Measuring What Matters: How MEL Changed the Direction of Milaan & Girl Icon Program

In our last article, we explored the true meaning of scale — what it entails, what to consider, and what doesn’t qualify as scaling. 

This time, let’s dive into an aspect that breathes life into ‘scale’:

Measurement.

When we define scale, an equally important question follows: 

How do we measure it? What exactly should we track? Should we focus on inputs — the activities we implement on the ground? Or should we measure impact? Or both? More importantly, how do we establish the correlation between these aspects?

Measurement provides a canvas to reflect on impact. 

It forces us to ask fundamental questions: 

What are we truly trying to achieve? Are we on a path that leads to meaningful change– our North Star? 

In the social sector, working in complex environments can sometimes be overwhelming. We get absorbed in ground-level challenges — mobilizing girls, convincing parents to send them to school, preventing child marriages — that we may lose sight of our North Star.

But how do we define that North Star in simple terms so that everyone in our ecosystem — from program participants to community members — can understand it? 

I often think of the famous NASA janitor story. When asked about his job, the janitor replied, 

"I am helping put a man on the moon." 

This clarity of purpose is vital. Whether someone is leading a team or handling operational tasks, they should see how their role contributes to the bigger picture. And our roles and goals crystallize only when we clarify our purpose and outcomes. 

Many grassroots organizations struggle to establish Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems. At Milaan, for nearly a decade, we saw MEL as something large donor agencies, research institutions, and consulting firms prioritized—not something a grassroots organization like ours could afford. 

When resources are limited, the question arises: 

Should we invest in monitoring and evaluation, or should we use that money for direct programmatic activities such as supporting a girl’s school fee enabling her to continue her education?

However, as we scaled our programs, we realized we couldn’t escape this need. 

Without measurement, how could we ensure quality? 

How could we assess whether our programs were truly impactful? 

In a constantly evolving environment where adolescent girls face shifting social barriers, how do we ensure we are moving in the right direction? 

Scaling isn’t just about reaching more people; it’s about deepening impact and ensuring every intervention is meaningful.

When we set ambitious goals, like working with 100,000 girls, we have to step back and ask both some macro level questions such as -

Are we actually making a difference?; along with many micro level ones such as Is our training sessions effective? Are the smartphones we provide enabling learning beyond Zoom sessions? 

These are tough questions, but they need answers.

At Milaan, our MEL journey took a leap forward when we received support from Edelgive Foundation to build our monitoring and evaluation framework. The indicators we initially tracked (leadership, confidence, self-esteem) later evolved to include education completion, delayed child marriage, and reproductive health awareness.

In 2023, we partnered with IDinsight to develop a structured MEL framework, thanks to an organizational development grant from Echidna Giving. This allowed us to build a dedicated MEL vertical, hire the right people, invest in technology, and strengthen our capacity.

And as a result, our internal conversations have changed. 

Teams now ask: 

What percentage of girls attend training? 

What percentage report applying what they learned? 

How many girls are enrolled back to school by the Girl Icons? 

For grassroots organizations like ours, MEL can feel like a luxury. But it’s not. It’s essential. It tells us not just what to do more of, but also what not to do. 

Some donors push for it, while others don’t fund it. But MEL should not be about donor requirements; it should be about accountability to the communities we serve. It brings transparency, asks difficult but necessary questions, and ensures we stay true to our mission.

_________________________________________

The takeaway? Measure what matters.

It’s the only way to know if we are truly making a difference.