Endline Survey – Consultant At Adventist Development and Relief Agency International

Strengthening Community Engagement and Participation in Darfur

(SCEED)

in West & Central Darfur, Sudan**

I. Project Overview

The Strengthening Community Engagement and Participation in Darfur (SCEED) Project is a two-year project which started January 2020-December 2021

Darfur has long been a land divided by conflict, misunderstanding and insecurity. The underlying causative factors are complex and exist in local, regional, national and international theatres simultaneously. Tensions through the 1990s exploded in 2003, as self-defense groups militarized into armed resistance and initiated a significant conflict that would ravage Darfur over the next decade. This resulted in the internal displacement of an estimated 1.7 million people, as well as a flood of 280,000 refugees, particularly non-Arabs from Western Darfur, into Chad as refugees. The entire population of Darfur – an estimated 8 million – is affected by the conflict. Apart from the 2 million that are still displaced, including refugees – 80% of whom lost everything they owned – every community, whether they are sedentary rural farmers, nomadic pastoralists, public sector workers or urban dwellers, have seen their livelihoods disintegrate and their freedom of movement and personal security severely threatened or compromised. Government services – especially health, education and water services to the rural communities – have been overloaded or stopped. The conflict damaged and destroyed infrastructure, seriously curtailed markets and disrupted trade and employment. As confidence eroded, investment in much-needed development of the region diminished.

The targeted villages are located in Algenina and Azoom localities, which are located in West and Central Darfur respectively. All villages are in rural areas outside of the main town, for the majority of the targeted villages, the distance from larger towns and urban settlements has translated into an absence or limited availability of resources and services within the communities. Food security information on West Darfur is very scarce to access and security constraints. The WFP VAM report was unable to produce validated data on West Darfur, however it can be deduced from the various needs reports that the needs remain high. Access to land (especially for IDP and returnee female led households) and the scarcity of resources pose one of the main obstacles towards food security in the area.

Following to ADRA’s previous project in West Darfur State, there is even greater need for transcending relief programing towards development and early recovery. The socio-political context that Sudan witnessed in 2019, had created a transformational shift in the overall social and political dynamics, while having minimal effect on the economic prospects in the country. Political stability throughout the country further stresses the need for economic growth to go in parallel. A need to focus efforts in development and resilience programing and linking relief and rehabilitation and development (LRRD), yet ensuring sustainability and appropriateness has become paramount. In West Darfur, the state is currently undergoing a relative stability with a decrease of intercommunal conflict by over 75%. In order to support the current stability, it is of great importance to ensure equitable and efficient division and utilization of resources, as this is often quoted as one of the main instigators of conflict, inter alia, in the region. The SAHEWA will continue in maintaining project steering with communities themselves, where need and service conceptualization is derived from within the community itself, thus promoting ownership, sustainability and guaranteeing that activities are tailored towards the unique needs for each of the targeted communities.

The multi-year programming with ADRA Denmark, will continue opting for a learning approach that allows for development while gradually building the resilience of the communities and weaning off dependency. For this project ADRA will increase its program footprint to also include the neighboring state of Central Darfur. The State has been selected due to two reasons, one of which and as is mentioned in the context analysis the high vulnerabilities and needs within the state. The second reason is due to its strategic economic relationship with its neighboring states, whereby food produce in West Darfur primarily

The program’s overall objectives:

Increased resilience of conflict affected community to future shocks

Immediate Outcome:

Improved and sustainable livelihood opportunities for conflict affected communities and enhancing community engagement in development and resilience

II. Purpose of the Endline

It is the consultant’s responsibility to analysis and conduct follow-up investigations when needed. Quality analysis, clear presentation of findings and evidence-based recommendations are bare minimum.

Discuss findings with the Programs Team. A presentation should be done to the Programs Team in Khartoum. Through this, findings and whatever needs to be highlighted can be discussed.

Dialog with ADRA on feedback, incorporate into final report. The consultant will be expected to dialog directly with the project team and the MEAL Manager regarding feedback and questions on the report. The consultant will coordinate all responses with the implementing team and the MEAL Manager.

Write the end-line evaluation report from the local context perspective. This includes a heavy emphasis on the analyses of the following:

Relevance

• To what extent is the project relevant in relation to the context and the needs and priorities of the intended beneficiaries?
• Is the Theory of Change and Logframe of the project relevant and how is the design of the project fitting to be part of objectives outlined in the theory of change and the logframe?
• To what extent are the activities being relevant for the priorities of the beneficiaries?
• How do the beneficiaries view the activities in the context of an economy with high inflation?
• What has been learned so far about the applicability of the activities in the context of Darfur
• What are the emerging needs/identified needs during the project implementation?
• Due to the changing dynamics in White Nile State, what do you think would be the best follow-up activities after the Action phases out?
• How did the Action feed into the policies at the country/state level, as well as effectiveness of the current structures?

Efficiency

• How economically have resources/inputs (funds, expertise, time, etc.) been converted to results? Are the investment and recurrent costs justified?
• Could the same results have been achieved with fewer resources?
• To what degree have the end-beneficiaries been involved in the design and implementation of the project?

Effectiveness

• What positive and negative, primary and secondary long-term effects have been produced by the development intervention, directly or indirectly, intended or unintended?
• What is your assessment of the results of the Action? Include observations on the performance and the achievement of outputs, outcomes, and impact and whether the Action has had any unforeseen positive or negative results.
• The Action has a lean structure. How well has this structure been functioning?
• The implementation of this project hinges on its partners – the Ministry of Production and Economic Resources, the Drinking Water Corporation, and the Friends of Peace and Development Organization. How has these partnerships functioned at all levels of implementation? How would you assess the relationship between the ADRA and the State authorities? How has this relationship affected the Action?

Impact

• What is the impact Action’s activities?
• What are the most important lessons on management and partnerships in this project?
• How does the end-line results compare with the baseline and midline results?
• Kindly illustrate how the Action has mainstreamed cross-cutting issues such as promotion of human rights, gender equality, democracy, good governance, children’s rights, and indigenous peoples, environmental sustainability.

Sustainability

• What is the probability of long-term benefits?
• Will the intended benefits continue when development cooperation is terminated? Based on your assessment, what will ensure the sustainability of the results of the Action?

The endline survey will also fulfill a major part of evaluation compliance of the cooperative agreement for the project. The endline survey will measure outcome indicators. The survey will establish the endline values for the project´s key indicators

Additionally, the endline also aims at determining the gender disparities at all project dimensions, for instance the specific effect of the project on men, women, girls and boys. The endline survey will be conducted at the end of the project

Areas of Intervention:

Areas of intervention are in El Geneina and Kerenik, West Darfur and Azoom locality in Central Darfur.

The project targeted the following villages in El-Genina locality; Dorti ,Nomee, Rejl kubry, Amar jdeed, Tandulty, Delaba kbeir, Delaba zeetona, Simign, Gosjemat, Bourra, Hshaba, Jmalrgodo, Bejbej. For year two, ADRA has gradually build it’s activities in Central Darfur and especially villages on the outskirts of the State and bordering West Darfur, the villages are Momo and Morondo in Azoom locality.

III. Methodology and Scope of Work

The endline study design and methodology will be discussed and agreed with the project team and with the implementing partners at the beginning of the consultancy.

Carrying out interviews of key informants and engaging in Focus Group Discussions with various groups of beneficiaries as well as non-beneficiaries (as control group). Semi-structured interviews, and qualitative methods are encouraged, not formal surveys. The team leader will specify in more detail the methodology and research instruments intended for the assignment in his/her inception report.

Data collected should be analyzed and represented as sex, and age disaggregated.

IV. COVID-19 Consideration

Along with the rising humanitarian toll, the current COVID-19 pandemic has major implications for every facet of humanitarian and development programming and implementation.

The consultant must now rise to the challenge of adapting program design, Implementation and evaluation based on this new reality. We Suggest that a strategic guidance for adapting activities during this crisis. The Consultant must ensure to follow health and government protocols on this matter.

Deliverables:

I. Inception report with tools and detailed methodology

II. Endline report

V. Final Report

The final report will be written in English and will be maximum 20 pages long (excluding the annexes). It must include the following sections:

(a) Title page

(b) Table of contents

(c) Glossary/Acronyms

(d) Executive summary (2 pages – to include major findings and recommendations)

(e) Introduction

(f) Objectives & rationale of the endline study context and process including challenges

(g) Methodology and limits to the methodology

(h) Findings & Analysis of the main results

(i) An updated project monitoring and evaluation matrix with a summary of each indicator’s endline data. (monitoring manual?)

(j) Recommendations

(k) Conclusions

(L) Resources and Citations**

VI. Time Frame

The consultancy will be completed within 20 days within the month of December 2021. The consultant must ensure that the whole process of the survey work that includes testing and reviewing of the tools, actual field work, data analysis, dissemination of the key findings to ADRA and reviewing of the final report will be completed within this time frame. The consultant will submit a work plan and specific dates will be agreed at the beginning of the consultancy. A draft report will be submitted at the end of data collection and ADRA will have a maximum of 2 weeks to submit two rounds of comments on the end line report. The final report must be submitted by December 25, 2021 taking into consideration the comments made by ADRA Sudan and ADRA Denmark.

Quality and Ethical standards

Participation should always be based on potential respondents being adequately informed about the intended research. Surveys mostly completed anonymously thus ensuring confidentiality – though researchers should be aware of the risk of substantial qualitative data identifying the respondent. The survey instrument – this might entail provision of a written information sheet and consent form. In most cases it is not normal to seek formal written consent, indeed given that most surveys are completed anonymously

VII. Confidentiality and Authorship

Ownership and copyright of all data, drafts and final products of the survey will be the sole and exclusive property of ADRA. The consultant will submit all original documents, materials and data to ADRA. Therefore, all the outputs of the survey will not be disseminated in part or whole without express authority from ADRA’s Management. The consultant shall not produce information in these materials in any form (electronic, hard copies, etc.) to a third party without a written permission from ADRA. Respect for the dignity of research participants should be prioritized. Participants should not be subjected to harm in any way whatsoever. Full consent should be obtained from the participants prior to the survey. The consultant shall include a clause to be read to all participants explicitly requesting their agreement to provide any data used within this survey.

VIII. Code of Conduct and PSEA:

ADRA has a zero-tolerance policy on PSEA and all consultants must abide by it and promote the protection of the most vulnerable from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA). The consultant must abide by the gender equality and child protection polices applied by ADRA.

IX. Required Skills, Experiences and Competences

We are looking for a consultant who has the following requirements:

o A PhD or a masters’ degree from recognized universities in any of the following areas: Food Security, Agriculture, environment, international relations, social science, gender studies, development studies, and sociology and monitoring and evaluation science

o Good understanding of sustainable livelihood approach and livelihood assessment

o Solid methodological and research skills, demonstrated through a list of research pieces and evaluations.

o Excellent Report writing skills, demonstrated by a list of published articles and reports.

o Extensive experience in conducting field research and surveys preferably in agro-pastoral areas

o Excellent analytical, interpersonal, and communication skills.

o Knowledge and experience of gender-equality and human rights sensitive approaches.

o Good knowledge of context and local customs.

o Proficiency in written and spoken English and Arabic.

o Proficient in MS Office Package, Data Analysis packages (specify one which ADRA uses)

Composition of the Team

Personnel

· A team leader is sought for this assignment. S/he must have a long, documented experience with programming as well as endline/evaluation assignments and monitoring for similar projects or interventions with a livelihood strengthening objective.

· A team member is also sought with experience specially in VSLA, FFS, FFS, CAP assessment. An additional team member may be added, depending on the need felt by the team leader and the methodological approach chosen. Amongst the team members gender specialty is a must.

· ADRA and partner (MoA,) staff will be made available as resource persons. What about the enumerators and who will be in charge of them management and financial wise?

· ADRA Sudan will be in charge of logistics for the evaluation team

X. Payment Method

Applicants are expected to submit their Financial Proposal along with their Expression of Interest. Note that ADRA will be responsible of all cost related to transport in the field, payment of incentives for enumerators.

Payment will be in phases as follows:

· 30% of the contract sum will be paid at the start of the consultancy.

· 40% of the contract sum will be paid upon submission of the first draft report

· 30% of the contract sum will be paid upon submission and acceptance of the final comprehensive report

In cases of force major occurred (e.g conflict outbreak etc.) ADRA Sudan together with the consultant will adapt new strategy and ways to be able to deliver the work needed it can be phone-based interviews with key community informants to obtain required information. Constant communication between Project manager and consultant as well as involving ADRA MEAL manager on the situation.