Final Evaluator – Mwingi Project in Kenya

Project: Mwingi Project
No of Jobs: One (01) Duty Station: Mwingi, Kenya

Overview of CTG Global CTG Global is a Personnel Management Service Company specialised in Recruitment, Management Consultancy, and Human Resources in countries experiencing or emerging from armed conflict, natural disasters, or acute social and economic crisis worldwide. CTG Global provides tailored personnel management support enabling a growing number of public and private sector agencies and individuals to achieve their objectives in complex and challenging environments. CTG Global clients currently comprise UN agencies, non-government organizations (NGOs), and different corporate organisations such as security companies.

Overview of the Position

BACKGROUND From around mid-2011 a drought, estimated to be the worst in 60 years, led to a widespread humanitarian crisis in the Horn of Africa. In response to the crisis the Australian Government created the “$ 4 $” initiative. This was a pledge to match every dollar raised privately by an Australian NGO for humanitarian action in the Horn of Africa with a dollar from the Australian Government (AusAID). Our client’s Australia office launched an appeal and, including matched funds received from AusAID, raised over $ 2 million Australian dollars. Partnerships were formed with our client’s Kenya and Somalia office to implement programs in response to the crisis. It is the program implemented in partnership with our client’s Kenya office which is the focus of this evaluation.

Our client’s Kenya and Australia office jointly visited Mwingi District in Kenya in September 2011 to conduct a needs assessment. Our client’s Kenya office was already operating in the area and a $ 4 $ project was jointly formulated to follow on from existing activities. It was subsequently allocated $ Aus 438,684.48 of funding and commenced operation in November 2011. The project was managed by our client’s Kenya office, with support and over-site provided by our client’s Australia office.

The project was initially designed to provide life-saving assistance to vulnerable drought-affected families through providing food for 1,800 people for seven months, providing nutritional Corn Soy Blend (CSB) for 300 children less than five years of age for seven months, and increasing access to safe and clean water for 800 households (HH) (around 4,800 people. In addition, an education program was designed to assist households, especially women with children under five years, in improving food preparation and nutrition, as well as in improving levels of sanitation.

In May 2012 a significant project underspend was identified. The project was subsequently modified to extend the food and CSB distributions from 7 to 11 months. Early recovery activities, which focussed on agricultural productivity, including distribution of drought tolerant seeds and farmer training, were also added and commenced in September 2012. Our client’s Kenya office is currently formulating a proposal for our client’s Australia office to extend the livelihoods component of the project by another two years, along with various other proposals to our clien’ts other offices which would extend the WASH and other components of the existing project.

Previous evaluations, monitoring, and other sources of information No formal evaluation of the project has been conducted. However, our client’s Australia staff member has made a number of informal monitoring visits to Mwingi. Various other staff from our client’s Kenya office and Regional staff have also made field visits over the life of the project. Our client’s Kenya office submits monthly narrative and financial reports to our client’s Australia office. A 6 monthly report was submitted to AusAID in July and an internal baseline survey was conducted at the beginning of the project.

General Functions

PURPOSE The evaluation should determine the following: 1. The degree to which the project has achieved meaningful and sustainable change for project beneficiaries and their communities 2. The degree to which the project has been implemented through good practice 3. Significant learnings and recommendations in relation to the project, with special reference to the fact that a two year funding extension for agriculture and livelihood activities is being considered

With regard to point two, good practice, the evaluator(s) should, as a minimum, consider how the below have been incorporated into the projects: • Participation: The extent to which the beneficiaries were supported and encouraged to participate in the different stages of the project cycle. • Gender: The extent to which gender issues were considered and both men and women were included in the planning and implementation of the projects. • Vulnerable Groups: The extent to which vulnerable groups were included in the planning and implementation of the projects. • Accountability to Beneficiaries: The extent to which mechanisms were in place and were effectively utilized to enable beneficiaries to provide feedback and hold the implementing agency accountable. • Environmental Impact: Any change, positive or negative, or anticipated future impact on the environment as a result of the project. • Local capacities: The extent to which the project identified and built upon local resources and capacities. • Reducing risk: The extent to which the project has contributed to increased capacity within communities to prepare, respond, and recover from future disasters.

In addition, the three main lines of enquiry outlined above should be pursued with consideration of, but not necessarily limited to, the below OECD-DAC informed criteria:

Relevance/appropriateness: Is the project in line with local needs and priorities (as well as donor policy)? Have humanitarian activities appropriately engaged the community in the project and encouraged local ownership and accountability?

Connectedness: Have activities of a short-term emergency nature been carried out in a way that takes longer-term and interconnected problems into account?

Efficiency: Outputs – qualitative and quantitative – achieved as a result of inputs. Has the most efficient approach been used?

Impact: What have been the wider effects of the project – social, economic, technical, and environmental – on individuals, gender- and age-groups, communities and institutions.

METHODOLOGY AND RESPONDENTS To be finalised in conjunction with the evaluator/(s) prior to finalisation of contract arrangements. The methodology shall be participatory, involving local community members, our client’s project staff and stakeholders to provide inputs and feedback on the preliminary findings and conclusions.

SCHEDULE To be finalised with the evaluator prior to finalisation of contract arrangements. Proposed 13 day consultancy composed of: 2 days pre-evaluation in Nairobi, 4 days in Mwingi, 5 days post-evaluation for report writing, and 2 days of travel. It is expected that this work will take place during October/November 2012.

MANAGEMENT OF VISIT AND EVALUATION RESULTS • Our client’s Australia Program Effectiveness and Planning Director, Mark Webster is commissioning the evaluation. The evaluation will be managed by Mark Webster, Hamish Weatherly (Australia Project Manager, Horn of Africa), and Stella Wanjau, Kenya Program Director • An independent evaluator/(s), to be finalised, will be hired to conduct the evaluation • The evaluation team will be composed of the independent evaluator/(s), and any support persons required (e.g. translators, drivers etc.) • Once selected and contracted, the independent evaluator(s) will work with our client’s Australia office to agree on the evaluation timing, scope, methodology and respondents, and data-gathering schedule • The independent evaluator/(s) will undertake responsibility for data-gathering and writing of the final evaluation report • The independent evaluator/(s) will be ultimately responsible for practical arrangements relating to the evaluation. However, our client’s Australia office and Kenya office will provide support where appropriate • If assistance is needed to resolve any issues during the evaluation, the independent evaluator should refer to Mark Webster, Hamish Weatherly or Stella Wanjau

Essential Experience

An independent evaluator/(s) with a mix of relevant skills and experience will be sought to conduct the evaluation. The following attributes are desirable: • Demonstrated experience leading evaluations of emergency and/or development activities in complex environments • Familiarity and/or expertise in one or more of WASH, Food, and Livelihoods programming • Familiarity with the Kenyan context and/or our client’s.

EXPECTED OUTPUTS A comprehensive evaluation report with a maximum of 20 pages (excluding annexes) using the format below: 1) Executive Summary 2) List of Acronyms 3) Brief Description of the Mwingi Project 4) Objectives of the Evaluation 5) Methodology 6) Findings – according to the evaluation objectives set out in the purpose 7) Conclusions 8) Recommendations 9) Annexes

  Note: The quality of the Evaluation Report will be evaluated using the following criteria and template:

Evaluation Report Checklist Report Title: Author of Report: Layout Rating Comment Is it no more than 20 pages in length (excluding annexes)? Yes / No
Format Low High Comment Does it follow the format as outlined in guidelines for report writing? 1 2 3 4 5
Is it clearly laid out, and is it possible to find relevant sections? 1 2 3 4 5
Style Low High Comment Is the writing style clear and readable? 1 2 3 4 5

Content/analysis Low High Comment Does the executive summary adequately summarize the report? 1 2 3 4 5
Does the evidence support the conclusions? 1 2 3 4 5
How realistic and clearly set out are the recommendations? 1 2 3 4 5
Was there adequate technical understanding displayed in the report? 1 2 3 4 5
Does the report adequately address the objectives of the evaluation and respond to the five criteria. 1 2 3 4 5
Conclusions - Please circle the term below which best summarizes the quality of the report. Unacceptable Poor Average Good Excellent Other Comments:

Languages

• Language skills; both written and spoken in English are essential. Swahili or Ki-kamba language skills would be an advantage

How to apply: 

Applicants should send a letter of application and their CV to careers@ctgglobal.com . Please subject your email with BHJOB2678_208. Telephone enquiries may be directed to Emma Kalonzo: Tel: +971 (0)4 369 5027