Source: Save The Children
Save the Children is the world’s leading independent non-profit organization for children. Our vision is a world in which every child attains the right to survival, protection, development, and participation. Our mission is to inspire breakthroughs in the way the world treats children, and to achieve immediate and lasting changes in their lives. In Zambia, Save the Children has been implementing programs across Child Rights Governance (CRG), Health and Nutrition, Child Protection, Education, Child Poverty and Humanitarian thematic areas since 1983.
The Save the Children Sponsorship-funded programs operate in 20 countries worldwide. The mission of the Sponsorship-funded programming is to transform the lives of children, sponsored and non-sponsored, to ensure children have the healthy start, opportunity to learn and protection from harm. The program integrates health, education and protection to support the development of children from 0 – 18 years old. The Zambia Sponsorship program has been operating since 2012 in the western half of Lufwanyama District on the Copperbelt province. The Sponsorship program has worked in 10 communities spread over six chiefdoms. The program has supported 10 rural health facilities, 64 primary schools and 107 ECCD centers.
Sponsorship program in Zambia implements the following integrated core programs:
- Early Childhood Care and Development (0 – 6 years old) – ECCD program supports early learning starting at birth in households through improving caregiver-child interaction and stimulation. It also supports quality preschools, early literacy and math programs, and parent training to give young children a strong foundation for a brighter future.
- Basic Education (7 – 15 years old) – BE program provides teacher training; supports literacy and numeracy programs; and fosters community engagement to create a positive learning environment. In Zambia, Sponsorship has been implementing BE programming in primary schools since 2013.
- School Health and Nutrition (3 – 14 years old) – the SHN programme helps children remain in school and learn by ensuring that they are healthy and well nourished. SHN works within local education systems, and with governments to provide preventative health education, and water and sanitation services. These services are tailored to be gender sensitive in order to support menstrual hygiene activities at primary school level. The SHN programme started in 2014 to address hygiene practices and prevent disease such bilharzia, intestinal worms and anaemia.
- Maternal, New-born, and Child Health and Nutrition (0 to 59 months) – MNCHN programming strengthens availability and delivery of a constellation of high quality services and practices that promote healthy pregnancies and childbirth, and the care, growth and development of new-born, infants and children. In Zambia, Sponsorship has been implementing MNCHN since 2017. The program was initially piloted in four communities and was in 2018 scaled up to all the 10 communities where the Sponsorship Program is being implemented. The program is implemented in partnership with the local health facilities, community health volunteers and other community structures.
Overview of Study
A Situation Analysis is a scoping and analysis of the broad context or external environment in which SCI will implement its child sponsorship program. The situational analysis is a critical step in understanding the unique characteristics of the program area and of establishing a relationship with the community. It also ensures that the community has the opportunity to communicate their needs and inform programming. Situation analysis is important because when designing a program, it is very easy to make assumptions on the problems in the community. Methodological strategies have been designed following “Common Approach to Sponsorship –funded Programming” modules of Save the Children International.
This study will collect detailed information on the situation of ECCD, BE, MNCHN, AD, SHN and Child protection in the district. A preliminary exercise has been conducted which identified key issues in education and health outcomes for children. This has been done through stakeholder’s consultation and review of secondary data.
The situation analysis will provide an opportunity for the team to get in-depth information on key barriers to health, education and child protection for the children in Petauke district. This information is needed as it forms the basis of designing program interventions for the Sponsorship programme
Objectives
To conduct a comprehensive situation analysis/needs assessment (regarding Maternal, Newborn, Child Health and Nutrition, Early Childhood Care & Development, Basic education, Adolescent development, School Health and Nutrition and Child protection and participation) for designing demand driven child development program. Other cross cutting themes to include are child poverty/status of child sensitive social protection mechanisms, impacts of climate and other shocks e.g. Covid-19 and community disaster preparedness.
- Assess gender dynamics and inclusion in the community that directly or indirectly affect access to services for children.
- To assess prevalence and social norms around child marriage, types of disabilities amongst children (physical, mental/developmental, learning disabilities), services available, awareness/sensitization of service providers (social workers, health services, education staff, and others)
- To identify gaps in current service provision through mapping of structures and partners operating in the new impact area for engagement. Pointers include but not limited to community and district child protection mechanisms and youth-led organizations.
Proposed Time Frame
The time-frame for the assignment execution will be agreed upon approximately (6 weeks)
Qualified applicants who are interested in applying for the above must meet the following requirements:
- Interested and qualified consultants/firms are required to submit a proposal interpreting the Terms of Reference elaborating the proposed methodology. Detailed work plan and budget indicating both the professional rates and costs for logistics/operations in Zambian Kwacha.
- Detailed CV for the lead Consultant including summarized CVs of technical personnel.
- The applicants must also provide a list of previous/current similar assignments or engagements completed, work references and provide links of sample works successfully produced in the last three to four years.
- In addition, applicants should provide requirements as listed below: –
MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
• That they are not on any Save the Children prohibited parties list or blacklisted by the government.
• Copy of the National Registration Card or copy of the passport
• Copy of Tax Clearance Certificate (TPIN)
• Certificate of incorporation for companies
REQUIRED EXPERTISE & EXPERIENCE
The assessment is to be done by a consultant/firm with a team composition of 2-3 individuals with a mix of experience in the focus areas described under the objectives section. The consultant/team must possess the following qualifications and competences in order to be eligible for this assignment:
- A recognized university degree in public health, Demography, Education or related social science (at a minimum of masters’ level but preferably at doctorate level)
- 5-10 years’ experience in high level studies especially education research
- Previous experience of working with children, using participatory child-friendly assessment/research/evaluation methodologies in education such as IDELA, EGRA and AGMA.
- Previous experience of engaging civil society organizations, national partners and key government staff in the development and implementation of assessments/evaluations.
- Evidence of having done similar work (kindly share copies of completed assignments or links) especially in similar set ups as the project area (Rural areas) in the past 3 years.
- A demonstrated high level of professionalism
Strong interpersonal and communication skills including experience of working within multi- cultural teams
Application Conditions
Follow link provided for specific additional information requirements ……………..
Deadline for submission of the Expressions of Interest is Wednesday 28April 2021 at midnight GMT. Expressions of Interests submitted after the stated closing time and date will not be accepted.
Note
- Save the Children will only contact successful applicants
- Save the Children reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal/expression or cancel the procurement process at any time, without assigning any reason, and shall have no liability to any potential consultants for such rejection or cancellation of the procurement.
