EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OF THE GUIDELINES
This guideline describes the process of collecting case studies from the field by the agencies
implementing cash transfer programmes in Afghanistan. A case study is a true story about a real
situation or person. Sometimes, the actual person featured in the case study tells the story themselves,
and this in itself has impact. Once field work story collection is complete selection and analysis of stories
follows and each story is put in a specific Domain of Storyline. Case studies are scored using a set
template and the “best” cases in each domain will be identified for wider sharing in form of booklets or as
part of progress reports to showcase impact of the project. These guidelines form Cash Transfer
Programming (CTP) Studies for Learning, Documentation and Writing Packet. It aims to help you
effectively and efficiently document a project, to craft this documentation into a success story or a
learning story, and to share this story with important stakeholders. A case study is usually success story
that uses a specific event, community, household or person to tell a story about how and why a particular
project has made a positive impact. A case study uses a specific event, community, household or person
to tell a story about what cash and voucher, its partners and/or its beneficiaries have learned while
implementing a particular project and how they have used this learning to strengthen the project’s impact.
The Cash Learning Partnership country coordination unit shall support partners to understand the case
study collection methodology to back-up personnel from Cash/Voucher Working Group partners. The
case study production training shall utilize practical and participatory approaches where staff shall be
asked to go into the field and have a practical feel of utilizing the approach. After introducing participants
to the principles of collection of cases, its origins and evolvement as well as its main implementation
steps, staff shall be given a chance to pilot the use the methodology.
This guideline provides a summary of technical back-up activities aimed at supporting partners in
implementing Cash Transfers (CTs) projects as a form of qualitative data collection initiative. The scope
of the guidelines includes providing expert advice to NGOs staff on how to set up appropriate structures
and systems for story writing, collection, selection and publication, as well as setting up systems to
facilitate the wider sharing of cases, stories and lessons learnt. The major purpose of the document is to
strengthen and standardize participatory approaches to, and qualitative components of qualitative
monitoring and evaluation of cash and voucher projects.
The CTP partners are free to review the process where an analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the
methodology maybe conducted. A review of the stories collected during piloting must be undertaken at
partner level. The technical team then shall conduct the final sessions addressing gaps, weaknesses and
challenges observed during the piloting phase of the pilot process. At the end of the pilot phase, staff
shall be asked to make a self-assessment and check if all are now competent enough to implement case
study collection in their respective organisations.
