FDM undertook Reality Check Approach (RCA) for the DFID funded Integrated Programme for Strengthening Security and Justice (IP-SSJ) to inform IP-SSJ programming in earthquake-affected areas. Reality Check Approach (RCA) is a unique research tool that FDM has adopted to collect qualitative data. The concept is based on the principles of ethnography but it unlike ethnographic research, it has been adapted to development projects to make it shorter and more concise. As with any ethnographic research, RCA requires researchers to stay in the natural habitat of the research subject by living with them for certain number of days throughout which they engage in information conversation and observations to gather in-depth finding. RCA helps capture people centric data and has been helpful in capturing unmeasured and dynamic everyday experiences, awareness and aspirations of people. As a part of the project, a series of RCAs were conducted in Gorkha, Dhading and Kathmandu. As a secondary benefit, it also intended to inform future DFID-Nepal programming in earthquake-affected areas, as well as related to the wider earthquake response and recovery. During the study, researchers spent several days living in local communities to take part in and observe people’s daily lives with the main idea of having a detailed conversation and intense interactions with the community. This gave the researchers the time to understand and contextualize their opinions, experiences and perspectives.

Donor: DFID

Study area: Gorkha, Dhading and Kathmandu

Tools: RCA approach

Duration: May 2016 – Dec 2018