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Mid-Term Evaluation of Community-Based Reintegration Programs in the Western Balkans
Client
An international fund dedicated to preventing violent extremism by supporting locally-led initiatives in vulnerable communities.
Countries
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, Kosovo
Services
End-to-end research, assessments and evaluations
Team
Paul Clewett, Jonida Jani, Blessing Olandunjoye, Mentor Vrajolli, Damir Ahmetovic, Jana Sakakini
Start Date
May 1, 2024
Thematic Area
Peacebuilding & Social Cohesion
Methods
In-depth interviews, Key informant interviews, Online focus group discussions, In-person focus group discussions
Project Summary
Our client, a global fund dedicated to preventing violent extremism (PVE), sought to assess the impact and sustainability of its community-based rehabilitation and reintegration programs for returned foreign terrorist fighters and their families in the Western Balkans.
At the mid-term stage, they aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of their programs in three countries, focusing on reintegration efforts, community resilience, and the prevention of re-radicalization, with country-specific insights to inform future interventions.
Nurai conducted a qualitative study to assess the effectiveness of program using the Most Significant Change approach, and:
Conducted Key Informant Interviews (KIIs), Focus Group Discussions (FGDs), and field observations focusing on the experiences of participants and project staff in implementing the initiatives and observing their impact
Gathered insights from program participants, staff and affected communities
As part of the study, we developed a structured MSC framework to capture and showcase the most significant stories of change among participants, particularly women and children affected by the return of foreign fighters.
Nurai delivered three in-depth case studies, assessing the progress, effectiveness and sustainability of the program in each country. Our findings provided actionable recommendations to improve the program’s relevance and long-term impact. We also facilitated three participatory workshops, ensuring that our results were shared with the client, local CSOs and regional experts to inform future reintegration efforts.
Client Review