Mozambique: Social Behavior Change Study

Programme Name: Okhokelamo ni Solha

Assessment Location: Alto Molocue, Derre and Mocuba of Zambezia Province

Country: Mozambique

Project Background: 

Save the Children opened programmes in Mozambique in 1986 at the height of the Mozambican civil war, with a focus on tracing the families of children who were separated during the conflict. Since our early work in the country, Save the Children Mozambique (SCIMOZ) has focused on reaching the most marginalized and disadvantaged children and their families. Today, SCIMOZ has a mixed development and humanitarian projects in eight out of 11 provinces in the country – Maputo, Gaza, Sofala, Manica, Tete, Zambezia, Nampula and Cabo Delgado.

Okhokelamo ni Solha is a Resilience Food Security Activity is a USAID/BHA funded five-year program that seeks to improve nutrition outcomes for children under two years of age (CU2) in Mozambique, Zambezia Province, Livelihood Zone 5. Okhokelamo will work through community-level implementation platforms to reach 1,157,575 participants within six districts in Zambezia (Alto Mólocuè, Derre, Ile, Mocuba, Morrumbala, and Mulevala***)*** to sustainably improve women’s nutrition including in the face of shocks; improve infant and young child feeding; and reduce early pregnancy and improve nutrition among adolescent girls.

Okhokelamo will conduct formative research to guide the development of the social and behavior change (SBC) strategy across all purposes. The research will focus on the topics of breastfeeding and complementary feeding, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), and food security to refine Theory of Change (ToC) and program activities. The SBC study will be complemented by other formative research activities, namely: Gender Analysis, Youth-Inclusive Needs Assessment (YINA), and Cost of the Diet (CotD), as well as community consultations and mapping, and a literature review. SBC research is intended to be participatory, focusing on collecting qualitative data and using an interactive process for analyzing information. Prior to data collection, SC will test the tools and ensure that data quality is checked during collection. Supervisors and Community Development Agents (CDAs) will coordinate general sensitization and mobilization activities in target communities.

The SBC study will complement other formative studies and Year 1 activities such as the Gender Analysis, youth Needs Analysis (YNA) and Cost of the Diet (CotD). SC is therefore looking for a consultant to conduct this research in collaboration with the Okhokelamo technical team, as laid out in this ToR.

The project has three pillars as presented below:

• Pillar 1: The mother. If the capacity of individuals, families, and communities to support healthy behaviors through the life cycle is increased, and if the access to and use of quality reproductive, maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health and nutrition (RMNCAHN) services is improved, and if women’s agency and resilience is increased, then women’s nutrition will be sustainably improved including in the face of shocks.
• Pillar 2: The child. If families have increased access to nutritious food year round, and if infant and young child feeding (IYCF) behaviors at HH and community level are improved, and if child health is improved, then IYCF and nutritional status will be improved.
• Pillar 3: The adolescent girl. If adolescent girls and boys have improved access to and use of quality adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) and nutrition services, and if adolescent girls’ and boys’ assets, agency, and contribution in the HH and community are improved inside a more gender equitable community, and if adolescent girls’ consumption of nutritious foods is improved, then early pregnancy will be reduced and nutrition improved among adolescent girls.

Purpose and Objective of the Needs Assessment: 

Purpose:

The purpose for this assessment is to provide situational information at project locations districts (Mocuba, Alto Molócue and Derre in Zambezia Province. It is expected that it will inform programme intervention and strategies. Information from the youth needs analysis assessment will be used as standards to track performance towards achieving the project’s outcomes throughout the implementation.This focused research is needed because desk research and secondary data available is insufficient to address evidence and knowledge gaps across the ToC, which is critical to the design and delivery of an effective SBC messaging and interventions package as well as implementation approaches.

Objective: 

The key objectives of the assessment are:

1. To provide important community level information to inform any changes or adaptations to Okhokelamo’s ToC and interventions, and;
2. To inform Okhokelamo’s SBC Strategy as well as other cross-cutting program strategies. Specific objectives for this study include:

Specific objectives are:

1. Understand current perceptions, beliefs, daily life, social/gender norms, gender roles, etc., to inform the integrated social and behavior change strategy.
2. Comprehend existing community/family structures upon which to build or strengthen to increase collective efficacy and impact of interventions across sectors.
3. Identify barriers and facilitators to the adoption and maintenance of specific behaviors at different life stages.
4. Deepen understanding of key audiences for segmentation.
5. Methodology [1]

The methodology will be developed by the consultant, as well as all relevant tools and presented in the inception report. The two research objectives and two specific objectives mentioned in section (II) should be assessed.

The data collection should include the use of a number of approaches to gain a deeper understanding of the outcomes of the project, including:

• Desk review of background documents (Assessments, proposal document, policies, strategies related to nutrition, WASH, social behaviour change, food security etc.)
• At least 33 Focus group discussions with first tie parents, adolescent youths, and community influencers, members disaggregated as follows
  • 6 FGDs with PLWs: At least 2 in each sampled 3 districts
  • 6 FGDs with First Time Parents: 1FGD for male, 1FGD for females, thus 2 in each sampled 3 districts
  • 6 FGDs with Adolescent girls 15-19: 1 FGD for male, 1 FGD for females, thus 2 in each sampled 3 districts
  • 6 FGDs with Fathers/husbands of PLWs/CU2a: At least 2 in each of the sampled 3 districts
  • 6 FGDs with Grandparents: 1FGD for male, 1FGD for females, thus 2 in each sampled 3 districts
  • 3 FGDs with aunts: At least 1 in each of the sampled 3 districts

At least 25 Key Informant Interviews, 8 in each of the 3 sampled districts with community & religious leaders, health care providers, APEs, Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and traditional medical healers, community influencers and 1 with local government officials

Deliverables: 

The consultant is expected to lead, accomplish and submit the following deliverables within the agreed timeframe and budget:

• An inception report, which will serve as an agreement between parties on how the formative research will be conducted. Items to address:
• Understanding of the issues and questions raised in the ToR
• Data sources; how to assess the objectives in the ToR
• Research methodology, including suggested sample and size as presented above
• Team composition, preferably including a Mozambican consultant if possible
• Schedule of activities and traveling time (timeline)
• Proposal for a learning event/validation of evaluation findings in Zambezia/Quelimane
• Detailed budget
• Data collection tools (e.g. methodological guidelines, group interview questions)
• transcribed qualitative scripts
• A max 35-page draft and final report (in MS Office and PDF for final), excluding annexes and in English, in the following format at a minimum, to be submitted to Save the Children Mozambique.
  • Executive Summary in bullets (max. 2 pages)
  • Introduction
  • Methodology, including sampling and limitations
  • Analysis and findings of the assessments in relation to objectives.
  • Challenges and lessons learned
  • Conclusions for each of the assessment objective
  • Recommendations
  • Annexes:
    • Relevant maps and photographs of the assessment areas where necessary
    • Bibliography of consulted secondary sources
    • Finalized data collection tools
    • List of interviewees with accompanying informed consent forms
    • PowerPoint presentation of preliminary findings to Save the Children in Zambezia
    • Coordinated learning event with other research consultants to triangulate findings to and to share findings with the project stakeholders. The structure and activities of the learning and validation meeting will be agreed with Save the Children. We expect attendance of 20-30 people in Zambezia.

Indicative Timeframe: 

The data collection phase in the field is to be confirmed between the consultant and Save the Children. We anticipate the consultancy will start in May 2023 and cover approximately four months of preparation, data collection and analysis of results. Results are anticipated to be available in August 2023 and the final report delivered in early September 2023.

Qualifications and Experience: 

Required: 

• As a minimum a Master’s degree in International Development Studies, Humanitarian Leadership Program, or a related field;
• Demonstrated experience of leading evaluations of social behaviour change and nutrition
• Demonstrated experience with qualitative research, data base management and data analysis
• Experience of working in Mozambique
• Experience of evaluating youth response programs
• Proven record of communicating with beneficiaries, also with children using child friendly methods
• Ability to assess and further develop a conceptual data collection tools
• Relevant subject matter knowledge and experience regarding the thematic areas of this BHA project
• Ability to deal with hardship and remote area field work

Preferred: 

• Strong understanding of humanitarian and evaluation ethics and a commitment to ethical working practices
• Advanced English writing skills
• Experience of working in insecure environments in Mozambique and managing security risks
• Action-oriented and evidence-based approach and strong drive for results;
• Highly developed self-management, and communication skills;

Guiding Principles and Values: 

Adherence to Save the Children Code of Conduct, Child Safeguarding practices and confidentiality when interviewing or photographing children. Gender mainstreaming is key to Save the Children and the donor; therefore, the lead consultant will have to ensure that the research team is gender balanced, ensuring that females are available to interact with female beneficiaries and vice versa. The consultant will also take into account principles of impartiality, independence, objectivity, participation, collaboration, transparency, reliability, privacy, and utility throughout the process.

Selection Process: 

Save the Children will use its internal guidance, checklists and an interview process to select the successful consultant. The guidelines require consultant to submit a proposal explaining their comprehension of the ToR and how they would approach this assignment with a summary of their methodology especially in terms of how they plan to meet the objectives, including a timeframe, and budget. The proposal should also include the team composition with the lead consultant and at least one other experienced evaluator, and the CV of each person to be involved in the assignment including relevant experience, a detailed budget and time availability

Evaluation of the Proposals and Scoring Criteria: 

Save the Children will assign a multi-thematic committee to evaluate the proposals submitted by consultants. The selection committee will evaluate the bidders based on the criteria set below.

Criteria and Selection: 

1.Technical Proposal - 70% broken down in to the below: 

• Understanding of the Terms of Reference ( 15%)
• Skills and experience (3-4 Years) in conducting research/studies, similar to the proposed assessment/research ( 10%)
• Qualification of the lead consultant and consulting team
• Proposed Methodology ( 10%)
• Samples of work reflect a high level of attention to detail, quality, and analytical rigor ( 20%)
• Samples of work reflect a high level of attention to detail, quality, and analytical rigor ( 15%)
  1. Financial Proposal ( 30%)

[1] Please note that Protocol for this study is submitted to ethics committee for review. The successful consultant will execute the assessment in line with submitted protocol.

How to Apply: 

Along with their CV, interested candidates should submit:

• A technical proposal explaining their comprehension of the ToR and how they would approach this assignment, summarising the methodologies and approaches they plan to use, including a timeline.
• At least two samples of similar previous assignments
• Confirmation of availability
• A financial proposal outlining their expected fees, costs of return flights, visas, meals, accommodation, field operation and logistics and life insurance. In their proposal, candidates should consider that the budget will cover the entire research period.

Interested candidates/firms should submit a technical and financial proposal and two samples of similar assignments and the other required documents in the selection criteria. Bidders are encouraged to apply Via Ariba, If the company or the individual wishes to be registered in the system, please send request to scimoz@savethechildren.org. 

1. Preferably submit your response in ProSave, you will be guided on the optional system application, please contact SCI on the phone number 21493140.
2. Electronic Submission via Email

The application documentation package should be sent to the email procurementmoz@savethechildren.org

with the subject “Social Behavior Change Study”

All attached documents should be clearly labelled so it is clear to understand what each file relates to.

Emails should not exceed 15mb – if the file sizes are large, please split the submission into two emails.

Do not copy other SCI email addresses into the email when you submit it as this will invalidate your bid.

Deadline Submission: The proposal must be submitted in to Prosave via Ariba network or by email to procurementmoz@savethechildren.org on 13th April 2023 at 4:30PM.