Research Proposal (Page 3 of 8) in pdf

5. Gendered analysis and compilation of report findings.

6. Present findings.

7. Internally evaluate, compile narrative and financial report to Donors.

Theoretical framework:

We will use a widely accepted and validated tool ‘Stories of Most Significant Change (MSC) to

carry out the field research.

MSC is a form of participatory enquiry widely used in M&E and baseline enquiry that seeks to

involve stakeholders in collecting stories of Significant Change (SC) and then through analysis

of these selecting the most important of these for impact in situations.

Once changes have been captured a trained team discuss the value of these reported changes and

compile an impact analysis. Members of the organisations and its stakeholders need to be seen

and treated as coresearchers. Every step in the research should be done as jointly and

consensually as possible.

This resonates strongly with our highly gendered vision and mission in African Fathers Initiative

for cooperative parenting and supporting the work of mothers and fathers in raising their

children. Therefore the chosen methodology has a strong affinity with our desire for positive

change towards male involvement in key organisations and stakeholders concerned with

maternal and child health.

The process of MSC we will use can be simply stated in three basic steps for the purposes of our

enquiry:

1. What is the existing situation with its negative and positive factors that are affecting father

involvement in reducing the impact of HIV &AIDS in families and communities?

2. From an analysis of people’s lived experiences what are the significant changes taking

place that are affecting this situation?

3. From this analysis can we extract and identify the ‘Most Significant Changes’ in this

situation analysis that we would like to concentrate on for further research and action and

that we believe can positively affect our policies and actions for the better. These may

form the basis of small pilot schemes that can themselves be monitored and evaluated for

efficacy and scaling up.

Method:

An Action Research approach will be taken that will seek to engage partners in ‘buying into’ the

need for the research and seeing that it can add value to the work they are currently undertaking.

Phase 1

a) Steering Committee

We will form a Steering Committee comprised of a representative from Donors, one or two

partners such as FACT, Padare and a University academic researcher who can validate and

endorse our methods and practice. The Steering Committee can help us to examine with

competent research institutions in Zimbabwe agreed gaps in research and literature through

comparative analysis with us, and discuss who may be interested in collaborating with us, by for

example providing interns to carry out field research with us, supervisors of the process etc.

Research Proposal Page 3