Recruitment Of A National Consultant (Togo) For The Final External Evaluation Of The SSF Programme At Christian Blind Mission

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1. Program Description

The “ Programme for the Promotion of Social Structures aimed at establishing sustainable structures for inclusive healthcare and enabling socially marginalized and economically disadvantaged groups to participate in the social and economic development of the country (Togo) ” (SSF Programme) is co-financed by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and by CBM through the Social Structure Funding (SSF) mechanism. The SSF is a BMZ initiative that finances long-term development programs while seeking to influence development policies and strategies at the national level. This initiative contributes to strengthening social structures to effectively address the needs and constraints of vulnerable populations. Like other German organizations active in Togo, the CBM Country Office in Togo has benefited from this funding opportunity to contribute to strengthening local social structures. This support aims to improve access to quality eye care services, promote inclusive education for children with visual impairments, and empower people with visual impairments through vocational training and access to employment. For this first phase, the program is being implemented under the coordination of the CBM Country Office, in collaboration with three partner organizations: PNSO, CNT/EPT, and FETAPH. Each organization contributes its specific expertise to promote eye health, inclusive education, and inclusive employment for people with visual impairments in Togo. This implementation is being rolled out at the macro (national), meso (regional), and micro (community, individual) levels, as follows:

  • At the macro level, the SSF program aims to conduct advocacy work to improve public perception of people with disabilities and to ensure that their specific needs and constraints are better taken into account in cross-cutting policies and strategies.
  • At the meso level, the SSF program aims to improve the participation and involvement of regional and state support structures, as well as to strengthen inclusive education and health systems, by providing them with the resources necessary for the implementation of the measures planned by the State under the Eye Health Strategy (2019–2023) and the Education Sector Plan (2020–2030).
  • At the micro level, the SSF program aims to establish social structures such as self-help groups for people with visual impairments (especially young people) and their carers, parent/teacher committees and other social self-help groups, which will monitor the quality of education in schools and the functioning of counseling and rehabilitation services, and which will support people with (visual) impairments and their families through income-generating activities (IGAs) in Greater Lomé and the Maritime region.

For the current phase (2024–2026), the SSF program is being implemented in Greater Lomé and the Maritime region, targeting 176,750 people with visual impairments as end beneficiaries, through the achievement of four specific objectives:

  • Objective 1: Screening and treatment facilities for eye diseases are available in all prefectures, particularly in Greater Lomé and the Maritime region.
  • Objective 2: Rehabilitation services and support structures are accessible to all people with visual impairments.
  • Objective 3: Educational opportunities for people with (visual) disabilities are improved in Greater Lomé and the Maritime region.
  • Objective 4: People with (visual) disabilities have barrier-free access to suitable vocational training and employment opportunities.

Objective of the evaluation and intended use

This final evaluation aims to provide an independent, evidence-based assessment of the performance and results of the SSF Programme, co-financed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the Christian Blind Mission (CBM). The evaluation will examine the extent to which the programme has achieved its objectives and produced results consistent with the approved project framework and contractual agreement. Specifically, the evaluation will:

  • To assess the relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of the SSF program;
  • Measure progress towards outcomes and objectives;
  • To examine, where possible, gender equality, disability inclusion, environmental sustainability and human rights;
  • Identify good practices, innovations, challenges and lessons learned;
  • Formulate operational recommendations.

The findings of this evaluation will inform accountability, learning, and decision-making by CBM, BMZ, and implementing partners (PNSO, CNT/EPT, and FETAPH). It will provide an independent assessment of the performance, outcomes, and resource utilization of the SSF Programme. The evaluation will support donor accountability requirements and enhance transparency for stakeholders and beneficiaries. It will generate evidence-based lessons learned, good practices, and operational recommendations to improve future programming. The results will also guide strategic adjustments to interventions related to inclusive eye health, education, and the socioeconomic inclusion of people with visual impairments in Togo.

2. Scope of the evaluation

The evaluation will cover the program implementation period from January 1, 2024 to September 30, 2026. It will also cover the two intervention regions (Greater Lomé and the Maritime region).

3. Target audience and learning

The final evaluation is addressed to various stakeholders, including:

  • The landlords (BMZ, CBM);
  • Partner organizations (PNSO, CNT/EPT, FETAPH);
  • The Ministries of Health, Education, Solidarity, Trade and Youth;
  • Municipal councils and communes (local authorities);
  • Health districts, hospitals and prefectural health directorates;
  • Schools, regional education directorates, preschool and primary school inspectorates, the Directorate of Examinations, Competitions and Certifications (DECC);
  • The Togoville Institute for the Blind, the Saint-Augustin Multipurpose Center in Lomé;
  • Chambers of trades, apprenticeship or training centers, other technical training or apprenticeship structures.

The evaluation results will serve to ensure accountability to the beneficiaries and donors of the intervention and to draw lessons from its implementation. More specifically, the evaluation results will allow CBM and the three (3) partner organizations to understand the impact of the intervention on the target groups, particularly people with visual impairments in the two (2) intervention regions, over the period covered by the study.

Other stakeholders in the intervention, such as key ministries, local authorities, and technical and financial partners (TFPs) active in the same sectors, will also be able to use the evaluation results to enhance their understanding of best practices for the benefit of people with visual impairments in terms of eye care, inclusive education, and access to training, income sources, and decent employment. For the contracting organization, CBM, the evaluation results will be used for reporting to the BMZ. The results will also guide its future collaboration with local authorities to establish sustainable, high-quality, inclusive, and accessible eye health, education, and income-generating services for the target groups, in line with the three thematic areas. Furthermore, the results will enable CBM to strengthen its collaboration with the BMZ in the implementation of programs funded by the SSF (Single Social Fund). For the purposes of inclusion and accessibility, particularly for people with visual impairments, the team of consultants responsible for the evaluation will ensure that the report is written in clear and accessible language.

Assessment questions

A. RELEVANCE – Was the program on the right track?

  • To what extent and how has the SSF Programme adapted its implementation strategies, activities and targeting during implementation in response to changing contextual conditions affecting beneficiaries and stakeholders, and how have these adaptations influenced the achievement of results?

B. COHERENCE – To what extent does the program fit into the broader national and international context?

  • To what extent was the program’s intervention logic coherent and plausible in linking the targeted activities, outputs, effects, and long-term changes?

C. EFFECTIVENESS – Has the program achieved its objectives?

  • To what extent has the SSF Programme achieved its intended outputs and effects, and what contribution has it made to changes within the targeted groups and in the geographical areas of intervention, with regard to the three (3) thematic areas:
    • the prevention of eye diseases and the improvement of access to quality eye care services for women, men and children with visual impairments;
    • improving access to inclusive and quality education for children with visual impairments;
    • improving access to vocational training, income-generating opportunities and decent employment for young people and adults with visual impairments.
  • To what extent has the partnership model between CBM, PNSO, CNT/EPT and FETAPH been effective in achieving the objectives of the intervention?

D. EFFICIENCY – To what extent were resources planned and used?

  • To what extent were the allocated resources (financial, human and material) used efficiently, appropriately, in a timely and equitable manner to achieve the intended results?

E. IMPACT – What difference did the program make?

  • To what extent has the intervention generated positive or negative effects, intentional or unintentional, on the beneficiaries, their households, their communities and the institutions concerned, particularly with regard to eye health, inclusive education, employability, livelihoods, social participation and well-being?
  • What evidence supports an emerging impact and the likelihood of a longer-term impact?

F. SUSTAINABILITY – Will the benefits be sustainable?

  • To what extent has the SSF program established an integrated and effective multi-sectoral framework (“integrated social structure”) for the provision of eye care and educational and socio-vocational support to children and young people with visual impairments?

G. Protection of children and vulnerable adults

  • To what extent have aspects related to safeguarding children and adults at risk been taken into account, and how have the corresponding mechanisms been established, used and respected?

H. Equality and inclusion / gender equality

To what extent has the project promoted and implemented the rights of persons with disabilities, particularly those with visual impairments, to quality eye health, inclusive education and training, and access to decent livelihoods and employment? How are these rights reflected among these beneficiaries, including men and women, boys and girls?

Methodology

This evaluation will require the use of participatory methods for the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data.

It is up to the consultant or consulting firm to propose a methodology that will allow for the evaluation of all project components in accordance with the evaluation criteria.

Since no formal theory of change or feasibility study was developed prior to the program’s implementation, the evaluation team will need to reconstruct the program’s intervention rationale, where necessary, based on available documentation and stakeholder consultations. The evaluation team will assess the coherence and plausibility of this intervention rationale, as well as the extent to which the program’s design and targeting were appropriate to the context and the needs of the intended beneficiaries.
The evaluation team will propose a sampling strategy that ensures adequate representation of women, men, girls, and boys with visual impairments, caregivers, service providers, government actors, and partner organizations.

The final report should present good practices, innovations, key success factors, challenges and lessons learned – including what worked, what did not work, for whom, under what circumstances and why – and formulate operational recommendations for future interventions.

Profile of the lead consultant. The lead consultant must have proven experience in conducting program evaluations in the areas of public health, inclusive education, and access to employment for vulnerable groups such as people with disabilities, or any other similar field. They must meet the following requirements:

  • Higher education (minimum Bac+5) in social sciences (sociology, anthropology, etc.), public health, education, development program management, monitoring and evaluation;
  • Proven expertise in the areas of disability, eye health, inclusive education and employment of vulnerable groups;
  • Over 8 years of experience in conducting evaluations and capitalizing on programs funded by international donors (BMZ, GIZ, EU);
  • Having conducted evaluations (at least three) of programmes/actions in areas identical or similar to the action to be evaluated;
  • Good command of the results framework, participatory evaluation approaches and tools for taking into account disability issues and the integration of gender and vulnerable groups in the programme cycle;
  • Excellent command of French, report writing and computer tools (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, SPSS, etc.);
  • Proficiency in English and one or more local languages ​​(Mina, Ewe) would be an asset.

Deliverables

The report must be submitted in French, in the standard format for CBM evaluation reports, with at least a summary in French and English (3 pages max.).

  • The inception report is to be submitted 10 days after receipt of all background documentation and signature of the contract. The inception report must include an evaluation matrix linking the evaluation questions, indicators, information sources, data collection methods, and analytical approaches. The purpose of this report is to ensure that the evaluation covers the most critical elements of the exercise, in particular the relevance and robustness of the methodology to be used, as well as the representation of gender, disability, and diversity, and the participation of different social groups for an inclusive needs analysis.
  • The inception report provides an opportunity for the organization and the evaluation team to ensure a shared understanding of the evaluation and to clarify their expectations from the outset. The report should describe the literature review conducted by the evaluation team and the gaps that the fieldwork will address. It should also reflect opportunities for the participation of persons with disabilities in developing the methodology and in the data collection and analysis process.
  • The draft final report must be submitted no later than 14 days after the field phase.
  • The final evaluation report (in French), of a maximum of 30 pages of text (+ annexes) , will be reviewed by CBM and its partner organizations and must incorporate the comments received.
  • The report must include a summary of two (02) to three (03) pages maximum in French and English , which may be used for publication purposes (for example on CBM websites).
  • All reference documents, including questionnaires, databases, etc., must be included as appendices. Data confidentiality must be guaranteed at all stages, and respondents’ names or any other identifying information (address, telephone numbers) must not appear on completed questionnaires.
  • One (1) workshop will need to be organised for the presentation and validation of the final report.

The evaluation must comply with internationally recognized ethical standards, including voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, data protection, safeguards and the do-no-harm principle.

Evaluation schedule

The evaluation must take place from September 1st to November 15th, 2026.

Candidates must therefore propose a schedule for conducting the assessment.

How to apply

Expressions of interest must be submitted no later than 11 August 2026 at 14:00 GMT to the following email address: infoafw@cbm.org with the subject line “SSF Consultancy Evaluation Recruitment” and must include:

  • A comprehensive technical proposal including the agenda and detailed CVs of each member of the proposed team
  • A financial proposal including the overall budget (excluding taxes and including all taxes where VAT is applicable) and a detailed pricing (consultancy fees, translation/transcription costs, per diem, accommodation, transport, costs related to reasonable accommodations/braille interpretation, sign language interpretation, etc.);
  • The team’s availability according to the proposed schedule;
  • Sufficient evidence of the required qualifications and knowledge;
  • Sufficient evidence of the qualifications and experience required for the assessment;
  • Sufficient evidence of experience working with relevant stakeholders and target groups.