As we prepare for release of our triennial Impact Report, we reflect on its importance
If Plant With Purpose’s work were a tree, monitoring and evaluation would be the sunlight that guides its growth — not seen from afar, but essential for life to flourish.
Plant With Purpose operates with intention, not assumption. We plant trees, launch Purpose Groups, strengthen savings and loan systems, introduce regenerative farming, and teach spiritual formation — but the real value lies in understanding how those actions transform lives. That’s where strong monitoring and evaluation come in: they take us beyond the outputs (like numbers of trees planted or trainings delivered) to the outcomes — deeper insights into how lives and landscapes are actually changing.
Every three years, the work of regular monitoring culminates in a comprehensive impact evaluation, a rigorous and thoughtful review that helps us track progress, evaluate effectiveness, and refine our approach.
Seeing More Than Numbers
Plant With Purpose’s model rests on three pillars — environmental restoration, economic empowerment, and spiritual renewal — and our evaluations reflect each of these dimensions:
- Are families improving the soil and planting trees?
- Are farmers adopting new techniques that strengthen productivity and resilience?
- Are Purpose Group members gaining financial security and sharing faith perspectives that shape daily life?
Sometimes the results align with expectations — and often, they exceed them. But careful evaluation avoids guesswork by using a counterfactual, comparing areas where we work to similar neighboring regions where we don’t yet operate. This approach helps us understand whether changes are truly linked to our program — not just coincidence or broader regional trends.
Learning From the First Evaluations
Our first impact evaluation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) demonstrated the power of this approach. In the Kakumba watershed, we saw significant reductions in poverty: families were eating more meals, more children were in school, and more families were saving money. Meanwhile, comparison communities experienced stagnation or decline during the same period. These results affirmed that the changes weren’t just fortunate circumstances — they were evidence of what communities can achieve when supported in holistic ways.
The evaluation also shaped where we expanded next. A later evaluation in the Dominican Republic revealed that two regions had very different conditions — and that the border region needed more concentrated investment. Thanks to this evidence, we shifted our resources strategically and expanded where the need was greatest.
Real Voices: What Transformation Looks Like
Impact evaluation brings data, but personal stories bring it to life. Here are reflections from participants in Burundi:
*“Thanks to the savings and loan activities in the Purpose Group, I was able to buy a Sahiwal heifer. She is helping us as she increases our organic manure. As far as my relationship with God is concerned, I'm excited to read Bible verses and pray every day before starting my savings and loans activities. I can testify that my life has been transformed: my behavior and respect for the environment! Even though I was a church member for a long time, I didn't know the value of respecting God's creation. Especially the environment when I do my Burundi farming practice. Things have changed for the better ever since participating in Plant With Purpose’s Theology of Work and Seeds of Change training.” —*Josaias, Burundi
Josaias’s story reflects more than financial gain — it’s a transformation of heart, behavior, and stewardship. His investment in a heifer not only enhances soil fertility through organic manure, it connects his faith with his daily work.
Another participant shares:
*“Today, I no longer work just for my own food, but also so I can bring vegetables to the market. My children have no challenges eating three times a day and paying for their school fees. They are well dressed. I’ve seen how my life can change thanks to these new practices. My children are active participants. They are enthusiastic about the application of farming techniques. They help with the watering, weeding, and mulching. They also help create the animal feed.” —Veriane, Burundi
Veriane’s testimony shows how changes in agricultural practice ripple through a household — from food security to education and family participation.
And from another Purpose Group:
*“To overcome big environmental problems like unhealthy soil, deforestation, or climate change, we must plant more trees to reduce erosion. Tree planting is one of the most powerful tools available. Each tree serves multiple purposes: it restores soil fertility, provides shade for crops, prevents water loss, and offers a sustainable source of fruit or timber. Through Plant With Purpose, farmers in my community are learning techniques to restore the land — using organic fertilizers, rotating crops, and practicing agroforestry (planting trees alongside crops). These solutions don’t just help one farmer — they transform entire communities.” —Natacha
Natacha’s words remind us: transformation begins with the land and radiates outward to community wellbeing. This is exactly what monitoring and evaluation help us understand — not just isolated success, but collective, sustained progress.
Evaluation Isn't Just About Success
Impact evaluation doesn’t exist to reinforce pride — it exists to reveal truth.
Sometimes results are not what we expected. In one region, we found that although we were training farmers in regenerative practices, the adoption of those techniques was lower than hoped. Rather than ignoring it, we used that insight as an opportunity to partner more deeply with local leaders. We asked why — and together we created a refined plan. Three years later, a follow-up evaluation showed remarkable increases in the use of composting, reduced tillage, and organic manure.
That’s the power of evaluation: it shines light on what’s working and what needs improvement. It inspires meaningful conversations, strengthens collaboration with local partners, and guides strategic decisions for future programming.
At Plant With Purpose, we are committed to creating a culture that values learning as much as doing. This means:
- collecting rigorous data
- celebrating wins with humility
- acknowledging where we fall short
- partnering with local leaders to understand results in context
- refining approaches based on evidence
- and staying open to new ways of working that better serve communities
Our impact evaluations help us build stronger programs — programs that work in harmony with local priorities, environmental realities, and economic systems that sustain families long after we depart.
To measure impact is to honor the people behind the data — the farmers, Purpose Group members, parents, children, pastors, and local leaders whose lives intersect with our work. Their stories, when grounded in careful evaluation, become compelling evidence of change, not just compelling anecdotes.
As we prepare to release our next triennial Impact Report, we do so with gratitude — for the lessons learned, for the partnerships deepened, and for the way data supports both truth and hope.
We measure impact not because it is easy, but because it matters. It matters to the communities we serve. It matters to our supporters around the world. And most of all, it matters to the people whose lives are touched when transformation takes root, and grows strong.
