The journey towards effective development interventions in Liberia has faced some obstacles, including the absence of cohesive Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) frameworks and the availability of qualified MEL professionals. Despite the earnest efforts of various actors to provide training programs, there have been gaps and participants have not been equipped with the necessary skills to undertake senior MEL roles. It is against this backdrop that in March 2023, USAID/Liberia Data, Evaluation, Learning, and Technical Assistance (DELTA) in collaboration with PERT Consultancy, Inc., a Liberian MEL firm, launched an internship program to produce qualified M&E professionals who have the skills required to contribute to Liberia’s development.
Following a rigorous recruitment process last year, 20 interns were selected out of 1,069 applicants for Cohort 1. The internship program’s training cycle runs for 10 months and comprises university students and entry-level professionals who use the opportunity to enhance their MEL knowledge, advance their computer skills, cultivate work readiness skills, and strengthen their drive for career success.
The DELTA Internship Program aspires to unlock intern’s full potential and encourage innovation, collaboration, and learning. By the end of the internship, participants are expected to have acquired MEL skills, gained exposure, and the needed professional experience to make them employable to further their careers.
The success stories emerging from Cohort 1 are a testament to the program's efficacy; 17 interns are gainfully employed by reputable organizations as MEL staff, and 2 received scholarships to pursue their master's degrees at universities in Europe. Without any solicitation, half of the existing host organizations expressed interest in hosting new interns for Cohort 2. Such outcomes highlight the transformative potential of investing in human capital and nurturing local talent. For Cohort 2, DELTA increased the number of interns taking part in the program to 30, with 5 interns currently placed at the DELTA office.
“…being here has enhanced my communications and MEL skills. When I enrolled in the program, I was only familiar with data collection, but at DELTA, I’ve been learning about other aspects of MEL and how to analyze the collected data.” Hawa Guzeh, DELTA Intern - Cohort 2.
Following the 10-day onboarding training for Cohort 2, PERT conducted pre- and post-training tests to measure knowledge gained on MEL, computer literacy, and work readiness. The assessment results verified the utility of the training, showing a knowledge gain of 41.2 percent.
In March 2024, PERT, with the support of USAID/Liberia DELTA activity, welcomed 30 new interns into Cohort 2. The expansion of the internship program not only speaks to the growing demand for skilled M&E professionals but also reflects the program's commitment to meeting the evolving needs of Liberia's development landscape. The young professionals have been actively involved in Activity Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan (AMELP) review, data collection and field visits, data entry and analysis, and the implementation of learning events.
“I’m grateful for this opportunity. This is something that I longed for. I applied to be a part of Cohort 1 and was not admitted, but I decided not to give up. I just knew this program would contribute to my career goal of aligning my Master of Science Degree in Public Health with a profession in M&E. This year, I gave it a second shot and, thankfully, I’m now an intern at DELTA.” – Linda Barkon, Cohort 2.
Participants of the USAID DELTA MEL Training