Measuring what matters when it matters most 

In disaster-prone provinces like KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in South Africa, and in countries such as Mozambique, where communities regularly face flooding, landslides and infrastructure collapse, robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems are crucial. Disasters can unfold rapidly, often in unpredictable ways, and demand real-time decision-making based on accurate, timely and context-sensitive data. Without strong M&E, relief efforts risk being misdirected, duplicated, or even doing harm.  

The most vital types of M&E in emergencies include real-time monitoring, participatory evaluation and post-disaster reviews.  

For the Global Disaster Relief Foundation (GDRF), M&E is central to effective and inclusive disaster response. But it’s not just about tracking outputs – it’s about listening, learning and adapting to support the people most affected. That is why GDRF places participatory M&E at the heart of its approach, ensuring communities are not passive recipients of aid, but active partners in their own recovery. 

Grounding relief in community voice 

Traditional top-down assessments often miss local nuance. Participatory M&E addresses this by co-creating solutions with affected communities. In KZN, GDRF’s methodology combines speed with community insight to tailor interventions for real-world impact. 

In April 2022, eThekwini was devastated by one of the worst flood disasters in South African history. Torrential rains triggered widespread flooding, landslides and infrastructure collapse, displacing thousands and claiming hundreds of lives. The damage was so extensive that the municipality estimated it would need R4 billion to repair roads, bridges, water systems and public facilities. The floods also severely impacted industry – Toyota’s insurers lodged a R6.5 billion claim against the KZN government and Transnet for damages to its Prospecton plant.  

The South African National Defence Force was deployed to assist with water access and emergency relief, especially in hard-hit areas like Tongaat. The crisis exposed deep vulnerabilities in urban planning and disaster preparedness, prompting calls for more integrated and community-driven approaches to risk reduction. 

Following the 2022 eThekwini floods, the GDRF piloted community validation sessions, enabling residents to verify official damage assessments and co-prioritise recovery efforts. The model was expanded in 2024, during heavy rains in the Midlands, when local disaster response forums assisted in reviewing housing and water interventions mid-implementation, providing real-time course corrections. 

In Tongaat, where multiple stakeholders were responding simultaneously, GDRF consulted local leaders to ensure its aid efforts were effective and not duplicative. This simple step – often overlooked in crisis response – boosted trust, avoided wasted resources and sharpened the impact. 

Participatory M&E like this is not unique to GDRF. It aligns with best practices promoted by the National Disaster Management Framework – a legal instrument emerging from the Disaster Management Act 57 of 2002 at the behest of the South African government – which underscores the importance of community-based risk assessments and feedback loops in disaster risk reduction. 

Rapid, responsive tools in the field  

GDRF’s M&E toolkit is built for responsiveness. In coordination with the KZN Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA) and local authorities, the organisation deploys: 

• Rapid needs and damage assessments within the first 72 hours of a disaster, combining on-the-ground teams with drone and Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to map destruction and identify urgent needs. 
• Mobile-based feedback tools, including WhatsApp groups in informal settlements, to maintain open channels with community members during volatile periods. 
• Most Significant Change storytelling methods, capturing lived experiences – especially of vulnerable groups such as women-headed households – to shape more inclusive relief planning. 
• Post-disaster learning reviews, held after each crisis season, bring together affected communities and service providers to reflect, evaluate and improve future responses. 

These tools help translate real-time data and feedback into immediate decisions and long-term learning. 

M&E that informs and transforms 

Crucially, GDRF’s M&E work does not stop at data collection. Findings are synthesised into quarterly learning briefs shared with provincial disaster management structures, influencing both the organisation’s strategy and broader policy dialogue. 

Recent examples demonstrate this impact: 

• In Nongoma, repeated storm damage exposed coordination gaps between the government and grassroots responders. M&E insights led to a joint relief model with COGTA, enabling more equitable distribution of supplies to remote wards. 
• In Lidgetton, school attendance dropped sharply after floods. Monitoring revealed that a lack of uniforms and hygiene support was a major barrier. GDRF responded with dignity packs, laundry assistance and uniform provision, removing obstacles to children’s education. 
• In Tongaat, overcrowded shelters posed health risks. Early-stage feedback prompted rapid deployment of hygiene kits, clean water access points and health messaging within the first 72 hours. 

In contexts where state systems are stretched and disaster fatigue is real, participatory M&E helps restore agency and trust. It ensures that the right questions are asked – not just “What happened?” but “What mattered to the people most affected?”. 

“M&E at GDRF is more than a reporting tool,” says Samukelo Manqele, GDRF’s general manager. “It’s how we stay accountable, adapt fast and support resilience together with the communities we serve.”