Sierra Leone: Consultant, Expression of Interest for Feasibility Study for ‘Citizen-Driven Climate Change (CDCC) Project'

Jan 15, 2023 | SEND Sierra Leone
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SEND Sierra Leone is a non-governmental organisation in Sierra Leone liaising with communities, traditional authorities, government institutions and foreign partners to combine resources to develop innovative solutions to alleviate poverty and enhance quality self-reliance.

SEND Sierra Leone has adopted the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to guide national development planning and implementation with our strategic approach. The pursuit of economic equality and social equity are mainstreamed in the SDGs. Our commitment to the government is to improve the delivery of social services, strengthen gender and social inclusion, and prioritise the education sector.

SEND Sierra Leone is an independent structure, a local NGO registered in Sierra Leone. Our portfolio includes community development, WaSH, climate change adaptation, health, nutrition/agriculture and women's empowerment.

Intervention areas are in Bo, Bonthe, Moyamba, Kambia, Kailahun, Kenema, Kono, Moyamba, Port Loko, Pujehun and Western Rural districts.

Our vision is to see a Sierra Leone where people's rights and well-being are guaranteed. Our mission is to promote good governance, voice, accountably essential services and equality for women and men in Sierra Leone.

Project context

The last 30 years have been riddled with anarchy and unrest for the tiny nation of Sierra Leone. The Sierra Leone Civil War devasted the government from 1991 to 2002. The war broke down all civil, political and social systems that governed the country and accelerated and worsened the economic decline the nation had been facing since the 1980s. As such, the 2000s were filled with nation-building efforts by the government of Sierra Leone, Civil Society organisations and International NGOs. The 2014 Ebola outbreak destabilised the nation once more, and the current COVID-19 pandemic brought to the fore the dire need to reform the precarious WASH situation of Sierra Leone.

WASH refers to “Water, Sanitation and Health”. According to the 2017 National Nutrition Survey, 30.4%

of the population have access to tube wells, 20.5% to protected wells, 16.8% to protected springs, and 19% to standpipes. Though a high percentage of households in Sierra Leone have access to an improved water source, only 42% use an improved water source that they can reach in less than 30 minutes, as required by the new SDG indicator for access to clean drinking water. Improved water supply sources refer to a classification explained in more detail by WHO/UNICEF in the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP). According to this, drinking water sources are divided into "improved" (e.g. protected wells, rainwater collection systems) and "unimproved" (e.g. sources without a spring surrounding; surface water).

Additionally, the 2017 National Nutrition Survey has shown that 92.7% of the population wash their hands after defecation, but only 31% before eating and 34.8% before cooking. 72.1% of the people use open holes/buckets for defecation, 27.1% use latrines, and 0.8% use other facilities (National Nutrition Survey 2017). Out of the 27.1%, only 2.9% have access to improved pit latrines, whereas 73.3% use traditional pit latrines and only the fifth one-fifth use adequate and safe facilities that are not shared with other households (CFSVA 2015).

The rural communities of Sierra Leone bear the brunt of these statistics. Noted amongst the rural communities are the districts of Kambia, Pujehun and Kenema. The three districts are amongst the poorest in Sierra Leone and are highly vulnerable. In the three districts, only about 22% of the population (concentrated mainly in the urban centres of Kambia, Pujehun and Kenema ) has safe water. Many rely on natural and unregulated water sources, especially rainwater, rivers and streams.

Plagued with intense rainfall, flooding, high tides, and extreme heat are the various climate change effects and health-related issues faced by the people of Kambia, Pujehun and Kenema. The floods, extreme heat and high waves cause their plantations and islands to sink and flood their communities. With such high floods, their latrines overflow and pollute water wells, causing an outbreak of diseases. Due to their high levels of vulnerability, the three districts often cannot access social amenities such as flood relief packages or insurance. Livelihood security is deficient in these communities, as the government does not protect them.

These districts' farming and fishing communities live in a constant loop of poverty as the climate changes and water becomes a natural hazard threatening these communities. Thus, the project will focus on averting the harmful effects of the changing patterns and levels of rainfall. As livelihood, health and water are distinctly linked, the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) activities will be used as leverage and an entry point for a more climate-resilient livelihood at the community level.

The total direct project beneficiaries are 10 455. These target groups include 1,080:540 women and 540 men from 90 communities in the three districts; 45 Ward Development Committees (495 WDCs members); 10 persons from the environmental protection agency under the Ministry of Environment- MoE; 10 persons from the District Health Management Team-DHMT under the Ministry of Health and Sanitation-Mohs; 10 persons from NPAA under MAF; 1 Private Sector; 60 local technicians establish in the project; 90 members the District WASH Coordination members. 90 VSLA groups of 2,700 persons, 6,000 credits and loan scheme members in the three districts. Sixty students and teachers at academic institutions in Kambia, Pujehun and Kenema districts will participate in the initiative.

The indirect target group includes the total population in Kambia-345,474, Pujehun-346,461 and Kenema-609,891, given a total of 1,301,826 persons expected to benefit from the project. This will be done by integrating climate risks into the district WASH planning, privatisation of WASH service provision, digitalisation of monitoring of water points, and standardisation of procedures for planning and implementing robust Climate WASH.

The project

SEND Sierra Leone and TERRA TECH GERMANY, funded by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation (BMZ), are planning the Citizen-Driven Climate Change (CDCC) Project.

The overall impact of the intervention is to improve livelihood in the Kambia, Pujehun and Kenema districts through the cross-sector engagement of climate-sensitive WASH governance.

The above objective will be achieved through the accomplishment of the following results:

• Improved climate-robust WASH infrastructure in 90 rural communities in Kambia, Pujehun and Kenema districts
  • Strengthened WASH structures that enhance participatory and inclusive climate robust WASH governance in Kambia, Pujehun and Kambia
  • It improved rural citizen-driven climate adaptation in the WASH sector in Kambia, Pujehun and Kenema, serves as a catalyst and influences national climate adaptation strategies.

Purpose of the consultancy

SEND Sierra Leone is seeking the services of a consultant to conduct a feasibility study for the proposed project to guide the development of the project proposal and submission to the donor as part of the processes that will guide the project development implementation. The final report will form findings and recommendations for possible strategies and activities with a clear qualitative and quantitative description of each indicator and develop tools for monitoring, data collection, an operational M&E plan and a logical framework.

The consultant will have the overall responsibilities for this assignment and is expected to:

• Conduct the feasibility study according to BMZ feasibility study guidelines which SEND can provide
• Review relevant project documents and national and international policies to inform the processes and recommendations.
• Write an inception report indicating clear scope, detailed methodology and timeline for each assignment activity.
• Develop the feasibility study tools, including both quantitative and qualitative tools.
• Lead the pre-testing of the study tools and refine the data collection questions.
• Develop a sampling procedure.
• Responsible for administrative and logistics support for the study
• Recruit and train enumerators and supervisors for quantitative and qualitative data collection.
• Supervise the quantitative and qualitative data collection.
• Analysis of qualitative and quantitative data using SPSS or similar statistical analysis software.
  • Write a report with recommendations and tools for monitoring, data collection, logical framework and an operational M&E plan.
  • Incorporate comments and finalise the report.
  • Present findings to the staff of SEND.
  • Orientation with SEND staff on the study and recommendations.
  • Complete and submit the final version of the report within 30 days.
    • Share all relevant project and context documents for background understanding to support the processes of the study.
    • Review and comment on study methodology, sampling and tools.
    • Approval of the final study tools.
    • Give feedback and comments to draft reports.
    • With support from the Programme Officer and Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, the Country Director of SEND will supervise the consultant.

Roles of SEND Sierra Leone:

Methodology

This study will be conducted within the target area of Kambia, Kenema and Pujehun districts, with a representative sampling in each section from within direct beneficiaries. The total direct project beneficiaries are 10 455. These target groups include 1,080:540 women and 540 men from 90 communities in the three districts; 45 Ward Development Committees (495 WDCs members); 10 persons from the environmental protection agency under the Ministry of Environment-MoE; 10 persons from the District Health Management Team (DHMT) under the Ministry of Health and Sanitation-MoHS; 10 persons from National Protected Area Authority (NPAA) under MAF; 1 Private Sector; 60 local technicians establish in the project; 90 members the District WASH Coordination members. 90 VSLA groups of 2,700 persons, 6,000 credits and loan scheme members in the three districts. Sixty students and teachers at academic institutions in Kambia, Pujehun and Kenema districts will participate in the initiative. Given the proposed target beneficiaries, the study is expected to reach a range of these targets. This will be done by integrating climate risks into the district WASH planning, privatisation of WASH service provision, digitalisation of monitoring of water points, and standardisation of procedures for planning and implementing robust Climate WASH.

Organise FGDs and KII in Kambia, Pujehun and Kenema districts. The participants will include representatives from the WDC, MoE, DHMT, NPAA, District WASH Coordination members, students (primary and secondary) and teachers.

Quantitative tools are expected to capture but are not limited to the following:

• Educational characteristics of target group-highest level of qualification, years of work experience, age, sex, not/on payroll, deck attached(pre-prim. Prim. JSS, SSS, etc.)
• Minimum years of education
• The living standard of target groups
• Access to adequate education facilities
• Access to and use of education facilities/services
• Knowledge, attitudes and practice around climate change
• Gender issues around climate change
• Identify elements of market-driven climate WASH service
• Self-initiatives around climate change and WASH that the project can leverage from
• Perception and attitudes towards climate change and WASH
• Opportunities and challenges for climate change and WASH interventions
• Climate change and WASH education potentials and recommended strategies.
• Standard operating procedures for HDCs (mandates and roles)
• Identify regulation, quality control and oversight between private sector providers and

Qualitative tools are expected to capture but are not limited to the following:

• Knowledge, attitudes and practice around climate change
• Gender issues around climate change
• Identify elements of market-driven climate WASH service
• Self-initiatives around climate change and WASH that the project can leverage from
• Perception and attitudes towards climate change and WASH
• Opportunities and challenges for climate change and WASH interventions
• Climate change and WASH education potentials and recommended strategies.
• Standard operating procedures for HDCs (mandates and roles)
• Identify regulation, quality control and oversight between private sector providers and communities’ (the buyers)

• Knowledge, attitudes and practice (KAP) around Climate practices at household, institutional, community, chiefdom and district levels.
  • Identify valuable experience from organisations and community WASH governance structures at the community, chiefdom and district levels.
  • Outline a realistic timeline for the proposed set of activities;
  • Identify and analyse any governance and capacity issues that will be critical during the implementation of the project and ensure the project's sustainability.
    • Identify existing government WASH and climate change effects data platform (water transmitter/AKVO/Aquaflow
    • Identify relevant initiatives (if any) to improve women's participation in decision-making, leadership, and governance in the climate WASH sector being implemented or supported by the government or development partners in the relevant locations.

Proposed structure for the report

• Executive summary
• Background and context
• Methodology
  • Presentation of findings (thematic) and discussion of results (using both quantitative and qualitative data)
  • Recommendations for the proposed approaches in the Concept Note
  • Recommendations for awareness-raising strategies
  • Recommendations for supporting activities and structures proposed in the concept
  • M&E Framework for the monitoring of feasibility indicators

Work plan and financial proposal

The consultant is expected to present a proposal inclusive of the work plan and cost of service for consideration, including the following:

• Detailed CV of the consultant
• Elaboration and outline of methodology and sampling
• Work plan (indicating breakdown of the number of days allocated for various tasks)
• Final financial proposal
• Three references

Expected qualifications and competence of consultant:

• Background in climate change, gender and WASH or similar discipline areas.
• Demonstrated experience conducting similar studies for (I)NGOs.
• SPSS license and mastery (or similar statistical software package).
• Willingness to travel to a remote area for the assignment.
• The consultant must be based in Sierra Leone.
• Consistently approaches work with energy and a positive, constructive attitude
• Remains calm, in control and good-humoured even under pressure
• Demonstrates openness to change and ability to manage complexities
• Good interpersonal and teamwork skills, networking aptitude, and ability to work in a multicultural environment
• Committed to deadline

Duration of the assignment:

The consultant must complete the project within 30 days from December to the 30^th of January 2023

Payment Terms

SEND will make a 30% advance payment upon signing the contract to facilitate work. 30% of the contractual sum will be paid after submitting the first draft report, and the final 40% will be made after the information is presented, discussed and endorsed by SEND and Terra Tech. However, 5.5% will be deducted as tax from the total contract value as required by the laws of Sierra Leone.

Submission