Community-led approaches to evaluation research shaped by Indigenous philosophy have the potential to transform social projects across Africa and beyond. Because of this, Bagele places significant emphasis on evaluation research. In this chapter, she describes why evaluation research is important, introduces the five branches of evaluation of research, and considers the Made in Africa Evaluation Frameworks.
Why is evaluation research important?
The five branches of evaluation research
Made in Africa Evaluation Frameworks
A highly significant collaborative project has led to the development of five African evaluation frameworks. In the videos below, Bagele discusses this project and then describes four of the frameworks.
Made in Africa Evaluation Frameworks
Community Language-based Evaluation Framework
Read more about the Community Language-based Evaluation Framework.
Engagement, Participation, Involvement and Ownership Framework – EPIO
Read more about the Engagement, Participation, Involvement and Ownership Framework – EPIO
Spirituality Framework: People, Environment, Place, Space, Time – PEPST
Read more about the Spirituality Framework: People, Environment, Place, Space, Time – PEPST
To learn more
Read this flyer which succinctly conveys the five Made in Africa evaluation frameworks.
Watch this presentation The global discourse in evaluation: Unpacking the Made in Africa evaluation concept by Professor Bagele Chilisa at the 2023 African Evaluation Association Conference. Please note, that Bagele’s presentation ends at 21:56.
Read these two chapters: “Introduction: The Genesis and Meaning of MAE” by Bagele Chilisa, Miché Ouedraogo and Emmanuel Nii Adotei Baddoo and “African Rooted Paradigms, Frameworks, Methods and Tools” by Bagele Chilisa, Setlhomo Koloi-Keaikitse, Thenjiwe Major and Tiroyaone Kebalepile. These offer a rigorous overview of the Made in Africa Evaluation Frameworks and their significance.
Reflect
If you are undertaking evaluation research, or considering how to evaluate a project you are involved in, please write a reflection below about what aspects of the Made in Africa Evaluation Frameworks may be relevant in your context or what they might inspire you to create (in collaboration with others).
References and further reading
African Evaluation Association. (2023, June 1). The global discourse in evaluation: Unpacking the Made in Africa evaluation concept presented by Professor Bagele Chilisa [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JuXdj0vV7s
Brussoni, M., Ramsden, R., Grieve, S., Mount, D., Fox, E., Herrington, S., Lin, Y., Johnson, S., Lloyd, J., Elliot, E., Mlieczko, E., Lemire, A., Scott, L., Barrett, A., Cottier, E., Rice, A. (2025). The 5 R’s of Indigenous research as a framework to co-design and evaluate an outdoor play program in early learning and child care centers: Protocol for the promoting early childhood outside (PRO-ECO) 2.0 wait-list control cluster randomized trial. JMIR Research Protocols, 14, e77956. https://doi.org/10.2196/77956
Cavino, H. M. (2013). Across the colonial divide: Conversations about evaluation in Indigenous contexts. American Journal of Evaluation, 34(3), 339-355. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098214013489338 (quote is from p. 349)
Chilisa, B., Koloi-Keaikitse, S., Major, T., & Kebalpile, T. (2025). African rooted paradigms, frameworks, methods and tools. In M. Ouédraogo, M. Frehiwot, M. Abrahams, A. Ponge, F. Etta, B. Chilisa, & E. N. A. Baddoo (Eds.), Handbook on Made in Africa evaluation (pp. 29–54). African Evaluation Association.
Chilisa, B., Major, T., Ramasobana, M., Nderitu, M., Koloi-Keaikitse, S., Mwaijande, F., Govender, J., Koyabe, B., Gaotlhobogwe, M., Nabbumba, R., Frehiwot, M., Pheko, B., Molosiwa, S., & Akligo, C. (2025, December). Framework Report: Six transformative African rooted evaluation frameworks and tools. Mastercard Foundation and Pan-African Indigenous Evaluation Consortium.
Chilisa, B., Ouédraogo, M., & Baddoo, E. N. A. (2025). The genesis and meaning of MAE. In M. Ouédraogo, M. Frehiwot, M. Abrahams, A. Ponge, F. Etta, B. Chilisa, & E. N. A. Baddoo (Eds.), Handbook on Made in Africa evaluation (pp. 1–27). African Evaluation Association.
EvalPartners. (2015). EvalAgenda 2020: The global evaluation agenda. https://www.evalpartners.org/global-evaluation-agenda
Johnston-Goodstar, K. (2012). Decolonising evaluation: The necessity of evaluation advisory groups in Indigenous evaluation. New Directions for Evaluation, 136, 109–117). https://doi.org/10.1002/ev.20038
Ouédraogo, M., Frehiwot, M., Abrahams, M., Ponge, A., Etta, F., Chilisa, B., & Baddoo, E. N. A. (Eds.). (2025). Handbook on Made in Africa evaluation (Vol. 1). Africa Evaluation Association.
Tyler, R. W. (2013). Basic principles of curriculum and instruction. University of Chicago Press. (Original work published 1949)
United Nations General Assembly. (2015). Transforming our world: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (Resolution No. A/RES/70/1). United Nations.