End of Programme Evaluation of the Uganda Sponsorship (Baana) Programme

Save the Children’s 10-year Sponsorship Program in Uganda is an integrated 10-year initiative (2014-2024) aimed at improving child health, education, protection, and livelihoods in Wakiso, Kikuube, and Kamwenge districts. The primary purpose of the end of program evaluation was to comprehensively assess the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of the Program. The evaluation used a mixed methods approach to capture both measurable outcomes and the experiences of beneficiaries. FIndings showed that the program was highly relevant, effective, and sustainable, addressing community needs in education, adolescent health, livelihoods, child protection, and community capacity strengthening and adapted to challenges like COVID-19 with innovative, community-driven interventions. A 32% increase in ECCD enrolment, 26% improvement in school readiness, and enhanced quality of the learning environment, with 85% of schools meeting all the QLE guiding principles by 2024. Notable gains were seen in literacy and numeracy learning outcomes. Initiatives like Catch-Up Clubs addressed COVID-19 learning loss, while the ADH strategy and other policies supported strengthened adolescent and school health. Household income diversification rose from 50% to 84% and school meals provision reached 72.9%. The program fostered sustainability through VSLAs, capacity building, and alignment with local governance, promoting financial literacy, gender sensitivity, and ownership. Despite successes, challenges remain in ensuring inclusivity, addressing foundational education gaps, and reducing reliance on external support.

Recommendations include scaling up ECCD initiatives, improving school infrastructure, promoting climate-resilient farming, and empowering female-headed households to ensure enduring impact and community resilience. The study highlights the importance of comprehensive, community-focused approaches in development programs and offers a model for similar initiatives aiming to create lasting, positive change in vulnerable communities.