M&E Bench

Reserve your seat on the bench as our Global M&E community shares insights and expertize on Monitoring & Evaluation best practices that drive impact

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

THE MOMENT IS HERE!

For weeks, they have been learning, challenging assumptions, sharpening their thinking, and preparing to become the next generation of impact leaders.

This Friday, they step into the spotlight.

🔥 Meet the 2026 Impact Rising Fellows leading the 16th M&E O'clock Session, a cohort of emerging professionals from diverse backgrounds united by one mission: transforming how organizations create, measure, and sustain impact.

But don't let the word "emerging" fool you.

These are bold thinkers, critical questioners, and future leaders ready to tackle one of the most uncomfortable questions in the development sector:

💭 Why do projects fail even when they have good funding?

Together, they will unpack the M&E mistakes that are rarely discussed in boardrooms, project reports, donor meetings, and evaluation workshops, but often determine whether projects succeed or quietly fall short.

Expect:
⚡ Fresh perspective
⚡ Honest conversations
⚡ Practical lessons
⚡ Real-world examples
⚡ Powerful audience engagement

This is a stage where the next generation of M&E leaders challenges conventional thinking and invites us all to rethink what truly drives project success.

📅 Friday, 12th June 2026
⏰ 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (GMT)
🌍 Virtual

Register here: https://t.co/071THfNAKn

Join us in celebrating and supporting the 2026 Impact Rising Fellows as they lead a global conversation that promises to be insightful, provocative, and unforgettable.

One conversation could change how you view project success forever

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

🇺🇬 UGANDA IS NOT LEFT OUT!

As the M&E Bench Lounge Series continues to expand across borders and connect professionals throughout Africa, we remain firmly rooted in the Uganda.

Every last Friday of the month, the M&E Bench Learning Hub in Kampala transforms into a vibrant space for learning, networking, collaboration, and thought-provoking conversations on Monitoring & Evaluation.

Whether you are an M&E practitioner, researcher, student, development worker, consultant, government officer, or simply passionate about evidence and impact, this is your opportunity to engage with a growing community of professionals committed to making a difference.

Come exchange ideas, challenge perspectives, discover new opportunities, and build meaningful connections with fellow change-makers.

📍 Kampala, Uganda
📅 Every Last Friday of the Month (This month will be 26th June 2026)
⏰ 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM

Seats are limited

Scan the QR code on the flyer click the link below to book your slot and join the conversation.

https://t.co/kAtQGGkUHu

The movement is growing across Africa, but Uganda remains active, vibrant, and ready for you.

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

🇱🇸 LESOTHO, WE HAVE LANDED!

What started as a simple vision to demystify Monitoring & Evaluation and create meaningful spaces for practitioners to learn from one another is now crossing borders and building communities across Africa.

We are excited to announce the first-ever M&E Bench Lounge Series & Townhall in Maseru, Lesotho!

This will be more than just an event. It will be a gathering of professionals, learners, researchers, development practitioners, government officials, consultants, and M&E enthusiasts committed to strengthening evidence, accountability, and impact.

Expect engaging conversations, practical learning, professional networking, peer exchange, and an opportunity to become part of a growing continental movement of people passionate about Monitoring & Evaluation.

📅 Friday, 26th June 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM – 8:30 PM (Local Time)

Seats are limited

Kindly click the link below or scan the QR code on the flyer to book your slot and secure your place in this exciting inaugural gathering.

https://t.co/dlsqZvE9Pw

Let's continue building a community where evidence guides decisions, resources are efficiently used, and communities thrive through transformative accountability.

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

Join M&E professionals, program managers, researchers, development practitioners, government officials, consultants, and students for three transformative days of practical learning, networking, and professional growth.

Through interactive sessions, real-world case studies, hands-on exercises, and peer learning, as a participant, you will gain the skills, tools, and confidence needed to strengthen accountability, improve program performance, and demonstrate impact.

Whether you are new to M&E or an experienced practitioner, this M&E Boot Camp will equip you with actionable knowledge you can apply.

To secure your slot, simply register through the link below or scan the QR code

https://t.co/QsdAgeleA3

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

M & E

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

🚨 REMINDER! REGISTRATIONS ARE STILL OPEN 🚨

Some projects fail quietly. Not because funding was missing…
But because critical M&E mistakes were ignored. 👀

On Friday 12th June, the 2026 Impact Rising Fellows are taking over the 16th M&E O’clock Session for a bold, honest, and practical conversation that many organizations desperately need but rarely have openly.

🔥 Topic: Why Projects Fail Even with Good Funding: The M&E Mistakes Nobody Talks About

Expect powerful insights, uncomfortable truths, practical lessons, and real conversations around the hidden M&E blind spots affecting impact.

Whether you are an M&E professional, project manager, donor partner, researcher, student, or development practitioner, this session is for YOU.

📅 Friday, 12th June 2026
⏰ 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (GMT)
🌍 Virtual Session

⚡ Seats are filling up fast!

Register early and be part of this eye-opening global learning conversation

https://t.co/071THfNAKn

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

The conversations are getting deeper.

The connections are getting stronger.

The M&E community is growing louder, bolder, and more collaborative.

This is your reminder not to miss the next Monthly M&E Bench Lounge Series in Kampala, Uganda - a space where ideas meet experience, questions spark insight, and professionals across sectors come together to challenge, learn, and grow.

If you’ve been looking for a practical, engaging, and inspiring M&E community, your seat is waiting.

Click the link below to book your slot and be part of the conversation

https://t.co/wtcv7Nsvhy

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

Something BIG is happening in the M&E space this year… 🔥

Not another webinar.
Not another theoretical conversation.

This is where development professionals step into rooms that sharpen careers, spark collaborations, unlock opportunities, and build the confidence to lead impact at a global level.

From Kenya to Nigeria to Lesotho, and finally the Global M&E Expo & Impact Awards!!

M&E Bench is bringing the ecosystem closer to YOU.

This is for the professionals tired of staying stuck in routine reporting.

For the practitioners ready to think bigger.

For the teams and institutions that want to move from compliance to real influence and transformative accountability.

Imagine spending 3 powerful days learning with professionals from multiple countries, exchanging practical experiences, building continental networks, discovering new tools, earning globally recognized professional development points, and walking away with certification that strengthens your professional profile.

This is more than a boot camp. It is a career-shifting experience.

And the best part?
You no longer need to travel across the world to access a global-standard M&E learning experience, we are bringing it closer to the region.

💥 Limited physical slots available
💥 Early confirmation attracts discounts up to 17%
💥 High-impact networking opportunities await

The future of evidence, accountability, and impact is gathering.

Will you be in the room?

RSVP now:
https://t.co/yehSpPS9fj

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

Follow the M&E Bench channel on WhatsApp:

https://t.co/iaD3Gvy9Nf

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

The 2026 Impact Rising Fellows are stepping onto the global stage!

For the very first time, the Fellows will be hosting the highly anticipated 16th M&E O’clock Session, bringing fresh perspectives, bold conversations, and practical reflections from the next generation of Monitoring & Evaluation leaders.

Topic: Why Projects Fail Even with Good Funding: The M&E Mistakes Nobody Talks About

Too often, projects receive significant funding yet still struggle with sustainability, accountability, learning, and real impact.

This session will uncover the hidden M&E gaps that quietly affect project success. The mistakes many organizations rarely discuss openly.

Join us as the Impact Rising Fellows lead a Global learning conversation on strengthening accountability, evidence use, and project effectiveness.

📅 Date: Friday, 12th June 2026
⏰ Time: 12:00 PM – 1:30 PM (GMT)
📍 Venue: Virtual

Please register in advance to attend this session - https://t.co/071THfNAKn

This is how impact rises

#ImpactRisingFellows
#GlobalImpact
#MEBench
#EvaluationLeadership
#SystemsChange
#DisruptMEL

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

CELEBRATING IMPACT IN ACTION!

We are excited to recognize the Top 3 performers from the first month of the 2026 Impact Rising Fellows Program under M&E Bench!

🥇 Esther Guto – 59 Points
🥈 Mackyline Nasasira – 57 Points
🥉 Allan Mugume – 57 Points

These outstanding fellows have demonstrated exceptional commitment, active participation, leadership, innovation, and real-world application of Monitoring & Evaluation principles within the M&E Bench ecosystem.

The Impact Rising Fellows Program is not just about learning M&E, it is about APPLYING it to create measurable change, influence communities, and strengthen accountability and impact across sectors.

Through our Impact Points System (IPS), fellows earn recognition through various attributes.

This is how impact rises

#ImpactRisingFellows
#GlobalImpact
#MEBench
#EvaluationLeadership
#SystemsChange
#DisruptMEL

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

Some of the best learning does not happen in classrooms. It happens during physical conversations, shared experiences, honest reflections, and communities willing to grow together.

The M&E Bench Lounge Series is creating exactly that kind of space.

Session 006 is another opportunity to engage with passionate minds in M&E, exchange practical ideas, build meaningful networks, and strengthen the culture of learning and accountability across our ecosystem.

If you believe M&E should be practical, collaborative, and transformative, then this space was created with you in mind.

We look forward to hosting you from 6:00pm to 8:30pm for another powerful Kampala - Uganda evening edition of connection and insight.

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

The secretariat has started issuing invitation letters for the International Summer Break M&E Boot Camp - Nairobi, Kenya Edition!!

If you plan to join us for this amazing M&E Boot Camp experience, please reach out in our inbox.

We'll be sure to respond with your personalized invitation letter :)

Looking forward to seeing you all in Nairobi, Kenya
💃💃💃💃💃💃💃💃

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

Data should not only help us explain the past, but it should also help us improve the future.

This was the focus in our latest M&E Bench Institutional Strengthening Session on Data for Learning & Adaptive Management.

We challenged @bloodwater partners from #Malawi, #Uganda, #Kenya, #Tanzania, and #Ethiopia to move beyond compliance and reporting, and instead use data as a tool for reflection, learning, adaptation, and stronger decision-making.

Through practical discussions and real-life #WASH & #HIV/AIDS program examples, participants explored how strong institutions:
- discuss data routinely
- encourage honest reflection
- adjust implementation early
- document lessons
- involve teams in decision-making

Because stronger learning systems lead to stronger programs and better impact for communities.

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

Thank you for Making M&E O’Clock Series 015 a Success!

What an insightful and thought-provoking session it was.

Our conversation on “Data, Ethics & Power: Rethinking Responsible M&E in the Digital Age” brought together a vibrant global community of practitioners, learners, researchers, and development professionals committed to shaping more ethical and responsible M&E systems.

From the engaging discussions to the powerful reflections shared by our speaker, the session reminded us that:
- Data is not just about numbers, it is about people, trust, dignity, and accountability.
- Ethical M&E should ultimately improve the quality of life of the communities we serve.
- The digital age is here, and we must continue learning, adapting, and engaging responsibly.

Thank you to everyone who attended, contributed, asked questions, and shared feedback. Your engagement is what makes the M&E Bench community truly impactful.

Together, we continue to build a stronger, more reflective, and future-ready M&E ecosystem.

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

As Uganda Evaluation Week 2025 comes to a close, we are deeply honored and grateful to have had the opportunity to present the global contribution of M&E Bench toward strengthening Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL) capacity.

Our presentation, titled: “Innovating, Including, and Scaling MERL Capacity: How M&E Bench is Re-shaping MERL Capacity” was warmly received, and we are excited by the meaningful conversations, new connections, and promising collaborations already emerging from the engagement.

In a room filled with evaluators, practitioners, researchers, policymakers, and development actors from Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Somalia, South Africa, and beyond, it was inspiring to witness firsthand the growing recognition of practical, inclusive, and ecosystem-driven approaches to MERL capacity strengthening.

We shared how the M&E Bench model is demonstrating that:
- MERL learning can be practice-based and globally connected
- Digital ecosystems can democratize access to knowledge and mentorship
- Cross-country and cross-sector collaboration can strengthen evidence use
- Global South-led innovations can offer scalable solutions for institutional learning and accountability

It was particularly encouraging to have colleagues and witnesses from South Africa and other countries already familiar with the growing impact and reach of M&E Bench in the room.

As we continue building bridges across generations, sectors, and countries, we remain committed to transforming evidence into action and strengthening communities of learning that create real-world impact.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Uganda Evaluation Association on celebrating 25 years of advancing evaluation practice and for organizing such an impactful and inspiring Evaluation Week.

Thank you for creating a platform that continues to shape the future of evidence, accountability, learning, and development across Africa and beyond.

The future of MERL is collaborative, inclusive, and globally connected.

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

🎙️ Meet Today’s Speaker | M&E O’Clock

Today, we are honored to host Hillary Muhanguzi, PhD, Principal Statistician – Economic Surveys and Censuses at the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, for an important conversation on:
“Data, Ethics & Power: Rethinking Responsible M&E in the Digital Age.”

At a time when organizations are generating and relying on more data than ever before, conversations around credibility, ethics, governance, and responsible data use have become central to the future of M&E.

With deep expertise in statistics, surveys, censuses, and evidence systems, today’s speaker brings a valuable perspective on the intersection between data integrity, decision-making, accountability, and public trust in an increasingly digital world.

As M&E continues to evolve alongside technology and AI, this session promises to challenge how we think about data, not just as numbers, but as power, responsibility, and influence.

📅 TODAY (Friday 8th May 2026)
⏰ 12:00 PM (GMT)
🌍 Virtual
https://t.co/ZQk2BcSrXw

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

The digital age is transforming how Monitoring & Evaluation is done.

From mobile data collection and cloud-based systems to AI-supported analysis and real-time reporting.

M&E is becoming more powerful than ever before.

But with this transformation comes important questions:
- Are we collecting data responsibly?
- Are communities adequately protected?
- Who controls the data, and who benefits from it?
- Are ethics keeping pace with innovation?

Our upcoming M&E O’Clock session, “Data, Ethics & Power: Rethinking Responsible M&E in the Digital Age,” will unpack these critical issues and explore what responsible, people-centered M&E should look like today.

This is more than a technical discussion, It’s a conversation about trust, accountability, dignity, and the future of evidence systems.

📅 Friday, 8th May 2026
⏰ 12:00 PM (GMT)
🌍 Virtual

Join the conversation
https://t.co/ZQk2BcSrXw

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

Evidence is evolving. MERL capacity must evolve too

We are excited to announce that M&E Bench will be participating in Uganda Evaluation Week 2026 by @ugandaeval - with a powerful session exploring how innovative, inclusive, and scalable ecosystems can transform the future of Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL).
🎤 Presentation Topic: “Innovating, Including, and Scaling MERL Capacity: How M&E Bench is Re-shaping MERL Capacity for transformative development”

Across Africa and the Global South, institutions are increasingly expected to demonstrate impact, accountability, learning, and evidence-informed decision-making. Yet many professionals still face limited access to practical, collaborative, and context-responsive MERL learning opportunities.

At M&E Bench, we believe the future of MERL is:
- Practice-based
- Digitally connected
- Inclusive
- Cross-generational
- Globally collaborative

Join us as we share lessons, innovations, and emerging impact from a rapidly growing Global South–led MERL movement.

📍 Uganda Evaluation Week 2026
🤝 Let’s shape the future of evidence together.

[M&E Bench @evaluationbench]

Names carry identity.
Names shape culture.
Names inspire purpose.

The M&E Bench Impact Rising Fellows officially unveiled the identities of their Pods.

Powerful communities of learning, collaboration, innovation, and transformation.

Meet the Pods:
🛡️ Impact Champions
Blueprinting change and leading with purpose.
🏗️ Impact Architects
Designing sustainable solutions for lasting impact.
🔍 Impact Lens
Seeing deeper, questioning better, driving clarity.
📊 Data Enthusiasts
Turning data into insight and insight into action.

These are more than names. They are identities. They are missions. They are a reflection of the future of Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Accountability.

Across countries, sectors, and generations, our 2026 Fellows are rising together, united by one purpose:

Measuring what matters and changing what matters.

The movement is growing and the future is collaborative.

The impact is rising.

#ImpactRisingFellows
#GlobalImpact
#MEBench
#EvaluationLeadership
#SystemsChange
#DisruptMEL