About the Client
The Challenge Fund for Youth Employment (CFYE), funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and implemented by a consortium led by Palladium, supports initiatives to create and improve decent work opportunities for youth, with a strong emphasis on women’s economic participation. Operating across the Middle East, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, and the Sahel/West Africa, CFYE partners with local actors to address barriers to youth employment and underemployment.

My Role & Task
I was engaged as a Researcher to support CFYE’s multi-country evaluation processes, ensuring rigorous analysis and actionable insights.

• Produced inception and mid-line evaluation reports using portfolio-wide data extraction and analysis.

• Conducted qualitative coding of KIIs and case reports using MaxQDA to establish baselines and track systemic change mechanisms.

• Identified programme gaps and provided evidence to strengthen intervention design.

• Synthesised findings into clear narratives to support communication of systemic outcomes.

Impact

• Delivered evaluation products that directly informed strategic improvements across multiple regions.

• Enhanced programme teams’ ability to monitor progress against youth employment and gender inclusion objectives.

• Strengthened CFYE’s communication of systemic impact to stakeholders and funders.