In 2016, I4DI joined forces with Gap Inc. and USAID to leverage the shared interests of the private and public sectors in enhancing the health and well-being of women and communities involved in the apparel industry, starting in India. With a focus on gender-sensitive strategies, I4DI played a pivotal role in recognizing and promoting the critical contributions women make to global supply chains, helping to form a coalition of partners under the Global Development Alliance (GDA) to advance women’s self-efficacy, expand sustainable WASH services, and improve financial access for WASH improvements.
As the evaluation and learning partner of the GDA, I4DI took the lead in ensuring evidence-based decision-making and adaptive learning throughout the five-year program. We designed and implemented a comprehensive learning agenda and built a robust Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) strategy. This included conducting a baseline, midline, and endline performance evaluation to track progress and inform program improvements. Our interactive dashboard provided real-time insights, while knowledge products we created ensured that lessons learned were effectively disseminated to a wider audience.
I4DI’s extensive work in gender-sensitive programming is further exemplified by our role in the Women Water Alliance Endline Study, which highlighted the impact of improved WASH services on women’s empowerment and community health. Our commitment to generating actionable insights has been central to advancing sustainable development initiatives, as demonstrated in our published studies and evaluations.
Our alliance’s dedication to continuous learning and adaptive management was recognized, with I4DI facilitating these efforts through our award-winning approach to Collaborating, Learning, and Adapting (CLA), earning us accolades like the USAID CLA Case Competition Winner title. Our work not only demonstrated the impact of a gender-sensitive approach in global supply chains but also established I4DI as a key contributor to fostering resilience, improving women’s well-being, and ensuring sustainability within the apparel industry.
