Ethiopia: Consultancy Service to Organise a Training on Nexus and Disaster Risk Reduction Management and Programming

1. Introduction: 

SOS Children’s Villages International works to influence public policies to establish a protective environment for all children. Our work is based on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC), the UN Guidelines on Alternative Care of Children, the Sustainable Development Goals, Agenda 2040, the African Youth Charter, and relevant national laws and policies.

SOS programs focus on creating a caring, nurturing, and secure environment for children, with a special focus on children without parental care and at risk of losing parental care. We achieve this by gathering evidence from program experience, research, and context analysis to create increased awareness and strong movements of professionals so that there are sustainable changes in services provided to young care leavers. As such, it calls for professionalized caregiver approaches that need relevant knowledge and skills to enhance quality leaving care services. To achieve sustainable care leaver processes and services the DANIDA SPA framework would like to support a training of relevant SOS staff in the Nexus approach to basically understand the interrelations between humanitarian, development and conflict sensitive contexts and the necessity of applying approaches that pay attention to such interrelations.

Disasters can have severe and lasting consequences. They result in fatalities, injuries, illnesses, property and asset destruction, widespread displacement, disruption to society and the economy, infrastructure and service losses, and ecological damage. These events have an extended effect on communities, making their recovery a difficult and prolonged process. The Eastern and southern Africa region is susceptible to a range of natural hazards, including floods, droughts, earthquakes, and landslides. Additionally, man-made disasters like conflict, violence, urban fires, environmental degradation, water pollution, and outbreaks of disease epidemics consequently are also prevalent in this area. These disasters have a significant impact on the region's already vulnerable population, exacerbating poverty and inequality. Additionally, the lack of preparedness and limited resources further hinder the ability to effectively respond and recover from these events.

When taking proactive measures, we can minimize the impact of hazards and safeguard lives and livelihoods, even though we cannot completely prevent them. The nexus approach recognizes the interdependence of various sectors and encourages cooperation among stakeholders to improve preparedness, response, and recovery efforts. With the implementation of strategies to mitigate risks and promoting active involvement from the community, we can establish a stronger and more adaptable society capable of facing future challenges. The training will be supported by the Leave no youth behind project funded under the DANIDA framework through (PSA DK)) whose aim is to enhance the ability of young care leavers in East Africa and the Horn of Africa to demonstrate resilience and self-reliance to become independent and contributing members of society. This project is currently implemented by IOR, Mas-Kenya, Ethiopia and Somaliland and it will end in December 2025

2. Background: 

SOS Children's Villages International (SOS CVI) is an independent, non-governmental, non-profit and non-denominational international umbrella organization that has been active in the field of children's rights and has committed itself to address children's needs and concerns. It is one of the oldest (since 1949) and largest organizations working with vulnerable children, which operates in 138 countries and territories around the world.

In recent years, SOS CV has been increasingly engaged in emergency preparedness and response activities to protect children from abuse, neglect and exploitation and minimize the negative effects that natural disaster and war could have on children and their families. The Global Emergency Response unit drives and manages the emergency preparedness and response activities of SOS CVI and supports member associations to fulfil the urgent humanitarian needs of children. As of now, SOSCVI is operating over 50 humanitarian action projects in 26 countries in the world and reaching over 1.2 million vulnerable people through providing an integrated life saving services, such as WASH, Health, and nutrition, FSL, MHPSS and protection.

In ESAF region alone, over 20 humanitarian action projects have been implemented in 11 disaster prone member associations with annual turnover of 25 million EUR.

Recently SOS CV has launched a humanitarian appeal in response to the unfolding drought crisis in the horn of Africa targeting four SOS Member Associations namely Ethiopia, Somalia, Somaliland and Kenya and waiting budget commitment from the Promoting and Supporting Associations (PSAs). Ensuring quality and accountability is pre-requisite of humanitarian action project and this can be ensured by investing time and resource on staff to enhance their knowledge and skills on humanitarian action programming. One of the best way to enhance staff capacity is to facilitate local humanitarian leadership training for the program directors and exposed them in different leadership techniques. In this regard, we want the training to focus on the following areas: 1) humanitarian leadership in context, 2) putting humanitarian principles in to practice, 3) how to lead effective team and 4) how to influence and judge critically.

IOR ESAF programmes include providing quality alternative care for children, preventing family separation, youth empowerment, and emergency response.

Locally Relevant, Quality Alternative Care: 

To strengthen and scale up the positive impact of our programmes as well as to address the prevailing gaps and challenges, IOR ESAF prioritized quality and relevance of alternative care services by putting each child’s individual needs and best interests first to provide a nurturing and stable family environment.

Prevention of Family Separation: 

In ESAF, our family strengthening programmes (FSPs) focus on the empowerment of communities through the development of their skills, knowledge, confidence and access to resources required to support families to effectively protect and care for children. The programmes empower communities, strengthen child protection structures and support community-based organizations with capacity building and skills training, infrastructure development, and access to resources for economic empowerment.

Empowering Young People: 

The ESAF youth development programmes facilitate access to education, training, and mentorship to help develop their knowledge, confidence, and resilience. In struggling African economies, unemployment is a huge risk for young people leaving care. IOR ESAF made significant progress in youth development programs through collaboration with various partners, contextualization, capacity building, an integrated approach, and improved technical assistance.

Emergency Response: 

When children are exposed to emergencies, be it because of armed conflict or natural disaster, we take action to bring them as quickly as possible from the emergency into a caring family environment where their development as individuals is supported, and we prevent family separation during all phases of an emergency. We achieve this by:

• First, ensuring that unaccompanied and separated children are safe protected and cared for during the emergency.
• Making every effort to reunify them with family members.
• Identifying suitable alternative care placement in the best interests of the children when reunification is not possible.
• Supporting families and communities with children who are at risk of losing parental care.

Thus, it has become imperative for programme directors, advisers and implementing partners to understand, get acquainted with, and be well equipped with the requisite information, skills, and techniques to enable them effectively and efficiently make use of local humanitarian leadership approach tools and apply leadership techniques to provide responsible life saving response to the people in need.

3. Purpose: 

The main purpose of the training will be to enhance the participant’s knowledge and wisdom around Nexus and disaster risk reduction management and Programming. Participants will have an in-depth overview of applying the Nexus approach to disaster risk reduction and

management, enabling them to effectively address the complex challenges at the intersection of development, peacebuilding, and humanitarian action (the triple nexus). The training will also provide opportunities for participants to engage in interactive discussions and case studies to deepen their understanding of the subject matter.

4. Objectives: 

The objectives of the training are to:

• Understand how the effect of hazards on people varies greatly based on the economic, political, social, and cultural elements that influence their vulnerability.
• Understand the disaster management cycle from preparedness and mitigation to response and recovery.
• Applying the CHS/Core Humanitarian Standards
• Identify opportunities and Challenges carrying out the Disaster Risk reductions and nexus approaches and strategies contributing to systemic resilience.
• Understand Gender and social inclusion in disasters management pathways.
• Understand Community-based participatory approaches to peacebuilding.
• Explain why disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) integration is important, before, during and after emergencies.
• Understand Integrating Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation into
• Development and humanitarian actions.
• Obtain a clear understanding of Climate and disaster risk informed development.

5. Planned Outcome: 

Participants received five-days training sessions to enhance knowledge and skills on nexus; applying the Nexus approach to disaster risk reduction and management, enabling them to effectively address the complex challenges at the intersection of development, peacebuilding, and humanitarian action (the triple nexus).

6. Methodology: 

The consultant will propose the methodology. The consultant will work closely with the designated focal person in developing the relevant training materials and delivering the face-to-face training at Nairobi of Kenya.

7. Skills and Competencies: 

IOR ESAF is looking for an international/national consultant/ firm. Applicants will be shortlisted based upon their expression of interest, budget and CV.

The marking system will consider:

• A strong educational background in Humanitarian or development Aid (Masters or above)
• Work experience with special focus on local humanitarian action capacity building (15 years or more)
• Must have facilitated similar training with INGO, NGOs or donors.
• Shall have previous experience in Eastern and Southern Africa region
• Have a good understanding of situations of vulnerable children in the region
• Have a good understanding of humanitarian crisis situation in the region

8. Timeframe and Activities: 

A tentative schedule of activities is outlined below (No, Date, Activity Description): 

1. 1. 11 March 2024, Submission of expression of interest, budget, and CV
2. 2. 20th March 2024, Selection of consultant
3. 3. 10th April 2024, Submission of inception report to SOS Children’s Villages, after desk review of relevant documentation, review of staff’s existing capacity, and kick-off virtually with the designated focal person.
4. 4. 15th April 2024, Submit the training module, presentation slides, and all other relevant training materials in editable formats
5. 5. 6th -10th May, Deliver local humanitarian leadership training in person at SOS Regional Resource Center at Karen.
6. 6. 31st May 2024, Feedback report submitted to SOS Children’s Villages reflecting the action plan and outcome of the training.

9. Specific Tasks and Deliverables: 

• Conduct a quick assessment, based on the profile of the participants – their roles, prior training, expectations, etc.
• Development/refinement of learning objectives, methods, and tools, based on a clear understanding of the ToR, participants’ assessment results, and additional inputs from the focal person(s);
• Prepare, submit and present a well-organized training material at least one week before the training date in soft copy.
• Develop training evaluation form, and conduct pre and post-training tests and submit the results;
• Develop the list of equipment and materials which are necessary to carry out the training.
• Provide clear instructions/directions for class exercises.

By the end of the training, the consultant is expected to provide:

• Certificate of completion for trainees.
• Training module.
• Training report.

10. Requirements: 

SOS Children’s Villages, ESAF is looking for an international/national consultant/firm who will be responsible for developing and delivering a training on Nexus approach to disaster risk reduction and management, mirrored in the context of development, peacebuilding, and humanitarian action (the triple nexus) for the programme development professionals.

Applicants will be shortlisted based upon their expression of interest, submission of mandatory documents, technical proposal, and budget. The Evaluation Criteria is as follows:

• Must have a strong background in humanitarian and development with a special focus on local humanitarian leadership.
• Must have conducted similar training/workshop previously organized by an international organization,
• Shall have previous experience in Africa (advantageous if the experience is particularly in Easter and southern Africa context)
• Presentational and report writing skills and fluency in English both written and verbal communications.
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and facilitation skills and the ability to work effectively as a team.
• Have certification as a trainer.
• Valid certificate of consultancy services.
• Valid Tax Registration Certificate (indicating PIN/TIN and VAT Number);
• Full and accurate physical, postal, telephone, and email addresses.

How to Apply: 

Interested and qualified consultants are invited to submit:

Mandatory Documents: 

1. Copies of tax registration (PIN/TIN, VAT registration number)
2. Copies of licenses (professional and business licenses) issued by the respective government body;

Technical Proposal containing: 

1. Company profile and consultant CVs;
2. Training topics and methodology to be applied.
3. List of at least three main clients who received similar training (references may be requested later on);
4. Other information that is relevant.

Financial Proposal: 

1. The financial proposal shall specify a total lump sum amount (including a breakdown of costs for service fee, disbursements, and applicable taxes)
2. Financial proposals should be submitted in a separate document and must be password protected. The password MUST NOT be submitted with the bid application. If the Financial Proposal is not password protected or the bidder submits the password along with the proposal documents, then the bidder will be disqualified. The bidder must submit to SOS Children Villages only when requested.

Enquiries:

For any enquiries, please contact mgo@sosbornebyerne.dkg, deqa.dimbil@sos-kd.org, and Emilian.Manishimwe@sos-kd.org (Please copy all these emails). 

Evaluation Process: 

After the bid opening, each proposal will be assessed first on its technical quality and compliance and subsequently on its cost/price. The proposal with the best overall value, composed of technical merit and price, will be considered for final approval.

SOS Children’s Villages International, shall be free to:

• Accept the whole, or part only, of any submission
• Republish this Request for Quotations
• Contact any or all references supplied by the bidder(s).
• Request additional supporting or supplementary information from the bidders.
• Arrange interviews with the bidders.
• Reject any or all proposals submitted.
• Negotiate cost, timeline and methodology with the bidders who are ranked from one to three.
• Contract any number of candidates as required to obtain best value for cost.

SOS Children’s Villages International reserves the right to keep confidential the circumstances that have been considered for the selection of the offers.

Part of the evaluation process may include a presentation from the bidder.

Your proposals should be marked as “Nexus training” SOS Children’s Villages East and Southern Africa (ESAF) and Applicants MUST copy all these email addresses in their application. ESAF.HROD@sos-kd.org, mgo@sosbornebyerne.dkg, deqa.dimbil@sos-kd.org, and Emilian.Manishimwe@sos-kd.org. 

Application Deadline: All applications must be submitted by 11th March 6:00 pm East African Time.