EXPREESION OF INTEREST TO CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY CONSULTANT TERMS OF REFERENCE

Thandizani Integrated Health and Community Development Programmes is in the process to implement a new project in communities of Lundazi, Lumezi and Chasefu Districts between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2029. A proposal for this project will be submitted to Kindernothilfe of Germany. In order to ensure a relevant, effective, efficient, coherent, sustainable, and impactful project, the Principal will commission a feasibility study. These Terms of Reference (TOR) explain the purpose of the study, required qualifications, experience, and references for the consultant, and the deliverables are as wriiten this document

ORGANISATIONAL BACKGROUND

Thandizani has been working to improve the quality of life of children, youths, and women in Ludanzi since 1999. Thandizani Health and Community Development Programmes ( Thandizani) is a not for-profit making non-governmental organization with a registered office in Lundazi.  The organization has been in existence in Zambia since 1999, registered under the Registration Act Cap 119 and has since then been involved in significant and high profile activities meant to mitigate the impact of HIV and AIDS.  Our vision is a society free from poverty and injustice. Our mission is to effectively contibute to poverty reduction and end injustice among vulnerable and marginalised women, children and youths. We do this by using hands-on participatory development strategies as well as developing strong and long-term partnerships with donors, like minded organisations and supporters. Thandizani also  lobbies policy makers for pro-poor policies whose implementation  empowers citizens to claim their developmental related rights.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROJECT

The new project; Promotion of Children’s Well Being In Climate Smart Communities will be funded by Kindernothilfe (KNH), a major German child‘s rights organisation.

About Kindernothilfe

Since its foundation in 1959, KNH has been committed to the recognition of children and young people in situations of poverty and marginalisation as subjects of rights.  Kindernothilfe implements awareness raising, education and advocacy projects in line with development policies. The projects contribute to the realization of children’s rights through the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. Over the past ten years, Kindernothilfe has focused on promoting the Child-rights based approach (CRA) in order to change children’s lives for the better in the long term.

Kindernohilfe’s partnership with Thandizani stems 17 years back. Thandizani has worked with Kindernothilfe on the following projects: Self Help Group Approach, Child Support Project and OVC Care and Support. Others include Promoting and Strengthening child protection and participation in Lundazi, Lumezi and Chasefu.

The primary goal of the project is to support child-centred community development and innovative mitigation actions towards a safe environment. Thandizani believes  that to address issues of child rights violations gender issues and  extends further to encompass  climate risk management;it therefore provides an important answer to the current calls for climate action.

Children represent 53.4 % of the Zambia‘s population. They have the right to live in a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. They have a right to attend school, have access to nutritious food and clean water, enjoy good health and development, and grow and play in a safe world.  Yet the climate crisis poses a threat to the realisation of children’s rights. In the targeted districts of eastern province of Zambia, there is widespread deforestation caused by poor farming practices, cutting down of trees to satisfy domestic fuel and to raise income for families.  As a result of the devastating effects of climate change, there is additional work load for children, especially girls and women who now have to walk long distances to fetch water and firewood.  The children drop out of school, get pregnant early and married off early. Furthermore, most families are food insecure.  In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and other relevant authorities, communities will be supported to engage in climate smart agriculture, afforestation to protect the environment as well as for monitonisation to improve household livelihoods. The project will promote energy-saving small technologies to meet the household fuel needs to preserve the environment and reduce the work burden on girls and women.  Training will be given to communities on disaster risk reduction and food preservation to ensure food security and good nutrition for families with children. Through Self Help Groups, structured community conversations and established structures such as the District Child Protection Committees, the project will raise awareness on children’s rights among communities, child-focused organisations and duty bearers. Through these engagements, awareness will be created on relevant policies and laws that protect children such as the Children’s Code Act.  Children have capacity to be change makers. Therefore, children groups will be established and strengthened within the communities to build their knowledge and confidence on their rights.  Through these groups, parent-child dialogues will be encouraged to allow children have a say in issues affecting them in their families and the community at large. The project will collaborate with the Ministry of Education to establish and strengthen child rights clubs and student councils which will be avenues for children to learn about their rights and claim them from duty bearers.  The school clubs will further be used to encourage child participation in developing climate change solutions in their schools such as planting trees through the school production units.  Gender and HIV will be form part of the conversations in the community and school-based child clubs.

Thematic areas of the project:

• Promotion of children’s right
• Climate change resilence and adaption
• Child participation

Expected Duration of the Project: 5 years

Planned project site(s): Lundazi, Lumezi And Chasefu Districts in Eastern Province

Brief description of the main components and strategies

• Awareness creation on the children’s rights as contained in various policies and laws e.g. the Children’s Code Act of 2022 which recognizes the roles actors play in a child’s life.
• Addressing climate change through climate smart agriculture, disaster risk reduction, and afforestation.
• Create awareness on empowering children and their families and  mainstream HIV, gender and disability at all levels
• Social, Economic, and Political empowerment of women and their households through the Self Help Group Approach. Materials on this concept including the theroritcial framework and  facilitation tools are already being used by Thandizani. The feasibility study will therefore provide recomendations for more effective utilization of this approach to achieve the desired impact.

DESCRIPTION OF THE TARGET GROUP(S) AND THE MAIN ACTORS INVOLVED

The project will directly target children and youth through children’s groups and youth groups respectly, and women through the self help groups together with members of their households.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

• To analyze the current local response structures & services in the target catchment areas to address the needs of the target groups (incl. existing gaps) and to identify the type of interventions and services most needed (and feasible) in the coming years, regarding the socio-economic strengthening of vulnerable target groups.
• Examine the exisiting stakeholders involved regarding their capacity and readiness to actively support the project’s objectives.
• Identify barriers and risks that could potentially impact on the results proposed
• Assess the appropriateness of Thandizani’s current approaches and methodologies to ensure maximum impact and  sustainability of the project

METHODOLOGY

The consultant will be expected to use a mixed methodology (quantitative and qualitative) based on the following aspects : –

• the choice of a participatory approach
• the choice and development of appropriate methods and instruments for data collection and analysis
• involvement of stakeholders and duty bearers

The feasibility study will have a maximum duration of 15 weeks, starting from the planned start date of the study and will be carried out in three main phases : a review of the available documents, the field data collection phase, data analysis and report preparation.

KEY DELIVERABLES OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The services to be carried out as part of the outlined project consist of the following assignments:

Desk study – to familiarize with reports and literature relevant to the assignment, including a preparatory meeting with Thandizani
Fieldwork – to be conducted in Lundazi, Lumezi and Chasefu in eastern province
Follow-up workshop – to share findings and recommendations and jointly discuss if and how to integrate them into the project planning. The consultant will moderate the workshop with  representatives from the three (3) targeted districts from Thandizani and local project partners
Draft report – to be discussed by Thandizani and local partners
Final Report

CONSULTANCY DELIVERABLES

In carrying out the study, the following documents should be submitted:

• An inception report containing detailed information on methodology, sample size and selection, timing and logistics.). These should be agreed with KNH and Thandizani Integrated Health and Community Development Programmes.
• A draft study report to be submitted for review and feedback
• A finalized study report in which the observations of KNH and Thandizani Integrated Health and Community Development Progamme have been taken into account and integrated in the final report  within five (5) to ten (10) working days after feedback from KNH and Thandizani Integrated Health and Community Development Progammes.

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CONSULTAN

• Individuals and teams of experts can apply to carry out the study. They must meet the following requirements:Have an academic background in a field of work relevant to development. Proof of education (university degree in a relevant subject)
• Have 5 years’ experience in carrying out feasibility studies, baseline studies, evaluations or other relevant studies.
• Proven expertise in the relevant areas of work of the proposed project. At least 5 years of expertise to carry out qualitative analysis related to the topic of this procurement
• A very good knowledge of the national context. In-country experience in Zambia at least 5 years or at least 3 project/consultancies carried out in the past 10 years
• Experience in planning projects based on human/child rights, Climate smart agriculture, Self Help Groups Approach
• Fluent in Tumbuka for direct communication with target group representatives and stakeholders

METHOD OF PAYMENT

30% of the agreed fee after conclusion of the contract

30% after acceptance of the first draft of the study report

40% after acceptance of the final version of the report

In justified cases, an alternative payment method may be agreed.

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

Interested consultants are requested to send relevant documents electronically to the following contact address. The contact person is also available to answer questions at the e-mail address indicated.  Geoffrey Chikunjiko; [0977179488]; thandizaniorganisation@yahoo.co.za, chikunjiko@yhoo.co.uk

The file must include the following documents:

• A letter  expressing interest to conduct the study, an updated curriculum vitae of the Lead Consultant and key professionals who will be part of the assignment and a list of references of similar assignments.
• The Expression of Interest must indicate the methodology envisaged,  a workplan indicating the number of working days  level of effort for each research team member, the daily fees with the foreseen ancillary costs as well as any applicable taxes and duties.
• An execution plan in form of a Gatt Chart
• The deadline for submission of the Expression of Interest is [28/12/2023.

The decision on the selection of the consultant and the signing of the contract is scheduled for the period from 1/1.2024 to 15/1/2024.

TIMELINE

• Tender until 28/12/2023
• Selection of shortlisted candidate and awarding of contracts until 15/01/2024
• Preparatory meeting with Thandizani until 25/01/2024
• Field work phase 1/02/ – 07/02/2024
• Submission of draft report until 14/02/202
• Submission of final version approved by Thandizani 28/02/2024