Thriving together: Dual-Generation Programmes in Emergency

KanuPriya Jhunjhunwala, Priyanka Upreti, Varsha Ashok

SECTOR

Education | Labour

PROJECT TYPE

Qualitative research

DOI

Location

Ethiopia

BEHAVIORAL THEME

Caregivers | Early childhood development

OVERVIEW

Thriving Together is a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) toolkit designed to support dual-generation programmes that work with both young children and their caregivers in emergency contexts. Developed by Global Schools Forum, Children in Crossfire, and Busara, the toolkit provides practical guidance for designing, measuring, and adapting programmes that address interlinked child and caregiver outcomes. It was piloted in Woliso, Ethiopia, and is applicable across emergency and low-resource settings.

Research Questions

How can programmes support children and caregivers simultaneously in emergency contexts?
What outcomes should be measured across generations to capture family-level impact?
How can MEL frameworks be adapted to acute, fragile, and protracted emergencies?
How do caregiver outcomes translate into improved child wellbeing and development?

Methods

The toolkit was developed through desk research, an in-person co-creation workshop, and field testing in Woliso, Ethiopia. Practitioners, researchers, and implementing partners collaborated to develop a dual-generation results framework, Theory of Change guidance, MEL tools, and practical templates. A case study demonstrates application in a real emergency context.

THEMATIC AREAS

Key Findings

Child wellbeing and caregiver wellbeing are deeply interconnected, especially in emergencies.
Emergencies create cumulative cycles of hardship that limit caregivers’ ability to provide nurturing care.
Dual-generation programmes are more effective than single-generation approaches in addressing family needs.
Caregiver outcomes such as livelihoods, mental health, and social capital are critical pathways to child development.
MEL systems must be flexible and context-specific to capture outcomes in fragile and emergency settings.

Policy & Development Implications

Emergency programmes should adopt integrated, family-focused approaches rather than child-only interventions.
Investments in caregiver wellbeing strengthen child outcomes and generate intergenerational impact.
MEL systems must account for uncertainty, long timelines, and contextual variation in emergencies.
Dual-generation programming offers a scalable pathway for improving early childhood outcomes in crisis-affected settings.