NLR India recently conducted a comprehensive evaluation to assess the effectiveness of its multi-faceted projects aimed at supporting leprosy-affected individuals and those with related disabilities across multiple states in India. These initiatives, which include four unique disability care models, have evolved over time, benefiting from close collaboration with government bodies and key stakeholders. The projects evaluated span various settings and methods, including:
NLR India’s evaluation utilized a mixed-method research approach, integrating both qualitative and quantitative methods to derive comprehensive insights from these projects. The evaluation protocol received ethical clearance from the Sigma Institutional Review Board, and data collection took place over three weeks in December 2023 and January 2024.
The evaluation focused on measuring the impact on leprosy-affected communities, assessing both individual and systemic changes. Key objectives included understanding the projects' acceptability within government health systems and among community members, identifying implementation challenges, and evaluating behavioral changes among beneficiaries and health workers. The evaluation further aimed to analyze the cost-effectiveness of the different project models, address the future needs of these communities, and make recommendations for the integration, replication, and sustainability of successful practices.
NLR India’s efforts are timely, given that leprosy remains a pressing public health issue in India, marked by challenges such as delayed diagnosis, enduring stigma, limited healthcare infrastructure, and fragmented service delivery. These projects work to address these obstacles through innovative approaches, strong community engagement, and advocacy, all designed to alleviate the leprosy burden, empower affected individuals, and foster inclusive communities.
As an evaluation partner, Athena collaborated with NLR India to support the evaluation of four core projects. This involved designing outcome-harvesting evaluations aligned with NLR India’s mission, while addressing the unique implementation aspects of each project.
Beyond producing evaluation reports, Athena developed detailed, project-specific "how-to" guidelines with step-by-step instructions for implementing each model. These guidelines included monitoring systems, training modules, and clearly defined roles for authorities (e.g., government, community, NGOs), enabling easier replication by other stakeholders.
Additionally, Athena created project-specific IEC materials—such as interactive panels and posters—to communicate project details to beneficiaries in a user-friendly manner, enhancing community engagement and awareness of core services.
For more information about the project, reach out to Abison Paul and Manav Sharma.
Image source: Canva; for representational purposes only
