Senior Expert on Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment At Interpeace

Context

Rwanda has identified mental health and trauma healing as areas of priority. A 2018 Mental Health Survey revealed high prevalence of mental health disorders, particularly among survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. In addition, the country’s National Unity and Reconciliation Policy recognises “serious levels of trauma” as a major effect of the genocide that still weighs heavily on society today. It identifies the healing of psychological wounds as a guiding principle on which unity and reconciliation are established. High levels of trauma, anxiety and depression make it more difficult for people to trust and forgive each other. Trauma affects the ability to open up, receive and trust others, and it is a major cause of inter-community suspicions, especially between groups of genocide survivors and former prisoners. This has limited people’s ability to cooperate in shared, mutually beneficial economic activities.

Given the above context, Rwanda’s 4th Health Sector Strategic Plan emphasises the need for holistic innovative programmes that simultaneously promote mental health service provision, advance social cohesion and support sustainable livelihoods. Since October 2020, Interpeace, in partnership with Prison Fellowship Rwanda and in close collaboration with several government institutions including Rwanda National Unity and Reconciliation Commission, the Ministry of Health (through RBC) and Rwanda Correctional Services among others have been implementing a programme entitled: ‘*’**Reinforcing Community capacity for social cohesion through societal trauma healing in Bugesera District’’* Pilot programme, to strengthen social cohesion and sustainable peace through scaling up community-based healing and livelihood initiatives; funded by the European Union.

Interpeace is seeking to scale up this work to five more Districts in Rwanda- namely: Musanze, Nyabihu, Nyamagabe, Ngoma and Nyagatare.

The beneficiaries of the programme will include survivors of the genocide against the Tutsi and their families; former prisoners living in the said Districts; local leaders, Districts prisons officials; current prisoners in the respective District prisons and their families, as well as youth- in particular those from the families of genocide survivors and perpetrators who may be experiencing the effects of inter-generational transmission of trauma and genocide legacies.

Description of Tasks

Interpeace is looking for a Senior Rwandan expert on Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment who will contribute to the successful implementation of all livelihoods-related activities, as stipulated within the project document. Their services will be required for at least 120 working days during the period November 2021 to 31 December 2022.

Specifically, s/he will:

• Contribute to the development of an instrument for baseline survey that will be conducted in Nyabihu, Musanze, Nyamagabe, Ngoma and Nyagatare Districts; providing advisory services on the livelihoods and economic empowerment aspects of this study specifically.
• Contribute to the development of an elaborated plan for incubation, business plan development and mentorship of community-based livelihoods initiatives in all project Districts.
• Serve as a lead trainer of Community-Based Organisations in the 5 Districts, on the ‘’Collaborative Livelihoods (CO-LIVE) Incubation and Business Plan Development Protocol’’, recently developed by Interpeace and its partners.
• Contribute to the design, incubation and mentorship of the livelihoods and economic empowerment initiatives in all Districts of programme operations in Rwanda.
• Contribute to the interpretation of findings from impact evaluation research conducted within the project, and in documenting such findings through policy briefs, media articles and scientific reports.
• Participate in project meetings, workshops and public events discussing research findings or any other deliverables of the project.

Required qualifications and experience

Essential qualifications and experience:

• Doctorate degree (PhD) in a related discipline (e.g. development economics, project management, or business administration)
• At least 10 years of professional experience and / or civic engagement in related fields (e.g. business incubation, life skills coaching, vocational training, or entrepreneurship), of which at least 4 years must have been within the context of Rwanda.
• Must be fluent in Kinyarwanda, and English or French.

Desired qualifications and experience:

• Doctorate degree in a related discipline (e.g. development economics, human resource management, business administration) or a relevant master’s degree with proven, extensive experience in this area.
• Published works on topics related to livelihoods, entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
• Experience in designing and / or implementing assessment systems for the evaluation of community-based enterprises, vocational skills and / or life skills in projects or programmes related to peacebuilding or trauma healing in Rwanda.
• Experience in collaborating with governments, mandated commissions, and / or international organizations, for the design and implementation of community-based collaborative livelihoods initiatives.