Terms of Reference Team Leader - Participatory Epidemiology Study

Title: Participatory Epidemiology Team Leader**

Project Background: The Kenyan Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) maintain high rates of acute malnutrition despite significant investment by stakeholders for both programming and research. From 2009 to 2016, they were at or above Integrated Phase Classification (IPC )Phase 3+ between 5 and 15 times, triggering humanitarian responses that addressed acute malnutrition in the short term. The counties regularly experience prevalence rates of acute malnutrition that exceed emergency threshold levels, even when there are no obvious climate shocks. In response to these persistent and high levels of acute malnutrition, USAID recently launched the NAWIRI program, a five-year evidence-based nutrition initiative which is being led by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) in Isiolo and Marsabit counties. The project aims to increase stakeholder understanding of the drivers of persistent acute malnutrition, through a collaborative learning process involving local actors including communities, county systems and institutions, civil society and the private sector. The learning will be used to jointly design context-sensitive, systems-driven, multi-sectoral approaches to sustainably reduce acute malnutrition. This process will involve the implementation and testing of pilot activities that show potential in addressing acute malnutrition in concert with a number of research activities designed to inform the design of a second phase of the project. One of the key research activities in phase 1 is a participatory epidemiology (PE) study designed to better understand the seasonality and basic drivers of malnutrition from the community perspective. This process will be used to identify community-based interventions to address acute malnutrition in the context of the two counties.

Purpose/Justification

The primary objectives of this exercise will be to generate evidence on the drivers and seasonality of acute malnutrition and to identify pilot interventions to be tested under Phase 1of the NAWIRI project and inform the design of Phase 2. Where applicable the results will also be used to refine other project activities already underway. As part of these objectives the study aims to generate context specific information on the seasonality and drivers of acute malnutrition in Isiolo and Marsabit counties and identify interventions to address these drivers.

Activity Description

This activity will involve an in depth field study in Isiolo and Marsabit Counties using a participatory analysis to better understand the seasonality and drivers of acute malnutrition from a community perspective. This will include a series of comprehensive community consultations across different socio-economic, cultural and ecological zones within the two counties. These consultations will be framed around a set of structured participatory epidemiology (PE) methods which involves the standardization and repetition of participatory rural appraisal (PRA) methods to generate datasets from ranks, scores or proportions that can be analyzed statistically. The PE approach was first adapted to investigate human nutrition by NAWIRI partner Tufts University in the Karamoja region of

Uganda. A more detailed description of the approach and methods can be viewed at the following link:

https://karamojaresilience.org/publications?task=callelement&format=raw&...

Research Questions

In line with the objectives of generating evidence on the drivers and seasonality of acute malnutrition and identifying interventions to address these, the study will aim to answer the following research questions:

· How do communities explain malnutrition in children and mothers by reference to the diets of healthy and malnourished children?

· What are the differences in the diets of healthy vs. malnourished children in terms of specific food types and the seasonal availability of food types?

· What is the seasonality of malnutrition and related factors?

· How do communities describe and prioritize the causes of malnutrition in children and mothers?

· What are community participants suggestions and priorities for improving nutrition and what is the reasoning behind their views?

· What types of interventions do local communities feel NAWIRI could support/pilot that will improve nutrition in the context of Isiolo and Marsabit counties?

The study will include the following stages:

1. An ethnographic study to develop a local language dictionary of key words and terms, for use in field methods




2. Recruitment of a team of field researchers fluent in the local languages of the study area




3. Training of the field team, this will be led by Tufts University and supported by the Team Leader




4. Finalize the sample for the study and field test the PE methods




5. Conduct the PE field assessments in Isiolo and Marsabit. This will include community consultations which will be carried out in at least 12 communities in each county. This exercise will use customized PE methods including monthly calendars and participatory causal diagrams to better understand the drivers and seasonality of acute malnutrition from the perspective of local communities




6. Compile field assessment findings




7. Follow up community consultations to identify demand driven pilots or interventions to address acute malnutrition. Building upon stage 5&6, community participants will be asked to propose interventions or activities to address acute malnutrition based on the drivers identified during the PE field assessments




8. Final write up

Team Leader Roles and Responsibilities

The Team Leader will be expected to oversee the field research activities. This will include supporting the training of the field teams. S/he will be responsible for supervising the data collection and developing and providing clear field assessment plans to the NAWIRI operations team. The

primary responsibility of the Team Leader will be to ensure quality control of the data collection activities through supervision of the teams, and regular screening of the data being collected. The assessment coordinator will report directly to the NAWIRI research design lead and research design manager.

Tufts researchers will work closely with the Team Leader on the study design, data collection and analysis. Tufts/NAWIRI will provide any necessary training and technical support to the Team Leader.

More specifically, the Team Leader will:

· Support the training of the field teams

· Work with the NAWIRI research team to develop an assessment plan, identify a sampling frame and sample and design PE tools for the field assessment

· Oversee the field testing of the PE tools and refine these as necessary

· Manage the quality and consistency of field level data collection activities and ensure that the PE tools are being applied in a systematic way, and according to the agreed upon sampling frame and assessment plan

· Oversee the complilation of the PE findings and present these in a comprehensive and logical format

· Assist the NAWIRI research team in drafting a final study report

· Present the study findings to key stakeholders, including the participating communities, NAWIRI partners and County Government officials.

· The Team Leader may also be required to work closely with County Government officials, to share the study objectives and gain their support for the study .

This will be a full time consultancy position for a period of 4 months days starting in August/September 2020. During this timeframe the position will require extensive periods of field research, and the succesful candidate will be expected to spend up to 40 days continously in Isiolo and Marsabit prior to and during the field assessments.

Timeline

The consultancy will involve four months working indicatively between August to November/December 2020

Deliverables

The primary deliverable will be the completion of the PE study in the two counties, specific deliverables will be as follows:

· PE sampling and assessment plan

· 24+ seasonal calendars and participatory causal diagrams from the PE study[1]

· A set of concept notes/proposals for community identified pilots/interventions to address acute malnutrition

· Powerpoint presentation on the PE study findings

· Contributions to the final report

Reporting

The Consultant will work under the overall guidance of the NAWIRI research and Design Lead and the Principle Investigator

Consultancy fees

The consultancy fees will be indicated in the contract and will be based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience. This will be based on CRS and USAID policies. All other allowable costs associated with the study will be covered by NAWIRI.

Education: Advanced University degree relevant field e.g. Anthropology, social sciences, veterinary sciences, development studies etc.

Work Experience: A minimum of 15 years progressively responsible and relevant experience in a development or humanitarian context.

Skills and Expertise: The candidate should have:

· Specific and demonstrated experience with participatory assessments or research such as Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA), Household Economy Analysis (HEA), or Participatory Impact Assessment (PIA) will be an essential asset. Specific experience using PE will be an added advantage

· Prior experience in managing and coordinating assessments or field research activities

· Experience in community mobiliztion and participation

· Demonstrated expertise on pastoralist livelihoods

· Extensive research or development related experience in pastoralist areas of the Horn of Africa

· Relevant research/work experience in Isiolo and Marasabit counties or neighbouring communities will be an advantage

· Fluency in English and Kiswahili

· Knowledge of Afan Oromo, Rendille, Samburu or other local languages spoken in Isiolo and Marasabit will be an asset - Preference will be given to candidates from Isiolo or Marsabit counties or neighboring communities

The following criteria will be used for the selection of candidates:

Experience using PE or PRA methods 30 Points

Experience managing field assessments or research (teams) 25 Points

Demonstrated understanding/experience of pastoralist livelihoods 20 points

Relevant research or work experience in the Kenyan ASALS 15 points

Knowledge of local languages 10 points

Short listed candidates may be asked to participate in a face to face or online interview

[1] This may increase slightly depending on the final site selection for the study

How to apply

Send to Crskenya-procurement@crs.org

Deadline for the application is 24 July 2020 1.00 pm. Applications received after this date will not be considered.