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Contribution short abstract

My presentation interrogates why dominant development metrics fail African youth-led organizations. Using TEDx-style storytelling and "counter-metrics" from Nigeria, Kenya, and Malawi, I deconstruct traditional logframes to center relational agency, power shifts, and the human cost of social impact.

Contribution long abstract

For too long, the story of development in Africa has been told through the rigid language of results-based management, burn rates, and pre-defined performance indicators. While these frameworks satisfy the accountability and compliance requirements of funders, they often fail to capture the visceral reality of systemic social change. This creative presentation interrogates the disconnect between project success and the actual survival and agency of youth-led organizations across Nigeria, Kenya, and Malawi.

Moving beyond quantitative outputs, I examine the affective and intangible elements ignored by standard Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) systems. I contrast traditional Western metrics with necessary local counter-metrics grounded in the realities of African rightsholders, shifting the focus from number of participants to growth in relational agency, and from policy briefs to measurable shifts in power. I also highlight the human cost of administrative compliance, specifically the psychological toll on young African leaders forced to fit radical visions into narrow logframes.

To mirror the participatory and relational evaluation I advocate for, this session adopts a TEDx-style narrative format. Rejecting "death by PowerPoint," the delivery uses storytelling as data, integrating visuals and audio clips from frontline actors to reveal human stories beneath social impact success stories and center the voices of youth leaders. This immersive experience challenges the development sector to redesign indicators for change that respect local expertise and account for the true cost of transformation.