1. ABOUT BSF
Bibliothèques Sans Frontières (BSF) is an international non-governmental organization. Since 2007, BSF has been working in over 30 countries to provide access to education, information, and culture for those who are deprived of it. Through the development of innovative and mobile tools (Ideas Box, Ideas Cube, Kajou cards), tailored content curation, training, and support to local stakeholders, BSF aims to enable everyone, in all circumstances, to live with dignity through better access to knowledge.
2. BACKGROUND OF THE CONSULTANCY
As part of the project “Resilience and Empowerment through Social Cohesion and Inclusion for Sustainable Prosperity,” implemented in the Ouaddaï region in Eastern Chad, BSF is working alongside NRC, Al Barka, and CRASH to strengthen the resilience of young Sudanese refugees and host communities around the camps of Allacha, Metché, and Arkoum.
The project focuses on strengthening community leadership, vocational training for youth (ages 15 25), psychosocial support, educational support, and legal assistance to equip beneficiaries with the skills and resources needed to transition toward sustainable livelihoods in a context of protracted crisis.
In this framework, BSF contributes its expertise by creating educational and cultural spaces through the Ideas Box and adapted content. The project aims to install three Ideas Boxes in youth vocational training centers. To ensure high-quality cultural mediation rooted in the linguistic, cultural, and social realities of the target audience, BSF seeks to recruit a consultant for the selection of relevant, accessible, and engaging content in Sudanese and Chadian Arabic.
A needs assessment was conducted by BSF teams between May and June to determine what beneficiaries want to see in the Ideas Boxes and associated activities. The main goal of the content selection is to provide documentation and resources that support vocational training sessions delivered by the project’s partner organizations (e.g., pastry-making, solar panel repair, sewing, etc.).
Objectives related to social cohesion, education, and recreational activities were also identified and will be part of the content selection. The overall aim is to support the full range of project activities through the Ideas Box. The detailed needs assessment results and the associated content strategy will be shared with the selected consultant to guide the mission.
This content selection will enrich both the physical libraries (Ideas Box) and digital libraries (Ideas Cube) to be deployed starting in November 2025 at the implementation sites.
3. OBJECTIVES OF THE CONSULTANCY
This consultancy is part of BSF’s content selection strategy for the implementation of its project in Chad for Sudanese refugees and host communities.
Main objectives :
- Identify and select digital content (videos, podcasts, PDFs, etc.) in Sudanese and/or Chadian Arabic;
- Integrate this content into the Ideas Cube server using BSF’s internal platform;
- Identify and select physical content (books and board games) in Modern Standard Arabic.
The content lists must align with the cultural mediation goals defined in the needs assessment strategy.
4. WORK METHODOLOGY
The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:
- Develop a documentary research methodology (including BSF’s internal catalog, local publishers, educational platforms, online libraries, etc.) and identify suppliers delivering in France;
- Conduct research, analyze, and select content based on usefulness, accessibility, linguistic, cultural, and pedagogical relevance;
- Produce two lists: one for digital content (videos, audio, apps or software) in Excel (BSF template), and one for physical content (books, games, educational materials);
- Download and organize the selected digital files into a structured folder;
- Draft a summary document in English or French explaining the rationale for the content selected (type, audience, source, format, etc.);
- Hold regular check-ins with the BSF team (1 to 2 videoconference meetings) to validate progress.
Content must be in Modern Standard Arabic (for written materials) and in Sudanese and Chadian Arabic (for audio materials). It should cover key project themes:
- Vocational training for youth (50%)
- Educational resources (20%)
- Recreational resources (20%)
- Informational and general knowledge resources (10%)
The consultant’s approach must also:
- Avoid overly complex content for audiences with limited or no formal education
- Ensure content is appropriate and free of discriminatory or sensitive material
- Stay within the project’s budget for physical content
- Prioritize open-access or copyright-free digital content
A kick-off meeting with the Project Manager and Project Advisor will be held at the start of the consultancy to agree on a timeline and deliverable deadlines.
5. DELIVERABLES
At the end of the consultancy, the following deliverables are expected:
- A list of 150 to 200 physical content items in Arabic (book titles, educational or board games, etc.) including: title, author, publisher, description, language, theme, target audience, level, ISBN, and indicative price
- A list of 200 to 300 digital content items (videos, audios, PDFs, etc.) with complete metadata
- A structured folder containing all digital files selected
- Populated entries on BSF’s Ideas Cube digital content integration platform
- A summary presentation of the content selection (in English or French)
BSF will provide templates for the lists. Instructions for using the Ideas Cube integration platform will be shared in advance.
6. DURATION AND LOCATION
The consultancy is to be carried out remotely, between the contract signing and September 10, 2025. It is estimated at 15 working days.
An in-person meeting at BSF’s office in Montreuil (93 – France) may be proposed if the consultant is based nearby.
7. PROFILE SOUGHT
The consultant must:
- Be fluent in both written and spoken Modern Standard Arabic and Sudanese and/or Chadian Arabic
- Be able to work in French or English (professional proficiency, oral and written)
- Be proficient in office tools (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, web browsing)
- Have proven experience in content selection, cultural mediation, or non-formal education Have good knowledge of the humanitarian context in Eastern Chad and Sudan
- Be thorough, autonomous, creative, and able to justify content selection choices clearly
- Familiarity with BSF tools or experience in an educational NGO/humanitarian project is a plus
8. SELECTION CRITERIA
Applications will be evaluated using a comparative grid based on the following criteria:
- Proven bilingualism in Arabic / French or Arabic / English or trilingualism [30 points]
- Demonstrated expertise in educational design, content curation, book mediation, etc. [30 points]
- Knowledge of the humanitarian context in Sudan and Eastern Chad [20 points]
- Relevance of the proposed timeline and work plan [10 points]
- Alignment between financial proposal and expected deliverables [10 points]
9. BUDGET & PAYMENT
Applicants are requested to submit a detailed financial offer indicating the total amount expected for the consultancy. The selected consultant must be legally registered and able to issue compliant invoices to Bibliothèques Sans Frontières. Payment terms, including deadlines, will be defined in the contract. Payments will be made only upon formal validation of deliverables by BSF.
How to apply
Interested candidates should submit their application by August 10, 2025 to: nikita.cabaret@bibliosansfrontieres.org
Please indicate “224RES – Consultancy Application Content Selection” + your name or organization name in the email subject line.
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. The application file must include:
- CV • Cover letter
- Methodology
- Financial offer
- References
Any questions regarding the consultancy or the application process can be sent to the same email address.