Measuring Impact for Success

KEY IMPACT MILESTONES

Our Impact to Date

Cumulative Reach

Participants Supported

Household Members Supported

Businesses Launched

Savings Group Established

At the heart of our data-driven approach to eradicating extreme poverty is our commitment to track program outcomes and measure the effectiveness and scalability of interventions. In short, data management is a core component of our work, not just an afterthought. This approach combines both qualitative and quantitative methods to foster inclusive design, assess progress, and make informed, adaptive improvements. To better understand the full process, explore our Theory of Change.

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)

M&E is a cornerstone of our program lifecycle, encompassing every phase from conceptualization and planning to implementation and closure. We employ Participatory M&E approaches to ensure inclusivity and community ownership, engaging communities in participant selection through Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) tools. This process is complemented by validation using the Participant Targeting Tool (PTT), an adaptation of the Poverty Probability Index (PPI), to accurately identify vulnerable households.

Our three-stage targeting process—community entry, PRA, and PTT validation—ensures precision and accountability in participant selection. During program implementation, we monitor key outcomes such as income, savings, food security, and social inclusion through a rigorous data management framework. This includes baseline and endline surveys, alongside robust quality control measures, to assess program performance and impact. We measure participant progress using clearly defined graduation criteria typically categorized as:

Food Security

Sustainable Livelihoods

Shock Preparedness

Human Capital Investment

By analyzing data across variables like gender, age, and location, we continuously refine our programs, ensuring they deliver sustainable, transformative change for the communities we serve.

Research and Learning (R&L)

Our R&L work and team cuts across design, implementation and post implementation. We partner with external researchers to conduct rigorous studies, including randomized controlled trials (RCTs), to evaluate the true impact of our work. Through regular “Pause and Reflect” sessions with our teams and partners, we gather insights from participants and stakeholders to adapt and improve our programs. These lessons are shared in workshops and our online Resource Library, driving ongoing program improvements and helping us refine our approach to make a deeper impact across the drylands of Africa.

Driving Long-Lasting Impact

Studies have proven time and time again that the Graduation approach is a cost-effective method to extreme poverty eradication that yields significant improvements in economic and social outcomes for individuals and households across diverse contexts (need source). BOMA’s graduation-based REAP model is no different. Assessments of BOMA’s standard REAP program showed a ROI of 3:1, meaning for every $1 spent on programming, $3 of benefits were generated for the community we served. Along with surpassing the major milestone of 1M individuals reached in 2024, we have tracked significant economic and social outcomes.

Most importantly, significant impacts are seen beyond just the duration of the program interventions. 3-5 years after participants graduated from REAP, impact was still evident, with sustained improvements in economic stability.

Our products empower participants to build lasting livelihoods to lift themselves and their families out of extreme poverty. We work at the nexus of six of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals: