Consultancy For Needs Assessment At Habitat for Humanity

Terms of Reference (TOR) for Needs Assessment Consultant

1. Introduction

In the last 40 years since its registration in Kenya, HFHK has supported more than 345,000 families across 9 counties in Kenya through housing micro-finance and direct construction. HFHK is currently operating in Laikipia, Homabay, Kisumu, Tana River, Machakos and Makueni. In its current Business Plan (2020-2025) HFHK has outlined four programmatic areas, namely: Financing for Owner-led Construction (FOC); Settlement-Based Practice (SBP); Secure Land Tenure (SLT); Disaster Risk Reduction & Response (DR3) as being its areas of focus in supporting communities in the listed areas through donor funding. HFHK’s programs has been based in Machakos County since 2016, with a portfolio of interventions on home construction, WASH, schools’ infrastructure, table banking, land rights and cash transfers.

Masinga Sub County, nestled within Machakos County, faces formidable challenges concerning water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and practices. To address these pressing issues, the Machakos County Safe Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Project is set to embark on transformative initiatives in Mukameni, Thatha, and Mukusu Villages.

This project aims not only to enhance infrastructure but also to catalyze behavioral change and community empowerment. To ensure its success, a comprehensive needs assessment is essential. This TOR outlines the requirements for engaging a consultant to conduct this critical assessment.

Through collaborative efforts and evidence-based insights, we aspire to create a future where every resident of Masinga Sub County enjoys access to safe water, dignified sanitation facilities, and adopts healthy hygiene practices, fostering resilience and prosperity for all.

2. Background and Rationale

Background:

Masinga Sub County, nestled within Machakos County, faces multifaceted challenges that impede the well-being and progress of its local communities. The region, characterized by its semi-arid climate, grapples with perennial water scarcity, inadequate sanitation facilities, and prevalent hygiene-related diseases. These challenges are exacerbated by socio-economic disparities, limited access to essential resources, and a lack of community capacity to address these issues effectively.

In this context, initiatives aimed at bolstering community resilience and sustainable development become imperative. A holistic approach is essential to address the interconnected challenges of water, sanitation, hygiene, food security, and livelihoods. By fostering collaboration between stakeholders, leveraging innovative solutions, and empowering local communities, tangible progress can be made towards enhancing the quality of life for residents of Masinga Sub County.

Rationale:

The rationale for this needs assessment is anchored in the fundamental belief that every individual deserves access to clean water, adequate sanitation, and dignified living conditions. This assessment is a crucial requirement for the BMZ (German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development) application, ensuring that proposed interventions are evidence-based and effectively address the pressing needs of the community.

Moreover, the overarching goal of improving the resilience of local communities aligns with broader national and global development agendas, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Specifically, this assessment supports: SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation; SDG 2 (Zero Hunger): SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being.

A recently conducted Rapid Appraisal in Masinga Sub-County has brought to light several pressing challenges related to water access, sanitation practices, and their profound impact on the community’s health and overall well-being.

The key findings of this appraisal are as follows:

Water Scarcity and Access Issues:

• Significant prevalence of water scarcity affecting the community.
• Dysfunctional boreholes and contaminated dams as primary sources of water.
• Urgent need for sustainable solutions to ensure reliable access to clean water.

Gender-Based Impact:

• Women disproportionately affected by water scarcity.
• Heightened risks of gender-based violence and health issues related to water fetching.

Sanitation Facilities and Practices:

• Predominance of pit latrines with varying levels of infrastructure and hygiene standards.
• Need for improved sanitation practices and infrastructure.

Household Willingness for Innovation:

• General willingness among households to adopt improved latrines.
• Cultural factors and awareness gaps as significant barriers to the adoption of innovative solutions.

Open Defecation Concerns:

• Persistence of open defecation highlights the need for targeted interventions.
• Emphasis on promoting hygienic practices to mitigate health risks.

Health and Quality of Life Implications:

• Comprehensive interventions required to address water and sanitation challenges.
• Focus on enhancing health outcomes and of life for residents.

3. Purpose and Objectives

1.Assessment of Water and Sanitation Coverage:

• Evaluate the current status of clean water and sanitation coverage in Machakos County, including availability, accessibility, and quality of water sources and sanitation facilities, with a specific focus on gender and disability inclusivity.
• Evaluate affordability of clean and safe water; affordability of constructing accessible, safe and adequate sanitation facilities.
• Identify policy gaps hindering access to safe and clean water, particularly for marginalized groups, including women, girls, and people with disabilities, as a contributing factor to economic growth.
• Evaluate access to clean and safe water in public schools in the target area
• Assess sanitation coverage at community level, assess if areas are ODF and factors leading to open defecation
• Assess community willingness and ability to construct sanitation facilities
• Evaluate sanitation coverage (stances to students’ ratio, accessibility etc.), access to adequate sanitation for Menstrual Health Management

2**. Evaluation of Hygiene Behaviors and Practices:**

• Assess knowledge on hygiene practices such as critical handwashing times
• Correlate knowledge to existing hygiene behaviors and practices within the community, identifying barriers to adopting improved standards, particularly for women, girls, and people with disabilities.
• Describe how the community currently engages with water governance, as well as successes and challenges faced by different gender and disability groups.
• Evaluate knowledge on menstrual health disaggregated by age, gender, stakeholders (students, parent, teachers etc.)
• Describe current Menstrual Health Hygiene practices by girls at the public schools in the target area
• Evaluate access to menstrual hygiene products and factors hindering access

3**. Analysis of Factors Influencing Livelihoods:**

• Analyze factors influencing food security and livelihoods in Machakos County, including access to water for agricultural purposes, agricultural practices, income levels, access to resources, and market dynamics, with attention to gender and disability disparities.
• Describe the current state of livelihoods, main types of livelihoods, income, and differences across demographic groups, including gender and disability dimensions and the gaps therein.

4. Identification of Key Stakeholders and Roles:

• Identify key stakeholders and their roles in promoting water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) initiatives, as well as agricultural development within the target communities, ensuring gender and disability representation.
• Specify the possibility of cooperation with local communities, county government, national government, and other NGOs, considering their inclusivity policies regarding gender and disability issues.

5**. Assessment of Capacity and Monitoring Mechanisms:**

• Assess the capacity of local communities, institutions, and organizations to manage WASH facilities, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and respond to shocks and stresses, including their capacity to address gender and disability-related challenges.
• Describe the current climate status of the target area, including patterns, changes, and challenges presented to local people, with a focus on vulnerabilities faced by gender and disability groups.

6. Recommendation of Priority Interventions:

• Recommend priority interventions and activities based on the identified needs and gaps, aligned with program outcomes and outputs, and tailored to the specific context of Machakos County, ensuring they address gender and disability disparities.
• Isolate major problems identified by the improvement demand and situation analysis in the county, shaping each problem into a causal form to derive major problems to be solved directly through commercialization, considering gender and disability impacts.

Scope of Work

The consultant will be responsible for the following tasks:

1. Undertaking a Desk Review:
   • Review relevant project documents, including proposals, reports, and the County Integrated Development Plan (CIDP).
   • Analyze the background of Machakos (Masinga) County, including the cultural context and the perennial WASH and other developmental problems in the target areas including schools. Highlight the causes of the problems through root-cause analysis to enable solutions mapping.
   • Identify probable solutions to the existing problems and ensure alignment with the OECD DAC criteria.
   • Conduct a gendered analysis, including possible mainstreaming solutions and interventions to address inclusion and equity.
   • Map stakeholders and develop management strategies, emphasizing participatory development approaches.
2. Developing a Detailed Methodology for Data Collection:
   • Design a comprehensive methodology for data collection, including surveys, interviews, focus group discussions, and site visits.
3. Undertaking Field Visits:
   • Conduct fieldwork in Mukameni, Thatha, and Mukusu Villages to collect primary data from households, schools, community leaders, and relevant stakeholders.
   • Facilitate Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) and household surveys to understand the perception of community members and school representatives on their current status and improvement needs regarding access to water and income.
   • Conduct direct interviews with key informants to gather views on the current status and improvement needs regarding access to water and income.
   • Conduct field observations of existing community groups focusing on WASH and farming (crops or livestock), market cooperatives, and table banking initiatives.
4. Data Analysis:
   • Analyze the collected data to identify key findings, trends, and challenges related to water, sanitation, and hygiene in the target communities.
5. Preparing a Comprehensive Needs Assessment Report:
   • Prepare a comprehensive needs assessment report that includes:
     • Summary of findings from the desk review and field visits.
     • Recommendations for intervention strategies, priority areas for investment, and potential partnerships with local authorities and organizations.
     • Detailed analysis of the data collected, including key findings, trends, and challenges.
6. Deliverables and Timings

The consultant is expected to deliver the following outputs within the specified timeframe:

• Inception Report: Submit a detailed work plan, including the proposed methodology and tools, within two weeks of contract signing.
• Draft Needs Assessment Report: Provide a preliminary report outlining key findings, analysis, and recommendations within six weeks of commencing fieldwork.
• Final Needs Assessment Report: Incorporate feedback from stakeholders and submit the final report, including all annexes and supporting documents, within two weeks of receiving comments on the draft report.

Task Days

Briefing of consultant, review of relevant documents and development of tools 2 Days

Inception Report and feedback 2 Days

Data collection – field and desk research 5 Days

Data analysis and preparation of draft report 2 Days

Feedback from HFH Kenya 2 Days

Finalization and submission of the final 2 Days

7. Project Timeline

The needs assessment will be conducted from

Starting Date: August 12th

• Total Duration: 30 days
• End Date: September 6th

1. . Project Location

The assessment will cover Mukameni, Thatha, and Mukusu Villages in Masinga Sub County, Machakos County, Kenya.

9. Qualification and Experience

The following qualifications are essential:

• Advanced degree in social sciences, urban planning, development studies, or a related field with a strong focus on community development and housing issues.
• 10 years’ demonstrated experience in conducting needs assessments, enumeration exercises, and stakeholder engagement activities, particularly in the context of housing and resettlement projects.
• Expertise: Possess expertise in data collection and analysis methodologies, including survey design, qualitative and quantitative data analysis, and reporting.
• Knowledge: Familiarity with housing and resettlement policies, community development principles, and stakeholder engagement strategies relevant to the project context.
• Interpersonal Skills: Strong communication, facilitation, and interpersonal skills to effectively engage with diverse stakeholders, build partnerships, and manage relationships.
• Collaborative Approach: Ability to work collaboratively with HFHK, government agencies, community organizations, and private sector entities to ensure the successful implementation of the needs assessment study and subsequent resettlement scheme.
• Cultural Sensitivity: Sensitivity to the cultural context and dynamics of the community and willingness to adapt approaches to ensure inclusivity and respect for local customs and traditions.
• Spoken local language (Kiswahili) is an added advantage for qualitative research, fluency.

English language written and spoken.