Evaluation of "A New Era of Working with Community Organisations"

The “New Era of Working with Community Organisations” project focuses on how MSF engages with Community-Based Organisations (CBOs) and how their capacity can be strengthened in ways that last beyond MSF’s presence. Initially funded by the Transformational Investment Capacity (TIC), since mid-2025 it has been fully absorbed into the Operational Support Unit in MSF Southern Africa.

The project began in 2021 to address a long-standing challenge in MSF’s operational model: what happens to communities when MSF leaves? The idea emerged for a project focused on institutional strengthening of CBOs to ensure continuity of care, advocacy, and community presence beyond the lifespan of an MSF project. Over time, the project’s focus evolved towards supporting CBOs to become operational, confident, and capable on their own terms, regardless of whether their activities overlap with MSF’s.

This formative evaluation sought to document the evolution of the project and explore its added value, relevance and contribution after nearly four years of implementation. The findings aim to inform the future direction of the project, including its potential expansion into emergency contexts, and contribute to broader learning within MSF about community engagement.