DROPSTONE Advisory Services

Project Evaluation & Studies

Categories

Laying the Foundations – Strategic Groundwater Development – Hodh El Chargui

15.06.2026

The Geneva Water Hub, as part of its “Water for Peace” initiatives, commissioned DROPSTONE to conduct an exploratory groundwater assessment in the Hodh El Chargui region of eastern Mauritania. The region has faced growing pressure on water resources due to the large influx of refugees fleeing insecurity in neighboring Mali. In this predominantly pastoral area, groundwater is essential for both domestic use and livestock watering. Hodh El Chargui now hosts nearly one-third of Mauritania’s national herd, making access to reliable groundwater supplies both a humanitarian and socio-economic priority. In such a fragile context, water management can either fuel tensions or

Read More »

Evaluation – Advancing Women’s Voices – Democratic Republic of Congo

16.03.2026

From 2018 to 2024, The Carter Center implemented the Women’s Voice and Leadership (WVL) project in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with support from Global Affairs Canada under Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy. In a context marked by persistent poverty, conflict, and entrenched gender inequalities, the project aimed to strengthen the voice, leadership, and rights of women and girls. DROPSTONE was selected as the independent evaluator to assess the project’s relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact, while identifying lessons learned to inform possible future phases of the initiative. Implemented across six provinces, the project focused on strengthening local Women’s

Read More »

Groundwater Management & Climate Resilience – Sughd Region, Tajikistan

15.06.2026

In 2023, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) commissioned Dropstone to conduct a scoping study on groundwater management in the Sughd region of northern Tajikistan. The objective was to assess current practices and identify opportunities to strengthen the role of hydrogeology in climate change adaptation strategies. Located in the rapidly growing Fergana Valley, the region increasingly relies on groundwater to support agriculture and drinking water supply. The study reviewed institutional frameworks, technical capacities, and hydrogeological data systems, while engaging with national and regional stakeholders to identify priorities for future support. The assessment highlighted the need to strengthen coordination

Read More »

Evaluation – Independent Observer of the Peace Process – Mali

15.06.2026

The Carter Centre (TCC) mandated DROPSTONE as independent evaluator to assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and replicability of its role as Independent Observer (IO) of the Malian peace process from January 2018 to November 2019. The evaluation mission aimed at summing up the overall status of the project, measuring its effects and giving guidance for a more efficient implementation; it was also meant to evaluate the potential replicability of the project in other contexts, based on lessons learned and best practices. A team of senior consultants from DROPSTONE carried out the evaluation mission in Bamako during two weeks in November.

Read More »

Evaluation – Conflict Prevention and Management by Communities – Sahel

15.06.2026

Dropstone ended the year 2018 with the evaluation of a conflict prevention and management project by communities in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. The project, implemented by the Humanitarian Dialogue Centre (HD) since 2015, has selected, trained and created a network of 286 sedentary and nomadic community leaders. The traditional leaders have solved an impressive number of conflicts over the past years, in vast areas confronted to a lack of State control of their national territory. The conflicts between communities are mostly linked to the access of natural resources such as water or grazing land, the theft of cattle, the

Read More »

Study – Potential for Intercommunal Violence – Mauritania

15.06.2026

Dropstone has been awarded a mandate by the French Agency for Development (Agence Française de Développement – AFD) to carry out a socio-anthropological study in remote villages located in three regions bordering Mali and Senegal. The aim was to better understand the intercommunal dynamics and challenges and the local conflict resolution mechanisms, in order to ensure a smooth implementation of infrastructure and other development projects financed by AFD. We had a very interesting and intense week with the team in Nouakchott for preparing the field mission and coaching the consultants. The pictures below illustrate their work with the communities and

Read More »