South Sudan: Terms of Reference (ToR) - Final Evaluation of Malaria Prevention Project in Jonglei State, South Sudan

Terms of Reference (ToR) - Final Evaluation of Malaria Prevention Project inJonglei State, South Sudan

1.0 Background

The Lutheran World Federation Department for World Service (LWF-DWS) South Sudan Program has been operational in the country since 2004. LWF/DWS has experience working in different localities in South Sudan. Its competence in response to emergencies and development has both local, regional and international experience as demonstrated by the regional response to the recent South Sudan December 2013 crises. In South Sudan LWF-DWS works in three states of Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity in collaboration with local authorities and community organs and has endeared it well in the local setting. In Jonglei State, LWF/DWS emergency response to the 2013 crisis to date has delivered the anticipated results of contributing to the coverage of basic NFI, and food security (through cash transfers, WASH, seed, fishing twines among others) and Malaria prevention among other protection needs for the internally displaced persons and host communities, and continues to ensure improved access to food and preparedness to respond and mitigation of the effects of the crisis and other natural disasters in Twic East, Duk and Uror Counties. The Malaria prevention project is funded by The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) for a period of two and half years from 1^st July 2013 to 31^st Dec 2015. Within the design of the project was an end term evaluation of the project with which this evaluation is being commissioned

1.1Introduction to the End Term Evaluation of Evaluation Malaria Prevention Project

Following the conflict that erupted in South Sudan in December 2013, massive displacements were reported for over 1.8 million people out of which 1.3 million are IDPs and 451,000 refugees in the neighbouring countries. Jonglei State was among the worst affected States by the crisis. In both Twic East and Duk Counties of Jonglei state where the Malaria Prevention and Control Project action is being implemented, most of the populations were displaced to the Islands, Lakes State, Central Equatoria, Eastern Equatoria and neighbouring countries. Weeks before the commencement of the malaria prevention project, IDPs in the Islands came back to their original homelands whilst others from a neighbouring rebel controlled Uror and Ayod Counties entered Ayueldit IDP camp in Duk County in search for food supplies from United Nations World Food Program (WFP). Most of these IDPs were women and children vulnerable and exposed to conditions conducive to malaria infection. Unavailability of enough medical supplies (anti-malarial medicines and para checks) in the only available health facility in Ayueldit IDP Camp exacerbated the situation. Through this project, LWF/DWS South Sudan Programme has been strengthening malaria preventive and control interventions in all the 11 Payams in the two counties of Duk and Twic East he two counties - Ageer, Payuel, Dongchak, Panyang, Padiet, Pagak (in Duk County), and Lith, Kongor, Nyuak, Ajuong and Pakeer ( in Twic East County). The project targets 6,000 households (36,000 persons) and was planned to reach pregnant women, children under five years, the disabled, orphans, widows, the elderly and those suffering from chronic illnesses such as Tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS and Asthma. The project aims to reduce morbidity and mortality rates associated with malaria among the target beneficiaries by 50% at the end of the project term in December 2015. Its objective is to increase knowledge on methods of malarial control and prevention among at least 85% of members of the at risk among the targeted 6,000 households.

2.0 Objectives of the End Term Evaluation

This overall aim of the end term evaluation of the Malaria Prevention Project to assess and establish the extent to which the project contributed towards reduction of morbidity and mortality rates associated with malaria among the target beneficiaries and will determine the efficacy of the project strategies as elaborated in the project towards this achievement. In its review, the evaluation will ascertain best practices and lessons learnt for scaling up of a similar project in other similar contexts in LWF/DWS south Sudan locations informing therefore future programming models. Specifically, the evaluation will:

1. Establish the extent to which the overall aim and objective of the project has been achieved
2. Assess the design of the project and its efficacy in ensuring the achievement of the project impact and

· The choice of selected project strategies and their suitability in ensuring increased awareness and knowledge among the beneficiaries in prevention and control of malaria infection

· The training content as designed and its delivery methods among staff, Malaria promoters and the end users and their absorption capacity

1. Determine the adoption rate of malaria prevention methods promoted by the project and the absorption capacity of these by the targeted beneficiaries.
2. Assess the sustainability of the results and ascertain the communities’ capacity to reduce risk of malaria in the future. Interrogate the sustainability of promoting the use of malaria prevention promoters at community level and teachers in schools and the efficiency and effectiveness of their outreach services and their acceptability by the end users of their services.
3. Assess collaboration and networking with local authorities and other agencies and the extent to which this yielded complementation in project implementation/resource sharing, synergy, information sharing for greater impact on the beneficiaries
4. Review challenges experienced during project implementation and quality of decisions taken to overcome these; compile best practices and lessons learnt for scaling up in future programming
5. Provide recommendations for future improvement and expansion of the Malaria Prevention and control project in 2016

3.0 Proposed Evaluation Methods

The consultant will develop evaluation methods and data collection tools for discussion and approval by LWF-DWS Programme Technical Team. LWF recommends these to include among others:- Review of Malaria Project document, Malaria control training content/modules and progress reports, Project surveys, monitoring reports and other relevant documents. The overall evaluation approach should be participatory and should employ re known participatory methods that ensure active participation of staff, the end users and other key stakeholders (local authorities, Department of Health at County level, other relevant agencies) including observations. Both qualitative and quantitative methods are proposed. Six Key deliverables are anticipated from this Evaluation namely:

1. A Technical proposal that encompass among others:-

· The Evaluation methodology prior to the selection of the consultant (Technical Proposal).

· Evaluation Work Plan and Budget based on the estimated period detailed below under section 5.0

1. Evaluation Tools (To be developed after contractual agreement and reviewed by LWF-DWS and approved before commencement of the study)
2. A 4-5 pages inception report on the proposed assessment one week into the Evaluation at field level
3. A power point debriefing on Evaluation findings and recommendations in Jonglei and Juba
4. Draft and final report (LWF will provide inputs in the draft report)
5. Final Report (To be approved by LWF)

4.0Consultant experience

Open towards qualified individuals and consultancy companies, the consultants should meet the following criteria:

Consultant/Firm Profile

· A university degree in a health-related profession and specialized training in communicable disease control, epidemiology or related field from a recognized university.

· Theoretical and practical expertise at the highest level in aspects of prevention, management, control and elimination of reintroduction of communicable disease programs with emphasis on diagnosis, case management, field epidemiology, medical entomology and vector control related to malaria;

· Proven experience in conducting quality evaluations and assessing health/malaria prevention projects

· Knowledge on community preventive health intervention and/or malaria prevention Programming, Strong understanding of South Sudan context (specifically the context in Jonglei State), human health policy and advocacy work

· Community participation skills

· Excellent English; knowledge of local languages an asset

5.0 Timeline

The assignment is expected to begin early November 2015 for a period of 20 Days

Applications should be sent to the following email address; hro.ssd@lwfdws.org by COB 4/11/15

The assignment is expected to begin early November 2015 for a period of 20 Days Applications should be sent to the following email address; hro.ssd@lwfdws.org by COB 4/11/15