Abstract
Background
USAID/Nepal has contracted with Academy for Educational Development (AED) for a program called Social Marketing and Franchising Project: AIDS, Reproductive Health (RH), and Child Survival (N-MARC), to support social marketing of family planning, maternal and child health, and HIV/AIDS prevention products and services. N-MARC promotes social marketing in Nepal by: 1) building the technical and organizational capacity of social marketing organizations such as the Nepal Contraceptive Retail Sales Company (CRS), 2) encouraging commercial players to expand sales of health products to reach a broader range of income segments within target populations, 3) promoting the appropriate use of maternal and child health, family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention products/services, and 4) ensuring the quality of family planning services and products in the social marketing sector. The commodities that are being sold through various partners of N-MARC include contraceptives, clean home delivery kits, oral rehydration salts and zinc for diarrhea, sexually transmitted disease treatment kits, emergency contraceptives pills, point of use water disinfectant (PIYUSH) and Virex® – a surface disinfectant. N-MARC aims to market subsidized quality health products to lower income groups willing and able to pay a small amount for valued health products, and to ensure they are available when and where they are needed. A strong, healthful behavior change component underpins product marketing in the N-MARC strategy.
Goal
The AED supports USAID/Nepal in meeting the goal of the PSP “N-MARC” project, which is to expand the depth, reach, and impact of the private sector in FP, MCH, and HIV/AIDS prevention products and services among low socio-economic populations through sustainable social marketing and social franchising programs.
Purpose
The purpose of evaluation of USAID/Nepal’s key Social Marketing and Franchising Project: AIDS, RH and Child Survival (N-MARC) was to examine the key expected activities of N-MARC based on the project design and annual work plans. The evaluation focused on N-MARC’s progress in meeting the program objectives and goals.
