Kenya: Mid-term Evaluation Consultant

Jun 17, 2025 (Deadline: 2025-06-27) | Sign of Hope
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Sign of Hope e.V. (SoH) is a Christian motivated organisation for Human Rights, Humanitarian Assistance and Development Cooperation. From its base in Constance, Germany, SoH is committed to helping those in distress and exploited people worldwide.

This mid-term evaluation is commissioned under the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) budget for development projects run by private organisations.

SoH is the private German executing agency and the contracting party, with Caritas Marsabit, Spiritan Community Outreach Ethiopia (SCORE), Diocese of Lodwar, and Coordination Office of the Social and Development Commission of the Ethiopian Catholic Church (ECC-SDCO) being the local implementing partners.

The goal of this project is to contribute to food security and peaceful coexistence of agro pastoralists and pastoralists in the border region between Kenya and Ethiopia. The project targets hard to reach and marginalized Pastoralist and agro-pastoralists living in hard to reach cross border. Weak Humanitarian, Development and Peace (HDP) nexus characterize the area bordering Ethiopia and Kenya. The project will target 94,325 pastoralists and agro-pastoralist living in Marsabit and Turkana Counties (Kenya) and South Omo and Borana zone (Ethiopia). As a result, the marginalized and hard to reach pastoralists and agro pastoralists living across the border are characterized by chronic humanitarian conditions that are further exacerbated by poor/lack of developmental initiatives compounded by chronic resource (pasture and water) based conflicts leading to loss of lives and livelihood, limited capacity and coordination among partners across the border and climate related shocks. There is persistent and unacceptably high food and nutrition insecurity, poor livelihood options and social (health and education) services, as well as poor livestock marketing and limited financial services. Also, 85% of the population in 1the target areas live on a below average annual income. The area is being affected by recurring drought due to both natural disasters (climate change-induced) and man-made (overgrazing, and deforestation for firewood and charcoal). To address these interrelated factors the project will undertake a baseline study, develop and strengthen cross border coordination for HDP triple nexus actors, establish and/or strengthen multi-level peace building and advocacy structures, promotion of natural resource management (rangeland management, soil and water conservation measures), promotion of livelihoods (provision of water for production, climate smart agriculture, value addition and market promotion).

Purpose, Objectives and Use

The purpose of the evaluation is to provide Sign of Hope (SoH) , Spiritan Community Outreach Ethiopia (SCORE), Caritas Marsabit, Coordination Office of the Social and Development Commission of the Ethiopian Catholic Church (ECC-SDCO) and Diocese of Lodwar with a comprehensive assessment of the project, conducted systematically and impartially, as well as analyse (mid-term) the progress towards the achievement of the project’s results and identify risks to sustainability. The study will provide concrete, credible and practical recommendations that will assist with the timely incorporation of the findings into the decision-making process and contribute to the organisational learning of both implementing organisations and SOH.

The study will support the project quality assurance measures implemented by SoH and meet the donor requirements towards the development projects implemented by German private organisations. The evaluation will address evaluation questions based on the standard OECD/DAC evaluation criteria of relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability, and impact

The objectives of the evaluations are to:

  • Assess the extent to which the project has sustainably achieved its objectives and results, including project progress against the set targets and extent to which the lives of the project beneficiaries have been improved,
  • Identify the strengths and weaknesses in terms of planning, management, implementation
    and monitoring of the project,
  • Evaluate sustainability measures,
  • Identify cross-cutting issues addressed through the project, including gender equality,
    human rights, marginalised groups, inclusion, and other issues,
  • Document lessons learned that could contribute to the improvement of the design of future projects.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Evaluation Consultant will work in close cooperation with the responsible SoH Officer and the local implementing partner.

The duties and responsibilities of the Evaluation Consultant will include:

  • Develop a work plan outlining the proposed research methodology, geographical coverage and schedule to conduct the study,
  • Conduct a desk review of relevant documents,
  • Carry out a project site visit to a project location to conduct research, collect data and establish contact with the local implementing partner, project beneficiaries and relevant project stakeholders,
  • Review and evaluate available data and existing sources of information, including the project proposal, annual reports, conducted studies and other documents,
  • Examine institutional, technical, staffing and financial capacities of the implementing partner as well as its relationship with the target group and other relevant stakeholders.

Expected Deliverables

The study will produce the following deliverables:

  • an inception report, including the proposed research methodology and data collection tools, a table of content and timeline of research activities prior to the site visit to the project location,
  • a comprehensive report of a maximum of 30 pages with practical recommendations and
    relevant annexes (including raw data and documented records).

A template will be provided to serve as a guide and may be used to structure the final report.

Study Quality and Ethical Standards

The study team will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the study is designed and conducted to respect and protect the rights and welfare of the people and communities involved. Furthermore, the study should be aligned to the following standards and applicable practices:

  • Utility: the study must be useful and used.
  • Feasibility: the study must be realistic, diplomatic and managed in a sensible, cost-effective manner.
  • Ethics and Legality: the study must be conducted in an ethical and legal manner, with particular regard for the welfare of those involved in and affected by the Study.
  • Impartiality and Independence: the study should be impartial, providing a comprehensive and unbiased assessment that takes into account the views of all stakeholders.
  • Transparency: the study activities should reflect an attitude of openness and transparency.
  • Accuracy: the study should be technically accurate and credible, providing sufficient information a bout the data collection, analysis, and interpretation methods so that its worth or merit can be determined.
  • Participation: the Stakeholders should be consulted and meaningfully involved in the study process when feasible and appropriate.
  • Collaboration: Collaboration between key operating partners in the study process improves the legitimacy and utility of the study.

The study must be in line with the SoH guiding principles and Code of Conduct.

Process/Timeframe

The total duration of the assignment is up to 25 working days within the period from 7th July to 8th August 2025.

  • Planning meeting with SCORE, Caritas Marsabit, ECC-SDCO and Diocese of Lodwar, handover of relevant documents: 1 day
  • Initial document review and inception report preparation: 4 days
  • Sharing inception report with SoH and SCORE, Caritas Marsabit, ECC-SDCO and Diocese of Lodwar: 1 day
  • Finalisation of inception report: 1 day
  • Data collection site visit to a project location: 5-10 days
  • Data analysis, draft report with annexes: 5-10 days
  • Incorporating received feedback and report finalization: 3-5 days

Qualifications and Experience

Essential:

  • Minimum of 5 years of project evaluation and/or implementation experience in the result based management framework
  • Proven experience of conducting feasibility studies, evaluations and other research projects
  • Technical and methodological knowledge to conduct research projects and formulate conclusions based on a solid methodology, assessing projects for relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of projects
  • Experience working with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and partnered projects
  • Fluency in written and spoken English
  • Advanced knowledge and experience in evaluating complex consortium and/or Multi Actor Partnership projects
  • Experience in conducting studies for Multi-Actor Partnership projects

Desirable:

  • Experience in the relevant field/sector
  • Professional familiarity with the project country/region
  • Practical experience of working for and/or evaluating BMZ-funded projects
  • Fluency in written and spoken Kiswahili, English and Amharic.

Academic Background

An advanced level university degree (Masters’ degree or equivalent) in social sciences, public administration, international development studies, law, Organizational Development, NGO management and Project Management. A first-level university degree in combination with additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted.

The Evaluation Consultant is to be independent and impartial with no liabilities to any other organization or government entity regarding this evaluation.