Final evaluation of two projects implemented in the Nundu area, DRC At Doctors of the World – Belgium

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WHO ARE WE ?

Médecins du Monde is an international medical development NGO that is part of an international network. We provide medical assistance to vulnerable groups, in Belgium and around the world. We want universal health coverage where everyone has access to care, without obstacles.

In Belgium and around the world, our projects are aimed at all people who do not have or no longer have access to health care. In particular, they are structured around five axes: people on the margins of society, children in vulnerable situations, women, migrants or displaced persons and victims of crises or conflicts.

To carry out our mission, we rely on three pillars:

• Care : provide real access to care for populations.
• Change : more than helping, we want to change things in the long term.
• Bearing witness : we do not remain silent. Thanks to our experience and our presence on the ground, we challenge the authorities (local, regional and (inter)national) with facts, figures and realities.

Our projects follow a series of values ​​common to our entire organization: Social Justice, Empowerment, Independence, Commitment, Balance.

CONTEXT

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is experiencing one of the most complex and protracted humanitarian crises in the world. This crisis is characterized by five main humanitarian impacts: population movements, acute food insecurity, acute malnutrition, epidemics and protection issues. Weakened in particular by insufficient investment in infrastructure, equipment and human resources, the health system faces different types of shocks dominated by infectious diseases. It is also confronted with communicable diseases: measles and cholera which experience epidemic outbreaks all year round, priority endemic diseases such as malaria, HIV-AIDS infection, tuberculosis, as well as emerging epidemic diseases such as Ebola virus disease, monkeypox and coronavirus disease since 2019.

The intervention area targeted by the project, namely the Nundu health zone (ZS) in Fizi territory (South Kivu province) is characterized by three cumulative determinants: it is an area of ​​persistence or even, since 2022, resurgence of conflicts between local and regional armed groups and security forces, leading to numerous protection incidents ; the area has also experienced natural disasters in recent years (rising waters of Lake Tanganyika, heavy rains, erosion and landslides, etc.); finally, it is characterized by a high level of poverty and vulnerability of the populations. The main health indicators, health coverage, births attended by qualified personnel and vaccination coverage are among the lowest in the South Kivu province.

The combination of these factors causes pendulum movements of populations (internally displaced persons / IDPs) within and towards the intervention zone where local communities experience pressure on their social and health systems, both at primary and secondary level.

The area cannot ensure its resilience in the face of these risks: poverty and the fragility of response systems increase the level of vigilance in the area in the face of rising inter-community tensions or effective access to care for the most vulnerable categories.

The high prevalence of child malnutrition and sexual violence are revealing focuses.

The Nundu health zone has been categorized by OCHA as a priority 1 affected area mainly due to the large number of IDPs (who fled insecurity in the Hauts Plateaux region of Uvira-Fizi-Mwenga) and the few humanitarian actors present. According to a count carried out in November 2022 by the BCZ, the number of IDPs stood at 150,660 people while the population basin is 255,760 people. To support communities in coping with this crisis, the MdM-Tearfund consortium provided multi-sectoral assistance aimed at:

1) improving the quality and access to free health care, through an integrated response including capacity building of health center staff, compliance with minimum EHA standards (at community and health facility levels) and the provision of medical supplies;

2) improving information management and coordination for disease surveillance and patient referral;

3) holistic care for GBV survivors and protection of vulnerable people. The intervention strategy implemented will therefore combine an emergency intervention component with a focus on targeted vulnerable groups and community mobilization work focused on resilience. The cross-cutting protection dimension will be strongly developed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE CONSULTATION

The objective of this final evaluation is to report on the results obtained from the projects ” Provision of integrated multisectoral assistance for the resilience of host communities and IDPs in the Nundu health zone ” and ” Strengthening access to secondary and specialized health care for multi-vulnerable populations in the Fizi territory, in the East of the DRC, affected by conflicts and/or sexual violence “, both implemented in the Nundu zone.

The evaluation will make it possible to assess, at the end of the projects, the relevance, coherence, efficiency, effectiveness, impact and viability of the two projects mentioned above, implemented in the same area, from a perspective of accountability and learning from beneficiaries and stakeholders.

This final evaluation will be conducted by an external consultant/team of consultants who will also identify good practices and provide recommendations for similar interventions aimed at strengthening the capacity of communities and the health system to cope with shocks and crises.

The results of this evaluation will support advocacy towards health authorities in order to develop approaches and models in the different health structures, to better adapt the strategy. They will be arguments for scaling up to other health zones at the national level and in the different countries of intervention.

DELIVERABLES

Expected during this evaluation are:

• An Inception/start-up report validated by the steering committee.
• A preliminary document presenting the first results, conclusions and recommendations is shared with the steering committee.
• An Evaluation Report (draft and final) of 20-30 pages including a summary of the report in French.
• Minutes of the restitution meeting are drawn up.
• The raw data collected.

The report, which will be produced in French, must contain a summary.

EXPECTED PROFILE

Education

• 2nd cycle university degree (BAC + 5) in: medicine, statistics, social sciences, public health, management, protection or other related discipline.
• Having a valid certificate in humanitarian/development project evaluation techniques or being a member or affiliate of a recognized association of evaluation experts is an asset.

Experience

• At least 5 years of experience in multi-sectoral project evaluation work, particularly in the health (GBV, MHPSS), WASH and protection sectors.
• Experience with innovative (qualitative) evaluation methods and social survey methods (data collection, entry, analysis), semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions.
• Experience in the country of intervention (DRC) is appreciated
• Experience in evaluating projects funded by ECHO/CDCS is appreciated

Quality and justification of the methodology

• Clear and tailored technical proposal based on a good understanding of the evaluation questions.
• General description and relevance of the methodology.
• Presentation of the tools offered at each stage of the evaluation process.
• Work schedule consistent with the methodology and expected deadlines.

Other assets

• Have an excellent command of French
• Knowledge of some local languages ​​is appreciated.
• Experience working within or with an international NGO