1.0 Save the Children in Kenya Save the Children has been managing programmes in Kenya for over 20 years. Save the Children’s strategy for Kenya, and in particular for the pastoral areas of the counry, is linked to the organizational goals for ensuring that all children have access to quality basic services – health, education, protection and social welfare. Our programme in Kenya is linked to this goal through the improvement of and access to health facilities, the protection and improvement of the nutritional status of beneficiaries, and improved food security and livelihoods of beneficiaries through community management structures and social protection. In line with this strategy, Save the Children has been one of the leading International NGO’s responding to emergencies in Kenya. However the organisation is also committed to addressing the root causes of malnutrition and poverty that compromise children’s rights to survival and development.
2.0 The Project The project “Using Food Aid to Stimulate Markets” is being implemented by a consortium of NGOs, namely Save the Children UK, Oxfam GB, and local NGOs ALDEF and WASDA, and is carried out in the Wajir and Turkana districts.
The design of this project was based on a couple of interventions successfully piloted by Oxfam and Save the Children UK on the use of vouchers for the distribution of GFD and meat and milk. Through funding from the European Union, the project implements a new way to delivery food aid using a voucher system and engaging small local traders as well as local food producers. This is 18-month initiative with a cost of over EUR 4.5 million.
Project Details
Overall objective. To stimulate market function and food production benefiting local agricultural producers, traders and consumers in marginal pastoral areas Specific objective. To increase the incomes of local food producers and traders and the food security of consumers through the (part) local purchase and distribution of food aid through local markets
Areas of operation Northern Kenya: Wajir (East and South) and Turkana (North and West)
Expected Results Result 1: Increased income for target trader and producer households through increased trade, market linkages and food production Result 2: Diet quality (diversity, balance, frequency) for vulnerable household members in the target population is improved Result 3: An increase in the quality and quantity of local food products available in local markets Result 4: Reduced seasonal variations in cost and availability of local food products Result 5: Evidence generated by the project used to influence local and national food security policy and practice
2.1 Project Activities Activity 1 - Distribution of the general food ration to targeted households through local markets via a voucher system The project originally targeted 54,000 food aid beneficiaries (24,000 in Wajir and 30,000 in Turkana) to receive their monthly GFD ration via vouchers which they redeem with local traders in selected market centres. Traders have been reimbursed at a rate of KSh 2 per kg of food commodity distributed. In the month of July the total number of people receiving GFD vouchers increased from 54,000 to 79,000 due to the addition of 25,000 additional beneficiaries in Turkana. The table below indicates the number of market centres and beneficiaries involved in this activity.
Activity 2 - Substitution of part of food ration with locally produced food products sourced from local producers and supplied via a voucher system The project substituted the pulses in the standard GFD ration with locally-purchased commodities which are distributed through local traders via vouchers. At the beginning of the project a total of 12,000 people in Wajir received vouchers for meat and milk whilst 750 received vouchers for dry fish in Turkana. By July 2011, these numbers were scaled up to 24,000 and 3,000 for Wajir and Turkana respectively.
Activity 3 - Support to local agricultural producers and traders to improve the quality and quantity of protein rich foods on local markets. The project has supported local livestock producers and fishermen to increase both the quality and quantity of the milk, meat and fish sold through local market outlets. In Turkana, the project has trained 60 local traders and 400 fish producers on the hygienic production of quality fillets, whilst in Wajir, 151 meat traders (butchers) and 151 milk traders were trained on hygienic handling of their product as well as in business management. With the support of VSF-S 3,500 producers in Wajir were also trained on improved milk production practices. Traders have also received basic equipment to facilitate the adoption of improved practices and to comply with public health requirements. Thus, fish traders received solar driers, knives, gum boots and packaging bags; milk traders were given milk cans and scoops; and meat traders got knives, aprons, gum boots and buckets. The project also built basic slaughtering facilities in Wajir to support the local meat trade.
Activity 4 - Action research produced for learning and advocacy A comprehensive monitoring framework has been established to monitor the quantitative impacts of the project. Project findings have been documented and shared with key stakeholders. Project findings, including the quantitative data collected from this project, have been used to feed into wider debates on key issues such as food aid, pastoral productivity and chronic malnutrition levels.
3.0 Purpose of the Evaluation The evaluation is required to examine the extent to which the project satisfactorily achieved the five expected results as well as the impact outlined in the specific objective.
Specific objectives Specifically the evaluation should determine the following:
- The extent to which the four activities outlined in the proposal were satisfactorily completed.
- The extent which the five expected results have been achieved and their contribution to programme objectives.
- Review the project strategy and approach efficacy and recommend on aspects that will need to be revised in a future phase;
- Identify and document effects, achievement and short term impact emanating from the project activities; including unplanned for effects;
- Document key lessons learned with recommendations for future programme scale-up in other ASAL areas.
- Document key lessons and wider implications of advocacy activities as well as provide recommendations on how the project interventions can be mainstreamed into food security and food aid policies in Kenya.
Proposed Methodology Prospective consultants are encouraged to submit their proposed methodology to ensure the evaluation objectives are fully met, however at minimum it is expected the following will be undertaken: • Meet with EU ECFF officers to get insights on the project (including; EU’s assessment on partnership management, programme quality and impact, lesson learning for scale up); • Review of all supporting documents relating to the project (see document list below) • Meet with staff from SCUK and participating organizations (both in Nairobi and field level) to discuss programme implementation, emerging issues and lessons learned. • Meet finance staff from relevant organizations to assess budget expenditure as per the proposal and make an assessment of cost efficiency drawing from comparable projects elsewhere • Develop a checklist questionnaire to estimate how far all planned project activities were completed – documenting the reasons for any under or over achievement. • Review the Programme monitoring reports to assess whether they were comprehensively assessing progress and impact. • Incorporate the key lessons and findings documented by other assessments commissioned by the project. Specifically: o Value for Money assessment o Market impact assessment o Evaluation of the emergency intervention financed by OFDA for the scale-up of meat vouchers in Wajir o Accountability study conducted by Transparency International • Undertake a field visit to the project locations and undertake focus groups with all beneficiary groups i.e. o Voucher beneficiaries o Traders o Producers • Undertake visits , interviews or FGDs with a range of other stakeholders e.g. District Officials, other market traders, non-beneficiary producers, WFP, other NGOs etc • Preparation of a presentation on draft findings for presentation to key staff in SCUK and VSF-S • Submission of a draft report within one month of start date for comment and review by client • Present the findings in wider audience (implementing partners, EU, Government reps and other stakeholders);
Critical Issues to consider Specific issues that should be critically assessed by the consultant in the evaluation include:
Relevance and Appropriateness • Do results fit to needs before the intervention? • Are the approach and activities still relevant and valid in addressing the problems facing the target community? • What internal and external factors have influenced the ability of beneficiary groups and agencies implementing the project to meet projected targets?
• In particular consider the impact of the prolonged dry seasons / droughts during the implementation period.
Timeliness
• Has the program reached the expected number of beneficiaries within the expected time frame?
• Are the program’s activities in line with the schedule of activities as defined by the project team and annual action plans?
• Are the project expenditures in line with expected budgetary plans?
Effectiveness • How effective have the activities carried out been coordinated within the NGO consortium? • Have the participating NGOs collaborated to deliver an effective programme? • What has the performance been of Save the Children and other participating agencies with respect to the projected performance indicators?
• Has the beneficiaries access, availability and utilization of food improved as a result of the intervention?
Coherence and Connectedness • What were the linkages between the different elements of the livelihoods programme in building market linkages along the supply chain?
• Was there a coherent link between the beneficiary consumers, traders and producers? • Was there any consideration of linkages with other ongoing food security, nutrition or livelihoods programmes in the area e.g. GFD, HSNP programmes?
Efficiency • Does the investment in livelihoods by the project represent value for money?
• How efficient are vouchers as a modality compared to other mechanisms such as food aid or cash? • Were the means used to lead activities well optimized? • Were some means wasted during the implementation? Impact
• Are the quantifiable results of activities sustainable and to what extent?
• To what extent can the impacts seen be directly attributed to the programme activities? • Have there been any unplanned effects (positive or negative)?
Consultancy Period It is anticipated that consultancy shall be conducted and completed over a period of 30 days.
Accountabilities and Responsibilities The consultant shall report directly to SCUK’s Food Security and Livelihood Advisor.
Save the Children will provide: • Guidance throughout all phases of execution. • Logistic arrangements for all field travel • Approval of all deliverables including final sign offs for the purpose of making payments.
The consultant will be responsible for; • Conducting the evaluation. • Regular progress reporting to Save the Children’s evaluation Manager. • Development of the evaluation results. • Production of deliverables in accordance with contractual requirements.
Evaluation Process The evaluation will be carried out in conformity with the principles, standards and practices set out in the SCUK evaluation guide.
Evaluation Workplan The consultant will prepare an evaluation workplan to operationalize and direct the evaluation. The workplan will describe how the evaluation will be carried out, bringing refinements, specificity and elaboration to the terms of reference. It will be approved by SCUK evaluation manager and act as the agreement between the parties for how the evaluation will be conducted.
Field Mission The evaluation will include site visits to the project sites to consult the field personnel and project stakeholders and beneficiaries, and to collect information in accordance with the requirements stipulated in the evaluation workplan. The mission is expected to be no longer than 14 days in duration. SCUK personnel are to be briefed on arrival and before departure from the field.
Presentation of Initial Evaluation Findings The consultant will present initial findings and the outline of the evaluation to the core ECFF Consortium partners and donor representative in Nairobi before submission of the draft report.
Evaluation Report The consultant will prepare a draft and then final evaluation report.
Deliverables The consultant will prepare i) An evaluation workplan. ii) A draft evaluation report in accordance with standards identified in the SCUK evaluation guide. iii) A power point presentation for ECFF consortium partners iv) A final evaluation report of no more than 40 pages (excluding annexes)
These deliverables are to be: • Prepared in English only. • Submitted to SCUK electronically via email and/or electronic media storage devices. • Submitted in spinal bound hard copy format (5 Copies) All reports are to be submitted to the SCUK evaluation manager.
Evaluation Workplan Within two (2) days of receiving SCUK comments on the draft workplan, the consultant will produce a final evaluation workplan.
Draft Evaluation Report The consultant will submit a draft evaluation report for review by SCUK Within two (2) weeks of returning from the field mission. (Five copies in hard copy format are to be submitted).
Final Evaluation Report Within two weeks of receiving SCUK’s comments on the draft report, the consultant will submit a final evaluation report, including an evaluation executive summary. Five (5) copies in spiral bound hard copy format are to be submitted.
Qualifications and required competencies
The Consultant is expected to be: • An experienced developmental professional with extensive experience in the areas of food security and livelihoods. Ideally with specific experience of food security, social protection and food aid programming. • The consultant(s) will have demonstrable experience in conducting evaluations of significant food security or livelihoods programming. A proven record in delivering professional results. Proof to be provided. • Fluent in English and one or more of the following languages Kiswahili, Somali or Turkana. • Fully acquainted with project lifecycle management, • Experienced in the pastoral areas of Kenya.
Expressions of Interest Interested consultants should send the information listed below to jobskenya@scuk.or.keby October 21st, 2011 including; a) Brief Technical Proposal – outlining proposed approach in undertaking the assessment, days required and daily rate; b) 2 page CV (of consultant and any supporting team members) c) Examples of relevant previous experience and references; d) Work Plan
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