Lara Carruthers is a social development researcher and evaluator with extensive experience in consulting, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and academic settings. Over the past eight years, Lara has contributed to evaluations and research projects across various sectors, including disability and inclusion, child protection, key populations and harm reduction, SRHR and HIV programming, health, education, livelihoods, and leadership development. While her interests span multiple areas, she is particularly passionate about disability issues and online safety.
Lara holds an MPhil in Programme Evaluation from the Department of Management Studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT), a Bachelor of Social Policy and Management Honours from UCT, and a Bachelor of Arts from UCT.
She is an advocate for qualitative methodologies, appreciating the opportunity they provide to learn from diverse experiences. Lara also has expertise in quantitative evaluation methodologies, particularly partial economic evaluation. With a blend of technical proficiency, empathy, and a strong commitment to social justice, Lara excels in her role as a social development researcher and evaluator.
Notable Projects:
- Evaluator for Hybrid Formative–Summative Evaluation of the Ford Foundation Social Justice Bond Grant (2019–2025) – Current
- Lead coordinator and Evaluator for UNICEF – the Evaluation of the Safe Online Funded Programme on a Systematic Approach in Making the Internet Safe for Children in South Africa (2024 – current)
- Lead coordinator and Evaluator for the Realist evaluation of the DeafKidz Defenders programme funded by Safe Online (2024-2025)
- Evaluator and coordinator for the End-Term Evaluation of the Love Alliance Advocacy Partnerships for the Love Alliance and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Netherlands, (March 2025-February 2026)
- Evaluator and Lead Coordinator for the Evaluation of the “Documentary Film Screenings to Promote Social Dialogue” project supported by the Deutsche Welle Akademie (2024- current)
- Evaluator and Lead Coordinator for the Rapid end-of-project evaluation of MIET Africa’s FutureLife-Now! programme implemented in six Southern African countries. The project was implemented by MIET Africa and SADC and supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (2024)