Delivering on equity and impact: Reflections on six years of supporting family planning in Kenya
Since 2020, the hera consortium—comprised of hera, the International Centre for Reproductive Health-Kenya (ICRH-K), and the Aga Khan University (AKU)—has had the privilege of walking alongside the DESIP programme (Delivering Sustainable and Equitable Increases in Family Planning) in Kenya as an independent monitoring and evaluation partner. Appointed by FCDO during the early days of DESIP’s rollout, our role has been to provide third-party monitoring, process evaluation, and facilitate learning throughout the life of the programme.
Now, as DESIP concludes its six-year journey, we’re proud to reflect on what this partnership has achieved—and what it has taught us.
A unique model of collaborative monitoring
Our work went far beyond auditing; it was a collaborative approach, built on mutual respect and a shared goal of delivering high-quality, equitable family planning services across Kenya. Our engagement with the lead implementing partner, PS Kenya, was open and constructive, working together to strengthen implementation, respond to evidence, and ensure that no one was left behind.
By combining third-party monitoring with deep process evaluation and focused case studies, we helped bring a 360-degree lens to programme performance. Our assessments drew on both secondary data and extensive primary data collection across Kenya, giving us a nuanced picture of real-world implementation. .
Learning through equity
One of DESIP’s key ambitions was to expand access to family planning for marginalized populations, including adolescents, people with disabilities, and the poorest households. While this equity agenda was sometimes underrepresented in routine monitoring data, we were able to spotlight it through targeted case studies. These deep dives not only helped fill critical evidence gaps but also elevated community voices and perspectives that are too often left out of large-scale development programmes.
Growing with the programme
This long-term assignment allowed us to do something rare in M&E: evolve with the project. Over six years, we were able to build trust, return to the same regions, and track how changes in policy, service delivery, and local dynamics were playing out on the ground. It’s work that has helped us grow not only our technical skills, but also in terms of relationships, insight, and grounded knowledge of what equitable family planning delivery really looks like.
Family planning in Kenya, like many other places, is facing serious challenges: shrinking donor support, shifting political dynamics, and ongoing unmet needs. But the DESIP experience reminds us that progress is possible—and that smart, inclusive, data-driven programming can deliver real impact.
As we celebrate six years of partnership with PS Kenya, ICRH-K, AKU, and FCDO, we take pride in what has been achieved and in the role we’ve played in supporting this important work. Even in a complex and changing landscape, DESIP has helped advance access to family planning for some of Kenya’s most underserved communities. That is what long-term, equity-focused collaboration can do. .