers, students, and parents, but 
the latter have mentioned considerable time constraints to fully engage in proper gardening. 
Teachers, who are busy with other school activities, do not have time to dedicate to the school 
garden.
Another major challenge has been establishing school gardens in dry areas with limited access to 
water. Water restrictions have forced schools to ration its use. In these cases gardens have 
understandably been a low priority.
Construction/rehabilitation of WASH infrastructure: Major delays have been associated with 
the implementation of this activity. Although an initial process of infrastructure assessment and 
data collection was carried out, this process has had to be reviewed since each school has a 
different layout, and therefore requires different interventions and levels of investment.
Schools’ needs for WASH infrastructure are much greater than the budget available for 
addressing these needs, and so the project team will need to prioritize its interventions. As the 
project starts implementing this activity, it is imperative to differentiate between cases when a 
rehabilitation of the current facilities is warranted, and others that require new construction. For 
example, although it may be possible to repair the door or roof of a latrine, it is important to 
consider the overall life cycle of the latrine; a latrine whose use is to be discontinued soon may 
not merit rehabilitation.
Water filters: We observed the presence of water filters in selected schools. Students 
demonstrated knowledge regarding the use of a water filter and were aware of the filtering 
process. While in some schools filters are filled with water accessed through the wells or from
other sources, in schools without access to water, children are asked to bring a small water bottle 
from their homes. This water is filtered at the school and distributed among students. 
Although schools with access to potable water do not receive filters, at least one school with both 
potable water and water purifying filters was identified. It is important that the project carry out 
a detailed needs assessment in order to optimize the use of resources. 
3. Sustainability and evidence of change 
Sustainability
This mid-term evaluation has assessed the sustainability of the project and the extent to which 
PINE-MINED is committed to the project and to its eventual success.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 46
While the project is on the path to achieving its goals, it is unlikely that it will accomplish the 
planned sustainability, mainly due to the short life cycle of the project. All the interviewees agree 
that MINED is highly committed to the project activities, especially with regard to the school 
meal. This can be evidenced by MINED’s continual support to the project implementation. 
However, limited financial resources at the country level could make it difficult for the 
government to cover the project intervention area. It should also be noted that uptake of other 
components of the project (mainly Education, Health and Nutrition) by MINED is unfeasible due 
to the lack of available resources and personnel.
It should be emphasized that sustainability, especially in education, is subject to a process and 
not a project. Processes of this magnitude – which require the uptake and implementation of 
certain strategies and behavioral changes – require a ripening period longer than the three-year
life cycle of this project in order to become successfully institutionalized. 
Intervention area
This evaluation has identified that the greatest benefits of the activities carried out by the project 
are found in schools in rural areas characterized by a larger part of the population living in poverty 
with low levels of access to public services. These schools have limited economic and material 
resources and parents often cannot cope with educational needs beyond those covered by the 
school. Schools located in the department of León (in the municipalities of Achuapa, El Sauce, 
Santa Rosa del Peñón, and Jicaral) have benefited greatly from their participation in the project.
However, the same level of benefits has not been identified in schools in the municipalities of 
Estelí and La Trinidad. These locations are characterized by schools located in urban and peri￾urban areas, with populations that have higher incomes and higher levels of access to public 
services and markets. The schools in these areas have the option to select which aspects and 
activities of the project interest them the most, and to focus on those of particular interest. 
Children in these schools have greater access to different educational materials at home; they 
therefore value the resources provided by the project less than rural counterparts. In total, 231 
schools and approximately 19,450 students (roughly 50% of the total beneficiaries) belong to 
these two municipalities.
If the project is extended to a second phase, it should reassess its support to urban schools, where 
the same levels of support and investment produce limited benefits. Instead, the project should 
focus its efforts on rural schools where the needs are higher and the benefits of the project 
activities are more noticeable, and where families do not have access to the same financial or 
material resources needed to support education as those in urban areas. 
It should be mentioned that CREAN operates in the department of Estelí due to a proposal put 
forward by the NGO Fe y Alegría prior to its withdrawal, and not because of its original
implementation strategy.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 47
Evidence of change
Since the project has only effectively been underway for one year, the short timeframe limits the
ability to gauge mid-and-long-term effects on project activities. 
The short life cycle of the project has raised concerns from different stakeholders about the 
project’s ability to generate significant behavioral changes – both at the individual and 
institutional levels. However, in the course of this evaluation, it has been possible to identify a 
series of changes associated with the implementation of project activities.
Although it is still too early to assess the impact of each of these activities and their relation with 
each other, this evaluation represents an opportunity for the project team to identify which 
activities have generated the greatest impact and which ones, although important, could be 
implemented either in a second phase of the project or by other projects.
School meal
School meals have been identified as a key factor in helping improve student retention and higher 
attendance rates.
Teachers and PINE-MINED authorities have stated that they have seen improvements in student 
retention. Both report cases of children with full school attendance, which they attribute to the 
provision of the school meal.
There is widespread recognition that school meals have helped mainly those children who come 
from families living in poverty. These children have found in the school meals a solution (albeit 
partial, though no less important) to their nutritional needs. For these families, the provision of 
school meals represents a financial relief and becomes a clear incentive to send children to 
school.
In some schools, the logistics necessary around the provision of school meals has served as an 
excuse to more strongly link parents to school activities.
Education
The strategies implemented by the Education component have been well received by all the 
schools that participated in this mid-term evaluation and by MINED authorities at the state and 
municipal levels. The school principals and teachers who contributed to the evaluation also noted 
the benefits of the different activities implemented by the project and the progress made as a 
result. 
The combination of reading corners and traveling backpacks has allowed teachers to develop 
literacy promotion strategies – such as asking children to comment about the books they read as 
part of in-classroom activities, transcribing sections from the books to notebooks, and learning 
new vocabulary from books – which are beginning to show promising results. In some schools
visited, children demonstrated their reading ability. Students have been able to easily identified 
the advantages of these strategies, with many specifically mentioning that “we read better”, “we 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 48
understand words”, “I can read fluently”, “I read faster”, “I have improved my writing”, and, “we 
do not stutter so much when reading”. All of these improvements in children’s reading ability are 
indicative of the concrete benefits of the project. Likewise, teachers have acknowledged progress
in the levels of reading comprehension, interpretation, and analysis, as well as improvements in 
the vocabulary, reading skills and fluency.
Some schools cited the implementation of a 15-minute daily reading practice. According to the 
teachers implementing this activity, such approach has not only helped improve reading habits, 
but also fostered interdisciplinary learning and the promotion of certain values associated with 
the readings.
Additionally, MINED authorities at the state and municipal level have reported that training has 
allowed teachers to develop methodological strategies aimed at improving teaching, which in 
turn has helped to improve the learning environment. Teachers have appropriated these 
teaching and learning strategies and have shown interest in implementing them. Municipal
authorities have also mentioned significant improvements in test scoring in the Early Grade 
Reading Assessments, which they indicate is related to better pedagogical practices. This has 
greatly motivated teachers as they begin to directly observe the benefits of these practices.
Health and nutrition
The hygiene club is a good example of how a relatively simple activity, which does not require 
significant investment, can generate substantial behavioral changes and create positive 
externalities that extend beyond the school. 
Students from the different schools visited were aware of the health and hygiene clubs, and 
showed knowledge regarding different hand-washing practices. They also showed knowledge 
about tooth-brushing practices. 
The students mentioned sharing this knowledge with parents and siblings, extending the benefits 
of the activity beyond the school environment. They were able to clearly articulate the 
importance of nutrition, hygiene and health practices. In addition, all the schools visited had 
posters placed in strategic sections of the school showcasing the right way to wash hands or 
brush teeth, among other hygiene practices. The makeup of the health and hygiene clubs, which 
includes children of different grades, has also been conducive to promoting the integration of 
children of different grades and encouraging sustainability in the activity.
Several parents interviewed also stated that the activities of the hygiene club have had a positive 
influence at home, where children have begun to ask their parents to implement certain practices 
such as washing their hands before eating. The students have also shared their knowledge with 
parents and siblings, extending the benefits of the activity beyond the school.
The project team should consider the institutionalization of this activity at the municipal, state,
and national levels. 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 49
The same positive effect that the hygiene club has had on the teaching environment, especially 
among students, has not been seen in other implemented activities such as the school gardens 
and the construction/rehabilitation of WASH infrastructure.
The use of water filters is an activity that has yielded mixed results. In one of the schools visited, 
teachers acknowledged the direct benefits observed since obtaining the filters. The school 
suffered from low school attendance because of water-borne bacteria that affected the health 
of several children. Since the filter arrived in the school, diseases caused by contaminated water 
have reduced considerably. However, we also identified schools where the use of the filter is not 
systematic and has not been institutionalized.
While the school garden aims to both fulfill an educational function and provide supplements for 
the school meal, at the time of this evaluation the observed benefits were limited. The CREAN 
team needs to identify schools in which the experience of establishing a garden has been 
successful in order to identify prerequisites and best practices that can be replicated by other 
schools.
Regarding the construction/rehabilitation of WASH infrastructure, the project needs to clarify 
and redefine its intervention strategy. The project has a very limited life cycle and unless 
rehabilitation and construction activities are started as soon as possible, the objectives will not
likely be met.
Recommendations
This section provides a set of recommendations, based on the findings of the evaluation, to be 
considered for adoption by the project management. The project team needs to consider their 
implementation as a way of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the project.
Project management and administration
Redesign of certain functions: Job redesign of certain positions should be considered, particularly 
in the case of field monitors. Job redesign includes the review of tasks and responsibilities, and 
how these might affect the current organogram. Undertaking such a task could lead to 
improvements in both productivity and job satisfaction. Appropriate training should support this 
process so that staff feel ready to take on changes in function and responsibility.
Recruitment of technical profiles: In order to fulfill all the objectives of the project, CREAN needs 
to increase the footprint of its technical staff, specifically in the area of Health and Nutrition. The 
recruitment of personnel with specific experience in the construction or rehabilitation of WASH
infrastructure is fundamental if progress is to be achieved in the remainder of the 
implementation period. Similarly, the project needs to consider hiring technical personnel in the 
area of nutrition and school gardens. The hiring of technical staff will help achieve a better 
balance of the workload in this area and make progress towards objectives.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 50
Creation of an executive council: Weaknesses in communication among the project team were
clearly identified during the evaluation. The establishment of an executive council will improve
internal communication, which in turn would help strengthen the project team internally. The 
executive council – composed of senior management team members – will be responsible for 
discussing priorities, sharing agendas, planning joint intervention strategies, and ensuring that 
information about project progress and results is communicated to all team members. In order 
to ensure its success, it is important that the executive council become institutionalized through 
regular meetings where specific agenda topics are discussed.
Establishment of effective communication channels: This is another area that needs further 
development. It is important that communication is timely and multi-directional. Newsletters 
and/or email distribution lists can be effective methods for disseminating relevant information 
to the entire project team. General meetings of the entire project team on a bi-weekly or monthly 
basis, wherein team members have the opportunity to ask questions and/or express concerns, is 
another effective method of keeping employees informed and engaged and improving the team’s 
cohesiveness.
Organizational stress management: CREAN is characterized as a complex project with several 
activities and sub-activities that have experienced significant delays. Those challenges have 
therefore generated high levels of stress in the implementation team. It is important that the 
project management acknowledges the problem and develops specific responses to help 
alleviate the situation. There are several strategies that CREAN could implement to better 
manage organizational stress:
38
• Provide the necessary materials and equipment needed for work: This is a very simple way to 
reduce high levels of stress and tension, particularly among the field monitors who only have 
a single computer for report writing for a team of 12 people. This has not only caused 
significant delays in the production of monthly reports, but also generated high levels of 
stress. The project staff need to have the necessary materials and equipment to be able to 
efficiently do their job.
• Staff training should be a priority, especially for managers and coordinators who play a critical
role in establishing the organizational climate for the team. Due to the nature of the project, 
many team members have been asked to accept additional roles and/or substantially modify 
their initial job descriptions. These employees need proper, comprehensive training to ensure
their chances of success. Training programs based on the specific needs of the staff also help 
improve motivation, and can become an important differentiating component on the part of 
the employer.
• Functional cross-training (different staff capable of performing multiple functions) is also
useful in streamlining processes, and enabling role rotation and stress reduction. However, it 
38 World Health Organization (2004), Work Organization and Stress. Geneva: WHO. Manning, D. and Preston, A. (2003), 
Organizational Stress: Focusing on Ways to Minimize Distress. CUPA-HR Journal, Summer 2003, Vol. 54 No. 2. Knoxville: College 
and University Professional Association for Human Resources
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 51
is important that cross-training is not perceived as a threat to jobs, but rather as a mechanism 
to assist staff.
• Establish and promote career development opportunities. According to Manning and Preston: 
“having a career goal to work toward will help alleviate role ambiguity, reduce turnover, 
enhance job performance, and encourage other high-performing employees to apply for 
positions within your institution.”
39
• Flexible work: Although there are certain functions that necessarily require the physical 
presence of the staff, there are opportunities to implement flexible work schemes that can 
help better balance the workload while increasing motivation levels.
• Other potential interventionsto manage stress include developing reward programs, wellness 
programs, employee assistance programs, restrictions on working outside office hours or 
during weekends and others.
CREAN and WV must evaluate which of these (or other) options are best adapted to their
organizational and team culture and characteristics and, based on this, develop a strategy that 
helps them better manage stress at the organizational level.
Monitoring and evaluation
Reduce the number of indicators: We strongly recommend a review of the monitoring plan, and
a reduction in the number of indicators that are reported by the project staff. As described in 
previous sections, data collection on 111 indicators not only has significant implications in terms 
of time and resources, but it has also exhausted the M&E team’s ability to respond to other 
internal needs. 
Indicators should be selected based on their relevance to results, not simply because they are 
relatively easy to collect. This ensures that the indicators provide data that is appropriate, useful,
and relevant to assess progress. 
Optimize the data collection tools: Specific tools such as the M&E sheets (fichas de monitoreo) 
need to be reviewed and streamlined. The data sheet, which is very extensive, collects 
information that is not necessarily useful or relevant. Completing the sheet, which takes 
approximately two hours, slows the task of the field monitor, affecting the quantity and quality 
of the data collected. Completing the sheet also creates a high volume of work for teachers, who 
have expressed resistance in participating in the data collection process. There are clear 
opportunities to simplify the M&E sheet to generate significant savings in time and effort. The 
M&E team should assess the type and frequency of data that need to be collected. There are 
data points that can be collected monthly, and others that can be collected on a quarterly or 
semi-annual basis.
Digitize the data collection process: Modernizing the M&E tools and data analysis will accelerate 
processes, reduce margins of error, and improve efficiency. One option the project should 
39 Manning, D. and Preston, A. (2003), Organizational Stress: Focusing on Ways to Minimize Distress. CUPA-HR Journal, Summer 
2003, Vol. 54 No. 2. Knoxville: College and University Professional Association for Human Resources
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 52
explore is the use of smartphones for data collection. Smartphones are a better alternative to
tablets because they are less visible and flashy, reducing the risk of theft or robbery for those 
who carry out the data collection process. There are a number of data collection and analysis 
software programs, which have the ability to be customized and encrypted at different levels, 
allowing storing and processing of information in a single format in the cloud. This not only 
reduces margins of error but also prevents problems of information loss or corruption. Some of 
this software does not require the user to be connected to the internet at the time of data 
collection, further easing the process of collecting data in rural areas.
Intervention area
Improve mapping of intervention areas: The evaluation noted that the more rural and remote 
the school is, the greater the perceived benefits. In the future, projects of this type should
concentrate their efforts on rural areas, where the benefits are higher. The ‘dry corridor’,
characterized by high poverty rates and population needs, should be prioritized.
School meal
Digitize inventory control systems in the warehouse: The implementation of barcode technology 
would facilitate real-time entry and exit of food and the physical distribution of inventory. This 
technology also minimizes the margin of error, which would reduce losses due to potential data 
corruption or loss. There are simple methods of inventory control using barcodes that do not 
require high investments and can be configured manually through Microsoft Excel and a barcode 
scanner device. The Instituto Nicaragüense de Codificación, which offers coding and advisory 
services for implementation of the technology, could be an initial point of contact for the process.
Consider alternative products to corn flour: It is important that CREAN reviews USDA’s list of 
products, and assesses options available to identify potential alternative products that are more 
appropriate to Nicaragua’s food culture. Problems with product acceptance are likely to continue 
due to entrenched cultural customs and practices. Alternatively, the provision of oil or some kind 
of extra lard/fat to assist during tortilla preparation could help alleviate the problem.
Encourage continuing participation of parents in the preparation process of the school meal: The 
project should develop strategies that motivate parents to participate in the preparation of the 
school meal. Recognizing and appreciating parents who have collaborated in the preparation of 
the school meal, or offering small contributions in the form of food, could serve as incentives to 
encourage more parents to participate in the process.
Provide periodic training on food handling and preparation: While CREAN has developed training 
to teach people about food handling and how to prepare the cornmeal, this must be continuously
repeated to reach a greater number of parents. One mechanism to encourage parental 
involvement in the activities is through the provision of additional and certified training on 
specific topics of interest (such as short bakery courses, dressmaking, etc.). This would ensure 
that parents receive training in food handling and preparation while strengthening their links
with both the school and the project.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 53
Provide a cleaning kit for the schools: CREAN should consider the provision of a cleaning kit 
(detergent, sponge, pail, and rags) to each grade or school to promote the cleaning of school 
meal cutlery.
Improve school infrastructure in kitchens and canteens: This activity is completely beyond the 
scope of the project, but in the future WV should consider working together with other donors 
to help improve school facilities in areas where the project is implemented. In many
infrastructure projects, donors’ greatest fear is that new facilities will not be properly used. In 
this case, CREAN could act as assurance that they are used correctly and appropriately through
the life of the project.
Strengthening the role of CAEs: In response to the problems in food control based on school 
attendance levels, we recommended that the project team continue the task of strengthening 
the CAEs as a support mechanism in food control. Strengthening these committees will allow for 
a gradual process of appropriation of the school meal and thus a greater involvement in the 
provision process. Strengthening the CAEs will also promote the generation of ideas and specific 
strategies aimed at the greater involvement of parents in the preparation of school meals.
Education
Promote the use of reading materials: Many schools restrict the use of reading materials for fear 
of damage or breakage. It is important to promote their use on an ongoing basis and to ensure 
that these materials are easily accessible to students.
Laminate reading materials and provide bookshelves: The lamination of reading materials, which 
is not very costly, would help maintain book quality and address teachers’ fears that books will 
get damaged or worn out. Bookshelves will allow reading materials to be properly stores in 
classrooms, and make them more accessible to students. 
Increase the number of traveling backpacks: This is one of the most successful activities;
increasing the number of backpacks will increase the number of students benefiting. The benefit 
of this activity is in the quality of books students are borrowing. The project should ensure that 
the books are of different types to build letter knowledge, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, 
fluency and comprehension. This means that the books should be short decodable stories to build 
knowledge of letters and phonemes accompanied with pictures, pitched at different reading 
levels according to children’s grades.
Build the foundations for more structured teacher training processes: Currently, teacher training 
is presented as a series of activities and not necessarily a learning process. Shifting to a more 
structured training process would allow a higher level of specialization, which makes it more 
attractive to teachers. The teacher training process should also be a space for reflection on the 
basic competencies required for teachers and how to ensure their fulfillment.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 54
Health and Nutrition
Systematize and institutionalize health and hygiene clubs: Systematization, alongside the 
compilation of practical improvements and lessons learned in the implementation process, will 
help the institutionalization of the activity. While it may not be possible to institutionalize the 
activity at the national level, there are opportunities for uptake at the state and municipal levels. 
Analyze the viability of the implementation of school gardens: In the sample of schools visited, 
there were currently no clear benefits from the implementation of school gardens. With this in 
mind, the project should assess the viability of implementing this activity. One way to assess 
viability would be to develop a set of criteria or prerequisites for garden implementation, such 
as access to and availability of adequate land for planting, access to water, commitment of CAEs
or parents, etc. The project should also identify schools in which the experience of establishing a 
garden has been successful in order to identify best practices and lessons learned that could be 
replicated by other schools.
Prioritize the construction/rehabilitation of WASH infrastructure: In order for the project to 
achieve its objectives, it needs to prioritize the implementation of this activity. CREAN can benefit 
from the school vacation period for the implementation of these activities and thus accelerate 
the process.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 55
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http://es.wfp.org/historias/nicaragua-refuerza-la-merienda-escolar 
World Vision (2014) Attachment A Plan of Operation, World Vision.
World Vision (2015) CREAN Project Baseline Study. World Vision. Managua
World Vision (2016) Evaluation Plan Project CREAN Children Reading and Nourished, World Vision-USDA.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 57
Zúñiga, S. (2015), Estado nutricional, habitos alimentarios y merienda escolar de estudiantes que cursan 
el 5°-6° grado del Colegio Publico del Poder Ciudadano Experimental México. Periodo Noviembre 2014-
Febrero 2015. Managua: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Nicaragua.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 58
Annex
Informed Consent – Focus Group Discussions
Getting informant consent consist of two parts: Part 1) Information data sheet; and Part 2) 
Informed consent form.
Part 1: Information data sheet: Child Reading and Nourished (CREAN) Project
1. General information about the research
We are working on a mid-term evaluation of the CREAN project implemented by World Vision. 
The purpose of this study is to better understand what are the project’s strengths and 
weaknesses and how to improve it.
We are asking you to take part in a focus group discussion with approximately 8-12 other people 
from the community. We will collect some information on your age and background. During the 
discussion, a facilitator will ask about your opinions about school meals, reading materials and 
school infrastructure. The focus group discussion will last approximately 1 hour.
2. Voluntary participation & benefits/risks of the study
We do not anticipate that participation in this study will pose physical or psychological risks 
beyond what you encounter in everyday life. However, if you are uncomfortable answering a 
particular question, you are free to not answer the question.
This study will inform our report and will help better understand how to improve the project 
implementation.
3. Confidentiality
We will ask all participants not to share what is discussed with people outside of the group. We 
will audio-tape the discussion and make a written copy for later analysis. The information 
obtained from your and other people’s interviews will be used for reports on improving the 
project. Your name won’t appear in any report/publication and can’t be traced back to you. 
4. Withdrawal from the study
Your participation is voluntary and you can withdraw at any time without giving reasons and 
you will not be penalized for withdrawing or questioned on why you have withdrawn. 
Whom to Contact: 
If you have any questions on this research, please contact: Marisol Gomez, World Vision 
Nicaragua Marisol_Gomez@wvi.org or Claudia Pompa, +44 7717 536989, 
claudia.pompa@gmail.com, in England.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 59
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 60
Part 2: Informed Consent Form: Child Reading and Nourished (CREAN) Project
I have read the participation information sheet, or it has been read to me. I have had the 
opportunity to ask the researcher any further questions I may have had. I understand that my 
participation in this research is voluntary and I can withdraw any time. I understand that 
information from me will be used for research reports and I consent for it to be used in this 
manner.
If I have any concerns or complaints regarding the way the research is or has been conducted I 
can contact Marisol Gomez, World Vision Nicaragua Marisol_Gomez@wvi.org, World Vision 
Nicaragua or Claudia Pompa, +44 7717 536989, claudia.pompa@gmail.com, in England.
By signing below I am consenting to (please tick):
□ participating in the focus group
□ letting the focus group be recorded
□ having my statements referenced anonymously such as ‘youth, x region’
Print Name ________________________
Signature __________________________
Date _______________________________
Day/month/year
If under 18 years of age:
Name of guardian
Signature/Thumbprint 
of guardian
Date
Day/month/year
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 61
Focus Group Discussion Guide
Background
Hello and welcome [Introduce self and co-moderator] 
Thank you for taking the time to join our discussion about the CREAN project, implemented by 
World Vision. Everyone here today was invited because you share something in common related 
to the topic. Our goal is to better understand what are the project’s strengths and weaknesses 
and how to improve it. There are no right or wrong answers, because everyone experiences 
things differently. We are interested in the full range of experiences, so please feel free to share 
your point of view even if it differs from what others have said. 
Discussion group rules
Before we begin, let me suggest some guidelines or rules that will make our discussion more 
productive. 
• Please speak up—but only one person should talk at a time. We’re recording the session 
because we don’t want to miss any of your comments. If you have trouble hearing any of 
the comments, please let the group know. 
• In the discussion, we’ll be on a first-name basis. In our reports of the results no names will 
be attached to any comments. Your name will be kept confidential. We are using name 
badges just to help us remember each other’s names during our conversation. 
• My role here is to ask questions and to listen. I won’t be actively participating in the 
conversation, only guiding it. I want you to feel free to talk to the group and not just to me. 
I’ll move the discussion from one question to the next to try to keep us on track so that we 
can finish by [insert time]. 
• Sometimes, people in focus groups think of things they want to say after the discussion has 
moved on to other questions. If you would like to add to your comments after the group, 
we will be around to talk with you privately. 
• Please do not share what has been discussed today with people outside of the group. We 
want everyone to feel free to speak openly during our discussion together.
• Any questions before we begin?
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 62
Questions – Focus Group
Parents
Questions
1. Do you know the activities that the project CREAN has implemented in the school?
2. What do you think of them?
3. Have any of you participated/collaborated directly in any of these activities? How? How was the 
experience?
4. What has been the reaction of the community in general in relation to these activities? Who has 
supported these activities? Was there opposition from any group?
5. Do you think that teachers/directors/students/parents/community members have changed their 
behavior as a result of the implementation of this project? How? 
o Teaching methodology
o Hygiene habits 
o Reading habits
o Learning
o Reading and Writing
o Nutrition
6. What do you think are the benefits of participation in CREAN regarding:
o The nutrition and hygiene of children at the school
o Learning
o Reading and Writing
7. What changes could be made to improve the implementation of the project? / What aspects 
could be improved? How? 
o How could the project improve sustainability?
8. Are there any other comments you would like to add?
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 63
Questions – Focus Group
Students
Questions
1. Do you know the activities that the project CREAN has implemented in the school?
2. Do you think these activities are important? Why? 
3. Have any of you participated directly in any of these activities? How? How was the experience?
4. What have you learned up till now thanks to your participation in these activities? 
5. What do you think are the advantages/benefits of (choose as applicable)
a. Lunch at school
b. Reading Corners
c. Participation in Health and Hygiene Clubs 
d. Traveling Backpacks
e. Etc.
6. When you learn new things at school in these activities, do you tell your parents, siblings, relatives, 
and friends what you have learned?
7. How have you put into practice what you are learning? 
8. What do you think could be done to improve the activities?
9. Are there any other comments you would like to add?
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 64
Informed Consent – Key Informant Interviews
Getting informant consent consist of two parts: Part 1) Information data sheet; and Part 2) 
Informed consent form.
Part 1: Information data sheet: Child Reading and Nourished (CREAN) Project
1. General information about the research
We are working on a mid-term evaluation of the CREAN project implemented by World Vision. 
The purpose of this study is to better understand what are the project’s strengths and 
weaknesses and how to improve it.
We are asking you to take part in a key informant interview, which will last approximately one 
hour. During the discussion, the interviewer will ask about your opinions about the project and 
the activities it implements. 
2. Voluntary participation & benefits/risks of the study
We do not anticipate that participation in this study will pose physical or psychological risks 
beyond what you encounter in everyday life. However, if you are uncomfortable answering a 
particular question, you are free to not answer it.
This study will inform our report and will help better understand how to improve the project 
implementation.
3. Confidentiality 
We will ask all participants not to share what is discussed with people outside of the group. We 
will audio-tape the discussion and make a written copy for later analysis. The information 
obtained from your and other people’s interviews will be used for reports on improving the 
project. Your name won’t appear in any report/publication and can’t be traced back to you. 
4. Withdrawal from the study
Your participation is voluntary and you can withdraw at any time without giving reasons and 
you will not be penalized for withdrawing or questioned on why you have withdrawn. 
Whom to Contact: 
If you have any questions on this research, please contact: Marisol Gomez, World Vision 
Nicaragua Marisol_Gomez@wvi.org or Claudia Pompa, +44 7717 536989, 
claudia.pompa@gmail.com, in England.
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 65
Part 2: Informed Consent Form: Child Reading and Nourished (CREAN) Project
I have read the participation information sheet, or it has been read to me. I have had the 
opportunity to ask the interviewer any further questions I may have had. I understand that my 
participation in this evaluation is voluntary and I can withdraw any time. I understand that 
information from me will be used for research reports and I consent for it to be used in this 
manner.
If I have any concerns or complaints regarding the way the research is or has been conducted I 
can contact Marisol Gomez, World Vision Nicaragua Marisol_Gomez@wvi.org, World Vision 
Nicaragua or Claudia Pompa, +44 7717 536989, claudia.pompa@gmail.com, in England.
By signing below I am consenting to (please tick):
□ participating in the focus group
□ letting the focus group be recorded
□ having my statements referenced anonymously such as ‘youth, x region’
Print Name ________________________
Signature __________________________
Date _______________________________
Day/month/year
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 66
Key Informant Interview Guide
Stakeholders
Name
Organization
Position
Date of Interview
Role in CREAN
1. What is your involvement in the project, and what does it entail?
2. Who are the principal counterparts with whom you have worked as part of this project?
Relevance
3. Are the objectives of the project aligned with the priorities of the government and/or other key 
partners of the project? How so? 
4. Do you think the established objectives are achievable and realistic? 
5. What do you see as the main factors (internal and external) that help/hinder the 
implementation of the project activities? How does this affect the achievement of the set 
objectives?
6. Have strategic priorities/activities been adjusted to respond to changes in context? 
Effectiveness
7. Speaking generally, how effective are the implemented activities to achieve the project 
objectives?
8. Are there activities of the project that have seemed particularly successful or challenging?
Which ones? Why? 
9. Have the format and quality of the activities been appropriate to achieve the objectives of the 
project?
Efficiency and Implementation
10. Do you think that the counterparts have received the necessary support for the implementation 
and coordination of the project? 
11. What are the strengths and weakness of the project team? The structure? The lines of 
communication?
12. Do you think the implementing team has the skills, knowledge, and attitudes appropriate to 
develop and complete the expected activities? 
13. Up till now, what aspects of the project are functioning well? Which are not functioning as well?
14. Are there aspects that could be improved? 
Impact
15. What do you think are the main benefits of the project? What are or will be the impacts of the 
project in the short and long term? 
16. Are there examples of good practices that have been institutionalized as a result of the project?
17. What do you think are the lesson learned that could be applied to other projects? 
18. Are there unexpected positive or negative impacts that the project has already generated? 
Design Improvements
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 67
19. What are the positive aspects of the project?
20. What are the weakest aspects of the project?
21. What changes could be made to improve the implementation of the project / What aspects 
could be improved? How? 
22. Do you have any other comments you would like to add? 
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 68
Key Informant Interview Guide
Staff
Name
Position
Interview Date
Role in CREAN
1. Please describe your role in the project 
2. What are your main tasks and responsibilities?
3. Who are the main counterparts with whom you work, and how are they related to the project? 
Relevance
4. Were the activities of the project established on the basis of a needs analysis or evidence of 
another type? How were the various activities of the project designed and decided upon?
5. Are the objectives of the project aligned with the priorities of the government and/or other key 
partners of the project? How so? 
6. Do you think the established objectives are achievable and realistic? 
7. What do you see as the main factors (internal and external) that help/hinder the 
implementation of the project activities? How does this affect the achievement of the set 
objectives?
8. Have strategic priorities/activities been adjusted to respond to changes in context? 
Effectiveness
1. Speaking generally, how effective are the implemented activities to achieve the project 
objectives?
2. Are there activities of the project that have seemed particularly successful or challenging?
Which ones? Why? 
3. Have the format and quality of the activities been appropriate to achieve the objectives of the 
project?
Efficiency and Implementation 
9. Do you think the project works with the appropriate counterparts?
a. Have the counterparts received the necessary support to implement the project? 
10. What are the principle mechanisms for implementation and control of the project? 
a. Do you think the structures and procedures have been adequate? 
b. What more could be done or changed? 
11. Are there internal procedures that have been particularly effective/challenging? Why? 
12. Up till now, are there aspects of the project that function well? What are the aspects that are not 
functioning well? In the following terms: 
a. Design
b. Implementation
c. Management
d. Internal Controls
e. Communication
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 69
f. Cooperation
g. Coordination/Organization with different project partners
13. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the project team? The structure of the project? The 
lines of communication?
14. Are there aspects that could be improved?
Impact
15. Do you believe that teachers/directors/students/parents/community members have changed 
their behaviors as a result of the implementation of the project? How?
16. Who do you think are the principal beneficiaries of the project? What are or will be the short and 
long term impacts of the project? 
a. Students
b. Teachers
c. School 
d. Community 
e. Participation in CREAN
17. Are there examples of good practices that have been institutionalized as a result of the project? 
18. What do you think are the lesson learned that could be applied to other projects?
Design Improvements
23. What are the positive aspects of the project?
24. What are the weakest aspects of the project?
25. What changes could be made to improve the implementation of the project / What aspects 
could be improved? How? 
19. Do you have any other comments you would like to add?
Mid-Term Evaluation Project CREAN – World Vision 70
Key Informant Interview Guide
School Principals / Teachers
Name
Education Center –
Location 
Position
Interview Date
Total number of students
Type of school
Questions
1. What activities have been implemented in the school as part of the CREAN project? 
2. What was the process wherein the school became involved in the project? 
3. How were the implementation activities selected?
4. Are there activities of the project that seem particularly successful or challenging? Which ones?
Why?
5. What have been the main challenges so far in the implementation of the activities?
6. What has been the reaction of the educational community and the community in general in 
relation to these activities? Who supported the activities? Was there opposition from any group?
7. Up till now, what aspects of the projects have functioned well? What aspects are not functioning 
well? 
8. Are there aspects that could be improved? 
9. Do you think student attendance has improved thanks to the activities implemented by CREAN?
10. Do you think that teachers/directors/students/parents/community members have changed their 
behaviors as a result of the implementation of the project? How? 
11. What are the benefits for (select a group) for participating in CREAN: 
a. Students
b. Teachers
c. The school 
d. The Community 
12. What changes could be made to improve the implementation of the project? / What aspects could 
improve? How? 
13. Do you have any other comments you would like to add?