Solidarites: Final External Evaluation Project: “Strengthening livelihood support systems in Marsabit District”

Final External Evaluation

Project: “Strengthening livelihood support systems in Marsabit District”

Terms of Reference

Country: Kenya

Location: North Horr - Marsabit District

Starting date: 24th November 2009 (17 days consultancy)

Duration of the field mission: 10 days

Time dedicated to the desk review: 2 days

Time dedicated to report writing: 5 days

Under responsibility of: Kenya – Somalia WASH Coordinator

Funding Sources for the evaluation: DFID

Presentation of Solidarités

Solidarités is an international humanitarian organisation which provides assistance to populations affected by natural disaster or man-made crisis.

For 28 years, Solidarités has concentrated its action on meeting three vital needs: water, food and shelter. In the Horn of Africa, Solidarités is currently implementing food security, water and sanitation projects in Kenya, Somalia, and South Sudan.

In Kenya, SOLIDARITES has been implementing food security, water and sanitation programmes since 2007.

The zones of intervention are the informal settlements of Nairobi (Kibera, Kiambu and Mathare), where a food security programme, including growing vegetables in sacs is in progress, and North Horr (Chalbi District).

In North Horr, a 15 months programme including a food security and a water and sanitation components has been recently completed with DFID funds.

From Kenya, SOLIDARITES is also coordinating programs in Afmadow and Bardera (Somalia); these programs include food security and water and sanitation interventions as well as RRM for people affected either by the long conflict of Somalia or by recurrent climatic hazards.

Presentation of the project/ programme to be evaluated

Background

Solidarités began its program in North Horr in December 2006 with funding from DFID for a 12 months project entitled “Enhance sanitary and food security conditions for North Horr population affected by drought and insecurity” which focused on improving food security, sanitation and access to water for the pastoralist communities.

This project had two components:

• Water and sanitation activities including rehabilitation of wells, construction of rock catchments, construction of VIP latrines, hygiene promotion and distribution of mosquito nets.
• Food security activities including camel distribution, spring development for irrigation, fodder production, and tree planting.

The second phase of this program (project title: “Strengthening livelihood support systems in Marsabit District”) began in July 2008 was completed in October 2009.

This 15 month project was mainly a continuation of activities from the first phase, but some new food security activities were added in order to consolidate the results of the first phase.

Objectives and expected results

The overall objective was to contribute strengthening livelihood systems through the identification of sustainable and appropriate solutions for arid regions in the Horn of Africa.

Most specifically, the project aimed to reinforce the resilience capacity of the local population to adapt and to resist drought and desertification in North Kenya.

Three results were expected at the end of the project:

• Result 1: Improve access to water and sanitary conditions for the pastoralist population living in settlement.
• Result 2: Improve the management of natural resources in drought affected area
• Result 3: Improve the livelihood strategies to ensure maximum food security for the targeted population

Activities

In order to achieve the first result 1, the following activities were implemented:

• Rehabilitation of 16 wells
• Rehabilitation or construction of rainwater collection systems for 7 schools in the targeted area
• Rock catchments & Sand dam construction
• Construction of latrines
• Hygiene promotion campaigns
• Promotion and distribution of water filters targeting the most vulnerable households in the communities
• Waste management in North Horr town
• Promotion and distribution of mosquito nets to the most vulnerable households

In order to achieve result 2, the following activities were implemented:

• Fencing of rangeland in North Horr specifically for the production of fodder
• Distribution of tools for fodder production
• Sowing of grass in the rangeland fenced during the previous project
• Planting of 4,000 trees in the area of the programme at the household level
• Capacity building of Environment Management Committees of the locations for the monitoring of the transplanted trees
• Construction and implementation of 200 Fuel Efficient Stove Systems targeting North Horr households with North Horr and Mazingira women groups

Various activities were implemented in order to improve the livelihood of households living in North Horr; these activities included:

• Establishment of 4 big poultry production units
• 4 campaigns of de-worming in the programme area
• Training of Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs)
• Distribution of veterinary kits to the CAHWs
• Construction of a milk storage facility in North Horr town with procurement of refrigeration, pasteurization and processing equipment.

Purposes of the evaluation

The purpose of this evaluation is to meet donor requirements as well as to draw lessons from the experience of project implementation.

Recommendations from this final external evaluation will help the team to reshape future interventions if necessary in regard to the evolution of the humanitarian context.

It is also expected that the evaluation will propose specific ways of improving the implementation strategy for activities.

The evaluation will allow the donor to have an independent analysis on the relevance and performance of the project.

Scope and focus

The evaluation will focus on the operation’s approach, implementation process and performance.

The evaluation should answer the following questions:

• Did expected results fit to needs before the intervention? (relevance)
• Do expected results still fit to the major current needs? (relevance)
• Does the program cover the initially targeted population? (coverage)
• Should the program widen or narrow its targeted population? (relevance and coverage)
• Was the time frame of the proposal respected? (effectiveness)
• Were the expected results achieved? (effectiveness)
• Were the means used to implement activities well optimized? (efficiency)
• Were some means wasted during the implementation? (efficiency)
• Are results of activities sustainable and to what extend? (sustainability)
• Are the construction works of good quality and completed according to specifications? (effectiveness and sustainability)
• What negative or positive midterm or long term impacts can one foresee? (impact)
• Is the program coherent with local authorities’ policies? If no, is this a bad or a good thing? (coherence)

The evaluation should also assess the appreciation of the program by the beneficiaries as well as their participation at various levels of the project management cycle.

Finally, the evaluation should assess how the implementation of the programme is respectful of the ethic of humanitarian practice vis-à-vis the SPHERE standards and the Code of conduct for the Red Cross Movement and for NGO during emergency intervention.

Evaluation process and methods

• The evaluation methods should be clearly outlined in the report and their appropriateness, relative to the evaluation's primary purpose, focus and users, should be explained pointing out the strengths and weaknesses of the methods. A description of the overall flow of the evaluation process (i.e. sequence of the key stages) should be given in the evaluation report. The evaluation approach and the methods used to collect and analyze data should also be described. The nature (e.g., external or mixed) and make up of the team (e.g. sectoral expertise, local knowledge, gender balance) and its appropriateness for the evaluation should be outlined.

• The evaluation report should outline the sources of biases that might affect the evaluation and how these have been addressed.

• The evaluation report should also present the key constraints to carrying out the evaluation (e.g., lack of baseline data, lack of access to key information sources, use of translators), and the effect of these constraints.

• Whenever secondary sources will be referred to, the evaluator should indicate the level of reliability of the given information.

• After the field work, the evaluation team will present and discuss with the project team the preliminary findings and the proposed recommendations.

• A first draft of the evaluation report should be shared with the coordination team of SOLIDARITÉS Kenya-Somalia before a final version is sent to the donor.

Procedures and logistics

• The evaluation team must comply with SOLIDARITÉS’ rules and procedures related to security and relations with the media.
• The evaluation team must respect the ethic and the deontology related to evaluation practice
• While working in Nairobi, the evaluation team will find office space in the offices of SOLIDARITÉS.
• Field logistics, movement and security will organised by consultancy team

Deliverables

The evaluation report should include at least:

• One narrative report (max 40 pages) including an executive summary (2 pages maximum); the format of the report will be given in annexes.
• A separate table summarizing the main findings and the lessons learned.
• A separate table showing the different recommendations and tips for their implementation (who will be in charge of implementing this recommendations, when? dead line? necessary means? who will be in charge of checking that the recommendations are being implemented and when?, etc.).
• Relevant maps and photographs of the assessed zone and programme.
• A PowerPoint presentation of the main findings and recommendations of the evaluation must be submitted to SOLIDARITÉS in order to facilitate dissemination of the results of the evaluation to stakeholders.

Documents of reference (on request only)

• Proposal and LFA
• Last Interim project report
• Current organizational chart
• Last Activity Progress Update of the programme
• Relevant maps

Qualification of the Lead consultant

• University degree in Project management, Water and Sanitation or related field
• Minimum 5 years of proven experience working with NGO’s or other humanitarian actors.
• Proven experience in similar evaluation context
• Strong methodology and writing capacities

How to apply

Please send your proposal, highlighting the following:

• A brief introduction of bidding firm or person attaching relevant CVs
• Your understanding of the Terms of Reference
• Proposed methodology and approach
• Proposed work plan and budget
• Your availability

All relevant information (CV, cover letter, copies of testimonials, certificate of works, 3 contact references) should be sent to rha2.solidarites @ yahoo.fr.

On or before COB 19th November 2009.

Please indicate the consultancy you are applying for in the title of your email.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for tests and interviews.